IMDB Reviews for “Mum” now streaming on Amazon Prime

 10/10

Binge-watched

hopsail11 June 2016
 
Divided opinions, I see. Today, I watched episode 1., just to see what it was like. Two hours later, I’d exhausted catch-up, and am bereft. There has never been a TV character, (same name!) who is ME, before. She is me, and she is all my middle-aged, single, female friends with grown-up children. She’s much nicer, and more patient than me, but that is my life, I swear. Apart from the patient, strong, devoted admirer, alas. There are criticisms above of the characters of Kelly and Pauline. I couldn’t disagree more. Those women aren’t just flawed and a bit annoying, like most of us in real life, they have a back-story that is rather tragic, and beautifully played. Beautifully. My middle son has an ex who is Kelly. The ex is a Ph.D student, but the life and chat and mannerisms are the same as Kelly’s. Even the face, figure and hair are almost identical, but I can’t credit casting with that!

 

OH, how I enjoyed it. Along with the laughs, I suddenly burst into tears at Kelly’s mum’s behaviour, and Kelly’s reaction. That struck a chord. Have bossed my Facebook friends into watching MUM at the soonest opportunity. I congratulate everyone involved. Thank You.

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 10/10

Loved this

jangreenhill125 April 2019
I loved Him & Her, and going into Mum I had no clue it was the same writer/creator, but you can feel it when you watch, almost as if the two are related in some way.

 

The pacing is excellent and the characters are so wonderfully realised. Casting is top notch and Kelly is equally one of the most endearing and irritating characters I’ve ever watched.

So surprised by how much I enjoyed this show, everything about it was enjoyable, including the soundtrack. S2E6 just made me cry and cheer, out loud, like a freakin’ crazy person. you have to give props to a show that balances bitter/sweet so well.

Watch this. You won’t regret it.

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 9/10

Smart, sweet, and so funny!

carrieeileen29 May 2018
After getting rid of our satellite and cable tv in the US, we’ve been busy finding English, Irish, Scottish, and Australian shows for quality writing and rewarding viewing. Every time we stumble upon a smart and witty series, we’re excited. We eagerly watched both seasons over the weekend and fell in love with every part of the show. The characters, scenes, and dialogue are very well-written, and the actors are accomplished and savvy with their words and actions. Mum/Cathy is lovely, patient, and so sweet, yet we are able to receive her real, personal only thoughts once in awhile, and it’s worth the wait. Michael is such a sweetheart, and you root for them to be happy. Every show makes me cry and laugh. Kelly is fantastic as a dumb blond stereotype, but she also provides thoughtful, caring, and observant points at times, surprising the viewer and storyline. Everyone in the show offers a special and unique portrayal of perhaps real people dealing with life’s travails in whatever way they know how. Even though it’s only filmed in the home, it seems to be a bigger world that the writers explore and add. The older couples remind us of a few that we know – caustic and bitter at times but also loving and in it for the long haul. We’re looking for other shows and films that the actors have done because they’re that good.
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 9/10

A gentle, brilliantly written show

martin-g-mcg12 June 2016
I see that this show has divided opinions. Personally, I love it.

 

Season one starts with the funeral of Cathy’s husband and each of the first six episodes are scattered through the next year at Cathy’s house and follow her and her family. The relationships are beautifully observed with delicate writing and fine acting.

At the centre is Cathy (Lesley Manville) and Michael (Peter Mullan) whose will it/won’t it relationship is developed with aching slowness and the depth of emotion is so contained that it’s almost all in the smallest detail of the performance – glances and smiles, hope and frustration. There’s a temptation to seek Cathy as passive and put-upon, but she has the measure of all the people around her and she deals with them on her own terms. She’s no one’s fool. Michael, meanwhile, is totally lovelorn but incapable of action.

Then there’s Kelly. Kelly is brilliant. She’s totally, hopelessly daft but as the show unrolls she’s the one who deepens most – her relationship with her mother (in episode 3) and her conversation with foxes (episode 5) are some of the show’s highlights. There’s a bit in episode five where she asks Cathy if she’s laughing at her or with her and, while we might have laughed at Kelly earlier in the series, there’s no doubt we’re laughing with her now – it’s a very nice piece of writing and performance. Lisa McGrillis manages to be both maddeningly irritating and sweetly innocent in the same moment.

The supporting characters are also excellent – Pauline is tooth- achingly annoying and yet believably damaged, Derek is hopeless, Jason is useless and Maureen and Reg – Cathy’s parents-in-law – are fantastically dysfunctional and grumpy.

Normally I like my comedy a bit more in your face than Mum but the quality of the performance and writing really raises this to another level. It’s a show I find myself grinning broadly at from the opening scenes to the closing credits. I hope there’ll be more.

 
 
 8/10

Painful but sweet

paul2001sw-122 June 2016
In some ways, Stefan Golaszewski’s comedy ‘Mum’ is a very conventional sitcom: a regular cast of characters, two sympathetic central protagonists supported by a variety of comic monsters, and a setting in a three-bed-roomed suburban semi. In other respects, it’s less conventional: no laughter track, and a subdued comic feel that is awfully close to the bone – human beings really do behave this way, even if not quite so relentlessly. It’s unusual, however, in that its six episodes are set over a year, and tell a very slowly unfolding story, while desire for a second series has seemingly precluded the natural happy ending where you might have expected it to conclude. But it’s nicely drawn, and its unfashionable basic message is that small flashes of human decency can compensate for the disappointments of life. I liked it.
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 10/10

Perfect

simevo-2009327 April 2019
In this world, we desperately need more beautifully written and expertly performed comedy dramas that focus on some of the better aspects of human life with relatable relationships, characters, and situations. A real gem.
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 10/10

Sadness & Joy Together

bart678 January 2017
I watched all 6 episodes of Mum, I was hooked after the first and I’m praying there will be at least a season 2! A perfect cast for this sad comedy – All through the episodes you are left without doubt that the death of ‘Dad’ has an impact on each character with the exception of new girlfriend ‘Kelly’ (Lisa McGrillis)who is only meeting ‘Mum’ at the funeral – Lisa makes Kelly the most endearing girl in the world, I howled with laughter at her social skills, yet I had tears in my eyes listening to her Chav mothers references to her and Kelly’s brave attempts to pretend she couldn’t care less when really every word was a dagger in her heart – Cathy (mum) played by the brilliant Lesley Manville, has the temperament I pray for and her kindness to Kelly has the warmth of a log fire in winter – The scene when Cathy finds Kelly so broken at her mothers character assassination of her was beautiful! You will need tissues for this one, one for wiping the tears of laughter away and one for the tears of sadness watching Kelly, such a lovely caring soul, being demolished by her own mother, when she wishes Cathy was her Mum and Kelly wanting so badly to get it right, not for selfish reasons but for everyone else. When a character makes me want to hold them lovingly I know the actress/actor has played the part perfectly – Wow! Brilliant from the top down!
 
 
 10/10

Simply perfect in every way

boophillips19 May 2019
There has been few tv series that have made me both belly laugh out loud and cry with heart wrenching sadness as this. On the surface Mum is so simple and very little actually happens, but what that allows for is space and time to put the microscope on the humanity of the characters. Their flaws, their joy, their insecurities, their loss, their love. And it’s what isn’t said that is as impactful as what is said. The dialogue is a masterclass in sparse and layered conversations and meaning. The acting is second to none. It takes a lot of skill to bring so much pathos and humour to such a simple premise. I bloody love this series so much. I am genuinely gutted it has come to an end. I will miss Kelly, Derrick and co very, very much.
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 9/10

Warm, funny, hilarious… and cringeworthy!

marc-89518 June 2016
I watched “Mum” on a whim and I was hooked from the opening credits (the “Cup” song is both catchy and apt for this series – you’ll see why),

 

I’m familiar with both lead actors Peter Mullan and Lesley Manville and they bring heavyweight class ability to the rolls of divorcée and widow respectively. Now add in some younger talent, great writing, direction and production values and you know you’re in the for a treat. While “Mum” is often dry and wryly observed, it’s equally laugh-out-loud funny.

TL;DR version (there are lots of long reviews) if you like beautifully-observed, family dynamic comedy of the type only the Brits are good at, this is a a delight. With a colourful cast of larger-than-life oddballs, Manville and Mullan lead us through a year in the life of the world’s most tolerant widow.

Just be thankful you’re not there and please, do make your tea in a pot!

 
 
 10/10

Brilliant

mikeykelly-6078827 March 2018
This a poignant comedy about reforming relationships following a loss .. it is gentle and unassuming.. and absolutely brilliant.. a real gem ..
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 9/10

Hooked

Sleepin_Dragon13 February 2018
I somehow managed to miss this during its original transmission, so have just watched every episode and I have to say I’m hooked.

 

Cathy is recently widowed and just trying to get on with life, but it’s the others around that keep throwing her curve balls, whether it’s her well meaning son Jason, who perpetually walks around the house in his pants, his well meaning if absent minded girlfriend Kelly, or considerate brother Derek and his social climbing girlfriend Pauline. Cathy is the one who’s world should have fallen apart, but instead is a level headed, strong woman, who is basically just a delightful woman.

Lesley Manville, an actress I’ve always loved shows that comedy is as easy for her as drama, she is superb. I’m hooked on Kelly’s character, Lisa McGrillis is a delight with great comedy timing. The whole cast are great, the parents in law always cause a few laughs, so realistic.

I’m reminded of Grandma’s House from a few years back, it’s a suburban comedy, nothing slapstick or outrageous, just great character play, coupled with top notch scripts.

A joy. 9/10 Roll on Series 2 and 3.

 
 
 8/10

TV Sitcom (drama?) at its best

bgsmall20 February 2018
I have recently started watching this series (1) again after having lost the thread when the series was originally broadcast on the BBC.

 

This is a TV sitcom / drama that is a joy to behold. The exquisite and nuanced characterisation, mellow pace across differing sinusoidal melancholic – comedic storylines and superb acting (Lesley Manville is derserving of all nominations!) makes for very special television.

The plot revolves around the death of the husband of the central character (i.e ‘Mum’) and in the aftermath of that awful event the personalities that inhabit her house and life.

In short (and having only watched the first 3 episodes of Series 1) I would recommend this if you like intelligent, nuanced screenplay, great acting and an all round wry look at the everyday lives of us.

 
 
 10/10

A comedy about forbearance

gee-154 May 2018

Warning: Spoilers

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 10/10

A show about the extraordinary ordinary

kitnkabootle10 January 2019
Every person I recommend this to – and make no mistake, I recommend it to everyone – absolutely adores it. The writing is so brilliant that even though the characters begin to get marginally too zany as though they will go the route of caricature, they are brought right back and grounded. Each episode brings small little nuances that reminds us they are all human and a product of their upbringing/past that has made them who they are.

 

Lesley Manville and Peter Mullen are out of this world brilliant. The slow-burn romance between them is the thread that keeps the show moving forward, month by month and giving us all larger and larger glimpses into their story. You will not be disappointed.

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 8/10

Hope they do a Season 2

moonmaedyn4 September 2016
I watched this, after finding it on the recommendations list on this site (i.e. “other people that liked this, also liked THIS”).

 

Not knowing what to expect (but encouraged by the rating), I binged- watched all 6 episodes and found myself genuinely dismayed that it was over!

As for some of the characters–well…the actors play their parts so well and it is written SO WELL that I cry every time someone is mean to Kelly (She’s just dumb, and doesn’t know any better. Last I checked that wasn’t a crime, or a reason to be mean to someone), and frankly, the character of her mother, and the way she treated Kelly (who isn’t SO dumb that she doesn’t realize her mom is a mean snake), just makes me want to four-five her. I guess that’s because I’ve known real people like that. Mean people suck. The fact that Cathy (the Mum) puts up with Kelly’s numerous verbal faux pas is really endearing. She seems to understand, and empathizes with her. Just what a Mum ought to do! I know a lot of people that lack the internal “filter,” so I guess I’m used to this, too!

Anytime something makes the viewer “feel” something (besides disgust!), it’s a GOOD thing. Some of the characters are awkward with each other, but I think this would happen in real life, too.

I sincerely hope they do a second season. I know that BBC sometimes does these little half-shows like this (Fleabag was another), but I hope there is a chance to develop this into something long term.

 
 
 9/10

Very very funny

david.sampson17 March 2018
After finding the writer’s previous series Him & Her very funny we (both me and my wife) had high hopes for this and were not disappointed.

 

Well written, not a single wasted word in the script, brilliantly observed and all the parts played to perfection by the cast.

Brilliant.

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 10/10

Wonderful

I also missed this the first time around and, after catching a promo to the second series (which looked like something I would enjoy), I quickly caught up on the first series over the course of last w/end courtesy of iPlayer, and I am hooked.

 

Reminiscent of the Detectorists in that the comedy is subtle and underplayed. The characters are well written and the acting is top-notch. You really feel as though you’re eavesdropping on a real suburban set-up in Chingford.

Would recommend to any fan of Damned or Detectorists.

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 10/10

The greatest comedy I have ever seen

ange_robinson15 April 2020
The single best comedy show ever. Get past the first two episodes and it’s just the funniest and most heartwarming thing to watch. I cried twice watching the second series. Just brilliant. Peter Mullen is outstanding.
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 9/10

tickle me while you skewer me

manschelde-119 May 2019
Finely observed emotional generational dramedy in an English suburban setting.

 

Three generations of misfits plodding along in an English and Scottish miasma of restrained emotions, mostly unspoken feelings and self-obsessed selfish insouciance.

This is a satisfying production, all three series hit the spot, anthough not necessarily binge worthy. By which I mean: Some things are better savoured over time. It is a slow burner with a strong emotional impact, English style.

The writing and acting is focussed and sharp lines trigger laughter at times. From the start, it managed to make me care about the characters, and that is is an ever more rare skill in these times of endless entertainment. The characters also seem relatable at different levels.

This is why Brits pay the TV licence fee, because it delivers a mirror for a certain strand of British society, that skewers so much with such economy. Wonderful usage of silence, along with the sensitive acting by Leslie Manville and all the supporting cast.

I want more from this writer Stefan Golaszewski, and his previous work “Him and Her” was also delightful. So I hope his muse(s) continue to trigger such output.

 
 
 10/10

Gentle but very funny

jpalexander-029453 April 2018
This is an intelligent well written comedy. It does that clever thing of taking comedy and slipping in sudden moments of despair and sadness when you least expect it.

 

The characters are amusing on the surface but each has depth and a set of feelings that belies their seeming shallow behaviour.

There is also plenty of feelings you get of frustration and embarrassment that make for such good observational comedy.

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 10/10

Worth every minute

tonydart-542594 March 2018
Loved series 1 and series 2 is proving to be just as brilliant. I rarely laugh out loud at sitcoms but the relationship between Derek and Pauline in the episode April was just played to perfection and with sublime comic timing. Yes, some people are annoying, or too nice, or slightly stupid, or emotionally armored. or weak … but this is real life. Well done BBC for this life affirming piece of work.
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 10/10

Beautiful

k-kininmonth13 June 2019
Just want to say thank you for “Mum” it’s been one of the delights of my tv watching life 💖 so so lovely cried and laughed in equal measure (cringed a lot) it’s just fab xx
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 10/10

Genius

drew-bard28 May 2019
Stunning, beautiful, amazing. I love bitter sweet comedy. This is the best of the lot.
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 10/10

I love this show: Brilliant & Nuanced Character-Driven Comedy

SalsaBoy201025 April 2019
Mum is a beautiful slice-of-life dramedy. It’s deceptively nuanced, as the premise is strikingly simple. Each season spans an entire year; however, each episode takes place on only one day, and all episodes are at Cathy’s (Mum) house. In other words, an entire year’s worth of narrative is revealed in only six days over the course of the year, all in the same physical location. Each episode is like a self-contained one-act play but it builds upon what came before it. There could be two or three months in between episodes – “May” and “August”, for instance – and the viewer can infer what has or has not happened or how certain events were processed or disregarded by the manner in which the characters relate in the following episode. There is much that “happens” off-camera; much is unspoken. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it. It allows for a rich and nuanced narrative despite that an entire season is literally only six days out of a year. With such a set-up, the viewer learns to appreciate the characters, their personalities, their motivations, their strengths and their frailties, as the narrative simmers beneath the surface and in the time in between each interlude. The writing is phenomenal. Bravo to Stefan Golaszewski, the show’s creator, writer, and oft-director.

 

Lesley Manville is perfectly cast as Mum. She portrays Cathy delicately, as in many ways, Cathy is the straight-person to the other characters’ peculiarities. The rest of the cast is excellent too. Cathy’s son, Jason, his sweet and often (but unintentionally) insulting girlfriend, Kelly, Cathy’s in-laws, her brother (Derek) and his uptight, status-conscious girlfriend (Pauline), and a family friend Michael round out the core cast. I love the characters; I love how they interrelate. There is something realistic about this show even though no one in the world has the presence of mind to be like Cathy, have her patience, and accept everyone and their eccentricities in the manner Lesley Manville portrays. Still, it’s beautiful to watch. All of its brilliance would likely be lost were this to be a Hollywood production. In most American productions, characters are largely caricatures, which makes the shows fundamentally uninteresting, as they are plot-driven rather than character-driven. In Mum, the characters are what drives the show – their perceptions, their wants, their insecurities, their personalities. Again, each episode occurs only on one day and always at Cathy’s home. In a sense, “nothing” happens. There is no forced narrative device to manipulate the characters to do something; there doesn’t need to be.

There are presently two seasons; the third and final season has completed filming and is supposed to air sometime in 2019. I understand narratively why the third season will be the last, but I am sorry to see it go. Mum is a near-perfect character-driven show with outstanding writing.

I love this show. I wish there were more like it.

Highly Recommened.

 
 
 9/10

An American opinion

caroldawnford30 July 2017
This sitcom was a bit difficult to watch from the American perspective of comedy. It is like a train wreck but I just couldn’t stop watching. I love the mom. My heart aches for old friend. I just ask ” How can he possibly be her son?” The Grandparents are hilarious! The girlfriend well DAMN! The sister in law is sooo Mrs. Bucket.
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 8/10

A truly touching comedy, touching on some of real life problems

grahamdavidson00719 March 2018
I originally watching this series from series 2 – a strange place to start and it took a while for the character development to occur – however when I watched series 1 everything set its self in place…. Focusing on the woman of the household played by Lesley Manville, it is quite a heartwarming situ comedy which seems to place itself on certain lifetime events from within the family perspective be it mothers day or children moving out or going on holiday… The children in the show are probably the weakest element of it – as they portray stereo typical teenagers yet appear in the body’s of 20 somethings and over empathises the naivety you expect from a 16 year old… That being said the dialogue and and issues tackled are on point and I often wonder about my own mother and family experiences – is that how she felt, is that what went on in her brain…

 

It is not the most polished of shows and the direction could be a bit more speedy and the children a little less idiotic however it has had me close to tears on occasion which for a 6’3 male is a hard thing to do.

Kudos to the team, I hope they continue to bring this different comedic performance into future series

 
 
 8/10

missed a couple of episodes

donthomas-8252014 March 2018
I love this sit-com…and feel the characters so typical but can’t always grasp what they are saying…what did Cathy say to Michael in the kitchen to upset him ? I reeled it back a few times and still couldn’t get it.
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 9/10

Brilliant but painful to watch drama in a comedy disguise

mailes2223 September 2019
If you’re looking for a sitcom in the style of ‘Keeping Up Appearances’ or ‘Some Mothers Do Ave Em’, you will end up disappointed and completely perplexed at this example of modern British comedy. Yet ‘Mum’ has some very similar characters, just taken to an extreme and put in a modern setting.

 

Once you get used to the characters and over the shock of the truly appalling things that most of them say to one another, you can start to appreciate the subtlety of the acting by Lesley Manville as ‘Mum’ and Peter Mullan as ‘Michael’ – the only two ‘normal’ characters. The other ‘comic’ characters are painful to watch and to listen to. But there are some laugh out loud moments and while they are extreme examples, most of us know people who do sometimes say similar appalling things. The careless indifference of young people and the way they take so much for granted is very familiar.

The use of silence also takes a lot of getting used to. I’ve never felt to uncomfortable watching a pause taken to such extremes.

Ultimately it probably does make you ponder your own relationships – and perhaps makes you give a second thought before saying something hurtful to someone else.

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 10/10

Warm Subtle Humor

ringthebells1830 August 2018
I love the quiet humor in this show which follows Mom Cathy as she adjusts to her new life following her husbands while surrounded by her well-meaning but slightly obtuse family. The show is a wonderful display of what I think of as a type of British humor the relies on the actors ability to convey several layers of thought and emotion in just a single subtle word or facial expression. While it pokes fun at various characters through Cathy’s eyes we see them with empathy as well as humor. The slowly developing romance between Cathy and Michael adds a sweetness that is irresistable. Will there be a season 3?
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 2/10

Annoying

paulmagno2 May 2019
This is probably the most annoying show I’ve ever watched. You will enjoy it if you enjoy seeing someone in pain from death of a spouse politely dealing with her idiot family and beyond. After being forced to watch season 1 I said enough. I have enough idiots in my own life. This show becomes painful.
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 1/10

Absolutely shocking!

I have never had the misfortune to watch such terrible TV. Given the high ratings it has received I stuck it out until episode 3. Sad to say it did not improve in the slightest. The majority of the characters are incredibly annoying and their pure stupidity is very frustrating to witness. I am actually quite concerned that there are people out there that would consider rating this show anything other than a 1!! If you have half a brain cell, avoid at all cost.
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 1/10

Really, Really Bad

bthwaithe9 June 2018
I can’t believe my PBS station picked up this dreck. Maybe it’s a show with a message – that a boring, nearly mute woman who doesn’t seem to interact with her family beyond meekly nodding and smiling at their boorish, inane behavior will wind up with a boorish, inane family. She gives no guidance to her children; lets her in-laws walk all over her as they make nasty proclamations; watches her brother and his wife behave awfully in her home and has a nearly wordless relationship with a family friend who is in love with her. They should have drawn a cartoon bubble over her head saying “Nobody home. Be back later. Or not”

 

Is it supposed to be funny that people are always standing awkwardly in the front hallway saying nothing? Or did I just drop a spoiler? Maybe I should have written a SPOILER ALERT – People stand around doing and saying nothing. A lot. Is this meant to be endearing? Who knows? Who cares? “Look how annoying my family is and I am powerless. I cannot tell them they must behave appropriately in my house or leave it. Woe is me.”

I guess this is what passes for “gentle comedy.”

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 2/10

Truly Horrible – Inane

vintagegeek24 May 2018
The characters are just inane. You’ll get the essence of the show in the first ten minutes and it maintains its level of absurdity. It appears the Mum is totally incapable of working herself away from or telling off the morons that surround her.
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 10/10

We need more Mum!

norvelhermanovski29 August 2019
This show has taken us with blissful hilarity. Level headed Mum has surrounded herself with a perfect cast of insipid characters that we see in our lives everyday. Here, Stefan Golaszewski so cleverly portrays the most banal personalities and putting their idiosyncratic behaviors with each other, making the story hilarious and believable. Seasons are too short and we need MORE!!
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 10/10

Brilliant ,sad ,sweet

maryann451013 August 2019

Warning: Spoilers

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 10/10

Brilliant Series

brianwod200020 June 2019
Just finished last series 3 and about time Cathy & Michael do their own thing (at last) Sad to see this is the last series as I thought it would be great to follow up with the birth of Jason & Kelly’s baby It would be interesting to see how these two characters would cope & evolve bringing up a baby that would essentially be brighter than they are Please Please bring them all back as this has been a joy to watch
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 7/10

Takes you through a kaleidoscope of emotions

csm-7811915 June 2019
This original comedy drama is at times sad and touching and at other times hilarious and life affirming. Lesley Manville and Peter Mullan are perfect in the two lead roles at the head of a uniformly strong cast. Lisa McGrillis and Karl Johnson in particular provide laugh out loud moments along the way.
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Loved every minute of it

 

eaton_pj30 January 2021
Watched the entire series and I’ve read just about every review on here. Having been a huge fan of British comedy for decades I can’t fathom some of the horrific reviews on here. I found the beauty of the show IS its simplicity. To be able to flesh out extraordinary, multi-dimensional and very funny characters out of what would otherwise be a very dull and mundane backdrop is exactly what makes this so special. Pay no mind to the negative reviews. Might not be everyone’s cup of tea but for most of us it will be delightful. Perfect blend of comedy and drama.
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 6/10

Annoys the hell out of me

beresfordjd22 May 2016
Lesley Manville is her usual reliable self in this gentle comedy as is Peter Mullan. However the Kelly character is Incredibly irritating and needs to be toned down if I am to continue watching this. My wife has already given up on it because she can’t stand her. The program is peopled by the sort of person that anyone would avoid like the plague. It is not an easy thing to do to create a comedy of this sort,it has a Mike Leigh kind of vibe. The first episode was much better than the second one and it seemed promising. However a lot more work needs to be done to make it work. Kelly says the most crude and offensive things to the Mum character that no one in the same situation would do and this makes the interaction between them unrealistic.
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 4/10

If you like Seinfeld but without any wit

nal-1593522 December 2019
This really is a show about nothing. Endless scenes of making tea or standing around awkwardly not saying anything to one another. I found the humor rather mean-spirited as well. The theme song is incredibly annoying!
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 1/10

Dreadful

blackberryrambler8 January 2020
I honestly thought the son and his girlfriend were mentally challenged: it would have made it more bearable if they were. All I could think when he opened his mouth was Forest Gump and his box of chocolates.

 

None of these people were even believable, except for the family friend Michael…but even his performance was wearisome with all this longing for Cathy and he was constantly belittled – even by her.

After watching 2 seasons hoping for a different opinion I would have to be on pain meds to watch Season 3. I can safely assume the little boy of the household will wreck his mother and Michael’s chances of happily ever after. Thank goodness there’s no more.

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 2/10

Awful

rhodes_ian-5068226 May 2019
Not sure how this is scoring so highly. Its actually stressful to watch, the ridiculous inane characters. Its shallow, aimed at the mentally challenged and a waste of time, how this was commissioned for more than a pilot is beyond me.
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Award winning sitcom? Please no!

 

cairney22722 February 2018
Having watched the first series I could only hope for an improvement. This would put anyone of parenthood if they saw this unfortunate woman unable to escape her lame brained son and his even stupider girlfriend, her foul mouthed aggressive parents and her insufferable snob of a sister in law. There is a difference between laughing at someone playing the fool and laughing at someone who is mentally challenged. And we have the f word. Does anyone over ten years old still find this funny? It now seems to be a staple of BBC sitcoms.Once it would have been called brave, now it is just lazy writing. And Patricia Routledge has already done the snob part to death as Hyacinth Bucket. Following on the awful Two Doors Down I despair of seeing a new genuinely funny comedy. How about a show with quirky and amusing characters rather than dimwits and grotesques.
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 7/10

It’s really not very funny at all

Johnboy12211 October 2018
While I find the show interesting, with great acting and writing, I don’t consider this one very funny. Other than the two leads, everyone else is just annoying….either dumb as a box of rocks or self-centered and egotistic. Another problem is that it’s nearly impossible to know who is related to whom and who is just a friend of the family. In addition, some of the actors are hard to understand (though that may be because I’m American and they are British). All that said, I still find the show watchable, even somewhat obsessive, mostly due to the two leads, who are simply marvelous.
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 9/10

OUTSTANDING but painfully short.

wuchanclan16 August 2019
This is one of those shows that unexpectedly walks into your life and charms it’s way to the deepest part of your heart. Not to mention, tickles your funny bones! I ran into this show on BritBox one Sunday morning in bed and I binged it all day! I laughed and cried and smiled at it’s clever and very real life humor. I miss it like a long lost family member.

 

I don’t understand why the writers didn’t finish the story. I read the explanation for why it ended so soon and it just doesn’t stand to reason. That’s why I gave it a 9/10 instead of 10/10. Having said that…WELL DONE!

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 10/10

“Your eyes are infinitesimal.” Omg, what a laugh!

secretstory20 July 2021
These characters make me feel like I am losing brain cells, while at the same time I find them endearing.

 

I have fallen in love with Lesley Manville and Lisa McGrillis. And Peter Mullan as well.

Wish there were more seasons!

Great entertainment. Two thumbs way UP.

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 3/10

It’s not the acting that’s bad, it’s the characters…

bay-770083 July 2021
Writers: If you’re going for absurd, then it has to be funny. If you’re going for awkward then it has to be witty. What I got out of Mum was pitiful and annoying characters with few to zero endearing qualities. Kathy, however kind and patient she may seem, she allows everyone to walk all over her including her a-hole of a son. Her brother is a mess and Michael can’t be more pathetic with is perpetual insipid grin and puppy love attraction for Kathy. When he speaks which is rare, he grunts a few words out. The son I’m pretty sure is mentally challenged and so is his girlfriend Kelly, yet it is never brought up so you don’t know whether to give them slack or hate them. I think the son whose a supposed adult chugs milk or juice out of the carton, treats Kathy like his maid and has a constant silly and fake sounding laugh laugh that will make you cringe every time. And it’s A LOT. The only two characters who are somewhat entertaining are the cranky but funny old man and the perfectly played Pauline.
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 10/10

A bloody gem

Jumbajookiba22 May 2021

Warning: Spoilers

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 10/10

Ended too soon!

fshds4 April 2021
Loved this series. I wish there were more episodes! Everyone in it was great but I specially loved Lessley and Peter.

Source: Mum (TV Series 2016–2019) – IMDb

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