Shubhabrata Dutta
Moms around the globe are special and unique in their special ways. However, when it comes to a mother-daughter relationship, the drama intensifies. Mothers are protective by nature, and that’s when they tend to become uncool to their teenage daughters. Again, on the most harrowing night of that teenager’s life, she looks for no other comfort than her mom’s hug. Here, we bring you the best mom-daughter shows on Netflix, which masterfully grab the bitter-sweet, awkward, funny, and hugely emotional rides of mother-daughter relationships.
10. Against the Ropes (2023-)
Loving is hard but earning it is harder. In ‘Against the Ropes,’ we follow Angela (Caraly Sánchez), who has been released after serving six years for a crime she didn’t commit. Now, she needs to find a way to make her 12-year-old daughter, Rocio (Alisson Santiago), love her again. So, to claim that, she enters the wrestling ring as La Novia Negra, a villainous alter-ego, eventually forming a lucha girl gang that comprises her female co-workers. How she navigates these two lives, as a mom and as a wrestler, both of which are dedicated to Rocio, is what we find out in this humorous and sweet drama. You can stream ‘Against the Ropes’ here.
9. Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)
Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, ‘Gilmore Girls’ is a critically acclaimed cult classic dramedy that explores the unbreakable bond of Lorelai (Lauren Graham), a single mother in her 30s, and her highbrow teenage daughter Rory (Alexis Bledel) as they live their daily life in Stars Hollow, Connecticut. Adding to the exploration is Lorelai’s strained relationship with her upper-class mom, Emily (Kelly Bishop), which starkly contrasts the Lorelai-Rory bond.
‘Gilmore Girls’ also incorporates separate stories involving the titular duo’s friend circle in the form of episodic events and season-long arcs, giving us a quintessential show that makes us smile, cry, angry, and regret in a signature early 2000s sitcom manner. The cast also includes Melissa McCarthy (SNL), Scott Patterson (‘Saw’), and Kelly Bishop (‘Dirty Dancing’). You can stream the series here.
8. Reba (2001-2007)
Another sitcom from the early 2000s, ‘Reba’ centers on a newly divorced middle-aged matriarch/mother of three, Reba Hart (country star Reba McEntire). Her husband Brock (Christopher Rich) is still in the picture but is overridden by their children: teen mother Cheyenne (JoAnna Garcia), preteen daughter Kyra (Scarlett Pomers), and 8-year-old son Jake (Mitch Holleman). While Reba has a hard time facing the obstacles that life throws her way, she is brave, loving, and a wisecracker, smartly navigating through and giving us a heartwarming viewing experience full of family drama. Created by Allison M. Gibson, ‘Reba’ won the award for Best Family Television Series at the 2004 Young Artist Awards, along with many other accolades. To give yourself some old-school fun and gags, you can watch the series here.
7. Mom, Don’t Do That! (2022-)
The Taiwanese drama is a reality check for children. Mothers tend not to give in to their children’s logic; she is almost always right. Chen Ru-Rong (Alyssa Chia) tries very hard to prevent her recently widowed 60-year-old mother Wang Mei-Mei (Billie Wang) from dating. Although it is undeniably hard for a daughter to see her widowed mother dating random married men, Mei-Mei’s reasons and determination to date are bound to change Ru-Rong’s mind and yours.
Finally, when Ruo-Min (Chia-Yen Ko), Ru-Rong’s younger sister, comes home heartbroken, the trio decides on something unimaginable. They set out to find the right person for themselves and the one to find out before others will have a sponsored vacation by the other two. The goofy mother-daughter (s) bond in the series will definitely bring a smile to your face on any gloomy day. ‘Mom, Don’t Do That!’ is directed by Chen Wei-ling and Lee Chun Hong and can be streamed here.
6. Daughter from Another Mother (2021-2022)
The Mexican show is created by Carolina Rivera and Fernando Sariñana. On the surface level, it is about two mothers, Ana (Ludwika Paleta) and Mariana (Paulina Goto), who mistakenly have their babies exchanged at birth. Four months pass before they come to know the truth, but by then, the tether between the women and the babies they are holding has gotten laced with love in its purest form. Having no option but to exchange the babies, the ladies subsequently come to a mutual understanding so they don’t have to stay away from their daughters.
On a deeper level, the series shows how motherhood transcends birth and how a mother’s love cannot differentiate between her own child and someone else’s. The relationship that develops between Ana and Mariana as they bring up their daughters together and how it affects their love for their daughters is what we find out in this emotional drama. You can watch ‘Daughter from Another Mother’ here.
5. The Perfect Mother (2021)
Created by Julian Jarrold and Elisa Amoruso, ‘The Perfect Mother’ revolves around a baffled mother, Helene (Julie Gayet), who finds out that her daughter, Anya (Eden Ducourant), is accused of murder. She travels to Paris, where her daughter is a student, with an old flame/lawyer friend to help Anya. Throughout the suspense-filled limited series, Helene’s role as a mother is questioned. As Anya’s life choices and hidden truths unfold, Helene worries about how little she truly knows about her daughter. Nonetheless, she never backs off from protecting her daughter, trying to clear her name. The series leaves viewers having multiple questions about Helene being a perfect mother, a beautiful paradox. You can stream ‘The Perfect Mother’ here.
4. Pieces of Her (2022)
In ‘The Perfect Mother,’ a traumatic incident reveals the daughter’s secrets to the mother while in Charlotte Stoudt’s ‘Pieces of Her,’ the daughter discovers the mother in a different light. Based on the 2018 eponymous novel by Karin Slaughter, ‘Pieces of Her’ follows Andy (Bella Heathcote), a 30-year-old girl who is an artist by passion. A confused professional adult, she moves back to her hometown to care for her mother, Laura Oliver (Toni Collette).
Shockingly, a shoot-out at a cafe unfolds the web of lies Laura had weaved throughout Andy’s life. The binge-worthy series will make you question who Laura Oliver really is many times over. While Andy tries to find the answer, their relationship and Laura’s unconditional love remain unaltered, making the show frustratingly heart-wrenching. You can stream ‘Pieces of Her’ here.
3. Maid (2021)
Molly Smith Metzler’s ‘Maid’ is a limited series that will stay with you for a long time. It revolves around the struggle of Alex (Margaret Qualley), a young mother who has left her alcoholic and abusive boyfriend, Sean (Nick Robinson). She comes from a severely dysfunctional family – an estranged father and a bipolar mother and dreams of becoming a writer but has to take up a cleaning job. Raising a young child (fathered by Sean) while keeping her safe from the existing monsters of her life becomes a hectic job. On top of all that, Sean desperately wants their child’s custody. Alex receives backlash at every turn, but her zeal for a better life for herself and her daughter finally brings a ray of hope. Alex’s determination as a mother is bound to leave a deep impact on the viewers. You can stream ‘Maid’ here.
2. Ginny & Georgia (2021-)
Created by Sarah Lampert, ‘Ginny & Georgia’ follows teenage angst through a teen mother-daughter duo. Georgia (currently 30) had to leave home during her preteen, thanks to her drug-addicted mom and her multiple abusive partners. She lived in boxes to survive, traveling across cities and having multiple partners. Her daughter Ginny, now a teenager herself, is struggling to find her place in the world and is discovering the dark side of her mother. However, from having liberal conversations with Ginny about sex to threatening Ginny’s boyfriend, Georgia is a strong mother figure.
Not shying away from addressing topics that are conventionally taboo, ‘Ginny & Georgia’ is an intimate and gripping drama. It stars Brianne Howey as Georgia and Antonia Gentry as Ginny, along with Diesel La Torraca, Jennifer Robertson, Felix Mallard, and Scott Porter. You can stream the series here.
1. Never Have I Ever (2020-2023)
Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher’s ‘Never Have I Ever’ introduces a dynamic mother-daughter duo, Nalini (Poorna Jagannathan) and Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), respectively. While Devi, the first-generation Indian-American teenager, wants to live her best high school experience, her mother, Nalini (a doctor), wants to instill Indian-ness in her. The classic coming-of-age comedy-drama beautifully captures the duo’s awkward and intimate relationship.
Devi was close to her father, who recently passed away, and has a weird distance from her mother, thinking she is strict and uncool. While Nalini wants Devi to stay focused on her career and education, Devi wants a happening social life and a boyfriend. From keeping secrets and hiding her true self to unloading her fears and pains, Devi slowly discovers the true gift life has given her: a sassy Indian mom. Nuanced, charming, and hilarious, ‘Never Have I Ever’ is a rare mom-daughter show that blends comedy and commentary seamlessly. You can stream it here.
Read More: Best Mom Son Movies on Netflix
