Workin' Moms

**Workin' Moms** is a Canadian television sitcom that examines the porn ideal that working mothers can have it all. When long-time friends Kate Foster, a warm and grounded PR Exec, and Anne Carlson, a no-nonsense therapist, meet timid IT tech Jenny Matthews and lovable-mess real estate agent Frankie Coyne in a judgmental mommies' group, the four quickly form an unlikely friendship. The series follows the struggles of these urban moms, providing a raw and honest look at how they juggle their burgeoning identities as mothers. The series stars Catherine Reitman, Dani Kind, Jessalyn Wanlim, and Juno Rinaldi.

The series was announced as greenlit in October 2015 by CBC. Production on the first season was announced to have started in August 2016. It premiered on CBC Television on January 10, 2017. The series is produced by Wolf + Rabbit Entertainment, the production company of Reitman and her husband Philip Sternberg..

In February 2019, in the middle of season 3, the series premiered globally on Netflix. Pre-production for a sixth season was confirmed in an Instagram post of the cast on Zoom by the shows creator Catherine Reitman.

## Plot

Can you have it all? For these workin’ mothers, some days you can and some days… not so much. When longtime friends Kate Foster and Anne Carlson meet Jenny Matthews and Frankie Coyne in a judgmental mommies’ group, the four quickly band together and form an unlikely friendship. While the women might not necessarily have started off as friends, at this critical moment in their lives they appear to be fighting the same fight: to continue personal growth in the face of challenging relationships, insatiable babies, horrific co-workers and lastly, a Mommy and Me class filled to the brim with disapproving mothers. Whether it be rediscovering their sexuality or merely having the will to stay alive in the face of postpartum depression, these bad-ass women are doing everything they can to make it to the end of each day in one piece.

## Cast and Characters

### Main

* Catherine Reitman as Kate Foster
* Dani Kind as Anne Carlson
* Juno Rinaldi as Frankie Coyne
* Jessalyn Wanlim as Jenny Matthews

### Recurring

* Ryan Belleville as Lionel Carlson
* Sarah McVie as Val Szalinsky
* Sadie Munroe as Alice Carlson
* Dennis Andres as Ian Matthews
* Nikki Duval as Rosie Phillips
* Katherine Barrell as Alicia Rutherford
* Oluniké Adeliyi as Giselle Bois
* Mason and Nolan Gahan as Charlie Foster
* Mimi Kuzyk as Eleanor Galperin
* Jennifer Pudavick as Gena Morris
* Tennille Read as Bianca
* Kevin Vidal as Mo Daniels
* Aviva Mongillo as Juniper

## Seasons Information

* Writers: Catherine Reitman, Rebecca Kohler, and Karen Kicak
* Director: Catherine Reitman, Paul Fox, and Aleysa Young
* Airdate: January 10, 2017
 File:TBA.jpg | Season 2* Writers: TBA
* Director: TBA
 File:TBA.jpg |  Season 3* Writers: TBA
* Director: TBA
 File:TBA.jpg | Season 4* Writers: TBA
* Director: TBA
 File:TBA.jpg | Season 5* Writers: TBA
* Directors: TBA
 TBA

## Episodes

> *Main Article: List of Episodes*
>
>

* Rules
* Fem Card
* Bad Help
* Sophie's Choice-ish
* The Wolf & the Rabbit
* Phoenix Rising
* Hoop Earring
* Tricky Nipple
* The Coxswain
* Bye Bye Kate
* Merde
* Having It All
* Of Rights And Men
* Daddy's Home
* Training Day
* Stand for Something
* Narls In Charge
* Revenge Fantasy
* Girl's Trip
* Guns 'n' Deception
* Creamed
* Business Boyz
* Two Paths
* What's It Gonna Be?
* Good Mom
* The Sign
* The Holy Hole
* Consent
* Shame Spiral
* Retreat
* Red Handed
* Spirit Animal
* Cuck
* Trash Panda
* If Women Had to Give Birth
* Look Back
* Black Sheep
* The Man in the Mexican Mask
* No One's Coming
* To Lure a Squirrel
* Lice
* Bad Reputation
* Charlie and the Weed Factory
* Mama Mia Meatboy
* Pleasure Yourself
* A Rat, Girl
* Mother Knows Breast
* Finger in the Butt
* Launch Pad to Trash Hole
* Punch Dad
* Blue Angel
* Fack

## Critical Reception

The show has received mixed reviews.

Brad Oswald of the Winnipeg Free Press wrote that the show "demonstrates a deft ability to deliver punchlines while at the same time confronting the realities of 21st-century motherhood".

While John Doyle of *The Globe and Mail,* wrote that the show "reeks of entitlement and privilege." Doyle further expressed sympathy for working mothers but not the show saying "The moms represent only a very specific, urban-bourgeois type. Their troubles are tiny, they live in luxury and their only contact with anything approaching the reality of contemporary life is via their nannies. Me, I have every sympathy for working mothers. And the show asks us to have sympathy for the characters, but where the funny comes into it is beyond me".

## Trivia

* In 2018 and 2019 the show was nominated for the International Emmy Award for Best Comedy Series.
* In 2019, the show received 9 Canadian Screen Award nominations including Best Comedy Series and Best Actress for both show creator Catherine Reitman and Dani Kind. Reitman also received a nomination for Best Direction (for the episode “2005”), while Jann Arden, Amanda Brugel, and Peter Keleghan received recognition for Best Supporting or Guest Actor/Actress.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 CBC — "PRODUCTION BEGINS ON CATHERINE REITMAN’S ORIGINAL COMEDY SERIES WORKIN’ MOMS for CBC (August 22, 2016)
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 CBC — "CBC GREENLIGHTS CATHERINE REITMAN COMEDY SERIES, WORKIN’ MOMS (October 29, 2015)
3. ↑ CBC - "CBC ANNOUNCES WINTER BROADCAST PREMIERE DATES FOR NEW AND RETURNING PRIME-TIME SERIES" (November 14, 2016)
4. ↑ The Hollywood Reporter — "[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/three-actresses-join-black-ish-896909/ Three Actresses Join ‘Black-ish’ Star Catherine Reitman’s Upcoming Comedy ‘Workin’ Moms’" (May 24, 2016)
5. ↑ Workin' Moms (@WorkinMoms) on Twitter — "TODAY IS THE DAY! #WorkinMoms is officially available on @netflix worldwide. @reitcatou If you’re new to our family, follow along with us @WorkinMomsNFLX" (Retrieved September 3, 2021)
6. ↑ Catherine Reitman (@reitcatou) on Instagram — "Word’s out! Season 6 of @workinmoms is underway. Swipe thru to see our badass cast and visionary writers making it happen 💪🏻 @cbc" (Retrieved September 3, 2021)