The best television shows about working mothers

My life is nowhere as exotic as that. It never has been. Here are my favourite shows about motherhood, particularly working motherhood. The ones that get it kind of right even if it's far from being glamorous.

So I'll start with Workin' Moms, a Canadian show created by Catherine Reitman who stars as Kate Foster, PR executive and mother of two. Season 1, back in 2017, opened up with Kate returning to work after maternity leave and since then Reitman has pushed the boundaries. Season 6 is all about how far women push themselves to appear they have it all under control. And how far is too far.

It's not my favourite show however, that accolade belongs to Better Things, a wondrous show starring Pamela Adlon. She's a single mother, middle-aged, looking after her three kids and an aging mother while working as an actor in Hollywood. Episodes flit between humour and darkness, it's personal and you feel like a part of the family. The fifth and final season has just wrapped up and the world will be lesser for it.

Catastrophe is another show that's wrapped up. Four seasons of laughs and tears from Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney. Horgan plays Sharon, who falls pregnant after a one-night stand with Rob, an American in London on a business trip. It addreses radical ideas of love and romance, their relationship isn't easy, parenting isn't easy. But this show is very easy to love.

Horgan is one of the writers on this British series which follows a group of middle-class mums dealing with school gate politics and competitive mothering and the whole idea of having it all. In this group of women you'll see so many aspects of your own friendship circle and that will scare you.

Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce comes out of the US. Based on the books by Vicki Iovine, it follows Abby McCarthy (Lisa Edelstein) a self-help author who's dealing with enough problems of her own. It's five seasons were full of sharp observations on divorce, alongside parenting, work-life balance and female friendships. It got messy, Edelstein was marvellous and a guest appearance from Janeane Garofalo in season one was a highlight.

SMILF was another edgy show based on the award-winning short film of the same name from Frankie Shaw. Shaw stars as Bridgette, a young single mother, who's trying to combine motherhood with a "normal" life. Not a lot of topics it didn't touch on. In the first episode she brings home a date and attempts to have sex with him while her young son is asleep on the bed. Also starring Rosie O'Donnell, Connie Britton and Samara Weaving as her baby's father's new girlfriend.

My real life favourite working mum, Megan Doherty recommends The Middle, starring Patricia Heaton. I'll admit I haven't watched it, but I trust Megan's fine judgement. She's the hardest working mum I know. Heaton plays Frankie, a middle-class, middle-aged, Midwestern mum, who narrates the show. It first aired in 2009 and run for nine seasons until 2017. Esquire magazine named it the "best show you're not watching" in 2016, an underrated gem. I'm going to take Megan's advice. She's a mother who knows what she's talking about.