Motherland. To say I thought it would be funnier is an understatement.

[JMSA]

I've just started watching it today, and I'm on episode 5 of Season 1.

So far I've had one 'sort of' laugh out loud. But I don't think I can watch any more.

Kevin - irritating to the point of wanting to tear my hair out.

The Absent Husband - just why? And who would put up with that?

Julia - pretty good.

Liz - probably the least unfunny thing about it 👍

Is it just me who's not getting it?

I was wondering how you could find motherland boring as I think it’s brilliant; and then read you like Phoenix nights which explains it 😂😂😂

Motherland not funny? Are you serious? Whoever wrote the line ‘She’s an old lady, Kevin, not a gerbil’ is a comic genius www.facebook.com/share/v/1EmY8y6Wg6/?mibextid=wwXIfr

I love Motherland but I wouldn't say it is a laugh a minute sitcom. The funny bits are very subtle.
Take for instance Anne when she said her previous job was Head of Product Development at GlaxcoSmithKeline. Nothing about that statement was funny but it was absolute genius writing

Love catastrophe!

I think it's unusual in that the protagonist is usually a flawed but at least somewhat endearing character who you can have some warmth towards, whereas Julia is just plain unpleasant.
I like all the others, kev, liz, Meg, Ann and even Amanda has some redeeming features, but Julia is just wholly unlikeable.

https://g.co/kgs/rMT79xx

funny too👆

It's too close to the bone for me

Not seen it myself, but there weren't many laughs in Fatherland either. 😐

Liz always has nice hair and make up I think? Ditto Anne.

I agree Julia’s hair is often a state. She’s usually wearing pretty nice clothes though… or at least in season one when she was working in an office (ie the episodes I watched recently).

Suspect my standards are very low and I need to do something about my personal appearance!

I think it’s hilarious but then I have children at primary school and I can see myself and the other school mums in the characters, perhaps I wouldn’t find it so funny if I didn’t relate to it so much!

All characters are vile and I've never met a mum like any of them.

I loved it.

So many replies! I didn't expect that when I checked back in.
My conclusion is that it's a pleasant enough, easy watch. But is by no means as funny as I thought it might be.
Glad some of you can relate to the Phoenix Nights love 💗 Only Fools and Horses is an absolute classic. Rodney was particularly funny. Derry Girls was absolutely FANTASTIC.
I've never bothered watching Mrs Brown, as I can tell I'd loathe it

I binge watched it recently , I loved it. I was gutted I've not been able to find the last Xmas special anywhere which was the final episode. So I've watched all of it except that one episode. But yes very funny.

Oh, and I've never seen Catastrophe but will look it up. Thanks for that!

I really enjoy it, there are some great one-liners (although I agree that Kevin can be not-in-a-good-way irritating). They're all cliches to a certain extent, but very well done. Have never met a real-life Amanda, thankfully - most of the school gate parents I know are remarkably nice and ordinary.

I actually thought that was quite sad. I think it’s supposed to be funny and sad at the same time

Mrs Brown's Boys, on the other hand, makes me ashamed to be Irish.

And again, how superficial their friendships were, that Amanda didn’t know

I didn't expect to like it. It's miles away from my own experience of motherhood.
But I loved it, and recognised traits in all of the characters, if not literal 'types'.
The writing is undeniably good. Quality. Inspired.
I've watched all episodes at least 5 times.
My 14 year old, average son of an unremarkable, single mother from a council estate in a one horse town in the Midlands, also laughs at it, with me.
We 'get' it.

It ha s a special place in my heart because I binged it when I was in hospital during the pandemic and it kept me company.

I knew I would never be able to stand it from the occasional trailer and clips on SM. The running gag appears to be that the mother is cocking up, always furious, and nothing goes her way. So LOL!! I've had so many friends say to me "but it's hilarious, give it a try" - no thanks, I just know.

Also, unlike most of the rest of the world it seems, I don't think Anna Maxwell Martin is much of an actress.

You’re not alone OP. My SIL told me to watch it when I was on bed rest with DC4. I found Julia insufferable and her inability to sort childcare grating whereas she was SIL’s hero. Reaffirmed to me that we were very different people 😂 It would be a dull world if we were all the same.

I loved it, I really did, but I found Breeders dark and disturbing. Never watched Mrs Brown’s Boys, love Gavin and Stacey and Phoenix Nights though. I shall have to watch Fleabag now. Is it on Netflix?

For me, the show is more relatable than funny and that’s what made me stick at it. As a mum that has finally come out of the primary school stage, I found it funny, not because the show is hilarious, but because I got what they were hinting it (some bits are ott). I think it gets a little better but I also get that is not for everyone. As there are many so called comedies I don’t find entertaining.

I don’t recommend it everyone as I don’t know if I would have finished it if I wasn’t a parent.