logline: A single mom tries to raise her daughter in London while wondering if she should have another kid.

Source: IMDb

If you’ve seen Katherine Ryan’s standup specials on Netflix (which I highly suggest you do), you would already know some of the punchlines to the jokes in this show. But that doesn’t take away from the hilarity of her foul-mouthed delivery. Katherine Ryan is a Canadian single mother living in the UK. In the Duchess she plays Katherine Ryan, a Canadian single mother living in the UK. Since it is semi-autobiographical, it’s very real. Ryan is a brilliant comedian and I was worried about how her raunchy humor would translate to a sitcom format. In most regards, it works. There are some genuinely funny moments that would be too crude but there’s not much depth to the characters. It’s a light watch with some drama to itch that part of your brain that wants more. Ryan, the character, is an antiheroine that is highly unlikable with a sharp tongue and a selfish, childish personality. She is practically a child with keys to the liquor cabinet and a full-time job. The title of her best friend is a toss-up between her cool adult friend and her poised and posh daughter. She juggles single-motherhood with a career and a love life. But, and this is crucial, she can do it. She is a modern woman, she can do it all. There is a scene where Ryan and her friend are being interviewed about their pottery business (called Kiln them softly) and Ryan was asked by the interviewer about when she is going to have a typical family like her friend. This kind of exemplifies the crux of the show. This is 2020, single-motherhood is not inferior to any other kind of motherhood and this dichotomy has been used to pit women against each other, Ryan seeks to tear down this stigma against single-motherhood. She’s tearing down barriers one curse word at a time. I like how this show didn’t make Katherine’s romantic entanglements her only character trait and she dismantles the idea that a woman’s biological clock should dictate her life. This is probably the most feminist and forward thinking show about single motherhood and womanhood in general that I’ve seen in a while. Katherine Ryan created, wrote, and stars in this show and I hope we see some more acting work from her in the future. If you plan on watching this show, watch her stand up first (also on Netflix) so you’ll have a notion about who the real Katherine Ryan is. In a society where single women and specifically single mothers are shamed, this is a refreshing look at single mothers as people who do not rely on men to succeed because women can do it all.

My favorite characters:

Katherine Ryan as Katherine: the duchess herself. A strong, powerful, single woman who stands up against the people trying to shame her for being single. She created, wrote, and starred in this show that cements her as someone who can indeed do it all. I adore Katherine Ryan’s comedy and I’m glad that it has a similar raunchy feel to it. For all of her comedy, Katherine also has some more dismal moments as the series continues.
Steen Raskopoulos as Evan: a fine-looking fellow if there ever was one. He’s supportive, caring, an orthodontist, I would probably date him. SPOILERS AHEAD! I like how it ended exposing Evan’s “nice guy” act as just that - an act. A facade of niceness to try to make Katherine feel sorry for not telling him things or doing as she pleases. A false nicety to distract the audience from the underlying idea that he thinks he deserves her. Maybe I’m reading too much into this. But, Steen is very good in this series and I hope we see more of him.

This show is rated TV-MA. Here’s why:

Sexual Scenes
Language

Favorite Part: One of the jokes that is transferred right from her standup special is when Ryan is describing the way she describes her ex-husband to her daughter. Her daughter is inquiring about Ryan’s opinion on her ex-husband. Ryan despises him in the series. Ryan responds to these inquiries with nothing but praise for her ex. With answers about how much she misses her ex and how much she loves him. When Violet asks why they aren’t still together. Ryan answers “he’s...too good for me.” This conversation is right from Glitter Room and I laughed both times.

Where to Watch:

How Many Seasons: 1

IMDb:

The Duchess

Ratched

Ramy