Skip to content
MovieCove
SMILF

SMILF

2017–2019Ended2 seasons18 episodes~30 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 33rd percentile of all shows

A raw and honest comedic look at a single, 20-something from Southie whose desires for relationships, sex, and a career collide with the realities of young, single motherhood.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch SMILF?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists SMILF to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Rent / Buy

BuyBuy

Highlights

What stands out about SMILF?

SMILF earns 4 badges, led by Before they were famous and Bittersweet.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Content
  • Cast

Reception

Is SMILF worth watching?

SMILF's Midcredits score is the 33rd percentile of all shows, from 5.8K ratings across 2 sources. 66% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

33rd percentile

Better received than 33% of shows

30th percentile among Comedy31st percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)26th
Approval (how many liked it)42nd

Acclaim

Mixed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

65 /100

26th percentile of all shows

26th percentile among Comedy26th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Ratings scatter across the whole scale — one of the most divisive reactions in the catalog.

Approval

How many liked it

66% liked it

42nd percentile of all shows

36th percentile among Comedy40th percentile among 2010s
66% rated it 7–1034% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

80th percentile

5.8K ratings across platforms

69th percentile among Comedy81st percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 21% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Fans praised

  • raw unglamorous honesty about single motherhood
  • strong ensemble cast led by Frankie Shaw and Rosie O'Donnell
  • witty dark humor with emotional depth

Detractors panned

  • lazy writing reliant on shock value and stereotypes
  • unlikable self-absorbed characters with no redeemable qualities
  • tedious pacing and incoherent narrative

What stands out

ActingDivisive82

Frankie Shaw raw and real; Rosie O'Donnell revelatory comeback

Emotional impactDivisive70

honest heartbreak and catharsis versus repulsive aimlessness

Dialogue70

sharp sarcastic wit with quotable moments

AtmosphereDivisive65

darkly immersive South Boston realism

CharactersDivisive55

flawed relatable messiness versus insufferable narcissists

HumorDivisive55

rude crude dark comedy that sharply divides audiences

OriginalityDivisive55

fresh female perspective versus unoriginal Shameless knockoff

Plot and storyDivisive40

meandering slice-of-life that loses narrative drive

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 15 points higher than men.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 9 points apart

Episodes

2 seasons

Season 2 · 2019 · 10 episodes

  • S2E1

    Shit Man, I've Literally Failed

    Jan 20, 201930 min
  • S2E2

    Sorry Mary, I'm Losing Faith

    Jan 27, 201930 min
  • S2E3

    Surrogate Mothers Inspire Loving Families

    Feb 10, 201930 min
  • S2E4

    So Maybe I Look Feminine

    Feb 17, 201930 min
  • S2E5

    Single Mom In Love Forever

    Feb 24, 201930 min
  • S2E6

    Should Mothers Incur Loss Financially?

    Mar 3, 201930 min

Watch experience

What is SMILF like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and charged — an even-paced watch that leaves you bittersweet.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
BittersweetHopeful
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Tender · 10% of showsWry · 7% of shows: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
SerializedOne continuous story
ToneThe series plays its material with raw honesty, mixing comedic and dramatic moments without ironic distance.
The rideThe series maintains a steady blend of humor and heartache, with emotional weight distributed across episodes as Bridgette navigates her life.
StructureThe story is told chronologically across seasons with no non-linear or structural devices.
Episode formatThe show follows Bridgette's continuous story, with each episode building on the last.
Season formatBoth seasons follow Bridgette's ongoing journey, with no standalone arcs.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
BittersweetThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves a rueful, lingering sense of a young mother's uphill battle, without easy resolution.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1% (this title)
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Crushed by fate: Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

4% of shows fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeBridgette's struggle as a single mother against systemic and personal obstacles aligns with a tragic arc, though the series also includes comedic and hopeful beats.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% (this title) · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% (this title) · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Parenthood · 1% of showsSelf-worth · 7% of showsComing of age · 9% of shows
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe show explores the daily grind, sacrifices, and small victories of a young single mother, and how that role forces Bridgette to confront her own value and growth.
StanceThe show takes an observational stance, depicting the messy realities of single motherhood without judgment or idealization.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticRealistic
Supportive music · hybrid
SettingA single mom's struggle to balance parenting, work, and a non-existent social life in a city that never sleeps.
MusicA blend of indie tunes and ambient sounds that underscore the gritty, relatable tone.

Content guide

Is SMILF okay for kids?

TV-MA

SMILF is rated TV-MA. As of August 29, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at intense (79/100), language at intense (73/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (67/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). Its violence, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 8 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada18+
  • Germany18
  • France12
  • Ireland15
  • Brazil16
  • Spain18
  • Türkiye18+
Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Intense
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 92%
Profanity
Intense
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 62%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
too few votes to rank (4 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (100 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does SMILF have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in SMILF?

Cast

At least 2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Frankie Shaw
as Bridgette Bird
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Miguel Gomez
as Rafi
Samara Weaving
as Nelson Rose
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Anna Chanel Reimer
as Larry
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Alexandra Mary Reimer
as Larry
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Rosie O'Donnell
as Tutu
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Raven Goodwin
as Eliza
Blake Clark
as Joe
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Connie Britton
as Ally
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Sherie Rene Scott
as Aunt Jackie

More like this

What are shows like SMILF?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like SMILF include Better Things (2016), Margo's Got Money Troubles (2026) and Younger (2015).

Like this, but

Explore by

What other shows share a tag with SMILF?

474 other shows share the rarest tag below, kind of show: dark comedy. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.