New ITVX drama ‘Maryland’s’ brought viewers to tears at its premiere last night.
The drama stars Suranne Jones and Eve Best as Becca and Rosaline, two opposite sisters who are reunited when their mother is found dead on an Isle of Man beach.
Forced to spend time together and process their grief, the two estranged sisters reconnect as they unravel their mother’s web of secrets and uncover their double life.
The first episode of the show was broadcast live last night, three episodes are already available on ITVX and viewers had many opinions about the premiere.
Some said the emotional opening of the episode, in which the two sisters visit their grieving father, brought tears to their eyes.
New thriller ‘Maryland’, which stars Suranne Jones (pictured) and Eve Best as two estranged sisters, caused tears in viewers when it premiered on ITV last night
One viewer said he cried throughout all the episodes, which were also released in bulk on ITVX
In the first five minutes of the show, Becca and Rosaline’s mother is found dead by an bystander.
Suranne’s character, Becca, receives a phone call while having breakfast at home with her husband and children.
The first person she calls is her sister, Rosaline, who is having a breast exam at a hospital.
The two sisters have a painful conversation, during which Becca, trying to hold back tears, confronts a stoic Rosaline.
Rosaline asks about her father Richard (played by Happy Valley’s George Costigan) and Becca admits she couldn’t bring herself to tell him the news.
Finally, Becca goes home to her father, where she finds him gardening, and breaks the news to him in an emotional scene that has the father of two bursting into silent tears.
Richard runs to the kitchen to cry over the sink, where Becca goes to hug and comfort him.
This emotional opening of the thriller made a deep impression on the viewers at home and they were moved to tears.
In the show, Suranne Jones plays Becca and visits her father Richard, Happy Valley’s George Costigan to break the news that his wife has died
Rosaline, played by Eve, hears the news while on the phone with Becca after a hospital appointment
‘Oh my goodness. The letter. The end. Watched all 3 episodes and cried 3 times! Brilliant story, beautifully filmed. I just absolutely love Suranne Jones. “Thanks,” said one.
“All I have to say to Maryland is hello fairies… And please give me a hundred more episodes,” wrote another.
“I love Maryland so far and we’re only halfway through the episode,” said another.
“Mo one is more moving than Suranne Jones…well duh,” one wrote.
“A strong opening line from Maryland.” I love the way the sisters open up. “I love it,” said another.
“Suranne and Eve are just on fire, fighting each other for their mother’s affection, remembering how they need each other but can’t seem to find time for each other,” one wrote.
The show begins with the body of Becca and Rosaline’s mother being found lifeless on a beach in the Isle of Man
An emotional Becca bursts into tears as she tells her older sister the news over the phone
In another scene, Becca sits down with her father after telling him that her mother was found dead
Viewers were also shocked to see Grease star Stockard Channing, 79, play Becca and Rosaline’s best friend Cathy, who tells the two daughters everything
“When you start a new ITV drama and see the usual suspects in the credits, you don’t expect ‘and Stockard Channing’ to show up! “Now this is getting interesting,” wrote one.
“LOVE watching Stockard Channing on MaryLand.” “What a queen,” said another.
“However, Stockard Channing’s appearance in #Maryland is a very random, very compelling show,” one wrote.
“Stockard Channing still looks great,” gushed one.
Richard is overcome with tears upon learning that his wife has died on the Isle of Man and is comforted by Becca
Stockard Channing makes a surprise appearance on the series as Cathy, the girls’ mother’s best friend
The show’s emotional start touched viewers at home, who said they were left crying
Co-created by Suranne Jones herself and directed by Sue Tully, the show was highly anticipated.
Over the three episodes of the series, Becca and Rosaline uncover their mother’s secret life, which included another house, a partner and a fortune on the Isle of Man of which they were unaware.
Speaking to the Daily Mail’s weekend magazine, Suranne, who tends to think of strong female roles in dramas like ‘Dr. Foster” and “Vigil”: “I could have played either of the sisters, but I chose the younger one because she’s dragged along with events, rather than knowing everything like some of my recent TV characters and the to run the show.
“Amy Silva in ‘Vigil’ and Anne Lister in ‘Gentleman Jack’ were confident and on the move, while Becca is hyper and stressed in episode one – but slowly relaxing in episodes two and three,” she added.
