Mum

'Mum' is back for its third and final season.

BBC 2, Wednesdays, 10pm.
Stars Lesley Manville as the eponymous Mum.

I didn't watch series one. It didn't jump out at me from the TV schedules, and maybe it clashed with something else, I don't know.

However, I came across series two by accident, when I was ill in bed, and to be honest, I was riveted.

When series two finished, I got series one up on iPlayer and binge-watched it.

It's compelling.

It's very, very gentle, and very slow-moving. That's part of its charm.
It's about a very, very ordinary, more-than-middle-aged, suburban woman who is trying to make sense of her life after she was widowed...more than two years ago, now.

Mum is surrounded by people who are equally flawed and equally vulnerable, in their own very different ways. The unempathic son and his very dim fiancée, the very insecure brother and his tartar of a partner, the selfish in-laws, ........and the long-suffering, long-smitten, very quiet and very old friend with whom a gently burgeoning love story is very slowly unfolding.

As I said, the supporting characters all have very different flaws, but they are all suffering from their own demons, which Mum is aware of, and tolerates, at the expense of her own feelings a lot of the time.

Roll on Wednesday!

Re: Mum

It's a perfect gem!

Re: Mum

I've set TV to record as not seen this . Thankyou

Re: Mum

Have you seen the other two series? If not, it'd be well worth watching them, even if that overlaps with you watching this series.

Then you'll get an appreciation of the slow build up.
Each episode is only half an hour, so do-able!

Re: Mum

Will see if I can find it on catch up , it sounds interesting

Re: Mum

Yes, it is on catch up.

Re: Mum

Love it-roll on Wednesday.All the cast are great,think dippy Kelly is great.

Re: Mum

Yes! She is! In an excruciatingly embarrassing sort of way! But she's so childlike, and means no ill, so you have to forgive her!



Also, Pauline, although she is excruciating in a different way, showed a very vulnerable side in the last series, which helped to explain why she is like she is, so although she is unbearable, you can understand why Mum puts up with it.

Even Doormat Derek showed that he's only half a step away from being an uncontrolled thug. He's holding himself in on a very tight rein.


The scriptwriting is brilliant, it really is.

Re: Mum

Lesley Manville was on Andrew Marr this morning, and she said that the long pauses were absolutely necessary to get across the pathos.

So true. Those long gaps when Michael just stands there looking at Mum, and you're willing him to JUST SAY IT, MICHAEL! and then he doesn't.

Brilliant acting, just brilliant.


I'll tell you what it reminds me of...... "The Remains of the Day" which was on TV a few days ago. The theme of unrequited love was played to perfection by Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins.

Re: Mum

I've been watching the first series on catch up Pyxell , I love it , it is cringing , what brilliant actors. The last one I watched just now was Easter Sunday. I shall catch up some more tomorrow.