If you’re someone who still hasn’t seen Motherland, we’ll tell you again that you’re sleeping on an absolute comedy gem.
The BBC sitcom, which recently returned for its third series, hilariously follows the trials and tribulations of a group of middle class parents – and there’s one character in particular who we’ve been obsessed with since the show’s debut in 2016.
We are, of course, talking about the unlikeable yet totally fabulous alpha mum Amanda, played by Lucy Punch.
Her withering put downs, sickeningly-sweet passive aggressiveness and ideas of grandeur have made her a low-key comedy icon, and someone who we are all definitely guilty of being like from time to time – particularly as we come out of lockdown and start socialising once again.
Here’s 32 times we’ll all end up channelling our inner Amanda as restrictions continue to ease...
1. When you’re arranging a small soiree in anticipation of a full post-June 21 bash
2. When someone asks how your lockdown has been
3. When you find out a family member isn’t doing their twice-weekly lateral flow tests
4. When you try and flirt, but it’s been so long that you’ve totally forgotten how to do it
5. But you still think you’re pretty irresistible
6. When you see a colleague you don’t really like for the first time in a year
7. When you’re exposed to group gossip once again...
8... and then you end up telling absolutely everyone you know
9. When you’re reunited with family members and they ask you why you’re still single, despite the fact you’re bossing every other aspect of your life
10. When you’re forced to engage in conversation with an anti-vaxxer
11. When you see the state of where your friend has spent the past year working from
12. When you’re invited to a dinner party where everyone has to bring a dish
13. When someone you’ve been in contact with tests positive and you’re forced to stay at home when everyone else is out enjoying themselves
14. When someone with terrible chat tries to make a move on you in the club
15. When you try and fool people into believing you’ve taken on a healthy new lifestyle thanks to lockdown
16. When someone refuses to believe how busy your post-lockdown diary is
17. In fact, you just need someone to organise your life for you
18. When your friends who don’t drink want to go for dinner
19. When someone who is now only working from the office one day a week decides to make an appearance
20. When you invite a sixth person to your rule-of-six gathering, despite everyone else not really liking them
21. When someone is criticising your friend for going out for every meal
22. When someone tells you a piece of bad news about a potential third wave or a new variant
23. When your friend is trying to squeeze in a shag before the third wave hits
24. When you’re not all that keen on resuming social contact with everyone
25. When you’re still sanitising everything you come into contact with
26. When your boss says it’s nice to see you back in the office again
27. When not everyone shares your enthusiasm for a big night out
28. When you finally have a reason to wear personal fragrance again
29. When you hook up with your ex again in a moment of sexually-frustrated weakness
30. When you can’t understand why people are still wearing leisure wear
31. When you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the sudden options you have for lunch after returning to the office
32. When you finally get on that dance floor on 21 June (hopefully)
Motherland airs on Mondays at 9pm on BBC Two, with all three series available to stream on BBC iPlayer.