Mother of all rivalries
Fabulous comedy on the challenge of living up to parenting expectations at the school gates returns in fine form
THIS comedy went down a storm when the first series aired in 2017, providing a welcome representation for frazzled mums (and dads) everywhere, and a fair few ‘thank God’ moments for child-free viewers.
It’s no surprise it was such a success, coming from the very funny minds of Sharon ‘Catastrophe’ Horgan, stand-up comedian Holly Walsh, Graham and Helen Linehan and Barunka O’Shaughnessy.
This second series gets off to an absolutely flying start in more ways than one, as working mum Julia (the brilliant Anna Maxwell Martin) – clearly behind on her ‘new school term’ prep – tears round a shoe shop, looking for any footwear which could be considered remotely suitable, before packing her daughter off to school in a pair of stylish but ill-fitting kitten heels.
Motherland demonstrates the brutal battle ground of the school drop-offs and pick-ups perfectly: for every barelycoping or can’t be bothered single mum like Liz (Diane Morgan – aka Philomena Cunk) there’s a Mean Girl yummy mummy like Amanda (Lucy Punch).
And ready to get Julia’s back up this term is new arrival Meg (Tanya Moodie) – a high-flyer with a big family, an even bigger career, and a laidback loving spouse (Anthony Head).
Julia hates her, Amanda wants to be her best friend, and lone dad in the pack Kevin (PaulReady) breathlessly declares her to be “like a TED talk”. So just what is this remarkable woman’s secret? The gang soon learn when she ropes them into an impromptu night out, which goes seriously wrong...