Television series

Amandaland

Name: Amandaland
Genre: Comedy
Released: 2025
Cast: Lucy Punch, Joanna Lumley, Philippa Dunne, Samuel Anderson, Rochenda Sandall

Comedy

A spin-off from BAFTA-winning Motherland, Amandaland follows Amanda Hughes as she navigates divorce, downsizing, and raising teenagers in South London. Joanna Lumley joins as her prickly mother. It's warm, character-driven comedy about modern motherhood—the drinking, the Instagram drama, the eco-anxiety—grounded in real relationships and delivered with sharp wit and genuine affection.

TVMaze rating

3.6

If you liked this

Motherland2016

The parent series that earned BAFTA recognition. If you love Amandaland's blend of parental chaos and tender friendships, this is essential. More characters, more schools, same brilliant voice.

But Jumping backwards means losing Amanda's growth. The ensemble focus can feel overstuffed early on. If you prefer Amanda-centric storytelling, start here only after Amandaland.

Taskmaster2015

British comedy built on character, improvisation, and absurdity rather than plot. Sharp, affectionate ensemble energy with real warmth beneath the jokes. Each episode celebrates how funny people actually are.

But It's fundamentally about watching people do weird tasks. If you need narrative momentum or emotional stakes, this trades plot for pure comic timing.

Fleabag2016

A brilliant, messy woman navigating family dysfunction with humour and honesty. Beautifully written, painfully funny, and genuinely moving about mothers, independence, and the people who drive you mad because you love them.

But Much darker and more self-destructive than Amandaland. If you want cosy comedy about likeable people, Fleabag's protagonist is deliberately uncomfortable company.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Amandaland

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Kim's Convenience2016

Both find humour and depth in the particular texture of family life—the small negotiations, the backhanded comments, the way people who annoy you most are often the ones you can't live without.

A Korean-Canadian family sitcom about a convenience store, parents, adult children, and the gentle negotiations of love and tradition. It shares Amandaland's warmth and its belief that funny family drama doesn't need to be miserable—just real and specific.

But Set in Toronto, entirely different cultural context. Slower pacing than British comedy. If you need rapid-fire jokes rather than character moments, it may feel too patient.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel2017

A woman finding her voice after upheaval, supported by a complicated mother relationship. Witty, fast-paced, gorgeously crafted. Similar DNA: divorce, independence, female friendships, mothers who don't know when to stop.

But Set in 1950s New York and much more glossy. The tone is warmer but the stakes feel higher. Not quite as grounded in everyday mundanity as Amandaland.

Catastrophe2015

Irish-American comedy about adults muddling through relationships, parenting, and life. Warm, clever, unafraid to be both hilarious and genuinely touching about real problems.

But Built around a couple rather than a woman and her circle. Darker and more relationship-focused than Amandaland's ensemble warmth.

Derry Girls2018

Character-driven comedy about friendship, family, and growing up. Sharp writing, genuine affection for its people, and the kind of humour that comes from understanding how people actually behave.

But Centred on teenagers in 1990s Northern Ireland, not modern London parents. Faster pace and more plot-driven than Amandaland's character focus.

Schitt's Creek2015

A wealthy family loses everything and has to rebuild. Sounds dark but it's genuinely funny and deeply humane. Character arcs matter. By series four you're properly invested in these people.

But Takes several episodes to find its rhythm. The early seasons rely on fish-out-of-water premise that can feel tired. Commitment required.

Episodes2011

British-American co-production about making television, written by Jeffrey Ames and Armando Iannucci. Sharp, cynical, funny about work, friendship, and how creative people navigate chaos.

But More satirical than warm. Assumes knowledge of TV industry. Less about family, more about professional catastrophe.

Miranda2009

British physical comedy about an awkward woman, her mum, and adult friendship. If you like Lucy Punch's commitment to characters and unashamed sentiment mixed with gags, this has similar energy.

But Relies heavily on slapstick and breaking character. Much broader than Amandaland. Some find it dated now; others find it genuinely corny.

The Fall2013

Joanna Lumley and Gillian Anderson are both British actresses who command authority through intelligence rather than warmth. If you're watching for Lumley's specific kind of comedic control, Anderson's dramatic equivalent shows the range of that presence.

Stella Gibson, a brilliant detective pursuing a serial killer, is played by Gillian Anderson with absolute command. Dark, tense, and built entirely on character and psychology. Anderson owns every scene she's in with intelligence and authority.

But Brutal psychological thriller about murder. Nothing cosy or funny. If Amandaland's tone is comfort, this is the opposite—it's difficult and stays difficult.

Feel Good2020

Both centre on a woman finding her footing after personal collapse, supported by complex friendships and family. Where Amandaland finds comedy in the scaffolding around her, Feel Good embeds the comedy in the pain itself—a different register of the same core story.

Mae Martin's semi-autobiographical comedy-drama about a stand-up comedian navigating relationships, recovery, and identity in London. Emotionally precise, genuinely funny, moving between heartbreak and absurdity without announcement.

But Deals with addiction, mental health, and romantic trauma seriously. Not a comedy that lightens the load—it holds difficult things and lets them breathe. Much smaller scale than Amandaland.