Mom
Mom
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Mom

7.3
Yr 2013
Rt 23m
Status Ended
Comedy Drama
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Series Brief

Overview

Aan irreverent and outrageous take on true family love‐and dysfunction. Newly sober single mom Christy struggles to raise two children in a world full of temptations and pitfalls. Testing her sobriety is her formerly estranged mother, now back in Christy's life and eager to share passive-aggressive insights into her daughter's many mistakes.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 65 /100

Critical reception for Mom is mixed, often highlighting a sharp divide between the show's occasionally hackneyed sitcom tropes and the undeniable chemistry of its leads. While early reviews criticized the pilot for feeling overstuffed and formulaic, many critics praised Allison Janney and Anna Faris for elevating the material with their strong performances. Over its eight-season run, the show earned appreciation for its mature, honest exploration of addiction, recovery, and the challenges of aging.

Negative appraisals frequently pointed to the show's reliance on crude humor and a tendency to prioritize cheap laughs over nuanced storytelling. However, proponents argue that the series evolved into a "durable" comedy that strikes a successful balance between dysfunction and heartfelt, human moments.

“Mom pushes boundaries as a TV show headlined by mature women; even the cast would get worried if the network would be okay with the show’s content.”

“There is an early consensus that Faris and Janney form an instant, easy chemistry that helps the show overcome some of its hackier material.”

“The show's premise is comparable to a maudlin Lifetime movie, but it is played for laughs to generally great effect.”

“It is described by some as dumb, obvious, and formulaic, failing to break much new ground in the sitcom genre.”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Netflix
US
Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel
US
Netflix Standard with Ads
US
Why fans love it

Mom treats recovery not as a singular triumph, but as a messy, daily negotiation. By grounding its humor in the friction between a newly sober daughter and her own mother, the series sidesteps easy sentimentality. It finds comedy in the abrasive reality of people bound by blood who are simultaneously trying to navigate their own failures.

Allison Janney anchors this California sitcom with a performance that balances sharp-tongued interference with genuine vulnerability. The show pivots between caustic banter and moments of stark familial struggle, refusing to soften the edges of the characters’ chaotic lives. It prioritizes the grit of broken relationships over the clean resolution typically expected of the genre.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 6
Longest run 170 eps
Anna Faris
Anna Faris
as Christy Plunkett
152 episodes
Allison Janney
Allison Janney
as Bonnie Plunkett
170 episodes
Nate Corddry
Nate Corddry
as Gabriel
44 episodes
Jaime Pressly
Jaime Pressly
as Jill Kendall
135 episodes
Mimi Kennedy
Mimi Kennedy
as Marjorie Armstrong-Perugian
155 episodes
Kristen Johnston
Kristen Johnston
as Tammy Diffendor
57 episodes
William Fichtner
William Fichtner
as Adam Janikowski
108 episodes
Spencer Daniels
Spencer Daniels
as Luke
26 episodes
Show 67 more
Blake Garrett Rosenthal as Roscoe Plunkett 68 episodes Sadie Calvano as Violet Plunkett 69 episodes Matt Jones as Baxter 70 episodes French Stewart as Chef Rudy 52 episodes Beth Hall as Wendy Harris 133 episodes Justin Long as Adam 3 episodes Octavia Spencer as Regina Tompkins 9 episodes Nick Zano as David 2 episodes Rizwan Manji as Dr. Bellin 2 episodes Ryan Cartwright as Jeff 4 episodes Melissa Tang as Suzanne 4 episodes Wayne Wilderson as Dr. Butler 2 episodes Emily Osment as Jodi 4 episodes David Krumholtz as Gregory 5 episodes Sam Silverstein as Water Boy 4 episodes Mark Saul as Cooper 2 episodes Beverly D'Angelo as Lorraine 3 episodes Clark Duke as Jackie 2 episodes Christopher Nicholas Smith as Douglas 2 episodes Rachel Germaine as Rebecca 2 episodes Teddy Vincent as Woman #2 2 episodes John Charles Meyer as Jesus 2 episodes Nick Bakay as Man (voice) 2 episodes Meghan Maureen McDonough as Tina 2 episodes Harry Hamlin as Fred 2 episodes David Meunier as Yuri 3 episodes Kathleen Turner as Cookie 2 episodes Bradley Whitford as Mitch 2 episodes Kate Micucci as Patty 2 episodes George Paez as Ramone 4 episodes Missi Pyle as Natasha 5 episodes Nicole J. Butler as Woman #1 2 episodes Courtney Henggeler as Claudia 5 episodes Linda Lavin as Phyllis 2 episodes Artt Butler as Male Voice (voice) 2 episodes Rosie O'Donnell as Jeanine 2 episodes Sara Rue as Candace 8 episodes Grady Harmon as Phil 3 episodes Wendie Malick as Danielle 2 episodes Jonny Coyne as Victor Perugian 7 episodes Don McManus as Steve 10 episodes Julia Lester as Emily 3 episodes Jim Marshall as Jim 2 episodes Amy Hill as Beverly 8 episodes Leonard Roberts as Ray 4 episodes Michael Angarano as Cooper 2 episodes Steven Banks as Randy 4 episodes Steven Weber as Patrick 5 episodes Michael DiMente as Bruce 6 episodes Matt Oberg as Geoffrey 2 episodes Lyn Alicia Henderson as Susan 8 episodes Sam McMurray as Ned 3 episodes Susan Ruttan as Lucy 3 episodes Yvette Nicole Brown as Nora 7 episodes Charles Robinson as Mr. Munson 7 episodes Mary Pat Gleason as Mary 8 episodes Paget Brewster as Veronica 3 episodes Larry Joe Campbell as Mike 3 episodes Reggie De Leon as Paul 23 episodes Kevin Pollak as Alvin Biletnikoff 15 episodes Lauri Johnson as Beatrice 16 episodes Steve Valentine as Rod 3 episodes Rainn Wilson as Trevor 9 episodes Chiquita Fuller as Taylor 6 episodes Virginia Montero as Marta 4 episodes Wallace Langham as Jerry 3 episodes Will Sasso as Andy 12 episodes
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Mom overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

california dysfunctional family family recovering alcoholic sitcom alcoholic mother mother daughter relationship
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
September 23, 2013
Status
Ended
Episode Runtime
23 minutes
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
633