Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Good concept, poorly executed.

Don't listen to the negative reviews

As Good As It Gets

Mixed feelings about the basis of this show because of how shockingly white and wealthy it is. Still, the trio of Anna Maxwell Martin, Paul Ready, and especially Diane Morgan produce so well together that I watched every episode.To note, Diane Morgan was standout during her time on Charlie Brooker programs, but this is a different level, and she shines.

Measured against the perfect Pulling (also co-created and co-written by Sharon Horgan), this first series/season fails to live up to the promise shown by the pilot.It feels reasonably true to life, but the comedy is missing; so it seems more like a documentary (or "structured reality") than a situation comedy.The one redeeming feature is the excellent performance by Diane Morgan.

Anna Maxwell Martin plays a frazzled mother working in corporate events and trying to achieve a work/life balance. It is not going well she brings her kids to school during the school holidays and instead of telling the truth she tells the teacher some lies about her kids being bullied which leads to embarrassment.The writers, which include Graham Linehan and Sharon Horgan got one thing right. Maxwell's front seat of the car was filthy. A kind of seat that only exists if you have kids. The interior reminded me of my wife's car.Lucy Punch plays the insincere even manipulative Alpha mum, leader of a clique that is rich and judgmental. Yet people want to be in her group of suburban mums including the sole stay at home dad we see looking after the kids.Martin needs people to look after her kids, her mother is refusing to any more free baby sitting. She meets Diana Morgan, working class but cool under pressure like when she chops off her finger.This pilot started of shakily as Martin spins lies about coming to school during the term time holiday rather than admit she forgot it was the holidays but it improves as it goes along and Morgan was the star of the show. Motherland really did manage to mix slapstick, comedy of manners, frustrated pent up humour and even visual gags.

Julia is a woman on the edge, struggling to balance the work/parenting balance. Very much committed to her job in corporate events, she finds little time for being a mum. Julia has a lot on at work, forgetting it's half term, she's lumbered with her kids, and soon after lots of other people's too.Anna Maxwell Martin is one of those actresses you can't help but love, often cast as the normal, nice character, it was fun to see her cast as a neurotic mum for a change, her meltdown was hilarious. Paul Ready was funny, and Lucy Punch added a great deal of her special sarcasm.As a one off comedy I thought it was good, very well acted, it had a few laughs, not too sure I see a great deal of longevity here, but it was a pleasing thirty minutes. Trouble is, when you see the words Graham Linehan you expect the Earth. 6/10