Television series
Mum
A deceptively gentle sitcom about grief that unfolds across a year, beginning at a funeral. Lesley Manville is magnificent as Cathy, navigating loss with wit, stoicism, and the occasional eruption of fury. It's funny without being cruel, sad without wallowing—the kind of show that sneaks up on you emotionally. For anyone who's lost someone, or just appreciates characters over punchlines.
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Afterlife2019
Ricky Gervais plays a widower using cruelty as a shield against grief. Like Mum, it finds the absurdity and tenderness in mourning, though it swings darker and louder. Both prove comedy and devastation aren't opposites.
But Gervais's aggression and nihilism wear thin fast. If you want quieter wisdom, this will feel like being yelled at for an hour.
Fleabag2016
Another British gem about a chaotic woman navigating family and mortality with humour that stings. Like Mum, it balances comedy with genuine tenderness, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge's writing has that same precision about how people actually talk.
But Much faster-paced and brasher. If you love Mum's gentle rhythm, Fleabag's manic energy might feel exhausting.
This Is Us2016
An ensemble family drama that also deals with loss and legacy across time. It has Mum's emotional intelligence and commitment to making ordinary moments feel significant, plus genuine laugh-out-loud humour woven through the tears.
But American television, so more melodramatic and sentimental. The manipulation can feel heavy-handed compared to Mum's restraint.
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The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Made in Dagenham2010
Sally Wainwright wrote both; explores how ordinary people endure and resist with humour as ballast.
Sally Wainwright (who created Mum) adapted this film about the 1968 Ford sewing machinists' strike. Sees Cathy's actress Lesley Manville in an entirely different role, channelling the same dignity and sardonic strength. Connects the creative mind behind the series to its cinematic roots.
But Social realist drama about labour rights—quite serious and period-specific. Tonal whiplash if you're expecting comedy or intimacy on the scale of a 29-minute episode.
More like this (7)
Schitt's Creek2015
A family comedy about people rebuilding after loss. It shares Mum's warmth and willingness to let characters grow, plus that same knack for finding humour in real pain without trivializing it. Generations learning to see each other clearly.
But Takes half a season to find its feet, and relies heavily on fish-out-of-water setups that some find one-note.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel2017
Follows a woman finding her own voice after a major life disruption. Like Mum, it's about female resilience and self-discovery, shot through with sharp dialogue and genuine affection for its characters' flaws and strengths.
But Much glossier and faster. The 1950s New York setting and rapid-fire comedy feel removed from Mum's intimate, naturalistic world.
Feel Good2020
Mae Martin's semi-autobiographical series about recovery and connection. It has Mum's honesty about how people actually talk and act, and that same rare quality: it's both hilarious and genuinely moving without ever winking at the audience.
But Darker and more formally experimental. If you prefer traditional sitcom structure, this will feel oblique and sometimes frustratingly low-key.
Catastrophe2015
Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney playing a couple building a life around a crisis. Sharp, warm dialogue; characters who love each other and still get things wrong. Like Mum, it trusts the audience to find comedy in real, lived mess.
But More aggressively funny and crude. The tone is consistently lighter even when things get serious—less of Mum's reflective melancholy.
Derry Girls2018
Lisa McGrillis (Kelly in Mum) is wonderful here too. It's a comedy about belonging and family trauma dressed up as a teen show. Shares Mum's eye for how people protect each other with humour, and its 1990s Northern Irish setting gives it a lived-in, specific warmth.
But Much younger cast and more focused on school life. The nostalgia and teen-centric plots won't resonate if you're looking for something about adult reckoning.
Nurse Jackie2009
Edie Falco as a woman compartmentalizing pain and complexity. Like Mum, it's about people managing multiple versions of themselves. Sharp, dark, compassionate—finds comedy in exhaustion and the little rituals we use to survive.
But Grittier and more claustrophobic. Darker tone overall, and less resolution or redemption than Mum ultimately offers.
A Suitable Boy2020
Both centre on a woman's inner life and agency; both trust that family dramas can be visually gorgeous and emotionally complex.
Mira Nair's sprawling adaptation of Vikram Seth's novel—a different culture, a different decade (1950s India), but with the same fascination with how families negotiate grief, change, and marriage. Structured around a woman navigating loss and the possibilities still open to her.
But Four hours minimum commitment, epic in scope and sometimes sprawling. If you want Mum's focused intimacy, this will feel overwhelming.
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- Stefan GolaszewskiCreator