Comedy’s a nitshow worth watching
Motherland continues to be the funniest British sitcom on television, finds James Croot.
Awitty, cynical and sometimes savage look at the trials and traumas of modern-day, middle-class motherhood, Motherland’s third season offers more hilarious insights, memorable moments and knowing laughs.
For those unfamiliar with the BBC’s acerbic answer to Australia’s House Husbands ,it focuses on an eclectic group of parents who banter, clash and bond during the daily school run.
There’s struggling PR executive Julia (Death Comes to Pemberley’s Anna Maxwell Martin), the chaotic and blunt-talking Liz (After Life’s
Diane Morgan), disastrous stay-at-home-dad Kevin (Mother FatherSon’s Paul Ready), ‘‘Alpha Mum’’ Amanda (A Series of Unfortunate Events’
Lucy Punch) and the high-flying socialite Meg (Tanya Moodie).
Thanks to the brilliant writing quartet of Sharon Horgan (Catastrophe), Graham Linehan
(Father Ted), Helen Serafinowicz and Holly Walsh, each perfectly calibrated episode is filled with hilarious hijinks, identifiable moments and terrific quips (‘‘you know you’ve had a good night when you find crisps in your knickers’’).
It’s almost hard to imagine that, a decade ago, this was originally pitched as pilot series in the United States (then titled Bad Mom, it was slated to star Jenna Elfman, Frances Conroy and Tom Everett Scott) but it failed to be picked up. As if to confirm its relevance, the season opener is a brilliant pastiche of Britain’s botched response to the Covid pandemic.
The school has been over-run by head lice, an exasperated administration forced to call in the Lice Po-lice. A parental meeting outlines plans to squash ‘‘the nit curve’’ via a series of isolation measures.
When Julia is accused of instigating a second wave which threatens Amanda’s son’s highly anticipated birthday party, she is forced to host a ‘‘nit treatment’’ gathering.
But it’s not only everyone’s hair care and personal hygiene that then comes under the spotlight. Liz is awaiting a potentially lifechanging call, and Kevin admits he may have been forced to commit ‘‘a crime of passion’’ to try to save his faltering marriage.
While there are some more poignant and thought-provoking scenes, the true delights are in the dialogue and the details.
Speculation as to why head lice seems more prominent now is put down to the popularity of perms in the 1980s (‘‘it was chemical warfare’’), while the party hostess reveals she used to work in an STD clinic (‘‘I started with crabs and have been working my way up,’’ she quips).
As well as this latest five-episode series, Kiwi viewers are also getting their first chance to see last year’s quite brilliant Christmas special.
That focuses on Julia struggling to deal with the expectations of a full house, Kevin’s introduction and instant addiction to Minecraft (‘‘It’s not German, Hitler didn’t write it,’’ Liz scoffs at his unique pronunciation) and Amanda’s lavish Christmas Eve bash.
That’s an exclusive soiree complete with a panettone pyramid, Evil Santa present swap and a no dark drinks inside the house policy.
As you might expect, things rapidly descend into total chaos that will have you struggling to compose yourself.
Motherland returns to Sky’s SoHo at 10pm on Thursday. Episodes will also be available on Neon from June 24.