BBC’s ‘masterpiece’ 6-part series with Shetland star is your next Netflix binge-watch

Lucy Punch stars as snobbish mum Amanda in the BBC’s hit comedy series, Amandaland, which is coming to Netflix very soon

close-up woman in red top

ooking for a brilliant sitcom to binge-watch? Netflix will soon add the BBC’s hit comedy, Amandaland, to its roster of crowd-pleasing shows. If you haven’t already watched all six episodes of the brilliant Lucy Punch-starring series, you’re in for a treat.

The comedy, which premiered on BBC One in February last year, is a spin-off of the popular sitcom Motherland. It follows posh, snobbish mum Amanda, who had to downsize from Chiswick to South Harlesden (or SoHa) following her divorce.

Fans of Motherland will not be disappointed with this laugh-out-loud spin-off. Lucy Punch is hysterical as the highly-strung, Tesla-driving alpha mum. She had me in stitches when I first binge-watched the series last year. This hilarious and heartfelt series is a must-watch.

Keep reading to find out more. But first, check out the trailer below.

Blonde woman taking on the phone© BBC/Merman/Natalie Seery

Lucy Punch stars in the hit sitcom

What is Amandaland about?

The series follows Amanda as she navigates her new life in South Harlesden, having been forced to downsize from Chiswick following her divorce.

With both Manus and Georgie now at secondary school, the titular try-hard mum-of-two has to try and get her head around “raising teenagers, dealing with modern motherhood horrors like teenage drinking, fake Instagram accounts and eco-anxiety,” according to the synopsis. “Not even a woman as certain of her parenting as Amanda can deal with these nightmares alone.”

Two women standing in a kitchen

Viewers have hailed the series as ‘brilliant’ and a ‘masterpiece’

What have viewers said about the show?

The series has been a huge hit with viewers, who have hailed the sitcom as a “masterpiece” and “hilarious”.

One person wrote in an online review: “This was an amazing spin off show. It was absolutely laugh out loud hilarious, every episode got better and better,” while another added: “It’s hilarious, witty and entertaining, laugh out loud in pretty much every single scene and situation! I adore Amanda in this!”

A third viewer penned: “It’s a brilliant spin-off that stands tall on its own, blending wit and heart effortlessly. Highly recommend!”

The series also boasts an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 85 per cent and was met with four-star reviews from critics.

Three people standing on football field © BBC/Merman/Natalie Seery

The Motherland spin-off aired last year on BBC One

What inspired Motherland and Amandaland?

At the show’s launch last year, co-creator Holly Walsh revealed the inspiration behind the stories featured in the BBC spin-off series and the original school-gates sitcom, Motherland. 

When asked where her ideas came from, Holly, who co-wrote Amandaland with Helen Serafinowicz, Barunka O’Shaughnessy and Laurence Rickard, told HELLO! and other press: “I sit in cafes and listen in on other people’s conversations and write it down word for word.”

“So if you’re in a cafe and I’m anywhere near you, don’t say anything loud because I will write it down and use it,” joked the writer.

Holly also said that she and Motherland co-creators Helen and Sharon Horgan brought their own experiences into the writers’ room while working on the flagship series.

“We talked about our teenage years a lot, which was really interesting,” she said. “What’s interesting about teenagers is that no one breaks the mould. They’re just awful. Every generation of teenagers are just as bad, so we just talked a lot about our crazy teenage antics and wrote a lot of them down.”

Amandaland© BBC

The series boasts a star-studded cast, featuring led by Lucy Punch and Joanna Lumley

Who stars in Amandaland?

Lucy Punch (Bloods) leads the cast as Amanda, alongside Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous) as Amanda’s mum, Felicity, and Philippa Dunne (Derry Girls) as Anne.

Samuel Anderson (Shetland, Gavin & Stacey) also stars as Mal, alongside Siobhán McSweeney (Derry Girls) as Della and Rochenda Sandall (Line of Duty) as Fi.

Philippa Dunne and Samuel Anderson in a still from Amandaland© BBC/Merman/Natalie Seery

A second season is on the way

Will there be a second season of Amandaland?

The hit sitcom was renewed last year, with production beginning back in October. A release date has yet to be announced.

Amandaland scene with Lucy Punch© BBC

The series is coming to Netflix soon

How to watch Amandland

Amandaland is coming to Netflix soon. The show is also available to stream on BBC iPlayer.