# Mum (2016)

> A widowed mother rebuilds her life surrounded by her quarrelsome, loving family and a steadfast old friend.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/58530

## Facts

- Seasons: 3
- Episodes: 18
- Episode runtime: 30 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: comedy
- Network: BBC Two
- Cast: Lesley Manville, Peter Mullan, Sam Swainsbury, Lisa McGrillis, Dorothy Atkinson, Karl Johnson, Ross Boatman, Marlene Sidaway
- TMDB rating: 8.3/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5687446/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: warm, joyful, gentle, wistful, comforting, cozy

## Synopsis

Mum (2016-2019) is a British family sitcom created for BBC Two, running three seasons and eighteen half-hour episodes. Lesley Manville plays Cathy, a mother rebuilding her life after the death of her husband, while Peter Mullan plays Michael, her supportive lifelong friend whose steady presence gives the household its quiet center. Sam Swainsbury as her son Jason and Lisa McGrillis as his girlfriend Kelly add everyday friction, and Dorothy Atkinson as Pauline and Ross Boatman as Derek, her brother and his new partner, bring further awkward warmth to family gatherings. The engine of each episode is ordinary life: a mother testing new routines, in-laws who overstay their welcome, and small domestic crises that gather into a year of new beginnings. Its humour is gentle and observational, grounded in kitchen-table conversation and family rows rather than gags, and its grief is handled with tenderness and restraint. Set in present-day England, the show is a cozy, joyful watch with an emotional undertow. Fans of Ghosts, Derry Girls and After Life will find resonance in its blend of warmth, bereavement and British domestic comedy.

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