Motherland - BBC2 sitcom

[editor]

Three episodes in and I'm unexpectedly enjoying this as it's funnier than it sounds. Anyone else watching it?

The pilot episode of Motherland last year just oozed what I would like to call commissionability, if that weren’t such a hateful word: the resultant return of a whole series a triumphant vindication (should they need it) for creators Sharon Horgan and Graham Linehan. They might have set out to ridicule the notion of any perfect, “having it all” supermum, but in creating Maxwell Martin’s Julia – beset at every turn by a lazily crap ex, a rubbish boss, the passive aggression of the queen bees and tiger mums – have actually, despite themselves, created a supermum for our times. Helpfully, the kids don’t get a look-in: this is all about mums. The lifelong panic of being a mum. It is, also helpfully, appallingly funny: best comedy of this year.

The week in TV: Motherland, The A Word, Detectorists and more

BBC Two - Motherland, Pilot

 

[Poot]

I love it. The conversation in the swimming pool (I don't want to spoil it) made me actually guffaw.

 

[kabbes]

Always trust in Graham Linehan.

 

[scifisam]

Why are the Graun so terrible about getting facts right in their reviews? Julia's married. Her crap husband is still her husband, he's not her ex.

Anyway. It is a funny programme and I like that all the characters are sympathetic, even the queen bee. It's a shame everyone except Liz lives in an enormous house but Catastrophe (also by Horgan) had the same issue.

 

[Poot]

Why are the Graun so terrible about getting facts right in their reviews? Julia's married. Her crap husband is still her husband, he's not her ex.

Anyway. It is a funny programme and I like that all the characters are sympathetic, even the queen bee. It's a shame everyone except Liz lives in an enormous house but Catastrophe (also by Horgan) had the same issue.

Yes, the fact that all the characters are much better off than they should be bothered me. I do get that Amanda's house is supposed to be big and intimidating, but not the others. But it's always like that with TV comedy. There might be a reason why (they're selling it to other countries and want to make it look as though Britain is the place to be?)

 

[kabbes]

Yes, the fact that all the characters are much better off than they should be bothered me. I do get that Amanda's house is supposed to be big and intimidating, but not the others. But it's always like that with TV comedy. There might be a reason why (they're selling it to other countries and want to make it look as though Britain is the place to be?)

I think part of it is probably the sheer physical difficulty of operating in a claustrophobic set. Difficult to get the angles, I would think.

 

[Orang Utan]

Saw it all last night. Loved the pool party one especially.

 

[Orang Utan]

Why are the Graun so terrible about getting facts right in their reviews? Julia's married. Her crap husband is still her husband, he's not her ex.

Anyway. It is a funny programme and I like that all the characters are sympathetic, even the queen bee. It's a shame everyone except Liz lives in an enormous house but Catastrophe (also by Horgan) had the same issue.

It used to be the case that tv crews would film in big houses with big rooms, so they could fit all the crew and equipment in, but I don't know it that's true any more.

 

[Orang Utan]

Why are the Graun so terrible about getting facts right in their reviews? Julia's married. Her crap husband is still her husband, he's not her ex.

It said he was her ex on the iplayer plot description too.

 

[scifisam]

The physical space thing isn't really a justification. It would mean they might want them all to have open plan kitchen living rooms, like they all do, but people can have those and still live in a flat. Basically have some of them have a ground floor flat in those houses, not the whole house, which is how most families in London (particularly Chiswick, where it's filmed - it doesn't say that but it's obviously a fairly affluent area) live now even if they're middle class. Or have them have a more modern, less pretty house rather than period properties which would cost close to a million.

Anyway, it doesn't really detract much from the show and at least there's Liz.

 

[Santino]

It's because people who commission, write and make TV programmes live in big houses in North London.

 

[Orang Utan]

Yeah, Liz's house looks realistically tiny

 

[kabbes]

Quite honestly, if it's a trade off between realism and having a set that is well designed for the show they are trying to make, I'll suspend my disbelief.

 

[Orang Utan]

Oh, and did everyone see the pilot too? It's up on iplayer. Has one of the funniest scenes of the whole series.
Keith/Kevin's character is a lot different in it, not quite as pathetic.

 

[cybershot]

Downloading it now, the pressure is on boys.

 

[scifisam]

Quite honestly, if it's a trade off between realism and having a set that is well designed for the show they are trying to make, I'll suspend my disbelief.

It's not though.

 

[The Boy]

Oooh. Saw the pilot of this way back whenever. Might even have been before/around the time little man was born actually.

Good to see it's been picked up. Will give us something to watch before the weekend binge of stranger things

 

[chilango]

Saw the pilot when it was aired back in 2016 and had been looking forward to this ever since.

I’m mildly disappointed tbh after watching the first 3.

It is funny. But - to me - feels like it’s missing something.

 

[Calamity1971]

Watched all of them in one sitting! Love Diane morgans character, especially how she showed how to do an easy kids party. Find the pound and undiluted squash . Just got back from Hoylake on the Wirral and there's cafe just like it aimed at middle class mums and kids. Giggled everytime I went past.

 

[chilango]

Find the Pound is my favourite bit so far

 

[danny la rouge]

Saw the pilot when it was aired back in 2016 and had been looking forward to this ever since.

I’m mildly disappointed tbh after watching the first 3.

It is funny. But - to me - feels like it’s missing something.

Yeah, loved the pilot: like the series.

It's funny. I like it.

 

[Silas Loom]

Whole family just watched the pilot and first four episodes on Urban's recommendation. It's very rare that we all enjoy something. Even the dog seemed to like it.

 

[Mordi]

Saw the pilot when it was aired back in 2016 and had been looking forward to this ever since.

I’m mildly disappointed tbh after watching the first 3.

It is funny. But - to me - feels like it’s missing something.

Similar experience, I think it's cos they're rationing out on the Liz material. Which means we're left with characters who are all insecure and that's what we're supposed to be laughing at. Feels a little imbalanced.

 

[paolo]

Yeah, loved the pilot: like the series.

It's funny. I like it.

Same.

The pilot... oh wow.

“I’ve got some cheese in the freezer”
“You can freeze cheese ?”
“Yeah, you can freeze anything”


Still, the series proper is Ok. Just not quite hitting all the same notes.

 

[danny la rouge]

The episode with the inlaws says it's Queen's Park.

Wherever it's set, it's still funny. I'd like more Liz, and more of the feel of the pilot, but even had I not seen the pilot and been keenly awaiting the series I'm sure I'd still like it.

 

[Orang Utan]

.

 

[sojourner]

Watched it all last night on the back of this thread and yeh, very funny.

 

[Voley]

I love Diane Morgan's character. "Ooh, is there a plug? I'd've brought me ironing if I'd known."

 

[sojourner]

I love Diane Morgan's character. "Ooh, is there a plug? I'd've brought me ironing if I'd known."

Yeh that had me in pleats too

 

[Voley]

Watched most of it last night.

Diane Morgan's great. It's her delivery that does it for me, that deadpan thing that she does when she's Philomena Crunk. Just going 'Oh for fuck's sake' when the bloke rode off on his motorbike had me hooting last night.

Really like this programme. I'm not big on sitcoms usually.