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Motherland inconsistencies

152 replies

BikeRunSki · 07/06/2021 16:28

I am watching the first two seasons again, having just finished the third one and I’ve noticed a couple of inconsistencies. I am happy to be corrected though.

1- in the first series Kevin says that his mother lives near Andover (I think it’s Andover, but the actual location doesn’t matter). In the third series he says that she died when he was 8.

2- in the first series Anne says she’d had an early menopause, so how did she get pregnant again in the second series (which I assume is Baby Niamh who she has had by the third series). Was there some kind of mistake/realisation that I missed?

OP posts:
Turquoisesol · 21/06/2021 20:18

I guess she isn’t entirely unlikeable, she is obviously struggling and it’s just an exaggerated character for comedy value. I think a lot of people will see part of themselves in her. I see little bits of myself in a lot of the characters.

AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken · 22/06/2021 06:52

@Snoopsnoggysnog

Disagree, think Julia isn’t meant to be likeable, she is quite selfish and not that great a friend, but she has moments of self awareness when she realises this!
I agree. Even when things are going better for her, she still never misses an opportunity to take advantage of other people. It makes me think this is why people are reluctant to help her because her demands never end. The only exception to this seems to be Paul who she never makes demands on despite the fact he’s really the only one who should be sharing half of her responsibilities.
StayCalmX · 22/06/2021 07:05

Yes the character of Meg! I thought it was a big stereotype. Im a bit of a underdog like Anne, a ft working mother with no support like julia and a single parent like liz. Would have loved some of Liz',s insouciance!! Only one i coukd not relate to at all was Amanda. Also, kevin, a funny but true stereotype. I am in ireland but the sah dads weren't like bruce parry or bear grylls out there catching a wilderbeast, no they were often a bit wet and unable to cope with soft play without a nurofen

InMySpareTime · 22/06/2021 07:11

In the holiday cottage episode, they are away at half term, and the farmer says it's lambing season (though there are no lambs in his flock 🤔). So it must be February half term, especially as Anne is 5 1/2 months pregnant and is fit to pop by sports day.
BUT
they're all sitting out on the patio in the evening sunshine in light jumpers, there's no ground frost, the kids are playing out in t-shirts and Liz only has a thin sleeping bag in a flimsy tent.
Also, where did all the kids sleep? Only one of the rooms was a double. There were about 10 kids in the house somewhere.

InMySpareTime · 22/06/2021 08:11

Also (same episode) Anne won't let her child eat a windfall apple off a tree, which is barely feasible even in October half term.

Bagelsandbrie · 22/06/2021 08:16

Love Anne. And Kevin.

There are tons of little weird inconsistencies but I still love it all.

queenofarles · 22/06/2021 08:44

I think any foreigners watching it will probably think it’s always bloody freezing in the U.K. year round Grin, they probably shoot every October for six weeks or so?
I love Kevin and Liz . Meg is absolutely my fav, in the third season she seemed more real,

BeansMeansBeans · 22/06/2021 08:53

I thought it was ok that the character of Meg seems unrealistically strong/has it all together since I thought it was meant to be a joke about the woman you meet at the school gates who seems to "have it all" and do so effortlessly. Then in season 3 she became a bit more realistic and djsn to earth which fitted as she developed and we got to know her past her appearance

MargaretFraggle · 22/06/2021 08:56

I couldn't get my head around Kevin's age either. Still brilliant though.

Snoopsnoggysnog · 22/06/2021 09:10

“unable to cope with soft play without a nurofen”

Grin
ContinuousMonotoneBeep · 22/06/2021 09:14

@Inmypjsagain

Kevin also lists the fact he can’t swim as a reason why his wife is leaving him I think, but there was definitely a swimming episode where he was swimming?

Think I’ll need to rewatch the last episode as I didn’t catch Ann’s career reveal!

Only recently watched the swimming one. Kevin definitely hints he can't swim.

When Julia realises she has to say Liz says there needs to be x amount of adults for every x non-swimmers, and we have three non-swimmers to which Kevin nodded and raised his hand slightly.

Not seen series three yet as I've just discovered it and only just finished series 2.

thedarkling · 22/06/2021 09:16

@Cleebope2

The joke about Anne is to show how SAHMs are underestimated by society and especially Anne by Amanda. I thought it was a great joke.
Yes, I am so surprised people didn't get the joke about that! I was discussing it with my ex lawyer, now SAHM friend 😀
dannydyerismydad · 22/06/2021 09:21

I can't fathom why Julia's husband needed a vasectomy.

He's never around to DTD, and all the cycling he does has probably rendered his parts useless anyway.

mayjuneapril · 22/06/2021 12:10

@OnslowsBaseballCap

Yes re Kevin's age...in the latest series doesn't he say he was 9 when his mum died in 1991? In series one episode one he refers to his wife enjoying shower sex in the 90s...
And when he visits the lawyer in the new series he says he’s been with his wife for 14 years and married for 11. So that would mean they got together around 2006, definitely not the 90s!
SkepticalCat · 22/06/2021 16:58

I only started watching this recently, and am halfway through the second series.

An inconsistency I noticed almost immediately is that it is quickly established that Julia is extremely harassed with very little support, particularly from her mother (Marion?) who Julia has a go at whilst she is having lunch with a friend.

And yet, in the very next episode (the school fundraising/auction of promises), Julia bumps into her ex-colleague at the school gate who doesn't remember Julia's name. The ex-colleague says to Julia 'oh, are these your kids, I thought they were Marion's', which shows that Julia's mother does pull her weight with looking after her grandchildren if she is known by name at the school gate.

I'm still enjoying watching it, but that really irritated me. Although I guess it shows that Julia's perspective isn't necessarily what is actually happening and she does get more support than she thinks she does.

InMySpareTime · 22/06/2021 17:04

I think Julia's mother did pretty much all the childcare up to just before the start of S1, which is why Julia is so naive about all the "mum etiquette" that everyone else knows. She's annoyed with Marion not because she does nothing but because Marion used to do a lot then suddenly stopped.

Turquoisesol · 22/06/2021 17:05

I think it is said somewhere that Marion is trying to make a stand and do less as she was previously doing everything for Julia
Not sure why she now refuses to do pretty much everything

Crockof · 22/06/2021 17:07

@Turquoisesol

I think it is said somewhere that Marion is trying to make a stand and do less as she was previously doing everything for Julia Not sure why she now refuses to do pretty much everything
Because Julia is a self absorbed selfish cow? She treats everyone dreadfully.
AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken · 22/06/2021 17:11

@Turquoisesol

I think it is said somewhere that Marion is trying to make a stand and do less as she was previously doing everything for Julia Not sure why she now refuses to do pretty much everything
I can totally imagine Julia expecting Marion to look after the kids, clean the house and have the family dinner made every night as well as having the kids on a weekend so she can have a lie in, while also never asking Paul to lift a finger. I’d pull the chord too! Haha
SkepticalCat · 22/06/2021 17:19

Ahh, that makes sense, thank you!

EarringsandLipstick · 22/06/2021 17:21

@Turquoisesol

I think it is said somewhere that Marion is trying to make a stand and do less as she was previously doing everything for Julia Not sure why she now refuses to do pretty much everything
Yes that's basically the premise of the entire series, well Series 1 at least.

Julia suddenly has to look after the kids after her mother has had enough & just stops.

So S1 is all about her absolute cluelessness about school etiquette, parties, logistics.

And yes, Julia is vile BUT redeems herself just enough periodically that you don't totally hate her.

I only watched the last episode of s3 last night. Really loved it. Go Anne. And meeting Paul, it was actually a really sweet moment!

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 22/06/2021 17:31

Oh no, you're going to say it was all made up! Shock

I thought it was a 'fly on the wall' documentary Blush

MargaretFraggle · 23/06/2021 16:32

Yes, my understanding was that Marion does care and formerly did a lot (everything) but wants her life back and for Julia to take responsibility and knows if she gives an inch Julia will take a mile.

I loved the line "it was your idea to have grandchildren" Grin

Thirtyrock39 · 23/06/2021 17:38

I love the line about Marion :
'I want my kids to be brought up like I was- by my mother'
When Paul asks why they don't have a nanny

InMySpareTime · 25/06/2021 18:09

In the Mother's Day episode, it was World Book Day just before MD on the Sunday. The only times MD was that weekend (after the first Thursday in March) was 2005 and 2016 when WBD was 3/3 and MD was 6/3, usually there are several weeks between the two events.