Matt Okine and Denise Scott play the roles made famous by Gary McDonald and Ruth Cracknell in the ABC reboot of the classic 1980s sitcom Mother and Son
It was one of Australia’s biggest homegrown TV hits of the 1980s.
And now the ABC is about to reboot Mother and Son, starring comedians Matt Okine and Denise Scott in roles made famous by Gary McDonald and Ruth Cracknell.
Shooting for the series began this week in Sydney.
The iconic sitcom debuted on the ABC in 1984 and starred McDonald as a bewildered grown son trying to cope with his aging mother, played by the late Cracknell.
Mother and Son original creator Geoffrey Atherton is on board, as one consultant reports TV tonight.
The ABC reboot of the beloved 1980s sitcom Mother and Son began filming in Sydney this week Pictured: Gay McDonnell and Ruth Cracknell (R) starred in the original which debuted in 1984
Comedian Denise Scott (pictured) will play Maggie
Comedian Matt Okine (pictured) plays Arthur in the reboot, which he also conceived and wrote
Okine, who is best known for his stand-up comedy, said he got the idea to give classic comedy a revamp while on tour with Scott in 2013.
Okine described the original show as a “beautiful snapshot of 1980s Australian suburbia” and said he and Scott had “big shoes to fill” when it comes to playing the roles made famous by two of the most Australia’s beloved comedic actors.
Okine and Scott appeared together in a new trailer to give viewers a taste of what to expect from the reboot.
“For anyone unfamiliar with the original, Mother & Son is all about a journalist named Arthur, who has broken up and has to move back in with (Mother) Maggie,” Okine explains.
“Soon the big question is, who’s taking care of whom?” Scott adds.
The original show captivated audiences for its funny and poignant depiction of the challenges adult children often face when dealing with an aging parent Pictured: Ruth Cracknell (L) and Gary McDonald in a scene from an episode of 1985 Mother and son
Maggie (Cracknell) became a fan favorite as she kept an eye on her well-meaning family, especially Arthur (McDonald), who wondered how “look like” she would actually be.
The original show won over audiences for its funny and poignant depiction of the challenges adult children often face when dealing with an aging parent who suffers from “amnesia.”
Maggie (Cracknell) became a fan favorite when she pranked her well-meaning family, especially Arthur (McDonald), who questioned how “look like” she would actually be.
The original half-hour series, now streaming on Stan, was a huge success for the ABC and ran for six seasons, finally ending in 1994.
The Mother and Son reboot will be shown on the ABC later in 2023.
