There are lots of mums out there who don't get the props they deserve. Through our family counselling, we've seen all kinds of situations and know no two mums are the same. So, we want to celebrate all the different layers of motherhood - from single mothers, to carers.
Here's our list of nine underrated TV mums that you need to know about.
Kaneez Paracha, Ackley Bridge
Whether she’s cracking Ackley Bridge’s best jokes, or dishing out plates piled with roti, Kaneez’s caregiving nature shines through in everything she does. She’s a passionate, headstrong woman and much loved auntie in her community.
As a working, single mother raising three children - Nas, Razia and Saleem - she has a lot more to manage than feeding an army of kids as Ackley Bridge’s dinner lady.
Like many parents, she doesn’t get it right all the time - even with the best intentions. After her daughter Nas comes out to her, Kaneez tries to understand her eldest more by meeting other LGBTQ folks.
Her heart is always in the right place, though, even if she makes mistakes (and failed matchmaker attempts) along the way.
Kaneez and Nas come to a mutual understanding that has her resigning from her self-appointed mum Cupid duties and creating boundaries that work best for them.
Blanca Evangelista, Pose
Blanca’s abundance of love is ever present in Pose. A rising star in the drag ballroom scene, Blanca decides to set up her own house, The House of Evangelista, and quickly settles into the role of a house mother.
She takes several young people under her wing as her children, like dancer Damon, his boyfriend Ricky and sex worker Angel. As a house mother, she finds her calling in nurturing, protecting and loving her chosen family and the Black and brown queer folks who make up her community.
Being a house mother isn’t easy and the weight of that responsibility weighs heavy on Blanca as she sees her family fight, and some lose, their battle with AIDS. She does everything in her power not to see her loved ones suffer the same fate, while living with her own HIV diagnosis.
Through all the hardships that Blanca and her family experience, The House of Evangelista always come out serving and keeping the spirit of the Black and brown LGBTQ+ community thriving.
Jean Milburn, Sex Education
We couldn’t make a list of underrated mums without giving props to Sex Education’s Jean Milburn now could we?
As a sex therapist, Jean is understanding and caring, giving her clients the space to bring whatever they need to sessions. Her attentive ways in the therapy room washes off on son Otis, who sets up a sex therapy clinic at his school.
At first, Jean finds herself coming to logger heads with Otis around therapy boundaries, believing he doesn’t take the work seriously. It’s an uphill battle for them to see each other’s sides, as the lines between therapist and mum become blurred.
But Jean eventually learns that therapy and providing support to people who need it is something Otis is really passionate about to.
Instead of bringing her own challenges and experiences of the job to him, Jean encourages Otis to follow whatever his calling is. She’s worked hard for her job, but that doesn’t mean Otis won’t do the same.
Bisi, Shrill
When Fran first starts dating her partner Em in Shrill, questions about meeting each other's families are brought up. Em is up for it, Fran not so much. At least, with her family anyway. She’s understandably worried about introducing her white partner to parts of her Nigerian heritage, particular after comments from Em that leave Fran feeling uncomfortable.
In an attempt for them both to bond over Fran’s culture, they try to cook jollof rice, but start to struggle. The need to get mum’s exact recipes results in a FaceTime call where Bisi meets Em for the first time. Fran has kept all her past partners private from her family before, and it’s a big step for her.
Bisi lights up when Fran introduces her to Em. The warm acceptance of queer love that Bisi shares with Fran is a heart-warming moment. Bisi tells Fran she loves her before ending their call, not before giving Em the lowdown on why Nigerian jollof rice is superior.
Yuki Ishii-Peters, PEN15
Yuki is an infectiously warm mother in PEN15 and a testament to migrant mums who juggle family life, while navigating a new culture and surroundings.
With her husband regularly travelling for work, Yuki keeps the household going with her calm and loving presence while raising two kids, Maya and Shoji. Everything runs like clockwork under her watch. But that can sometimes be difficult when raising teenagers.
As her daughter Maya fights the awkwardness of growing up and not being able to communicate how she feels, Yuki struggles to reach out to her. Slammed doors and screams of “I hate you!” are common when Maya can’t get her words out and the two are butting heads.
Each time though, they come back together and find a way to say how they’re feeling - sometimes without words.
Read more: When you’re kids are going through their own struggles and you just want to help, sometimes it can be hard for you both to find a common ground. We’ve pulled together some tips on dealing with arguments between parents and kids.
Bethan, In My Skin
As the carer for mum Trina, Bethan tries to support her the best she can while dealing with the mounting pressure of everything that comes with growing up.
When things are going well with her mum, it’s easier for the roles to be reversed and for Bethan to become the daughter again. There is a beautiful showing of admiration and care between the two of them. Trina is supportive of Bethan's passions and encourages her daughter to chase her dreams.But, for Bethan, she is always on guard, and her motherly instincts remain intact.
Showing vulnerability is tough for her, but she starts opening up to girlfriend Cam and grandmother Margie about the help she needs, for herself as well as her mum.
Denise Fox, EastEnders
Raising children in Walford is a monumental feat for any parent. And Denise Fox has been through thick and thin on Albert Square, coming out fighting on the other side.
As one of EastEnders most underrated mums, Denise has gone above and beyond to protect her children. Even if that means having to ruffle the feathers (or hair pulling) of friends and other family in The Queen Vic.
Now, she’s raising her youngest, Raymond, and putting co-parenting into action with Phil Mitchell. (Well, at least she’s trying.)
Read more: Struggling to find a place to start on your co-parenting journey? These are some of our tips.
Lorraine Waldron, Normal People
Lorraine isn’t afraid to tell it like it is in Normal People. While she loves her son Connell, that doesn’t mean she’ll not call out anything which doesn’t sit well with her. And when it comes to any bad treatment of women, she’s certainly not having any of it!
Connell doesn’t always like what’s reflected back to him when Lorraine speaks about his actions, but it always comes from a place of love. She’s one of the only people in his life who is shows that honesty.
And her presence is felt in the decisions that Connell ends up making. Although he finds it tough to open up about his feelings, he eventually does, carrying his mum’s values that there is strength in vulnerability.
Carol Carter, Insecure
In Insecure, Carol is beloved by her family, especially daughter Molly. As the mother of the Carter unit, she’s the one that ties everyone together.
The relationship Carol has with her husband, is one that Molly has long idolised. When Molly is dating, she tries to seek partnerships that echo her mum and dad’s. To her, their relationship was nothing but solid, with no problems, for decades.
After Molly finds out her dad cheated on her mum, she starts to deeply question how they can still love another. She can’t understand Carol’s reasons for staying with her dad.
To Molly, she tells her straight: “He made a mistake.”
She’s honest, even when it's tough, and shows Molly a different, far more complicated side to relationships. Motherhood and marriage isn’t as easy as Molly first thought. The forgiveness Carol gives her husband was the right thing for her to do in her situation, in order to heal.
It’s not what Molly wanted to hear, but it helps shape her view of relationships later on.
Read more: Having conversations, like Carol had with Molly, aren't easy. We have some tops on how you can speak to your kids about separating from your partner after someone has been unfaithful.
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