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Episode 6 of Maid begins with Alex in group therapy. She reflects back on an important turning point in her life, when she almost attended a writing program at university. Alex’s life took a very different turn though, and now she’s on the cusp of losing her sanity altogether. She’s still staying with Paula, whose eccentricity is less than ideal. Even worse, she’s struggling to find accommodation. The only way to get a place to stay is through using Home TBRA, a government funded financial aid that pays a percentage of her rent. And unfortunately that’s something very few landlords are willing to give a look in. Nate has been a constant source of help throughout the show but his intentions are still unclear, even now. Does he just want to get in Alex’s pants or is he genuinely caring and wanting to help her? That’s something Alex ponders when he suggest she switch daycares to the same one as his, given he can put in a good word for her. Last episode, Alex confronted her reality and the dark past she’s dealt with. This episode the attention turns slightly toward Sean in this respect, who admits he’s been a drunk since he was 9. His father used to beat him with a tire iron and his brother was starving, forcing Sean to give up school and get a job. This explains his moods, and AA is “shaking all of this out” of him. Alex does her best to reassure him – after an earlier spat in the diner – as Sean regrets not getting sober sooner for the family. Off the back of this, Alex takes up Nate’s offer and checks out the daycare on Fisher’s Island. It’s perfect – but there’s a problem. In order to be accepted, Alex needs to be a resident on the island. She’s given 72 hours to get that sorted or the spot will be gone. An unlikely carrot on a stick comes in the form of Regina. She’s not selling the house after all, with the house part of her divorce settlement. When Alex heads over to clean, she finds her up in the bedroom trying to assemble a crib. She’s also hiring a live-in nanny which would be perfect for Alex… but unfortunately Regina rejects the offer as she’s “quite far along” with an agency. When a new house listing goes live for a studio, Alex manages to sweettalk the client into accepting her – on the tradeoff that she does yard work. After all that grafting, it’s a massive win. Alex packs up her things, joyous that she’s going to finally catch a break, as she and Maddy start fixing up the yard. Thanks to her hard work, Vivian (the lady in charge of the house) allows Maddy to have her party at their place. Nate is first to show up and he’s got mermaid party hats and even mermaid bath toys for Maddy too. It’s a really sweet gift but Alex is troubled. Paula and Sean both show up late, with the latter showing up with a date. Even worse, Paula jokes about a fight she and Basil has had, resulting in her husband leaving with the RV – which has all her stuff inside. If that wasn’t bad enough, Alex’s date shows up with her friends, booze, and a whole lot of trouble. That’s obviously something that worries her, but thankfully she doesn’t lose her studio. At least not yet. Putting Maddy to bed, Alex smiles as her daughter admits that this was the best night ever. In the morning, rapping at the door sees everything comes crashing down around her. Sean is passed out on the sofa, with a vase broken on the living room floor, and Vivian absolutely living. This single act from an incredibly selfish man makes her lose the studio apartment. Between this, and Paula losing her RV, the only other place to turn is Nate’s.
The Episode Review
Poor Alex. That heartbreaking ending with the party and losing the studio apartment she fought so hard to get in an instant is so tough to watch, There have been so many moments in this show that have triggered me personally, knowing from experience how difficult it is to go through being made homeless and eking out a living with very little money. Maid does an excellent job showcasing that and the anxiety and dread Alex feels during the party is identical to how many others will feel too watching this (including myself) and seeing everything take a downward turn after a few deep breaths of happiness. Quite what will happen next now that Alex’s life is back in limbo is anyone’s guess but this show has been outstanding and a difficult one to watch.
