Motherland (TV series)

Motherland is a British sitcom set in West London, which explores the trials of middle-class motherhood. A pilot episode, written by Graham Linehan, Sharon Horgan, Helen Serafinowicz and Holly Walsh was first broadcast on BBC Two on 6 September 2016 as part of its "Sitcom Season". The BBC subsequently ordered a full series of six episodes, the first of which aired on 7 November 2017.
The second series was released on BBC iPlayer on 7 October 2019. The third series began transmission on BBC2 on 10 May 2021, with all five episodes being released on BBC iPlayer the same day. In the United States, the show is broadcast on Sundance TV. The series won a British Academy Television Award for Best Scripted Comedy in 2022. A second Christmas special aired on 23 December 2022 on BBC One.
A spin-off was announced in May 2024 titled Amandaland, centering around Amanda (Lucy Punch), with Philippa Dunne and Joanna Lumley reprising their roles of Anne and Amanda's mother Felicity respectively.
When her mother abruptly decides to stop taking care of her children, working mother Julia Johnstone is forced to take a much more active role in their lives and education. She becomes friends with working-class Liz and stay-at-home dad Kevin Brady, and finds herself interacting with the local mother group, including their shallow and acerbic leader, Amanda. Julia is constantly overwhelmed by aspects of parenthood, and receives no support from her perpetually-absent husband Paul. Working at a PR firm at the start of the series, Julia eventually quits and starts her own PR business.
The show was originally a 2011 pilot on the American network ABC. Writer Sharon Horgan reworked the script when the pilot was not picked up for a full series and collaborated with Graham Linehan on turning it into a British sitcom instead. Following its pilot on BBC, it was picked up for a full series in October 2016.
The show was filmed primarily in Acton, Ealing, Bedford Park, Chiswick, West London and Muswell Hill, North London. Scenes outside the children's school are filmed at Southfield Primary School in Bedford Park. Other areas include Hammersmith, West Kilburn, Hanwell, Ladbroke Grove and Harlesden.
Julia's house is 1 Avenue Gardens in South Acton and the University of West London on the Golden Mile (Brentford) doubled as Julia's work office.
In the Pool Party episode of series one, the lobby scenes were filmed at Mallison Sports Centre in Highgate however the pool scenes at the Charing Cross Sports Club, in Hammersmith. In The Cavalry episode, the station in which Paul's parents arrived at and departed from was Teddington railway station. The hospital the parents visited in the last episode of the first series was Ealing Hospital, in Southall. The Sports Day episode of series two was filmed at the Southfield Recreation Ground in Bedford Park.
In the Nit Blitz episode of series three, the park scenes were filmed at Springfield Gardens near Acton Main Line. The school the parents visit in the Catchment Area episode is Elthorne Park High School in Hanwell. In the same episode, the Catholic church that Julia paid a visit to was Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church near Acton Central, yet the exterior was filmed at the back of Ealing Abbey.
In the Mother's Day episode, Liz and Kevin visit his mum's grave with Church Lane and Street in Twickenham doubling as 'the countryside'. In the 2020 Christmas Special, the park scenes were filmed at Acton Park, in Acton Vale, London. In the 2022 Christmas special, the opening scene at the market was filmed on Pitshanger Lane in Ealing, at the butchers Hook and Cleaver.
The pilot was filmed in early 2016 and aired in September 2016. The first series was filmed from late June to early August 2017 and aired from November to December 2017. The second series from March to May 2019 and aired from October to November 2019. The third series from September to November 2020 and all episodes aired in May 2021. The 2020 Christmas special is the first episode of the third series but aired earlier in December 2020. The latest Christmas special was filmed in November 2022 and released in December 2022.
Spin-off
The spin-off Amandaland started filming in North London in September 2024.
The first series was released to favourable reviews and holds an approval rating of 82% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 22 reviews with critics. The website's critical consensus reads "Motherland pulls no punches, creating an honest and hilarious portrayal of parenthood buoyed by brilliant performances from its seasoned cast - though for some viewers it may hit a little too close to home". The second series later received a score of 83% based on 12 reviews, with the Christmas special following on with a score of 100% based on 8 reviews. The third series later received five out of five stars by Radio Times and was released to positive reviews. The second Christmas Special, Last Christmas, which aired on 23 December 2022, garnered positive reviews.
In March 2023 an American remake under the working title Drop-Off was given a pilot order by ABC, being executive produced by and starring Ellie Kemper. In June 2023 its title was revealed to be Keeping it Together. ABC meanwhile passed on developing the show.
In May 2024, the BBC announced a spin-off of the series, titled Amandaland, to focus on Punch's character. Punch, Dunne and Lumley were confirmed to reprise their roles in the series. Filming began in North London in September 2024. All six episodes of the first series were released on February 5th, 2025.