Season three of "Motherland" was on the Guardian's best of 2021 list, though, at the moment that's not streaming anywhere for free. I went back on Netflix, watched and liked the first season, so I pressed onto the second, which was also great.
The gang's dynamics are thrown into chaos by the arrival of a new family and particularly Meg (Tanya Moodie) who seems to effortlessly marry being a great and present mum, with a high-powered career, Julia (Anna Maxwell Martin) is naturally furious. Amanda (Lucy Punch) opens a shop on the high street but is it the last compromise of her failing marriage. Meanwhile Liz (Diane Morgan) sends her youngest child to nursery so, for the first time in years, finds herself at a loose end.
With Graham Linehan cancelling himself out of a writing job, Baruka O'Shaughnessy takes his place. There's no way of knowing exactly who wrote what, but there's certainly no obvious difference in quality or tone between the first season of the show and this. There is a lot of change across this season. Meg is an interesting way of shaking up all the dynamics, confident enough to stand up to anything Amanda might say, and a source of inspiration and frustration for Julia. They do undercut the character with some flaws though, to show that nobody is perfect. Kevin has a job this season, though he's an undermined there as he is at home. Kevin's personal sacrifices are a big part of this run.
Again, comedy is they most subjective thing there is and if you were to feel it was just middle class mucking about, I wouldn't be able to put up much of an argument, but I enjoyed it and will crack on with season three when either Netflix or the iPlayer has it.
The gang's dynamics are thrown into chaos by the arrival of a new family and particularly Meg (Tanya Moodie) who seems to effortlessly marry being a great and present mum, with a high-powered career, Julia (Anna Maxwell Martin) is naturally furious. Amanda (Lucy Punch) opens a shop on the high street but is it the last compromise of her failing marriage. Meanwhile Liz (Diane Morgan) sends her youngest child to nursery so, for the first time in years, finds herself at a loose end.
With Graham Linehan cancelling himself out of a writing job, Baruka O'Shaughnessy takes his place. There's no way of knowing exactly who wrote what, but there's certainly no obvious difference in quality or tone between the first season of the show and this. There is a lot of change across this season. Meg is an interesting way of shaking up all the dynamics, confident enough to stand up to anything Amanda might say, and a source of inspiration and frustration for Julia. They do undercut the character with some flaws though, to show that nobody is perfect. Kevin has a job this season, though he's an undermined there as he is at home. Kevin's personal sacrifices are a big part of this run.
Again, comedy is they most subjective thing there is and if you were to feel it was just middle class mucking about, I wouldn't be able to put up much of an argument, but I enjoyed it and will crack on with season three when either Netflix or the iPlayer has it.
