Mom (TV series) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mom
Genre	Sitcom Comedy drama
Created by	Chuck Lorre Eddie Gorodetsky Gemma Baker
Starring	Anna Faris Allison Janney Sadie Calvano Nate Corddry Matt Jones French Stewart Spencer Daniels Blake Garrett Rosenthal Mimi Kennedy Jaime Pressly Beth Hall William Fichtner Kristen Johnston
Opening theme	"Overture" from Ruslan and Lyudmila by Mikhail Glinka
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	8
No. of episodes	170 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Chuck Lorre Eddie Gorodetsky Nick Bakay Gemma Baker Warren Bell
Cinematography	Steven V. Silver
Editor(s)	Peter Chakos (pilot) Pat Barnett Skip Collector Joe Bella
Camera setup	Multi-camera
Running time	18–21 minutes
Production company(s)	Chuck Lorre Productions Warner Bros. Television Studios
Release
Original network	CBS
Original release	September 23, 2013 (2013-09-23) – May 13, 2021 (2021-05-13)

Mom is a popular American sitcom (a funny TV show about everyday life). It was created by Chuck Lorre, Eddie Gorodetsky, and Gemma Baker. The show aired on the CBS network from September 23, 2013, to May 13, 2021. It ran for eight seasons in total.

The story is set in Napa, California. It follows a mother and daughter, Bonnie and Christy Plunkett. They had been apart for many years. The show is about their journey to improve their lives and their relationship. They do this by making healthy choices and getting support from a special group.

The main stars of Mom are Anna Faris as Christy and Allison Janney as Bonnie. Other important actors include Mimi Kennedy, Jaime Pressly, Beth Hall, William Fichtner, Sadie Calvano, Blake Garrett Rosenthal, Matt Jones, French Stewart, and Kristen Johnston.

The show was filmed in front of a live audience, which means people watched it being made. It was produced by Chuck Lorre Productions and Warner Bros. Television. Critics and viewers really liked Mom during its time on air. Many praised the writing and the actors' performances, especially Allison Janney's.

Mom was also praised for talking about real-life challenges. It managed to be both funny and serious at the same time. The show often had high ratings, meaning many people watched it. It was one of the most-watched comedies on TV.

The show won many awards. Allison Janney won two Primetime Emmy Awards for her acting in 2014 and 2015. She was also nominated for more awards in later years. The show also received nominations from the Critics' Choice Television Awards and the People's Choice Awards.

On September 4, 2020, Anna Faris announced she would leave the show. Soon after, CBS said that the eighth season would be the last. The final episode aired on May 13, 2021.

Story of the Show

The title card used for the first four seasons.

Mom tells the story of Christy Plunkett (Anna Faris). She is a single mother who decides to start fresh in Napa, California. Christy works as a waitress and attends support group meetings. These meetings help her make better choices in her life.

Christy's daughter, Violet (Sadie Calvano), became a young mother herself at age 17. Violet's boyfriend is Luke (Spencer Daniels). Christy also has a younger son named Roscoe (Blake Garrett Rosenthal). Roscoe's dad is Baxter (Matt Jones), who is a kind but sometimes irresponsible person.

Later in the show, Christy goes back to school. She works hard to achieve her dream of becoming a lawyer. Meanwhile, Bonnie, Christy's mother, finds love with Adam Janikowski (William Fichtner). He is a retired stuntman, and they eventually get married.

Through all their ups and downs, Christy and Bonnie rely on their friends from the support group. This group includes the wise Marjorie (Mimi Kennedy), the rich Jill (Jaime Pressly), the caring Wendy (Beth Hall), and the lively Tammy (Kristen Johnston). Together, they help each other stay strong and face their problems.

After Christy moves away to Washington, the show focuses more on the lives of her friends. It shows how they continue to support each other.

Characters and Actors

How the Show Was Made

Show Development

Anna Faris was chosen for the show in January 2013.

Mom was a very important project for CBS and Warner Bros. when it was first suggested in December 2012. This was partly because Chuck Lorre, one of the creators, had a new deal with Warner.

CBS officially decided to make the show on May 9, 2013. This meant Chuck Lorre had four sitcoms airing on the same network that year! The show was set to air on Monday nights.

Later, the time slot changed a few times. But Mom quickly became popular. On October 18, 2013, CBS ordered a full first season of 22 episodes.

On March 13, 2014, CBS announced that Mom would have a second season. The show's time slot moved again, this time to Thursday nights.

By the third season, the show started to focus more on Christy, Bonnie, and their support group friends. The parts about the restaurant, the kids, and Baxter became smaller.

In February 2021, CBS announced that the show would end after its eighth season. The very last episode aired on May 13, 2021.

Choosing the Actors

The show gave Anna Faris her first full-time TV role as the main character, Christy. She had appeared in many movies and TV shows before. She joined the cast in January 2013.

On January 28, 2013, Allison Janney joined the show as Christy's mother, Bonnie. Matt Jones and Spencer Daniels were cast in February 2013. Matt Jones played Baxter, Christy's ex-husband. Spencer Daniels played Luke, Violet's boyfriend.

Where the Show Aired

Mom was shown in many countries around the world. In Australia, it first aired on the Nine Network on April 9, 2014. In Canada, Citytv showed it at the same time as the US.

In Greece, Star Channel started airing it on October 25, 2014. In India, Comedy Central (India) broadcast the series. In Israel, it was shown on HOT Comedy Central.

In the United Kingdom, ITV2 first showed the series on January 20, 2014. After a few seasons, it was not available there for a while. But from October 2022, all eight seasons became available to watch on Amazon Prime Video in the UK.

Syndication

After its original run, Mom started airing in "syndication" in late 2017. This means that other TV channels and networks can buy the rights to show old episodes.

You could watch Mom on channels like FXX, FX, TV Land, Paramount Network, Nick at Nite, and CMT.

See also

In Spanish: Mom (serie de televisión) para niños