''Workin' Moms'' is a Canadian television

comedy-drama Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, il ...

sitcom A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...

series that premiered on

CBC Television CBC Television (also known as CBC TV, or simply CBC) is a Television in Canada, Canadian English-language terrestrial television, broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcasting, p ...

on January 10, 2017. The show stars

Catherine Reitman Catherine Marcelle Reitman (; born April 28, 1981) is a Canadian-American actress, producer, and writer. She is the creator, executive producer, writer, and star of the Netflix/CBC Television sitcom '' Workin' Moms'' (2017−2023). Early life ...

Jessalyn Wanlim Jessalyn Wanlim (born September 3, 1982) is a Canadians, Canadian-American actress and model. She played Evie Cho on the science fiction television series ''Orphan Black'', as well as Jenny Matthews on the sitcom ''Workin' Moms''. She had a recur ...

, Dani Kind,

Enuka Okuma Enuka Vanessa Okuma () is a Canadian actress, writer and director, best known for her role as detective Traci Nash in the Global/ ABC police drama series, ''Rookie Blue'' (2010–2015). Okuma is also known for her work on the Canadian televisi ...

, and

Juno Rinaldi Juno Rinaldi (née Ruddell; born May 14, 1977) is a Canadian actress. She is most noted for her regular role as Frankie Coyne in '' Workin' Moms'', for which she received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy ...

"Three Actresses Join 'Black-ish' Star Catherine Reitman's Upcoming Comedy 'Workin' Moms'"
''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

'', May 24, 2016. as a group of friends dealing with the challenges of being

working mother ''Working Mother'' was a magazine for working mothers launched in 1979 by Founding Publisher Milton Lieberman, who was succeeded by Carol Evans. The founding editor of the magazine was Vivian Cadden, who retired as editor in 1990. Subsequent edi ...

s. The series is produced by Wolf + Rabbit Entertainment, the production company of Reitman and her husband, Philip Sternberg. In February 2019, in the middle of

season 3 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...

, the series premiered globally on

Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

. On May 29, 2019, ''Workin' Moms'' was renewed for a fourth season, which premiered on February 18, 2020. In April 2020, the series was renewed for a fifth season, which premiered on February 16, 2021. In June 2021, the series was renewed for a sixth season. which premiered on January 4, 2022. On June 20, 2022, creator Catherine Reitman announced that pre-production had begun on a seventh and final season, which premiered on January 3, 2023.

Premise

Set in modern-day

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

, this

dramedy Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, il ...

series chronicles the lives of five moms who form unusual friendships through a very insightful, yet provocative "Mommy and Me" class, and on their difficult path of urban motherhood, which is packed with the turmoil of kids, highs and lows, careers, marriage and identity issues, all while attempting to reach the holy grail: a sense of self.

Cast

Main

as Kate Foster (née Hoffman), a PR executive and company director, and a mother of two * Dani Kind as Anne Carlson, Kate's best friend and a mother of two; also, a therapist and aspiring author *

as Frances "Frankie" Coyne, a realtor (seasons 1–5) *

as Jennifer "Jenny" Matthews, an IT specialist (seasons 1 & 3–7; recurring season 2) *Philip Sternberg as Nathan Foster, Kate's husband * Ryan Belleville as Lionel Carlson, Anne's husband *Sadie Munroe as Alice Carlson, the elder of Lionel and Anne's two daughters * Dennis Andres as Ian Matthews, Jenny's screenwriting stay-at-home husband (seasons 1–3; recurring season 4) * Sarah McVie as Valerie "Val" Szalinsky, the peppy administrator of Toddler Time, the "Mommy and Me" group that the main characters participate in (seasons 5–7; recurring seasons 1–4) *

as Sloane Mitchell, a publishing executive (seasons 6–7; recurring season 5)

Recurring

Oluniké Adeliyi Oluniké Adeliyi (born January 5, 1977) is a Canadian actress. She appeared in the 2010 horror film ''Saw 3D'' and starred as Leah Kerns in the television series '' Flashpoint''. Early life Adeliyi was born in Brampton, Ontario, of Jamaican-Nig ...

as Giselle Bois, Frankie's initial wife (seasons 1–3 & 5, guest season 4) *

Katherine Barrell Katherine Barrell is a Canadian actress, writer, producer, and director. She is best known for her role as Sheriff Nicole Haught in the Syfy supernatural weird West television series '' Wynonna Earp''. In 2020, she joined the cast of the ...

as Alicia Rutherford (seasons 1 & 2; guest seasons 4 & 5) *Nikki Duval as Rosie Phillips, Kate's assistant *Novie Edwards as Sheila (season 1) *

Peter Keleghan Peter Keleghan (born September 16, 1959) is a Canadian actor and writer, perhaps best known for portraying Ben Bellow in the comedy series '' 18 to Life'', Clark Claxton Sr. in the comedy series '' Billable Hours'' and Ranger Gord in '' The Red G ...

as Richard Greenwood, Kate's boss * Mimi Kuzyk as Eleanor Galperin, Kate's mother (seasons 1–4, guest season 5) *Jennifer Pudavick as Gena Morris, Jenny's co-worker * Jess Salgueiro as Mean Nanny/Renya (seasons 1–3) *

Kevin Vidal Kevin Vidal is a Canadian actor, comedian and improviserAmanda Brugel as Sonia, Ian's girlfriend (season 2) * Nelu Handa as Jade (seasons 2 & 3) * Aviva Mongillo as Juniper, Frankie's very young and naive ex-girlfriend (seasons 2–5, guest season 6) *Tennille Read as Bianca Thomas, Frankie's new wife (seasons 2–4, guest season 5) *Donald MacLean Jr. as Forrest Greenwood, Richard's son (season 3, guest seasons 4–7) *

Victor Webster Victor Webster (born February 7, 1973) is a Canadian actor. He is known for being the second actor to play Nicholas Alamain on the NBC daytime soap ''Days of Our Lives''"Ex-Calgarian Victor Webster never misses a Stampede" by Lilana Novakovich, ...

as Michael "Mike" Bolinksi, Kate's business partner (seasons 3 & 4) * Alex Mallari Jr. as Malcolm Cody Patrick, Jenny's new love interest (seasons 4–6) *Aiza Ntibarikure as Maya Bronte (seasons 4–6) *Kyle Breitkopf as Nathan Jr., Nathan's biological son from an ex-girlfriend (seasons 6–7) *

Jayne Eastwood Jayne Eastwood (born December 17, 1946), also credited as Jane Easton or Jane Eastwood, is a Canadian actress and comedian. She is best known for her film roles as Anna-Marie Biddlecoff in '' Finders Keepers'' (1984), Judy the Waitress in '' The ...

as Goldie, company CEO of Goldie's Goldness (season 6) *

Raymond Ablack Raymond Ablack (born November 12, 1989) is a Canadian actor and comedian. He began his career in the early 2000s as a child actor on stage, performing as Young Simba in ''The Lion King'' at the Princess of Wales Theatre. He later gained recog ...

as Ram, company CEO of Fronterra (season 7) * Teresa Pavlinek as Denise, Seedless scientist (season 7)

Guest

*Alden Adair as Marvin Grimes, Jenny's boss (seasons 1, 2 & 4) *Mary Ashton as Sarah Hoffman, Kate's sister (seasons 1 & 2) *

Dan Aykroyd Daniel Edward Aykroyd ( ; born July 1, 1952) is a Canadian actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. Aykroyd was a writer and an original member of the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" cast on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Nigh ...

as Wayne Hoffman, Kate's father (season 1 & 7) *

Zachary Bennett Zachary Bennett is a Canadian actor and musician.Rita Zekas, "It was good to be King; Road To Avonlea prankster now an object of Desire". ''Toronto Star'', February 6, 2002. Early life He was born in London, Ontario. He is the second youngest of ...

as Carl (seasons 1 & 2) *

Wendy Crewson Wendy Jane Crewson (born May 9, 1956) is a Canadian actress and producer. She began her career appearing on Canadian television, before her breakthrough role in 1991 dramatic film ''The Doctor''. Crewson has appeared in many Hollywood films, inc ...

as Victoria Stromanger, Kate's client in Montreal (seasons 1 & 3) *

Varun Saranga Varun Saranga is a Canadian actor and filmmaker, most noted for his regular role as Jeremy Chetri in the television series '' Wynonna Earp''.Andrew Parker"The Wild Summer of Wynonna Earp’s Varun Saranga" '' TheGATE.ca'', July 24, 2017. He began ...

as Chad (seasons 1 & 2) *

Jann Arden Jann Arden (born Jann Arden Anne Richards; March 27, 1962) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, author and actress. She is best known for her signature ballads, " Could I Be Your Girl" and " Insensitive", which is her biggest hit to date, as well ...

as Jane Carlson (seasons 2 & 7) * Angela Asher as Dorothy Cutwater (season 2) *Nadine Djoury as Iris (season 3) *LaRonn Marzett as Tom (season 3) *Erika Swayze as Brenna (season 3) * Lisa Berry as Natashia (seasons 4 & 5) * Ann Pirvu as Trish, Mike's partner (season 4)

Episodes

Availability

In Canada, the series aired on the

CBC CBC may refer to: Media * Cadena Baja California or Grupo Cadena, a radio and television broadcaster in Mexico * Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada's radio and television public broadcaster ** CBC Television ** CBC Radio One ** CBC Music ** ...

, and new episodes are released on

CBC Gem CBC Television (also known as CBC TV, or simply CBC) is a Television in Canada, Canadian English-language terrestrial television, broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcasting, p ...

the day after an episode was first broadcast during its run. All seasons are available to stream on

worldwide.

Awards and recognition

In 2018 and 2019 the show was nominated for the

International Emmy Award The International Emmy Awards, or International Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. Bestowed by the New York City, New York–based International Academy of Televisi ...

for Best Comedy Series. In 2019, the show received 9

Canadian Screen Award The Canadian Screen Awards () are awards given for artistic and technical merit in the film industry recognizing excellence in Canadian film, English-language television, and digital media ( web series) productions. Given annually by the Academy ...

nominations at the

7th Canadian Screen Awards The seventh annual Canadian Screen Awards were held on March 31, 2019, to honour achievements in Canadian film, television, and digital media production in 2018.Jann Arden Jann Arden (born Jann Arden Anne Richards; March 27, 1962) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, author and actress. She is best known for her signature ballads, " Could I Be Your Girl" and " Insensitive", which is her biggest hit to date, as well ...

, Amanda Brugel, and

received recognition for Best Supporting or Guest Actor/Actress. For the

9th Canadian Screen Awards The 9th Canadian Screen Awards were presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television from 17–20 May 2021 to honour achievements in Canadian film, television, and digital media production in 2020. The presentations were held as a seri ...

in 2021, the show received a nomination for Best Comedy Series. Sarah McVie and

were both nominated for Best Supporting Actress, Comedy. Ryan Belleville and

received Best Supporting Actor, Comedy nominations - while

Colin Mochrie Colin Andrew Mochrie (; born November 30, 1957) is a Scottish-born Canadian actor, writer, producer and improvisational comedian, best known for his appearances on the British and American versions of the improvisational TV show ''Whose Line ...

received a nomination for Best Guest Performance, Comedy.

received a Best Direction, Comedy nomination, Kristin Fieldhouse a Best Photography, Comedy nomination and Marianna Khoury a Best Picture Editing, Comedy nomination. Both Dani Kind and Reitman were once again nominated for Best Lead Actress, Comedy.

Reception

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...

, season 1 has an approval rating of 77% based on reviews from 13 critics. John Doyle of ''

The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Newspapers in Canada, Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in Western Canada, western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of more than 6 million in 2024, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on week ...

,'' wrote that the show "reeks of entitlement and privilege." Doyle further expressed sympathy for working mothers but not the show saying "The moms represent only a very specific, urban-bourgeois type. Their troubles are tiny, they live in luxury and their only contact with anything approaching the reality of contemporary life is via their nannies." While Brad Oswald of the

Winnipeg Free Press The ''Free Press'' (or FP; founded as the ''Manitoba Free Press''; previously known as the ''Winnipeg Free Press'') is a daily (excluding Sunday) broadsheet newspaper in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It provides coverage of local, provincial, natio ...

wrote that the show "demonstrates a deft ability to deliver punchlines while at the same time confronting the realities of 21st-century motherhood." Regarding the show's fifth season, Cristina Iskander of Tell-Tale TV noted that "as a whole, ''Workin’ Moms'' Season 5 is a solid addition to the series... it maintains the general irreverence it’s become known for over the years while allowing for a more serious and somber tone than it’s traditionally had before."

References

External links

* * * {{CBC Television Shows (current and upcoming) CBC Television original programming 2017 Canadian television series debuts 2010s Canadian sitcoms 2020s Canadian sitcoms 2010s Canadian workplace comedy television series 2010s Canadian LGBTQ-related comedy television series 2020s Canadian LGBTQ-related comedy television series 2020s Canadian workplace comedy television series Television shows filmed in Toronto Canadian LGBTQ-related sitcoms Works about depression Canadian English-language television shows 2023 Canadian television series endings Workin' Moms