Breeders (TV series)
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | March 2, 2020 |
| Founder | Martin Freeman, Chris Addison, Simon Blackwell |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom / United States |
Area served | United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Bulgaria, Poland, Australia (former), Europe (via HBO Europe) |
Key people | Martin Freeman (lead actor and executive producer), Chris Addison (executive producer), Simon Blackwell (executive producer) |
| Products | Television series "Breeders" |
Breeders is a British-American dark comedy TV series developed by Martin Freeman, Chris Addison, and Simon Blackwell. The narrative focuses on a couple managing the complexities of raising children, with elements inspired by Freeman's own life. Freeman stars in the lead role alongside Daisy Haggard and acts as an executive producer together with Addison and Blackwell.
The show premiered on March 2, 2020, on the American cable channel FX and later aired on the British channel Sky One starting March 12, 2020. It received a renewal for a second season on May 18, 2020, which debuted on March 22, 2021. The third season was announced in May 2021 and premiered on May 9, 2022. In July 2022, it was confirmed that the fourth installment would conclude the series, with its launch set for July 31, 2023.
Main
- Martin Freeman portrays Paul Worsley, a father of two and Ally’s partner. He works long-term at a charity office but faces challenges managing his anger related to parenting, which creates family conflicts and leads to a separation when his son experiences anxiety.
- Daisy Haggard plays Ally Grant, mother of two and Paul’s partner. She progresses from an employee to a partner within a sound studio company.
Supporting
- George Wakeman (season 1; guest appearances in seasons 2–3), Alex Eastwood (seasons 2–3), and Oscar Kennedy (season 4) depict Luke, the son of Paul and Ally
- Jayda Eyles (season 1; guest roles in seasons 2–3), Eve Prenelle (seasons 2–3), and Zoë Athena (season 4) portray Ava, daughter of Paul and Ally
- Joanna Bacon appears as Jackie Worsley, Paul’s mother
- Alun Armstrong features as Jim Worsley, Paul’s father
- Stella Gonet takes the role of Leah Grant, Ally’s mother
- Patrick Baladi plays Darren, Ally’s friend who becomes her boss and later business partner
- Michael McKean acts as Michael Grant (season 1), Ally’s estranged father
Recurring
- Tim Steed as Carl, Paul and Ally’s neighbour
- Hugh Quarshie as Alex (seasons 2–3), Leah’s new spouse
- Jordan A. Nash as Jacob (seasons 2–3), Luke’s friend
- Aliyah Sesay (seasons 2–3) and Ruby Fubara (season 4) as Grace, Ava’s friend
- Sally Phillips as Gabby (season 3), Leah’s neighbour
- Andi Osho as Susie (seasons 3–4)
- Deepica Stephen as Maya (season 4), Luke’s girlfriend
- Jessie Williams as Holly (season 4)
Season 1 (2020)
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Development
Avalon Television announced on March 7, 2018, that it was developing a comedy series created by Martin Freeman. Originally planned as a joint production between the BBC and FX, similar to the drama Taboo, a pilot episode had already been completed. On October 14, 2018, FX and Sky—which replaced the BBC—ordered ten half-hour episodes with an intended release in 2020. FX later confirmed the premiere date for March 2, 2020.
The show was renewed for its second season on May 18, 2020; this season premiered on March 22, 2021. Further renewals followed: the third season was announced on May 27, 2021, and the fourth season on July 19, 2022. On June 28, 2023, it was revealed that the fourth season would serve as the series finale, premiering July 31, 2023.
Casting
At the time of the series announcement, Martin Freeman was confirmed as the lead actor, with Daisy Haggard and Michael Gambon also joining the cast. However, on April 21, 2019, Gambon departed from the project due to difficulties with memory loss that impacted his ability to learn lines.
Filming
The production of the second season experienced a sixteen-week postponement because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Filming recommenced on September 1, 2020, in London and concluded on December 18, 2020. The third season's shooting commenced in November 2021 and wrapped up by March 2022.
Release
The show made its debut on March 2, 2020, airing on FX across the United States and Canada. This premiere coincided with the launch of FX on Hulu, making it the first FX series to be available on Hulu by the following day. In Bulgaria and Poland, the series is broadcast via HBO Europe. Previously available in Australia through Foxtel’s FOX One and on-demand platforms until May 2022, Breeders shifted to Disney+ starting June 1, 2022. Season three premiered exclusively as a Star Original on Disney+ from June 15, 2022, with episodes released weekly.
Critical response
The first season holds an approval rating of 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 35 reviews with an average score of 6.8/10. The critical consensus describes it as "a provocative entry into the expanding genre of shows depicting flawed parents," noting that Breeders offers a humorously uncomfortable perspective on parenting. On Metacritic, the initial season earned a score of 65 out of 100 from 13 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."
For the second season, Rotten Tomatoes reports a perfect 100% rating with an average score of 8/10 from seven reviews. Likewise, the third season also achieved a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an average score of 8/10 based on five critiques.
Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Venice TV Awards | Best Comedy | Rob Aslett, Richard Allen-Turner, Simon Blackwell, David Martin, Jon Thoday, Martin Freeman, Chris Addison, Michael Wiggs, Toby Welch, Sophie MacClancy, Ben Palmer, Avalon Television | Template:Win |
| 2021 | BAFTA Awards | British Academy Television Award for Best Female Comedy Performance | Daisy Haggard | Template:Nominated |
| Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | Best Cable Series, Comedy | Breeders | Template:Nominated | |
| Best Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy | Martin Freeman | Template:Nominated | ||
| Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy | Daisy Haggard | Template:Nominated | ||
| 2022 | Young Artist Awards | Best Performance in a TV Series: Guest Starring Teen Artist | Jordan A. Nash | Template:Win |