Let me explain - I think the problem is that I absolutely loved 'Motherland'. It's a comedy classic. As far as I'm concerned, right up there with 'Father Ted' and 'Friday Night Dinner'. I can watch it, and re-watch it umpteen times, and still laugh out loud. If I'm feeling a bit down, I watch 'Motherland'.
I loved chaotic self-obsessed Julia, slightly slobbish but heart of gold Liz, and nice but a bit wet stay-at-home-Dad Kevin. But sadly this trio aren't in the new show, and the truth is I never really liked Amanda. She was the Queen Bee, the head of the PTA, and so mean to poor old Anne, her loyal friend with multiple children who always seemed to be pregnant, whom she treated so abysmally.
I know we're meant to feel sorry for Amanda because of her divorce, and her awful Mother, and the fact she's had to move to SoHa (South Harlesden), but she's still so mean to Anne, and selfish, and thoughtless, without many redeeming features, other than being unintentionally hilarious at times with her lack of self-awareness.
Having said that, I stuck with it, because the writing is good, obviously Lucy Punch is a tremendous actor, and Dame Joanna Lumley is brilliant as Felicity, Amanda's dreadful overbearing Mother who's an ex-model, and is really Patsy from Ab Fab if she'd had children.
It's lovely to see Sister George Michael from 'Derry Girls' - Siobhan McSweeney - as Della, a celebrity chef, and one of the baddies from 'Line of Duty' (Rochenda Sandall) as her wife Fi.
It's fair to say that comedy spin offs are notoriously hard to do, and after the first two episodes I thought that this was in danger of being more of a 'Joey' after 'Friends' than a 'Frasier' after 'Cheers'.
However, having now seen all six episodes of the first series, I'm pleased to say it grew on me, and while not in the same league as 'Motherland', it's worth a watch.