So disappointed with Motherland **Thread contains spoilers**

[Fenty1]

I'm the biggest fan of Motherland normally but I feel so let down by the Xmas special! Have been looking forward to it all day but didn't laugh once. Yes it was very sad etc but not what I wanted from a Xmas special at all.

Title edited by MNHQ to add a spoiler alert

Exactly what I've been doing to recover from Motherland I've been so looking forward to it, but I lost my mum this year and it was just too much.

Well thanks everyone for the warning I’ll be giving it a miss then I think.

I loved it.

I don’t get the Maui/mumsnet reference either.

But it wasn't misery after misery ..it was life...and as such really well written. Life really isn't about falling drunk on top of a Christmss tree. Well done Motherland for doing something that wasn't the usual Christmas smaltz.

I thought it was brilliant. Anna Maxwell Martin and Lucy Punch were outstanding. Ok, not what I was expecting at all, but very well done. I thought Paul’s cheese quip was hilarious. I would have liked it to be a bit longer so we could have found out a bit more about what’s happened with them since the last series. Liz and Sam Shepherd, how Kevin is getting on after the divorce, where Amanda is now living after selling the ‘big’ house etc. Hopefully another series will give us all the answers.

Yes real life at Christmas can be really hard. But a xmas special of a comedy having a mum die on Christmas Day is just far too much

I really enjoyed Motherland tonight. Very funny with great observations and the death of Marion was dealt with so sensitively. I think the balance was just right.

I loved it. Very clever, brilliant script and acting.

god if we looked at things women go through then we’d never touch on anything for humour!

it had pathos and highlighted that Christmas is an absolute shitshow for many people

I thought it was great.

I agree OP. It was disappointing 😞

Agree .. I thought it was nowhere near as good as previous series

I loved it.

I was very disappointed, didn't laugh once. Had been so looking forward to it too. There's enough misery in the world without it being crowbarred in to a comedy show.

I’m wondering if people saying ‘shit happens’ have ever lost anyone they know ON Christmas Day - let alone a close family member.
There’s ‘it was a bit of a crap Christmas’ and then there’s a life-changing tragedy! Very dark subject matter for Christmas Eve Eve!

I thought it was excellent.

I didn’t laugh but I enjoyed it. It was different and not what I was expecting but I like a surprise

I specifically came on MN to find a thread about Motherland. I can honestly say I love the last Xmas special so much (I've watched it umpteen times) I was really looking forward to this one. I was so disappointed. There were a couple of gems in it but overall I think it was much to sombre for a Christmas special.
I didn't realise we weren't meant to like Julia! I've always felt quite sorry for her!

Loved it but way too short.

We need another series.

I was looking forward to watching as I LOVE motherland but after reading all the comments, I don't think I shall bother.

I'm fortunate to still have my Mum but the thought of losing her gives me great anxiety. I wouldn't want to tune in expecting the usual capers / silliness and then watch that.

Trying to put a spin on it, maybe the makers wanted to make it real and portray that not everybody's Christmas is perfect 🤷‍♀️

*positive

I really enjoyed it. Despite (or perhaps because of) the fact my mum is terminally ill and very close to the end of her life. For me it was the right mix of comedy and pathos.

I used to watch Motherland but after awhile I got sick of how the characters are all toxic stereotypes.

Julia- frazzled working mum with barely present DH and entitled attitude towards her mum providing free childcare
Liz- working class mum who is borderline neglectful of her DC and hits the wine a bit too often
Amanda- smug posh middle class SAHM who is portrayed as an idiot when she starts a business and of course her DH has a very important job and boffs a secretary on the side,
Kevin- the SAHD who is completely emasculated and his wife is portrayed as being a controlling dragon.

Oh no! I always find Christmas Specials a bit disappointing but Motherland is one I was really looking forward to. I love Kevin and also the character who’s name I’ve totally forgotten (new-ish character married to Anthony Head???) As a PP said, Only Fools and Horses set the bar very high as regards Xmas Specials