Watch The Second Shift
- 2019
- 1 Season
The Second Shift is a documentary series that explores the complexities and challenges faced by working mothers in America. The show is produced by Topic from First Look Media, a media company that focuses on telling important stories and engaging with audiences through film, television, and digital media. The Second Shift consists of four episodes and highlights the experiences of four different women from various backgrounds and professions. The show aims to bring to light the difficulties faced by working mothers in the modern workplace and how these mothers navigate through work and home life. The show begins by presenting a sobering statistic - almost half of American mothers now work outside of the home. This number has doubled since 1975, yet many aspects of the workplace, such as the 9-5 workday and lack of parental leave, have not changed to accommodate this shift in society. This means that working mothers are often forced to make difficult choices when it comes to their careers and their families. The first episode of The Second Shift follows a single mother named Sarah who works as a hotel housekeeper. Sarah struggles with the long hours and low wages of her job, while also trying to care for her two young children. She discusses the financial and emotional toll that her job takes on her, as well as the ways in which she tries to balance her work and home life. The second episode features a mother named Tacha who is a lawyer and partner at a law firm. Despite her impressive career, Tacha still faces discrimination and bias in the workplace. She recounts the challenges that come with being a working mother in a male-dominated industry, and how she works to create a more inclusive workplace for women and mothers. The third episode tells the story of a working mother named Stacey who is a nurse at a hospital. Stacey discusses the emotional toll that her job takes on her, citing the long hours and difficult patients. Stacey also discusses how her job affects her family life, especially with her young daughter who has special needs. The final episode of The Second Shift profiles a mother named Jen who is a freelance writer and editor. Jen works from home, but still struggles to balance her career and her responsibilities as a mother to her young children. She talks about the challenges of staying motivated and productive while working from home, and how difficult it can be to carve out time for both work and family. Throughout The Second Shift, each mother's story is interwoven with statistics and data about working mothers in America. The show sheds light on the many challenges that working mothers face, from the gender pay gap to lack of parental leave to societal expectations about motherhood. Overall, The Second Shift is a thought-provoking and insightful look at the experiences of working mothers in America. It serves as an important reminder that while progress has been made, there is still much work to be done to create a more equitable and inclusive workplace for all.