After five episodes of The Exquisite Martyrdom of Anna Maxwell Martin, the appalling Julia has finally sorted out her childcare issues (yes, apparently furiously loaded middle-class residents of NW6 can't just chuck loads of money at the problem, whenever) in the series finale. But is supernanny Lindsey as super as she seems? Meanwhile, Amanda fronts out Squaddiegate in style. All this sudden character depth seems a bit late in the day, but it's welcome anyway.

The 20 best TV comedies of 2017

Here - in no particular order - are the 20 best shows from 2017.

Motherland, episode 5 review

Kevin's useless, lovable goof shtick has worn thin.

Motherland, series 1

Watching Motherland feels somewhat like how I imagine it feels to watch a car crash unfold. But this is disaster comedy that never takes the easy route.

Motherland, episode 4 review

It's become increasingly clear that Julia is not a heroine but an irritant.

Episode four of Linehan, Linehan, Horgan and Walsh's excellent comedy about the Ocado-flavoured trials of suburban motherhood, and Julia (Anna Maxwell Martin) is struggling to cope. In what is now a running gag, she calls husband Paul, who is super busy (read: enjoying punting and Pimms). He offers to send his parents to help, but Elizabeth and Geoff only aggravate Julia further, despite Kevin stepping in to offer his "expertise" with the elderly.

Are these the most dislikeable women on TV?

In a British comedy landscape where truly immoral protagonists are overwhelmingly men, Motherland stands out.

This sitcom's comprehensive catalogue of parenting embarrassment moves on to the pool party, a parade of grubby, fleshy indignity given the unlikely twist of Julia (the terrifically taut Anna Maxwell Martin) being forced to attend minutes before a work event at which she had hoped to look pristine. Meanwhile, Liz (Diane Morgan) is waiting for a potential date to ring her back, and pathetic Kevin (Paul Ready) meets his non-pathetic doppelganger nemesis.