David Farnor | On 20, Jun 2018

Motherland will return this year for a second season.

The BBC Two comedy, which was created and written by Sharon Horgan (Catastrophe, Pulling), Helen Linehan and Holly Walsh (Dead Boss), is a sitcom that charts the trials and traumas of middle-class motherhood, looking at the competitive and unromantic sides of parenting – not the cute and acceptable public face of motherhood.

There are the ‘Alpha Mums’ headed by Amanda (Lucy Punch – The Wedding Video) who is very much the Queen Bee, and at the other end of the spectrum, Liz (Diane Morgan – Cunk On Shakespeare) who’s totally chaotic and feels kids should enjoy free expression. Somewhere in the middle is Julia (Anna Maxwell-Martin – Reg), who, when she forgets it’s the school holidays, realises her organisational skills are nowhere near the level of the Alpha Mums. Also in the mix is Kevin (Paul Ready Utopia), a stay-at-home dad, who embraces his role with gusto – much to the irritation of the other mothers.

A co-production between Merman and Delightful Industries and produced by Richard Boden, the series was praised by us for its “candid portrait of modern parenting”, describing it as “Acerbic, witty and borderline panic-inducing”.

This year, a new school term dawns. It’s also dawned on Julia that she still hasn’t sorted her childcare. Her wonderful husband has decided to step up to the mark and train for Iron Man. And while the alpha mums are back in the cafe, rolling up their blouse sleeves for this year’s PTA, Kevin looks on from his table next to the toilet. Liz, on the other hand, has mastered the art of not giving a monkey’s, and is going back to bed.

Produced by Delightful Industries (part of the Twofour Group) and Merman, the six-episode second season is directed by Juliet May and was commissioned by Shane Allen, Controller of Comedy Commissioning and Patrick Holland, Controller of BBC Two.

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