Motherland. Image shows from L to R: Liz (Diane Morgan), Julia (Anna Maxwell Martin), Kevin (Paul Ready)
Motherland

Motherland

  • TV sitcom
  • BBC Two / BBC One
  • 2016 - 2022
  • 20 episodes (3 series)

Comedy about middle-class parenthood and juggling kids, school, and other parents. Stars Anna Maxwell Martin, Diane Morgan, Paul Ready, Lucy Punch, Philippa Dunne and more.

  • JustWatch Streaming rank this week: 344
Motherland. Image shows from L to R: Julia (Anna Maxwell Martin), Liz (Diane Morgan), Meg (Tanya Moodie), Kevin (Paul Ready), Anne (Philippa Dunne), Amanda (Lucy Punch)

Key details

Genre
Sitcom
Broadcast
2016 - 2022
Channels
BBC Two, BBC One
Episodes
20 (1 pilot + 3 series)
Creators
Sharon Horgan, Graham Linehan, Helen Serafinowicz and Holly Walsh
Stars
Anna Maxwell Martin, Diane Morgan, Paul Ready, Lucy Punch, Philippa Dunne, Tanya Moodie, Ellie Haddington, Oliver Chris and more
Writers
Sharon Horgan, Helen Serafinowicz, Holly Walsh, Barunka O'Shaughnessy and Graham Linehan
Directors
Juliet May and Simon Hynd
Producers
Richard Boden, Sam Pinnell, Caroline Norris, Graham Linehan, Sharon Horgan, Clelia Mountford, Holly Walsh, Ben Caudell and more
Companies

Motherland is a show all about navigating the trials and traumas of middle-class motherhood, looking at the competitive and unromantic sides of parenting - not the cute and acceptable public face of motherhood.

We meet the 'Alpha Mums' headed by Amanda, who is very much the Queen Bee: everything is organised, clean and sparkly - even the kitchen cork board is a statement of success. Yet at the other end of the spectrum, we meet Liz, who's totally chaotic and feels the kids should enjoy free expression.

Somewhere in the middle is Julia, who, when she forgets it's the school holidays, realises her organisational skills are nowhere near the level of the 'Alpha Mums'. Also in the mix is Kevin. He's the stay at home dad, who, rather than fighting against that, is embracing it with gusto - much to the irritation of the other mothers.

Motherland isn't the public face of motherhood, it's unromanticised parenting: competition, cafes full of kids, dog-poo bags standing in as replacement lunchboxes...

Catch-up

Stream and download

Additional details

Part of

New On Two

Landmark Sitcom Season

Production
Location
Camera set-up
Single camera
Picture
Colour

Website links

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Tuesday 6th September 2016 at 10pm on BBC Two
Most recent repeats

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