Mothers on American television takes an in-depth look at how motherhood is represented on some of the most popular television series produced this century. Adopting a feminist, Marxist, cultural studies and psychoanalytical approach, the book offers a history of the positioning of mothers within American society. It provides detailed analysis of The Sopranos, Sex and the City, The Handmaid's Tale and more, while reflecting on the newspaper 'mommy wars', employment patterns and alternative views of motherhood.

Reviews

'Akass (Rowan Univ.) interrogates the representation of mothers and motherhood in prestigious American television series. She argues that despite the existence of more women showrunners and more television series featuring women, the objectification of women and the reinforcement of patriarchal norms and women's inequality have not diminished.'
CHOICE

Introduction
Part I: Mothers on network television
1 Motherhood, culture and society
2 Motherhood on network television, 1940s to 1980s
3 Motherhood on network television, 1980s onwards
Part II: Original dramas
4 Sex and The City (HBO, 1998-2004)
5 The Sopranos (HBO, 1999-2007)
6 Six Feet Under (HBO, 2001-5)
7 Deadwood (HBO, 2004-6)
Part III: Adaptations
8 The Killing (AMC/Fox/Netflix, 2011-14)
9 Game of Thrones (HBO, 2011-19)
10 The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu, 2017-)
11 Big Little Lies (HBO, 2017-19)
Conclusion
Select bibliography
Index