Motherland

In Motherland, Christmas comes but once a year and thank God for that, because it's time for Amanda's Annual Festive Soiree (dress code; Tinsel and Tiaras!). Nothing says Christmas like Evil Santa, a thirty foot Christmas Tree, Anne's Porn Star Martinis and very strict rules about where you can and can't drink mulled wine. Only Meg has an official party invite, but Julia, Kevin and Liz tag along as her plus threes. They struggle to fit in with the Alpha crowd, but for Julia it's still a welcome distraction from playing festive butler to a houseful of in laws. Meanwhile, Liz is trying to ignore Christmas altogether whilst Kevin is single handedly stuffing, wrapping, roasting, par-boiling, laying up, washing up and decorating himself into an early grave.

As a nit pandemic sweeps the school, Julia finds herself accused of triggering a second wave. Ostracised by the other Mums, Julia needs to find a way back into their good books so she throws a nit treatment party that brings everyone's drama (and headlice ) into her home. The party reveals that Anne has some big news, Meg is facing a crisis, and Kevin has committed a terrible crime of passion. As Amanda super spreads the gossip, Liz waits for news about a career move - will she beat that 17 year old to a j ob in the local shoe shop?

The Nation's favourite gang of Mums (and Dad) join the merry go round of secondary school open days as they face the choice of where to send their kids at 11. Julia panics about which catchment area she lives in and even considers a fake religious convers ion to beat the system. As Kevin's divorce progresses, Liz helps him navigate the shark pool of lawyers and makes a worrying discovery about her own situation along the way. Meanwhile queen bee Amanda struggles with playing second fiddle to Meg's illness , and Julia's dreaded new builder turns out to be quite the DILF.

It's Mother's Day in Motherland and Julia is feeling completely ignored while Meg's family have gone way over the top in reaction to her cancer diagnosis. Anne is beside herself with excitement at the prospect of a day out with her Mammy while Liz and Kev in try to avoid Mum stuff altogether with a trip to the countryside that becomes an impromptu driving lesson for Kev. Meanwhile, Amanda's mother Felicity (Joanna Lumley) travels from Cheltenham for a gloriously passive aggressive celebratory lunch.

It's time for the year 6 school trip and Julia, Liz and Meg find themselves on the coach journey from Hell with humourless school se cretary Mrs Lamb and clueless teaching assistant Ms Vaughn (Natalie Cassidy). It all kicks off when a boy banned for bad b ehaviour is allowed on the coach along with his mother Ashley (Martha Howe Douglas) and Liz decides to play the hero. Meanwhile, Kevin takes his driving test and Amanda pivots her lifestyle brand Hygge Tygge online. She manages to persuade Kevin to help p ack up the shop with unimaginable consequences.

Amanda's PTA charity FUNraiser is doubling up as her birthday celebration meaning everyone is dragged into a big event. Mixing spons ored cycling with Anne's lethal cocktails results in a night of high drama and big revelations. Julia is ready to call tim e on her marriage to Paul and run off with builder Garry; Liz is thrown by the arrival of an unexpected visitor; and Meg rides high on her cancer all clear. Meanwhile Kevin's attempts to clear the air with Amanda just make everything worse, and a put upo n Anne finally loses her rag.