Maternal: TVNZ hosts thought-provoking UK series that’s a must for medical drama lovers

REVIEW: “I’m not here to tell you I’ve had a termination – this isn’t Hollyoaks.”

General and trauma surgeon Dr. Catherine MacDiarmid’s (Lara Pulver) blunt delivery to her baby daddy in the opening episode of the six-part UK medical drama Maternal (which begins screening on TVNZ 1 on Saturday, June 3 at 10.05pm) also doubles as a tone-setter for the ITV series itself.

With its memorable pithy dialogue and quick shifts from black comedy to high tension, it’s clear that British playwright Jacqui Honess-Martin’s first foray into television is aiming to be closer to This is Going to Hurt than Call the Midwife, but in truth it feels more like a cross between Kay Mellor’s In the Club and hugely under-rated James Nesbitt-starrer Monroe.

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As well as the ambitious solo-parent Catherine, Maternal also follows paediatric registrar Dr. Maryam Afridi (Parminder Nagra) and acute medicine registrar Dr. Helen Cavendish (Lisa McGrillis), as they all return from maternity leave to work at City General Hospital.

From day one, each of them faces plenty of challenges, as they attempt to juggle their home lives and careers in a profession that has also significantly changed in their absence – thanks largely to a certain global pandemic.

Helen’s biggest concern is trying to navigate working with her husband Guy (Oliver Chris), as they undergo intense marriage counselling, while Maryam suddenly finds herself thrust straight into being on-call after two years away, blowing up all her plans for staged return.

“We agreed to some boundaries. That you wouldn’t be working all hours in life-and-death situations,” her concerned husband Raz frets.

“I’m a doctor Raz. If I can’t go back to life-and-death situations, then I can’t go back.”

It’s a feeling shared by Catherine, as she attempts to hit the ground running in her quest to become a consultant. However, not only is she frustrated by having to plead to get surgical hours, her family isn’t exactly supportive of her current situation.

“I wasn’t interested in your father’s God complex – and I’m not interested in yours either,” Catherine’s mother rages after having her pottery class interrupted by a call from an irate babysitter unwilling to do overtime. “My pot is unglazed. I will be taking my number off the fridge and will turn my phone off in the future.

“You want to be a mother? It demands sacrifice.”

A sentiment, to her horror, that’s echoed by a departing colleague whose career she always envied. “My life’s a f…ing mess. My husband is sleeping with my nanny, we’re up to our eyeballs in debt and my mother’s ill.”

Urging Catherine to retrain now, she has a ready retort when Catherine protests that she “only ever wanted to be a surgeon”.

“Then why would you become a mother?”

Yes, although the medical scenes don’t quite reach the tension-filled heights of say This is Going to Hurt or ER (which Nagra spent six seasons on as Dr. Neela Rasgotra), there’s certainly plenty of thought-provoking, resonant and chewy topics up for discussion away from the wards.

Honess-Martin certainly gives the central trio plenty to work with and they all prove more than up to the task, Nagra in particular creating a compelling character caught between doing the utmost for her family and being the best she can be in her job.

Sadly short-lived – despite a solid reception, it was axed after its current season – Maternal is nevertheless a must for medical drama lovers.

Maternal debuts on TVNZ 1 at 10.05pm on Saturday, June 3. Episodes will also be available to stream on TVNZ+.