Motherland - Episode Guide

Meet the Alpha Mums, headed by Amanda, very much the queen bee. Everything is organised, clean and sparkly - even the kitchen cork board is a statement of success. At the other end of the spectrum, we meet Liz, who is totally chaotic and feels the kids should enjoy free expression - if they want to do kamikaze jumps off the sofa, she drags a mattress round for safety. Somewhere between Amanda and Liz is Julia - she is organised - she has to be as she is a successful events organiser - but when her mother Marion decides she is no longer going to be the free child-sitter and school-run taxi, Julia finds her organisation skills are taxed and nowhere near the level of the Alpha Mums. Also in the mix is Kevin - he is the stay-at-home dad, who, rather than fighting against that, is embracing it with gusto - much to the irritation of the other mums.

This is mothers and they really are - coping or not - competitive and helpful. If the Pulling girls had kids, this is what it would be like.

In episode one Julia moves out of her comfort zone and reluctantly invites the entire class to her kid's birthday party. With her Mum still refusing to help out she relies on Liz's party hacks and Kevin's entertaining skills. And anyway, she organises events for a living, this will be a breeze!

A school fundraiser is not Julia's idea of an evening out, but somehow she finds herself heavily involved in order to impress a former colleague.

It's the school's Auction of Promises. Amanda hosts the auction. Julia is assigned a job. Kevin has a battle with the cloakroom and despite Anne's protests, Liz takes care of the bar.

A children's pool party in the UK is not the most glamorous of experiences. Luckily Julia is just dropping the kids off so she can prepare for an important event later that evening.

While Liz is at the newsagents the nice-looking guy in the queue leaves his wallet behind. She takes it and hopes to return it and hopefully turn it into a date. And a new Dad on the scene pushes Kevin's nose out of joint.

While Paul is away, he has the perfect solution to aid Julia; he sends his parents to help. Luckily, Kevin has a huge fondness for the elderly and assists Julia in her in-law wrangling.

Meanwhile, Amanda has a clearout and reluctantly gives Liz her old coat, which seems to have an effect on our Liz.

Anne's new car propels her into the limelight as the Mums try to get in on her new car pool. Kevin finds himself in the new role of confidant as Amanda shares a deep secret. And Liz and Julia's friendship is under fire as Liz realises she is just a 'mum' friend.

Julia's childcare problems are solved after she finds the perfect Nanny, but her friendship with Liz is strained.

Amanda is keeping a low profile after Kevin blurted out her secret. Liz visits Lee's new partner to give her some advice. The school caretaker is in hospital but the Mums have lost their ringleader and there's nobody to organise a card.

As the school year begins, a new mum at the school gates attracts the attention of Julia, Liz and Kevin. Does high-flyer Meg really have it all? Meanwhile Julia agonises over a promotion and the gang have a night out.

Julia reluctantly agrees to help Amanda launch her new shop. But a careless online post threatens to destroy her good work. Meanwhile Liz resents gentrification and Kevin has written an unusual children's book.

Julia finds that working from home is impossible due to all the tasks she has to do for her family. Meg tells her this is her 'mother's load' - all the things that no-one else will do but that need to be done to keep the home running. Julia removes herself to the cafe to work but even there finds that it is not that easy to get her work done. A possible solution presents itself when she shares a table with a fellow freelancer, but is Julia taking advantage of him?

Kevin reluctantly agrees to host a last-minute Halloween party despite the fact that he's had no time to prepare. Meanwhile at the school gates the mums are all talking about a celebrity who has moved into the neighbourhood - Lee Mead from Holby.

As this is Julia's favourite programme she is determined to meet him and decides to take all the kids trick or treating hoping that they will find his house. Liz tags along as she has been stood up by a date and Anne is in attendance trying to make sure that the kids are safe. However by the time they reach Kevin's one of the kids is missing - Amanda's little boy Manus. Despite the fact that the happy teatime trick or treat atmosphere has now turned violent and terrifying Liz, Kevin and Julia must venture back out into the streets to search for him through terrifying hordes of teenage zombies and mutant nuns.

The gang are delighted when Kevin books a cottage for them to spend half term holidays in the countryside with all their kids. But it is not as nice as the pictures online, and Kevin seems to have miscalculated the number of bedrooms.

When it transpires that Julia has failed to bring any booze, the atmosphere takes a turn for the worse. All hopes rest on Kevin's plan to cook an event meal by roasting a whole pig in a pit he has dug in the garden. As the long night wears on, tempers begin to fray. Meanwhile, Liz catches the eye of a handsome shepherd.

Julia struggles to abide by the rules and clashes with Mrs Lamb as she attends her first ever school sports day. Apparently it's no longer acceptable to cheer for individual kids and you can only offer generic support like "good job". Over at the Kidiverse soft play centre Kevin is devastated that an important work presentation means he will miss the dads' race. Liz worries that her new boyfriend is blanking her. And Anne discovers something that leads to a nasty surprise for Amanda.

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 Christmas cocktails and very strict rules about where you can and can't drink mulled wine.

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.

The 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 conversion 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.

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 Kevin 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 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 secretary Mrs Lamb and clueless teaching assistant Ms Vaughn.

It all kicks off when a boy banned for bad behaviour is allowed on the coach along with his mother Ashley 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 pack 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 sponsored cycling with Anne's lethal cocktails, results in a night of high drama and big revelations. Julia is ready to call time 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 upon Anne finally loses her rag.

School's out for the festive season, so the mums (and Kevin) are busy prepping for the ultimate in blended Christmas celebrations. It's a full house at Julia's with an invasion of grandparents demanding endless cups of tea as they play with a VR headset Paul bought 'for the kids'. Julia has invited Kevin along too after learning his alternative was turkey crisps from the hotel vending machine with the other divorced dads.

Kevin excitedly offers to whip up a full-on Persian feast. Liz also turns up when her ex falls asleep on a train following a massive Christmas Eve bender, letting her down on his first ever offer to host. Meanwhile, Amanda is spending Christmas Day with Johnny, the kids and Johnny's new wife Tamara. Which is fine. Really fine. It's fine.