Netflix's Maid series hits touch points about domestic violence

She's also a young mum. And she's in trouble.

There is nothing simple about MAID.

Based on a true story, Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive by Stephanie Land, the storyline veers deep into the swirling waters of domestic violence, dragging a good person further down when one piece of bad luck turns into a whirlpool of misfortune.

The show stars Margaret Qualley in the role of Alex, a young 20-something with a talent for the written word. She falls for a young guy, Sean, a bartender, that she meets at reading and unexpectedly becomes pregnant, which throws her plans to attend university on a scholarship into turmoil.

Alex takes a job as a hire-out maid, and thus comes the name of the program.

Alex flees the caravan she shares with Sean when she realises he is an alcoholic and abusive partner (he punches holes in the walls, and intimidates her when he's drunk).

The stellar cast makes this 10-episode series work - from Qualley, the real-life daughter of Andie MacDowell; to MacDowell herself, cast in the role of Alex's hippie mother; to Nick Robinson, in the role of Sean; to Anika Noni Rose, in the role of Regina, one of Alex's wealthy clients.

It's an intense storyline, with Alex bouncing in and out of a domestic violence shelter - back with Sean, fleeing to her father's home, anywhere she can find safety. There is no place for viewers to hide. And many reminders of how close to home such circumstances can strike.

The scene stealer of the show is Rylea Nevaeh Whittet, who plays Maddy, Alex's toddler daughter. She is as a constant reminder that Alex's number one priority is her daughter.