Suranne Jones and Eve Best Shine in ITV’s “Maryland” — A Quietly Devastating Drama About Sisters, Secrets, and Grief

When audiences think of Suranne Jones, they picture intense, commanding performances — whether she’s plunging beneath the ocean’s surface in Vigil or boldly reimagining history in Gentleman Jack. For Eve Best, the image is no less powerful: her unforgettable turn as Rhaenys Targaryen, the dragon-riding princess in House of the Dragon, cemented her status as one of Britain’s most magnetic screen presences.

So when these two formidable actresses come together, the expectation is for fireworks. But in ITV’s three-part drama Maryland, the explosions are not of the spectacular variety. Instead, they’re intimate, internal, and devastatingly human. The series strips away grandeur, offering instead a raw exploration of grief, family estrangement, and the unspoken tensions between sisters.

A Death That Brings Life’s Unfinished Business to the Surface

The drama begins with a tragedy: Mary, the mother of Becca (Suranne Jones) and Rosaline (Eve Best), dies suddenly while on a secret trip to the Isle of Wight. Her daughters, distant both geographically and emotionally, are forced to reunite to deal with the fallout.

Becca, the dutiful mother and wife, has spent her life tethered to responsibilities that seem never-ending. Her days are filled with school runs, cooking, and the grinding weight of domestic life. Rosaline, on the other hand, chose escape. Ambitious, sleek, and always on the move, she carved a career in London’s financial sector — but beneath the expensive clothes and carefully curated life, she is battling fears about her own health and fragility.

The contrast is clear not only in their life choices but even in their wardrobes: Becca is often seen in stretched-out jumpers and weary jeans, while Rosaline sweeps into rooms draped in effortless cashmere. Their mother’s death doesn’t just force them to confront loss — it forces them to confront each other.

Secrets in the Shadows

The hook of Maryland lies in Mary’s secret life. Why was she on the Isle of Wight? Who were the people she surrounded herself with? And what exactly did she keep from her daughters? These questions drive the plot forward, giving the sisters a mystery to untangle even as they attempt to patch up their fractured bond.

But in a striking twist, the mother’s secrets eventually fade in significance compared to the raw power of the sisters’ relationship. The real story is not about Mary’s hidden life, but about Becca and Rosaline finally confronting decades of unspoken resentment. As viewers, we watch two women grapple not only with their grief but with the realization that they barely know each other anymore.

The Performances That Elevate the Story

What could have been a simple family drama becomes riveting thanks to the powerhouse performances of Jones and Best.

Suranne Jones deliberately chose to play Becca, surprising many who assumed she would take the more assertive role of Rosaline. For Jones, who has built her career on strong, front-footed characters, Becca represents something new: a woman who feels stuck, overlooked, and passive. The choice pays off. Jones delivers a performance that is tender, vulnerable, and quietly heartbreaking.

Her portrayal is also deeply personal. Speaking about the role, Jones admitted that the parental grief woven through Maryland reflects her own life, having lost both her parents. This authenticity resonates on screen, giving Becca’s quiet breakdowns and hesitant attempts at strength an almost unbearable poignancy.

Eve Best, meanwhile, brings her trademark sharpness to Rosaline. She plays her with a brittle elegance, a woman who seems to have it all together but whose veneer cracks at just the wrong moments. Best ensures Rosaline is never reduced to a stereotype of the cold career woman; instead, she is layered, flawed, and painfully real.

The supporting cast adds texture, with standout turns from Stockard Channing as one of Mary’s enigmatic friends, Hugh Quarshie, and George Costigan. Each adds a piece to the puzzle, but also amplifies the emotional stakes for Becca and Rosaline.

A Different Kind of Tension

Unlike the high-octane thrillers audiences often associate with British drama — Bodyguard, Vigil, or even Broadchurch — Maryland unfolds with a slow, deliberate pace. There are no explosive twists, no sudden betrayals that make headlines on social media. Instead, the tension simmers beneath every conversation, every sidelong glance between sisters, every unanswered phone call.

For some viewers, this restraint may feel unsatisfying. When the truth of Mary’s secret is revealed, the resolution feels inevitable, even predictable. Modern audiences, conditioned by prestige TV’s obsession with plot twists, may find themselves waiting for a shock that never comes.

Yet this may be the point. Maryland is not about spectacle but about life’s quieter devastations — the ones that creep into the kitchen at midnight, the ones revealed through offhand comments, the ones that reshape families in silence rather than explosion.

ITV’s Winning Formula

In recent years, ITV has worked hard to shed its image as a broadcaster overshadowed by BBC dramas. With limited series like The Thief, His Wife & The Canoe and Russell T Davies’s Nolly, the channel has proven it can deliver prestige television that resonates with both critics and audiences.

Maryland fits neatly into this new wave. At only three episodes, it avoids the bloat that plagues so many dramas, maintaining impeccable pacing and leaving viewers wanting more rather than less. Its strength lies in its ability to make small domestic details — boiling kettles, tidying up jumpers, walking along windy coastlines — feel like moments of monumental weight.

Final Verdict

Maryland is not a drama that shouts. It whispers, it lingers, and it leaves viewers unsettled long after the credits roll. While its mystery element may not fully satisfy those expecting shocking twists, its true achievement lies in its portrayal of sisterhood and grief — messy, painful, and full of love that is often expressed too late.

Thanks to Suranne Jones and Eve Best, the series is elevated into something memorable. Their performances anchor the story with a raw emotional honesty that makes Maryland one of ITV’s most quietly powerful offerings in recent years.

For audiences weary of endless crime puzzles and political conspiracies, Maryland provides something refreshingly different: a drama that dares to suggest that the greatest mysteries are not in spy agencies or battlefields, but in the complicated, fragile bonds of family.

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

With its emotional resonance, impeccable casting, and beautifully restrained storytelling, Maryland stands as proof that ITV’s miniseries format is in its prime. Whether or not it earns BAFTA recognition, it has already secured its place in the hearts of viewers who value honesty over spectacle.