Am I supposed to hate Julia? (Motherland)

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

I'm about 4 episodes in (season one), and honestly - I find her and, more specifically, her husband, so fucking annoying that I may just have to throw the towel in.

I get that she is supposed to be a harangued mother, feckless dad, etc, but she is just so incredibly unlikeable.

She berates her mother, so cruelly, for stepping back on childcare (creating a gap the wanker dad should be helping to fill), sometimes in front of her mothers friends.

She only ever does stuff with or for her kids because other people have basically played on her massive insecurities. But it's at caricature point now, where its losing any humour.

I'm just not finding the comedy at all with her. I'm wondering if the fact that there isn't even a drop of niceness written into her character means we are supposed to dislike her?

I'm only still watching for Anne and Liz. Even Kevin - they made him a bit funny at the start but it's going a bit slapstick (the wearing all the coats scene?)

I want to get it, and I want to like it, and there bits I like. But it just feels so over over the top. Like they've ramped up any potential for a bit of comedy to just levels of ridiculousness.

Are you Northern?

My Southern friends all love Julia and swear they are her.

I could only like Anne and Liz. I realised I am a Northern cliche.

I felt the same - I only really like Liz

I’m southern and can’t stand her. If I thought I was anything like her there’s no way I’d admit it, she’s only ever out for herself, she uses everybody.

I really can't take to Julia. She lost me when she let Ivy go to school in heels.

I think it improves as it goes on. Slightly more subtle and definitely funnier. I found myself rewatching it all on Netflix recently (from series 2 on I think) and really enjoying it.

But no, I don’t think Julia is supposed to be likeable. (The actress has said this in interviews.) And her husband is obviously meant to be a complete arsehole. But I don’t think characters have to be likeable to enjoy a programme…

I agree OP but I also assumed we weren’t supposed to like her 😆

And I’m also northern so maybe it’s a thing @ArcticSkewer !

well that's what I thought too, but apparently she is a hilarious pastiche of their lives 🙄

I also like her mother (not in series 3 so much)

I don't think you're supposed to like her. I suppose she is meant to be many people's worst self iyswim

Yes she's awful. Fair play to them for having a properly horrible character though rather than just a "pretend these bought cakes are homemade for the school fair" character.

Oh thank God. I've started watching this twice because it's supposed to be so good. The only character who's vaguely funny or likable is the Northern single mum (sorry names not my thing 😆) but even the Queen Bee Mum is more likeable than Julia.

I'm not Northern and I think she's horrible too. I don't find it funny.

The bit where the husband gets a bike delivered and she can't get it in the house is genius, I've had so many similar experiences. As I get older and more stressed I feel more like her.

She's awful, but I think she's supposed to be.

I don't think she's supposed to be likeable but I think it's supposed to be funny and it fails on that count

Can't stand her either. She is chaotic parenting wrapped up in (supposedly) middle class cliches and we are supposed to find it amusing. I don't.

I'm from the South East, a FT working mum who works in London and thought Julia was hideous! So rude and manipulative. I think she's supposed to be, though and still liked the show.

LizI was definitely the most likable, but I thought that was the point really. The others are either self serving from opposite angles, or completely wet and desperate to be liked. Liz was the outcast because she didn't for either mold, yet is the character the audience would like.

Couldn't bare to watch it because of the Julia character. She irritates the life out of me. Liz meanwhile is brilliant

She's who I might be if I don't take care. My worst self, but with a nicer house.

Yeah as PPs have said - she’s supposed to be unlikeable I think. Most of them are.

I don't like Julia at all. I fact, I binge Motherlland recently when I wasn't well, and disliked it intensely.

I love her !

I can't stand her either. It's hard to watch her, she's so irritating

I assumed she was meant to be seen as a bit of a Mum monster. Trying, but not succeeding, to excell at motherhood and work.

I agree that she is the worst version if ourselves. All the times we catch ourselves feeling like an unreasonable cow but manage to make the right decision.

I don't like Liz either, I love Ann.