Mom is an American television sitcom created by Chuck Lorre, Eddie Gorodetsky, and Gemma Baker that aired for eight seasons on CBS from September 23, 2013, to May 13, 2021. Set in Napa, California, it follows dysfunctional mother/daughter duo Bonnie and Christy Plunkett, who, after having been estranged for years while both struggled with addiction, attempt to pull their lives together by trying to stay sober. It stars Anna Faris and Allison Janney, with Mimi Kennedy, Jaime Pressly, Beth Hall, William Fichtner, Sadie Calvano, Blake Garrett Rosenthal, Matt Jones, French Stewart and Kristen Johnston in supporting roles.
Unlike most multi-camera sitcoms on CBS, Mom utilized serialized storytelling that had overarching storylines that continued over multiple episodes and across multiple seasons, and past events would often be referenced later in the series. The characters often experienced events that contained dramatic emotional weight and experienced character development consequential to the series' plot, making the series more in line with a comedy-drama rather than a traditional sitcom. The series was filmed in front of a live audience and produced by Chuck Lorre Productions and Warner Bros. Television.
Mom received acclaim from critics and audiences for the writing and performances (particularly Janney's), as well as for addressing real-life issues such as: alcoholism, drug addiction, teen pregnancy, addictive gambling, homelessness, relapse, cancer, death, erectile dysfunction, domestic violence, overdose, palsy, rape, obesity, stroke, ADHD and miscarriage; and for maintaining a deft balance between the humorous and darker aspects of these issues. The show has ranked among the top five comedies with adults aged 25–54 and adults aged 18–49. It received various accolades, with Janney winning two straight Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2014 and 2015, and being nominated in 2016 and for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2017, 2018, and 2021. It also garnered multiple nominations at the Critics' Choice Television Awards and the People's Choice Awards. On September 4, 2020, Faris announced she would exit from the series and shortly thereafter CBS announced that it would end after its eighth season. The series finale aired on May 13, 2021.
Synopsis
Mom follows Christy Plunkett (Anna Faris), a single mother who, after battling drug abuse including alcoholism, decides to restart her life in Napa, California, working as a waitress and attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Her mother, Bonnie Plunkett, (Allison Janney) is also a recovering addict.
Christy has two children. Her daughter, Violet (Sadie Calvano) was born when Christy was 17. Violet also becomes pregnant as a teenager, the father of the child is her boyfriend Luke (Spencer Daniels). Christy’s young son, Roscoe (Blake Garrett Rosenthal), is a product of her marriage to Baxter, a deadbeat but likable pothead.
Christy eventually returns to school and pursues her dream of becoming a lawyer, while Bonnie meets and marries a retired stuntman named Adam Janikowski (William Fichtner). Through it all, Christy and Bonnie rely on their support system from AA, including the wise Marjorie (Mimi Kennedy), wealthy and materialistic Jill (Jaime Pressly), submissive and sometimes overly-emotional Wendy (Beth Hall), and loudmouthed but sweet Tammy (Kristen Johnston). Collectively, they help each other stay sober in the face of the conflicts they face.
Following the departure of Christy, who moves to Washington, D.C., the show delves more into the personal lives of her friends she left behind.
Several of the characters' last names (Plunkett, Stabler, Janikowski, Biletnikoff, Madden, Hubbard, Casper, Wells, Banaszak) were named after former players and coaches of the Oakland Raiders.
Episodes
Cast and characters + Actor Character Seasons 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Anna Faris Christy Plunkett colspan="7" colspan="1" Allison Janney Bonnie Plunkett colspan="8" Matt Jones Baxter colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="2" colspan="2" Sadie Calvano Violet Plunkett colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="2" Blake Garrett Rosenthal Roscoe Plunkett colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="4" French Stewart Rudy colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="2" colspan="1" Nate Corddry Gabriel colspan="2" colspan="6" Spencer Daniels Luke colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="4" Mimi Kennedy Marjorie Armstrong colspan="1" colspan="7" Jaime Pressly Jill Kendall colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="6" Beth Hall Wendy Harris colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="6" William Fichtner Adam Janikowski colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="5" Kristen Johnston Tammy Diffendorf colspan="4" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="2"
Main characters Anna Faris as Christy Jolene Plunkett (seasons 1–7): Christy is a sensitive mother struggling to recover from her addictions to alcohol and gambling. At the beginning of the series, she has been sober for 118 days. She is working hard to be a good example for her son, Roscoe, and to regain the trust of her daughter, Violet, who reveals in the pilot that she is pregnant. Christy is also trying to reconcile with her mother, Bonnie, with whom she has a tumultuous history and long estrangement. As the story unfolds, Christy discovers that her biological father, Alvin, abandoned Bonnie after she was discharged from the hospital on Christmas Eve. She eventually locates Alvin, learns that he is now married with two sons and runs an auto repair shop. Christy develops a bond with him and introduces him to her family, coming to view him as the father she needs in her life. Similar to her mother, Christy was a teenage mother, giving birth to Violet at 17. Violet's father, Butch, was abusive toward Christy, who attempted to leave him several times but struggled with fear. Ultimately, Christy found the courage to leave Butch to protect Violet. A former stripper, Christy primarily works as a waitress. Although she briefly receives a promotion to manager after Claudia divorces Gabriel, she eventually returns to waitressing, a job at which she doesn’t excel but can bring home a lot of food for Bonnie and herself. In mid-season 2, Christy decides to return to school to become a lawyer and takes a second job as Steve Casper's assistant. She works hard, eventually earning her bachelor’s degree and being accepted into law school. As season 6 comes to a close, Christy begins an internship with a law firm while still juggling her waitress job. In season 7, she faces challenges at work, struggles academically in law school (being rejected for a mock trial team and encountering a professor who assumes she is a poor student because she is a single mother), and lives a social life that leaves much to be desired. Feeling desperate, she kisses another woman in the season finale. In the season 8 premiere, it is revealed that Christy has left Napa to attend Georgetown Law School on a full scholarship. Despite being mentioned throughout the final season, Christy never returns for a guest appearance and does not participate in the series finale. Allison Janney as Bonnie Plunkett: Bonnie is Christy's mother and Baxter's mother-in-law. She is a cynical recovering addict who believes she is always right, but learns humility over time. Bonnie is determined to regain the love and trust of her daughter, whom she was unable to nurture properly as a child. Bonnie was given up for adoption at age four and spent time in the foster care system, moving from house to house. At age 15, she ran away with Alvin, which led to an unplanned pregnancy. She gave birth to Christy at 17 after Alvin abandoned them at the hospital on Christmas Eve. Initially, Bonnie considered aborting the pregnancy and even planned to put Christy up for adoption. A pleasant Jewish couple was prepared to adopt Christy, but Bonnie ultimately couldn't follow through. From then on, she tried her best to raise her daughter, but Christy ended up raising herself, as Bonnie often prioritized parties and drinking over being a present mother. Over time and with considerable therapy, Bonnie found more balance in her life. She opened up to Christy about her past, including details about her birth father and her former life as a drug dealer. However, Bonnie suffered a relapse in Season 1 after losing her job and apartment, and had to move in with Christy, Violet, and Roscoe. As Christy reconnected with Alvin, Bonnie realized she still had feelings for him, leading to a romantic relationship at the beginning of Season 2. Sadly, this relationship was cut short when Alvin suffered a heart attack and died, leaving the family in shock. Later, Bonnie struggled with a back injury and became dependent on pain medication, resulting in another relapse. In Season 3, she met her biological mother, and in Season 4, she met her half-brother, Ray, after their mother passed away. Bonnie managed the apartment building where she and Christy lived, and in Season 6, she was diagnosed with ADHD and began seeing a therapist to address it. Toward the end of Season 8, she partnered with her former foster sister, Tammy Diffendorf, to establish a construction firm that would promote Tammy's skills in repair and home construction. Sadie Calvano as Violet Plunkett (main, season 1-3; recurring, season 4; guest, season 6): Violet is Christy’s daughter and Roscoe's older sister. At the beginning of the series, she is a hardworking, intelligent, and confident senior in high school. However, shes' upset with her mother, Christy, who has often neglected her children. After becoming a mother herself by having her boyfriend Luke's baby, Violet decides to place her child for adoption. She believes this choice is the best way to break her family's cycle of poor life decisions and give her baby a better chance than she, her mother, or her grandmother ever had. Violet’s father was physically abusive toward Christy, and Christy has lied to Violet about his whereabouts, even taking her to a random man's grave and telling her that her father is dead. In Season 2, Violet goes through a downward spiral and cheats on Luke, leading to their breakup. She later becomes engaged to Gregory Munchnik, a much older psychology professor at her university, but he breaks off the engagement after Violet starts partying too hard. This behavior leaves Christy and Bonnie questioning whether she is simply experiencing youth or developing a serious problem. After the breakup, Violet moves back in with Christy and Bonnie. When her mother and grandmother insist that she find a job, Violet relocates to Lake Tahoe to work as a blackjack dealer at Harrah's. However, she ultimately returns home after struggling to manage her life there. She reconciles with Luke, who has made improvements in his own life. In her last appearance, Violet returns in Season 6 as the host of a successful podcast called "The Mother of All Problems" where she discusses Christy's troubling past in detail. It is revealed that Violet and Christy have not communicated in over a year, although Violet still keeps in touch with Bonnie. While Violet acknowledges that Christy has turned her life around, she expresses that the past can't be changed and believes it is healthier for her not to pursue a relationship with Christy moving forward. In Season 7, Christy informs Bonnie’s new sponsee that she still does not have a relationship with Violet.