Motherland Xmas Special!

[SpongepantsSquareBob]

So excited for this!! They need to make another series!

I mean, nobody said they did!
The point being, it's usually about finding humour in everyday situations. This wasn't that. It was misery with maybe a couple of sniggers.

Think there was maybe a bit of foreshadowing - Kevin described Marion as an angel early on in the episode

Motherland is my favourite British tv programme of all time! I've watched it again and again. Can't wait to see this on catch up. The cast is brilliant

There were some funny bit.

Liz and Instagram dicks was my favourite.

Meg asking for cocaine.

Paul and Mt kilamanjo.

They need to give us another season.

And more Anne.

@LydiaBennetsUglyBonnet yeah ofc but it is a comedy?

Disappointing, the humour felt very clunky and predictable.

I didn't mind the interweaving of sad events, and the fact the characters are all deeply flawed- I get that. Just didn't achieve its aim of being dark but funny imo

@leccybill you’ve hit the nail on the head. I felt deeply sad after it had finished.

I thought it was brilliant. Especially Paul's mum off screen watching VR experience of being in a shark cage and you could hear her shouting Help, Help

Thought the writing and acting was brilliant. I love Motherland and I think they took us to the edge with some quite uncomfortable themes. Motherland with either need to come to an end now or move on..otherwise we will be complaining that its the same old thing. I don't think they could possibly top the last Christmas episode in terms of laughs so they did something different.

It doesn’t mean it can’t have sad moments though.

That's the issue with me, that the whole thing was pretty sad. It overshadowed any funny comments

I agree. Perfect balance between comedy and tragedy.

I didn't mind the sad factor. I just think the writers have dragged it on too long.

The whole premise of Motherland is that it shows us a group of women, connected by motherhood but really having little else in common, who are all flawed and treat each other pretty badly but at the same time are relatable and when the chips are down they stick together. And that's it. None of the characters are developed beyond that, and there's only so far you can go with jokes based on the premise.

Introducing Meg a little further into the series did give it a lift, but it should have ended after 2 series imo. This Christmas episode just felt clunky and awkward, very predictable comic bits, Kevin being the dogsbody, Julia's crap husband etc It was a fresh idea when it came out but the writing hasn't been strong enough to keep it going I feel.

I watched it again this morning after reading all the comments and without the shock factor of Marion I enjoyed it more.

I did think Liz and Lee was a pointless storyline but I guess the chances of Sam Shepherd still being on the scene is slim so it was probably more realistic. I didn’t imagine she’d be going to his for dinner though. They didn’t seem the blended Christmas type, with ‘Debbie Does Dallas’ prepping the sprouts.

For me it was a lot like Blackadder and this struck me as a perfect last episode, but at least with BA we knew the story wouldn’t end well!

But as a PP has said there were some positive uplifting moments too, including Anne’s party and the sheer joy of her family, Amanda standing up to her toxic mum, and even Meg being honest about hating her hat. The cryo-pool or whatever it was called, being passed off as a family gift, when he later says it’s perfect for when your thighs have taken a Beasting at the velodrome was another peak Paul moment!

“Debbie does Dallas” 🤣 my fave was “dairy lee cheese” ha!

It didn’t work this year. Wasn’t funny or even dark humor. It tried to be emotional and bittersweet but that didn’t work either. Also, the shoehorned in Irish jokes were cringe

The Irish jokes made me laugh the most as I have exactly that family - trying to make a list of guests or to provide a rundown of who everyone is for newcomers is a long-winded affair! There needed to be more people with the same name for maximum confusion though 😂

I'm watching for a second time now and there's some great jokes in the first 10/15 mins. "The table looks great! I'd Instagram that... If I was a dickhead" Liz as always is brilliant with the one liners.

Granted the last half is definitely more poignant and could've done with a few more laughs inserted into the sadness.

Thought it was ok. Few funny bits in the first 1/2, not do much in the 2nd. 'Teas ok. Was expecting better.

I've never thought motherland was a laugh out loud sort of comedy. Just relatable, like when they all threw the kids junk modelling in the school bins. I thought there were some great moments. And I loved Anne's new hair!

Oh I was so looking forward to this but near the start I said oh Marion really reminds me of my mum (who died last year) and then.. she bloody died. And my dad died just under a month ago. And it was too much for me. 😭

Just watched it. I get that a Christmas special doesn't have to be all sweetness and light, but frankly I found the whole episode depressing and bit too heavy.

I think that after all the shit that the 2020's have bought so far I just wanted something a bit funny / light-hearted.

Just read that the actress that plays Tamara is Laura Delamere and she is 53!!! She looks bloody amazing for 53. She is also married to Steve Coogan who is fab!

*Louise Delamere!

Oh god and is Steve Mangan!!flipping heck.