'Call Your Mother' Creator Kari Lizer Reveals How Covid Impacted Empty-Nester Sitcom

Call Your Mother creator Kari Lizer shared that the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has impacted her new ABC sitcom, starring Kyra Sedgwick, in more ways than one.

Written and executive produced by the New Adventures Of Old Christine creator, the new ABC comedy takes place in a world that’s survived the fatal Covid-19 pandemic, which in reality continues to rage across parts of the country. The sitcom’s characters walk freely around without masks or the need to social distance in this post-Covid world – a setting that came out of a desire for some normalcy, Lizer said.

“Covid is part of the world, we just had the decision to start the series after we were all quarantined and in masks because frankly, we had enough of that,” Lizer said during the panel.

Revolving, around Sedgwick’s single, empty nester, who travels across the country to reinsert herself into her children’s lives; Call Your Mother doesn’t pretend that the dark months of illness and infection don’t exist. Instead, the series uses quarantine and feelings of isolation to augment Jean Raines’ (Sedgwick) desperation to reunite with her kids.

“We do talk about what quarantine was like for Jean, in fact it sort of heightened her experience of being separated from her kids and it it did impact the level of her feeling disconnected from her kids,” Lizer added.

During the panel, Lizer, Sedgwick and fellow cast mates including Joey Bragg and Rachel Sennott, explained that Call Your Mother isn’t solely about reigniting faded connection with loved ones. The series also makes the case for building new relationships, during a time where Zoom calls and socially-distanced dates and celebrations have become the new normal.

“We’re at a time where we’re feeling disconnected. I think just the state of the world, the state of the pandemic has left us all feeling really isolated,” Lizer added. “I think this is a show about people who feel like they’ve lost their connection to one another, a show about people trying to find each other again.”

Call Your Mother also stars Patrick Brammall, Emma Caymares and Austin Crute. The series is produced by Sony Pictures Television & ABC Signature alongside 20th Television and Touchstone Television.

Call Your Mother debuts on ABC on Jan. 13 at 9:30 p.m. PST.