Netflix is reportedly developing a new comedy series titled Toxic Moms in collaboration with Ashley Tisdale, Ali Wong, and Sabrina Jalees, drawing from Tisdale's personal experience of leaving a toxic mother group.
Background of the Series
The half-hour comedy, written by Sabrina Jalees (Search Party), follows a sleep-deprived new mother who becomes part of a clique of affluent, cool mothers. However, the group later reveals its darker side, posing the question: in the depths of motherhood's isolation, how far would one go to belong to a community?
Tisdale, Wong, and Jalees will executive produce the project. Wong, known for Beef, may also direct if Netflix gives the series a full order.
Inspiration from Tisdale's Viral Essay
The series is inspired by Tisdale's viral January 2024 essay in The Cut, titled Breaking Up With My Toxic Mom Group, adapted from her blog post. In it, she described the benefits of having a "village of moms" after her first daughter's birth in 2011, but eventually felt the dynamic shifted, reminding her of high school cliques. She was "frozen out" as other mothers socialized without her. Tisdale wrote, "I picked up hints of a weird dynamic" when another mother was often excluded. After feeling she wasn't "cool enough," she sent a message: "This is too high school for me and I don't want to take part in it anymore."
Public Response and Impact
Following the essay, Tisdale revealed her phone "blew up like no other topic," with many women sharing similar experiences. The series aims to explore these themes of exclusion and community among new mothers.
Netflix has not yet commented on the reports. The project remains in development.
