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Gutted. Amandaland

306 replies

Shouldbeworkingnotreadingtalk · 25/12/2025 21:55

Am I the only person to feel totally gutted / disappointed / sad … at Amandaland Christmas special ? … I LOVE all the motherland and ALand episodes and this was just awful. Or is that just me?

OP posts:
cucumberpeach · 28/12/2025 03:33

I enjoyed it!

gingerninja · 28/12/2025 08:05

We watched with our teens and loved it, so much so that the older teen then went on iPlayer to find the back catalogue of amandaland. It doesn’t live up to the brilliance of Motherland but it’s still good light hearted comedy delivered perfectly.

400rider · 28/12/2025 08:51

Fell upon this while channel hopping and it was entertaining, particularly as we have never seen any of the programmes before and had no idea what the connections between the characters were.

There certainly wasn’t much on tv worth watching but this certainly was.

HeadDeskHeadDesk · 28/12/2025 09:25

Clingfilm · 25/12/2025 22:05

No way! I loved it and really I laughed out loud at several bits, Jennifer Saunders' character was gold. So many good lines and lots of visual gags.

Anne farting behind the curtain, how was that not funny??

And the auntie's reaction to it was priceless. It was as if she'd heard her sniff. No fuss or bother, no embarrassment. Such a British upper middle class response and exactly the way that character who let her dog lick the paté would behave.

I liked it, it could have been longer to give it more chances to be funnier, but I liked it. Amandaland isn't Motherland (let's face it, nothing is going to beat Motherland and Julia) but it's still great.

Mydadsbirthday · 28/12/2025 09:40

DH usually hates this sort of thing but we both really enjoyed it.

Motherland is brilliant and it's the only thing I rewatch and I've enjoyed Amandaland as well.

I was quite young when AbFab was on though and I hated it!

SamkaSabrinka · 28/12/2025 09:43

It was rubbish. The big big problem was the so-called big mystery that it was all hung on. The idea was so fantastical it felt absurd (and also meaningless - who cares if it’s true?) and then the final reveal was a total anticlimax. Who in earth wrote this? It was an example, I think, of the whole team just believing their golden characters and actors would suffice. And they kind of did, it was still fun, but so un-real. And what was great about the actual series is how real and relatable it is. That’s the actual chemistry of the show.

oh, and there was no sex. Not even any credible flirting. Not a good idea. And the kids’ behaviour was … too awkward and unconvincing to watch 😬

and the ha-ha joke repetition - 🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈 no words

TeaRoseTallulah · 28/12/2025 11:11

SamkaSabrinka · 28/12/2025 09:43

It was rubbish. The big big problem was the so-called big mystery that it was all hung on. The idea was so fantastical it felt absurd (and also meaningless - who cares if it’s true?) and then the final reveal was a total anticlimax. Who in earth wrote this? It was an example, I think, of the whole team just believing their golden characters and actors would suffice. And they kind of did, it was still fun, but so un-real. And what was great about the actual series is how real and relatable it is. That’s the actual chemistry of the show.

oh, and there was no sex. Not even any credible flirting. Not a good idea. And the kids’ behaviour was … too awkward and unconvincing to watch 😬

and the ha-ha joke repetition - 🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈 no words

Edited

Why did the storyline need sex?

23doorsdown · 28/12/2025 11:15

bizarre take!

pineapplecrushed · 28/12/2025 14:02

I loved it, thought it was hilarious.

TheKeatingFive · 28/12/2025 15:19

I haven't watched any Amandaland (though I adore Motherland) so I didn't have many expectations, but I thought it was very enjoyable.

Anne, going from a snivelling misery guts to having the Christmas of her life was a great storyline. Jennifer Saunder's character was great. The Mick Jagger stuff was funny (Amanda's reaction was exactly on point, also loved the adolescence reference).

Wasn't 'Are you there Moriarty' the game that turned nasty in One Day?

TheKeatingFive · 28/12/2025 15:19

The dumb HaHa jokes hit the mark too

ThePoshUns · 28/12/2025 16:22

I thought Amanda’s Mick Jagger poses were funny as well . Lucy Punch is very funny.

Illjusthavethebreadsticks · 28/12/2025 17:17

I loved it

ChessieFL · 28/12/2025 17:19

Yes it was @TheKeatingFive. DD loves One Day so was very pleased at that reference!

Sookie · 28/12/2025 18:10

It wasn’t very good because it didn’t have the hand of Linehan steering it

jjeoreo · 28/12/2025 18:13

Shouldbeworkingnotreadingtalk · 25/12/2025 21:55

Am I the only person to feel totally gutted / disappointed / sad … at Amandaland Christmas special ? … I LOVE all the motherland and ALand episodes and this was just awful. Or is that just me?

Have only read the OP but no it wasn't good.

Twonewcats · 28/12/2025 18:16

Sookie · 28/12/2025 18:10

It wasn’t very good because it didn’t have the hand of Linehan steering it

Sad but true

NeedAnyHelpWithThatPaperBag · 28/12/2025 18:18

It was ok, probably fell victim to over expectation. Some unnecessarily exaggerated acting and the Mick Jagger explanation being lame, didn't help though. I'm guessing it was a bit of a rush job?

firstofallimadelight · 28/12/2025 18:35

Best episode of amandaland to date. Motherland is still better

yorkshiretoffee · 28/12/2025 18:46

firstofallimadelight · 28/12/2025 18:35

Best episode of amandaland to date. Motherland is still better

Agree with this totally.
And in a dire Christmas of TV choices, probably the best thing I watched.

Mydahliasareshit · 28/12/2025 18:59

Apparently Joanna Lumley virtually begged Jennifer S to take the role. Maybe she read the script and thought 'uh-oh, needs some emergency professional help here'.

25flyby · 28/12/2025 19:15

SamkaSabrinka · 28/12/2025 09:43

It was rubbish. The big big problem was the so-called big mystery that it was all hung on. The idea was so fantastical it felt absurd (and also meaningless - who cares if it’s true?) and then the final reveal was a total anticlimax. Who in earth wrote this? It was an example, I think, of the whole team just believing their golden characters and actors would suffice. And they kind of did, it was still fun, but so un-real. And what was great about the actual series is how real and relatable it is. That’s the actual chemistry of the show.

oh, and there was no sex. Not even any credible flirting. Not a good idea. And the kids’ behaviour was … too awkward and unconvincing to watch 😬

and the ha-ha joke repetition - 🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈 no words

Edited

The “big mystery” was perfect! Very relevant to Amanda whose character revolves around her relationship with her (single parent) mum and rampant snobbery.
And the idea was completely plausible which is what made it funny.

Christmas has always had the joke about the promise. Actually showing sex isn’t very Christmassy is it.

Hereagain2 · 28/12/2025 19:46

Shouldbeworkingnotreadingtalk · 25/12/2025 21:55

Am I the only person to feel totally gutted / disappointed / sad … at Amandaland Christmas special ? … I LOVE all the motherland and ALand episodes and this was just awful. Or is that just me?

Nope. It’s was crap.

Justnevergetsthere · 28/12/2025 19:59

I loved it! Much funnier than the regular episodes of Amandaland. I think we all have very high expectations after Motherland which was simply genius.

moto748e · 28/12/2025 23:03

Christmas specials are seldom the best episode evah, but I thought it was still good fun. But in a dearth of decent TV this year, it was one of only three things I watched; Madame Blanc, and The Scarecrow's Wedding being the others.