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: 547

Press clippings Page 11

Radio Times Top 40 TV Shows of 2017, #23: A parenting sitcom in which children hardly featured: middle-class couples snorted in recognition as, somewhere in a posh corner of London, mums (and stay-at-home dads!) fought trivial battles for social position. Two strong lead performances, from Anna Maxwell Martin as an underprepared struggler and Diane Morgan as a laid-back queen of irresponsible shortcuts, gave it bite.

Jack Seale, The Guardian, 27th December 2017

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.

Ali Catterall, The Guardian, 12th December 2017

Motherland, episode 6 review

It's not perfect, but hopefully this very modern comedy will be back.

Lucy Jones, The Telegraph, 12th December 2017

The 20 best TV comedies of 2017

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

Alex Nelson, i Newspaper, 11th December 2017

Euan Ferguson's best television of 2017

Includes Motherland, Car Share and W1A, while flops include The Nightly Show.

Euan Ferguson, The Guardian, 10th December 2017

50 best TV shows of 2017, #14: Get ready for the funniest episode of Motherland, or indeed any other comedy on TV this year. Mousey also-ran of the school gates Anne becomes centre of attention as the mums clamour for a place in her car pool. Kevin, meanwhile, thinks his luck is in as he's finally granted an audience with domestic goddess Amanda. And there's a glimpse of what's going on behind Liz's deadpan face as she realises Julia only sees her as a mum friend, not a going-out one.

Hannah Verdier, The Guardian, 5th December 2017

Motherland, episode 5 review

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

Alexandra Pollard, The Telegraph, 5th December 2017

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.

Becca Moody, Moody Comedy, 3rd December 2017

Vicious middle-class competitive parenting became a painfully sharp sitcom in the hands of Linehan, Horgan et al, with national treasure Diane Morgan its careless hero.

The Guardian, 30th November 2017

Motherland, episode 4 review

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

Michael Hogan, The Telegraph, 29th November 2017

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