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Significant Mother’s Bro Code: Is Sleeping With Your BFF’s Mom Okay?

Significant Mother interview
Significant Mother stars Nathaniel Buzolic and Josh Zuckerman wonder whether it's okay to sleep with your BFF's mom.

Is it okay to sleep with your BFF’s mother? That’s what The CW’s new comedy, Significant Mother, asks. Roomies Jimmy (Nathaniel Buzolic) and Nate (Josh Zuckerman) grew up together, but their relationship is tested when Nate comes home from a business trip only to find that his mother and Jimmy have been hooking up behind his back.

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“If you picture the most awkward scenario that three people could have, it would be your best friend dating your mom, and that’s what basically happens on our show,” Buzolic explains during a July visit to the Us Weekly offices in Los Angeles.

Adds Zuckerman, “[Nate] has to navigate those waters, balancing wanting what’s best for his friend and his mom and not wanting to disown either one.”

But while on the show the besties awkwardly try to work it out, in real life neither Buzolic nor Zuckerman would ever date a friend’s mom — or each other’s.

“Sandy — beautiful woman. I wouldn’t date her because I respect you, Josh, but if I did date her, it would be very uncomfortable. It would be a very different interview,” Buzolic teases his costar. “What would you say if I was dating her, Josh?”

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You can’t see Zuckerman’s reaction, but picture Homer Simpson choking Bart and you’ll have an idea. “See that? Physical violence. Even his cheeks have gone red and it’s not even a real scenario, so you could see how awkward the idea of that would be.”

The other way around wouldn’t work either. “I don’t know if my mom and Josh would work,” Buzolic jokes, turning to Zuckerman. “Do you like gardening?”

Significant Mother art
Significant Mother stars Josh Zuckerman as Nate, Krista Allen as Lydia, and Nathaniel Buzolic as Jimmy.

The actor is quick to respond. “I do, but she’s too far away. I’m not good with long-distance relationships.”

Clearly, the two bonded on set. “It’s a love-hate relationship. I hate Josh. Josh loves me,” Buzolic jokes. “I have his number blocked,” Zuckerman adds. The two have thought seriously about their new show, which they praise for featuring fortysomething Krista Allen (aka Nate’s mom) as the romantic lead, but acknowledge that the premise would certainly be problematic in real life.

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“You have the age difference, which is already uncomfortable, and then there’s the added conflict that Jimmy and Nate grew up together,” Zuckerman says. “Nate’s mom essentially raised Nate and Jimmy, so he’s essentially going out with his surrogate mom.”

Still, each episode does end with “a little bit of a moral,” Zuckerman says, and there are fun guest stars (Denise Richards, Jerry O’Connell) and pop culture homages (Weekend At Bernie‘s, to start) peppered throughout.

“Watch it with your best friend’s mom,” Buzolic jokes. “It’ll be a much better experience.”

Significant Mother airs Mondays at 9:30 ET on The CW.

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