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The new Polish Netflix Original, The Mothers of Penguins, has to be one of the most intense family dramas to have been released on the streaming platform. To explain it in brief, this six-episode show is about parents and their children. The children are differently abled, and the parents go out of their way to make them feel included and accepted. The show has many characters, parents, children, and teachers for the most part.

Kamila

Masza Wągrocka portrays the role of the single mother, Kamila, aka Kama. Kama is also an Mma fighter who is having a tough time accepting the fact that her son Jas might be on the spectrum (autism) as well. There are signs and behavioral patterns that Kama is informed about, but she chooses to overlook them and wants to admit Jas to a regular school.

Kama, who is juggling her Mma career and taking care of her son,...

There are not enough shows or films centered around the mothers of persons with disabilities, and that is precisely why The Mothers of Penguins is a compelling watch. While shows such as Atypical (available on Netflix) or films such as Margarita With A Straw address the daily challenges faced by such individuals, the anxiety of the mothers or the primary caregivers is often not the main premise. The Polish series blends themes of personal identity, family dynamics, and the often difficult intersection of mental health and social expectations. The series began with an Mma fighter discovering that her son was neurodivergent. As someone raised by a strict father, Kama initially assumed disciplining her son would help correct his behavior. It took her a long while to come to terms with Jas’ condition, because she was afraid that the world would see her son as a weak individual.

The title of...