Workin' Moms

Workin' Moms is a refreshingly honest and hilariously raw comedic look at the high-wire act that is modern motherhood. The show was created by Catherine Reitman, who also serves as its lead, and first aired in Canada on CBC Television before moving onto Netflix for international streaming.

The series focuses on the day-to-day chaos, joys, and struggles of a group of diverse women balancing their careers, relationships, families, and personal ambitions in contemporary Toronto. They are bonded together by their shared experience of new motherhood and a regular mommies group they attend.

Catherine Reitman brings to life her character Kate Foster, an ambitious PR executive who is constantly striving to "have it all." Kate wrestles with the routine and responsibilities of motherhood while also trying to keep her professional life running smoothly. Kate’s character portrayal does a great job showing just how difficult it is to establish equilibrium when both worlds seem to be constantly colliding.

Dani Kind portrays Anne Carlson, a psychiatrist and a best friend to Kate. Anne is facing her own issues, with a rebellious older daughter, a doughy husband, and another baby on the way. Her dry wit and blunt outlook provide many of the series’ standout moments.

Jessalyn Wanlim plays Jenny Matthews, a IT tech specialist who finds herself feeling trapped and restless after the birth of her first child. Wanlim expertly depicts the panic and confusion of a woman who is unsure if she even wants to be a mother, an anxiety rarely addressed in television with such honesty and compassion.

Another main character, Frankie Coyne, played by Juno Rinaldi is an eccentric real estate agent, who grapples with postpartum depression. Her storylines often act as a sobering reminder that not everyone adjusts to motherhood in the same way and that every struggle is valid.

What sets Workin' Moms apart from other sitcoms with similarly themed premises is its choice to embrace the messier, less-Instagrammable sides of parenting and adulthood. Its unflinching look at the challenges of work-life balance, marital strains, self-identity crisis, and the more humorous side of raising a child is what makes this show an incredible hit. It is also very much a show about the pressure to conform to societal expectations.

The supporting cast also deserves special mention. Sarah McVie as Val Szalinsky is particularly endearing. There are also appearances from other talented actors like Dennis Andres, Sarah McVie, and Peter Keleghan, each lending their charm to the show’s rich narrative landscape.

Workin' Moms avoids stereotypical expectations, offering a fresh dose of reality wrapped in sharp humor about women who are unapologetically unrefined, flawed, and multidimensional. Its snappy dialogue and bold perspectives on parenting thoroughly dismantle the notions of maternal perfection, stigmatized struggles, and the so-called 'right way' to be a working mom.

The series overall does a phenomenal job of normalizing and validating the challenges and joys of modern motherhood, serving up humor and poignancy in equal measure. The series’ writing shines bright, the societal commentary sharp, and the performances by the ensemble cast are commendable.

Appealing equally to parents who will identify with the characters’ struggles and younger viewers in its frank look at family life, Workin' Moms offers something for everyone. Its unfiltered portrayal of the ups, downs, and sideways of parenting amidst a busy life strikes a chord in its diverse audience.

All in all, Workin' Moms is a laugh-out-loud portrayal of contemporary womanhood that, while grounded in the parenting experience, has universal resonance. With its rollercoaster of emotions, it cleverly highlights how there's no such thing as perfect parenting, in a world that is constantly trying to convince us otherwise.