Remembering Mama: Television’s gifts for Mother’s Day
Mothers come in all forms, but each year, they all share one day … and this time, it’s today.
Similarly, moms are represented in various ways in different media projects, as demonstrated by many series and movies to be televised on that special occasion. Here are some of TV’s highlights slated for this Mother’s Day.
“MOM” (CMT)>> With that title? Of course. A marathon of the sitcom that ended last year featured Allison Janney in her much praised and honored portrayal of Bonnie, a mother who has plenty of challenges to deal with.
“THE GOLDEN GIRLS” (HALLMARK
CHANNEL, TV LAND)>>
Bea Arthur and Estelle Getty, as live-in daughter and mother Dorothy and Sophia, made up half of this enduringly popular quartet … with Betty White and Rue McClanahan comprising the other half.
“THE BRADY BUNCH” (METV)>>
Whatever the given episode, this classic sitcom boasts one of the best TV moms ever, Florence Henderson’s Carol Brady.
“REBA” (CMT, HALLMARK CHANNEL)>> Country-music icon Reba McEntire became
a full-fledged TV star as a divorced mom always ready with a wry quip. “NAKED AND AFRAID: TOUGH
AS A MOTHER” (DISCOVERY)>> Sure, “Mother” is in the title, but a marathon of this unscripted series makes rather liberal use of the term.
“I REMEMBER MAMA”
(TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES)>> One of the most famous of all parental tales, director George Stevens’ 1948 drama casts Irene Dunne
as the “Mama” recalled by her writer daughter (later “Dallas” star Barbara Bel Geddes).
“BAD MOMS” (FXM)>> As the title implies, the women played by Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn may not be the best parents, but they sure are funny in this 2016 film.
“THE BEACH HOUSE” (HALLMARK
MOVIES & MYSTERIES)>> Andie MacDowell and Minka Kelly portray a newly reunited mother and
daughter in this affecting 2018 adaptation Mary Alice Monroe’s bestseller. “SOCCER MOM MADAM” (LIFETIME)>> Part of a full day of movies based on true-life stories of mothers, this 2021 drama casts Lifetime staple Jana Kramer as the unlikely linchpin of a prostitution ring. “SNATCHED” (FXM)>> This 2017 comedy casts Goldie
Hawn and Amy Schumer as a mother and daughter whose shared vacation ends up getting them kidnapped. “PLACES IN THE HEART”
(TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES)>> Sally Field earned her second Oscar for best actress as a Depression-era widow and mother fighting to save her Texas farm in writer-director Robert Benton’s 1984 drama.
“BRIDGET JONES’S BABY” (TBS)>> Renee Zellweger returns as Bridget, the Englishwoman who becomes pregnant — without being sure who the father is — in this 2016 comedy.
“A QUIET PLACE PART II” (EPIX)>> Emily Blunt plays a mom who defines the term “fiercely protective” against sound-sensitive creatures in this 2020 horror sequel.