Call Your Mother

Call Your Mother is an American television multi-camera sitcom created by Kari Lizer that premiered on ABC on January 13, 2021, as a midseason entry in the 2020–21 television season.[1]

Call Your Mother
Genre
Created byKari Lizer
Starring
Music byMatt Cartsonis
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes4
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Nicole Sun
  • Steve Sandoval
Cinematography
EditorPat Barnett
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time21 minutes
Production companies
Distributor
Release
Original networkABC
Picture format1080i (HDTV)
Original releaseJanuary 13, 2021 (2021-01-13) –
present (present)

Premise

The series follows an empty nest mother, who decides to be close to her children by moving cross country from Waterloo, IA to Los Angeles, CA in order to be with them, much to their chagrin.

Cast

Main
  • Kyra Sedgwick as Jean Raines, a retired teacher and empty nest mother who reinserts herself into her children's lives
  • Joey Bragg as Freddie Raines, Jean's 23-year-old son and a video game designer and tester
  • Rachel Sennott as Jackie Raines, Jean's daughter and her eldest child
  • Austin Crute as Lane, Jackie's gay best friend and roommate
  • Emma Caymares as Celia, Freddie's girlfriend who's a social media influencer
  • Patrick Brammall as Danny, a therapist and Jean's Airbnb host

Special guest star

Recurring
  • Jackie Seiden as Cheryl, Danny's estranged wife

Episodes
No.TitleDirected byWritten by [2]Original air date [3]U.S viewers
(millions)
1"Pilot"Pamela FrymanKari LizerJanuary 13, 2021 (2021-01-13)3.38[4]
Lonely after the death of her husband several years prior, Jean flies out to Los Angeles on her own to reconnect with her two adult children, Freddie and Jackie. Both have built successful lives for themselves, barely speak to each other anymore, and resent their mother's neediness, feeling that she should focus on her own life. Danny, Jean's host, tells her that she is clinging to her children out of fear that she might lose them as well. Jean is attracted to him and they nearly kiss before Jackie and Freddie, feeling sorry, come back to make things right with their mother. Encouraged by this, Jean decides to stay in L.A. for as long as they need her to.
2"Distressed Jean"Pamela FrymanKari LizerJanuary 20, 2021 (2021-01-20)2.45[5]
Freddie's girlfriend Celia takes Jean out for brunch, then promptly abandons her, leaving a confused Jean to wander off until she finds her way into an elementary school. There, she meets a fellow teacher, Amy, who correctly deduces that Jean needs a job. She hires Jean to work as a counselor for her new college counseling business. Returning home, Jean is shocked to find that her children have been worried sick about their mother's disappearance; both promise to spend more time with her. Jean also meets Danny's ex-wife Cheryl, who takes an instant dislike to her. She and Danny agree that the latter needs to sort out his own life before they can think about starting a relationship.
3"Quaran-Jean"Lynda TarrykAnnie Levine & Jonathan EmersonJanuary 27, 2021 (2021-01-27)2.56[6]
Jean's close relationship with Freddie drives a wedge between both her and Jackie and her son and Celia; Jackie feels that her mother is never there for her while Celia is upset that Freddie turned to his mother instead of her when he needed help with a splinter in his hand. The two eventually decide to trade emergency contact numbers after unexpectedly bonding. Jean finally tells her daughter that if she wants her to be there, she needs to get better at communicating it. In the aftermath of a small earthquake that forces Jean to temporarily move in with Jackie, both she and Danny deny to their friends that they have feelings for each other.
4"New Car, New Job, New Jean"Pamela FrymanMatt GoldmanFebruary 3, 2021 (2021-02-03)2.48[7]
While starting her new job as a counselor, Jean invites her children over for dinner; this soon spirals into her taking care of all their needs while neglecting her job responsibilities, which upsets Amy. Danny warns Jean that she is "regressing" and trying to be a mother again which her children are eagerly taking advantage of. Lane intervenes and tells Jackie and Freddie what their sense of entitlement is doing to Jean, while Jean has a nervous breakdown at work in front of a client. Jackie and Freddie finally agree to stop leaning so heavily on their mother and pitch in to help buy her a car, and Jean receives a small commendation at work for her first successful placement.
5"Dating Jean"[8]Pamela FrymanNicole SunFebruary 10, 2021 (2021-02-10)TBD
6"Sunday Dinner"[3]TBATBAFebruary 24, 2021 (2021-02-24)TBD

Production

Development

The series was first ordered as a pilot by ABC in September 2019 and was one of many projects that Lizer had under her deal with Sony.[9] On January 23, 2020, the series was given the working title My Village.[10] On March 6, 2020, it was announced that Pamela Fryman would direct the pilot.[11] The series was green-lighted by ABC on May 21, 2020 and was re-titled as Call Your Mother.[12] On June 17, 2020, it was announced that the series would premiere in the fall of 2020 and air on Wednesdays at 9:30 P.M.[13] However, the next day it was announced that it will switch places with Black-ish, and will instead premiere midseason.[14] The series premiered on January 13, 2021.[1]

Casting

On March 2, 2020, it was announced that Kyra Sedgwick had joined the pilot and would portray as Jean Raines.[15] The same month, Rachel Sennott was cast in the role of Jackie Raines, while Joey Bragg, Emma Caymares and Austin Crute were cast as Freddie Raines, Celia and Lane, respectively.[11] Upon series order announcement, Patrick Brammall joned the main cast as Danny.[12] On September 28, 2020, Sherri Shepherd was cast in a recurring role.[16] On December 14, 2020, Jackie Seiden joined the cast in a recurring capacity.[17]

Filming

The pilot was originally expected to begin filming in April 2020, however on March 13, 2020, production was delayed as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States before filming could begin.[18]

Reception

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 0% based on 10 reviews, with an average rating of 4/10.[19] On Metacritic, the series has a weighted average score of 41 out of 100 based on 7 critics, indicating "average or mixed reviews".[20]

Ratings
Viewership and ratings per episode of Call Your Mother
No. Title Air dateRating
(18–49)		Viewers
(millions)		DVR
(18–49)		DVR viewers
(millions)		Total
(18–49)		Total viewers
(millions)
1 "Pilot" January 13, 20210.53.38[4]TBDTBDTBDTBD
2 "Distressed Jean" January 20, 20210.42.45[5]TBDTBDTBDTBD
3 "Quaran-Jean" January 27, 20210.42.56[6]TBDTBDTBDTBD
4 "New Car, New Job, New Jean" February 3, 20210.42.48[7]TBDTBDTBDTBD

References
  1. Andreeva, Nellie (November 19, 2020). "ABC Sets 2021 Scripted Series Premiere Dates; 'The Rookie' & 'Call Your Mother' Join Schedule, 'Grey's'-Led Thursday Returns In March, 'Black-ish' Back On Tuesday". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  2. "'Call Your Mother' - WGA Directory". Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  3. "Shows A-Z - call your mother on abc". The Futon Critic. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  4. Metcalf, Mitch (January 14, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.13.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  5. Metcalf, Mitch (January 22, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.20.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  6. Metcalf, Mitch (January 28, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.27.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  7. Metcalf, Mitch (February 4, 2021). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 2.3.2021". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  8. "(#105) "Dating Jean"". Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  9. ‘Development Update’ from The Futon Critic (September 17, 2019)
  10. “Kari Lizer Empty-Nester Mom Comedy ‘My Village’ Gets ABC Pilot Order” from Deadline Hollywood (January 23, 2020)
  11. Petski, Denise (March 6, 2020). "'My Village': Rachel Sennott, Joey Bragg, Emma Caymares, Austin Crute Join ABC Comedy Pilot; Pam Fryman To Direct". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  12. Andreeva, Nellie (May 21, 2020). "David E. Kelley's 'Big Sky' & Kari Lizer's 'Call Your Mother' Get ABC Series Orders, Other Pilots Still In Play". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  13. Andreeva, Nellie (June 17, 2020). "ABC 2020-21 Schedule: 'The Bachelorette' Makes Fall Debut As 'The Conners' Moves To Wednesday, 'Black-ish' Is Benched & Net Goes Down To One Comedy Night". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  14. Mitovich, Matt Webb (June 18, 2020). "black-ish Rushed Back Onto Fall Schedule as ABC Cites Series' Importance 'During This Moment in Time'". TVLine. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  15. Andreeva, Nellie (March 2, 2020). "Kyra Sedgwick To Headline ABC Comedy Pilot 'My Village'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  16. Petski, Denise (September 28, 2020). "Sherri Shepherd To Recur on ABC's Kari Lizer Comedy Series 'Call Your Mother'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  17. Petski, Denise (December 14, 2020). "'City On A Hill' Casts Leon; Jackie Seiden Joins 'Call Your Mother'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  18. Thorne, Will; Aurthur, Kate (March 12, 2020). "All the Shows and Movies Shut Down or Delayed Because of Coronavirus". Variety. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  19. "Call Your Mother: Season 1 (2021)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  20. "Call Your Mother: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
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