Christy (Anna Faris) has gone back to school and is pursuing her dream of becoming a lawyer, while Bonnie (Allison Janney) attempts to have a healthy romantic relationship with her fiancé, Adam (William Fichtner). Through it all, Christy and Bonnie rely on their support system from AA, including the wise Marjorie (Mimi Kennedy), the wealthy and sometimes misguided Jill (Jaime Pressly), the overly emotional Wendy (Beth Hall), and the loudmouth but sweet Tammy (Kristen Johnston). Christy's daughter Violet made her final appearance on this show in the episode "Jell-O Shots and the Truth about Santa". Collectively, they help each other stay sober in the face of whatever life throws at them. The episodes are usually titled with two odd topics that are mentioned in that episode.
Season six of Mom aired Thursdays in the United States at 9:00 p.m. after Young Sheldon.
Christy has a hard time juggling the workload at law school, her job at the restaurant, and going to meetings. She considers quitting school until a new AA attendee gives her perspective about overcoming obstacles. Elsewhere, Adam gives Bonnie permission to plan their wedding any way she wants, but she soon realizes that she wants him to be involved after she dreams he's having an affair.
Title meaning: Bonnie describing how Adam cheated on her in her dream and who Bonnie jokingly wants to officiate their wedding.
112
2
"Go-Go Boots and a Butt Cushion"
James Widdoes
Story by : Warren Bell & Britté Anchor Teleplay by : Gemma Baker & Alissa Neubauer & Sheldon Bull
With very little time in her life to get her studies done, Christy considers quitting Gambler's Anonymous, thinking she doesn't need it because she's only had three incidents in her life. Bonnie disagrees with her daughter, and turns out to be correct when Christy gets a good-sized check for incidentals as part of her student loan and finds herself in a casino parking lot.
Title meaning: What Bonnie wore to her first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and a Gambler's Anonymous attendee named Lucy telling Christy what she didn’t need to bring to a new plush casino.
113
3
"Ambulance Chasers and a Babbling Brook"
James Widdoes
Story by : Gemma Baker & Alissa Neubauer Teleplay by : Warren Bell & Sheldon Bull & Britté Anchor
Bonnie tries to trick Adam into choosing the outdoor venue she wants for their wedding by showing him an old barrel factory as an alternative, but it backfires. Although Adam agrees to Bonnie's wedding site, he uses his life savings to buy the barrel factory with hopes of turning it into a bar. Meanwhile, Christy learns her strict law professor, Natalie (Constance Zimmer) is a fellow alcoholic.
Title meaning: Christy’s law professor, Professor Stevens, describing her students' futures and Bonnie describing her preferred site for the wedding with Adam
114
4
"Big Sauce and Coconut Water"
James Widdoes
Story by : Nick Bakay & Sheldon Bull & Susan McMartin Teleplay by : Anne Flett-Giordano & Michael Shipley & Britté Anchor
After Tammy Diffendorf (Kristen Johnston) is paroled, Bonnie invites her to stay at the apartment instead of going to a halfway house. As Tammy struggles to integrate into free society, she starts to affect those around her, particularly Christy and Adam.
Title meaning: Tammy's nickname for Bonnie and what Tammy is joyfully surprised to find in Bonnie’s refrigerator.
115
5
"Flying Monkeys and a Tank of Nitrous"
James Widdoes
Story by : Marco Pennette & Anne Flett-Giordano & Michael Shipley Teleplay by : Nick Bakay & Adam Chase & Susan McMartin
Marjorie's husband Victor dies after another stroke, yet she does not seem as upset as Christy thinks she should be. Marjorie later admits that her first feeling after Victor died was relief, and she scolds herself for it. Wendy tells her that when someone passes who was ill for a long time, the survivors often already mourned for them. Marjorie finally breaks down while holding Victor's favorite cat.
Title meaning: Christy saying what might scare Tammy if they bring her to the play Wicked and what Wendy used to keep in her bedroom.
116
6
"Cottage Cheese and a Weird Buzz"
James Widdoes
Story by : Nick Bakay & Adam Chase & Susan McMartin Teleplay by : Marco Pennette & Anne Flett-Giordano & Michael Shipley
When Tammy takes on a loud home improvement project at the apartment, Christy spends time at Jill's house to get her studies done in peace. However, Christy gets mad when she sees what Jill does with the $75 payment on her gambling debt. Meanwhile, Bonnie talks Adam into both of them getting tattoos, later getting somewhat addicted to being inked.
Christy and Wendy agree to help Jill clean out her huge walk-in closet with hopes of scoring some nice items for themselves, but the process reminds a dejected Jill of all her failures. Elsewhere, Bonnie invites a lonely Marjorie to spend time at the apartment, where they do a jigsaw puzzle with Tammy. Seeing Marjorie needing companionship with Victor gone, Bonnie suggests that Tammy move in with her.
Absent: William Fichtner as Adam
Title meaning: What Tammy and Marjorie name their club while doing a jigsaw puzzle with Bonnie and what Christy says to lighten the mood in Jill’s closet.
118
8
"Jell-O Shots and the Truth about Santa"
James Widdoes
Story by : Susan McMartin & Anne Flett-Giordano Teleplay by : Gemma Baker & Adam Chase & Sheldon Bull
One of Christy's study partners mentions a podcast she listens to about "the nightmare of all mothers". Christy decides to listen to it, and learns that it is Violet speaking about her. Christy appears on the podcast to share her side, but it does little to reconcile herself with Violet. Elsewhere, the opening night for Adam's bar is not very successful after Bonnie invites a bunch of non-drinkers from AA.
Special guest star: Sadie Calvano as Violet. This was Calvano's last appearance on the show.
Title meaning: The title of one of Violet’s podcast episodes about Christy.
119
9
"Pork Loin and a Beat Up Monte Carlo"
James Widdoes
Story by : Warren Bell & Alissa Neubauer Teleplay by : Nick Bakay & Marco Pennette & Britté Anchor
Christy uses past experiences to face off against the best student in her class in a mock trial, with hopes of earning a summer internship with a local law firm. Though Christy wins the case, the internship still goes to her opponent. An angry Christy confronts the law firm rep, who says he passed her over for the internship to offer her a paid position instead. Meanwhile, Tammy has dental surgery that leaves her in pain, forcing Bonnie to manage her pain medication.
Title meaning: A recipe that Bonnie finds in a magazine at the dentist’s office and the car of a deceased man that Bonnie got in Oklahoma to stash her drugs.
120
10
"Flamingos and a Dance-Based Exercise Class"
James Widdoes
Story by : Gemma Baker & Adam Chase & Susan McMartin Teleplay by : Sheldon Bull & Anne Flett-Giordano & Michael Shipley
After bumming a cigarette from Chef Rudy, Christy finds herself developing her old smoking habit. Elsewhere, Tammy goes on her first date since getting out of prison, but gets conflicting advice from Bonnie and Jill.
When the ladies from AA decide to participate in a Secret Santa gift exchange, Christy goes to great lengths to surprise and delight Wendy. Meanwhile, Bonnie tries to help Tammy find a job and prevent her from being sent back to prison, and Adam tries to hide from Bonnie the fact that his bar is losing money.
Title meaning: Part of a Christmas present that Tammy is giving to her parole officer and the Little League team uniforms that Adam has to pay for.
122
12
"Hacky Sack and a Beautiful Experience"
James Widdoes
Story by : Sheldon Bull & Anne Flett-Giordano Teleplay by : Gemma Baker & Adam Chase & Michael Shipley
Marjorie, Jill, Wendy and Christy take a road trip to see a woman who is famous for her hugging therapy, but Christy's smoking habit causes her to lose their tickets. Meanwhile, Bonnie and Adam disagree about ideas to save the bar from financial disaster.
Title meaning: What the ushers started to play and what the ladies miss out on when they don't have the tickets.
123
13
"Big Floor Pillows and a Ball of Fire"
James Widdoes
Story by : Warren Bell & Adam Chase & Michael Shipley Teleplay by : Nick Bakay & Susan McMartin & Anne Flett-Giordano
Adam's friend Mitch (Bradley Whitford) is in town to make amends to Christy and Bonnie, who reluctantly accept his apologies. Mitch claims to be sober, saying it caused his breakup with Leanne (Nicole Sullivan) when she refused to stop drinking. But on his first visit to Adam's bar, Mitch is back to his old ways.
Title meaning: Jill describing how she does meditation and Mitch describing what God didn’t send him to.
124
14
"Kalamazoo and a Bad Wedge of Brie"
James Widdoes
Story by : Nick Bakay & Warren Bell & Susan McMartin Teleplay by : Marco Pennette & Alissa Neubauer & Britté Anchor
After a break-in at Jill's house, a police officer named Andy (Will Sasso) is assigned to guard the place for a few days. Despite their differences, the two divorcees bond and Jill starts to enjoy having Andy around. Meanwhile, Christy becomes frustrated when Nora doesn't offer much validation of their sponsor-sponsee relationship.
Absent: William Fitchner as Adam
Title meaning: The brand of grill that Jill has in her backyard and what Andy says people call 911 for in Napa Valley.
125
15
"Sparkling Banter and a Failing Steel Town"
James Widdoes
Story by : Alissa Neubauer & Britté Anchor Teleplay by : Gemma Baker & Marco Pennette & Adam Chase
At a Valentine's Day dinner with Bonnie, Christy laments her empty love life and blames mom for her lack of trust in men, but Marjorie (whose plans to watch Notting Hill keep getting interrupted by pleas for advice from her friends) clues Bonnie in and the situation ends on a much nicer note. Jill goes on a first date with Andy, but Andy later leaves after overhearing Jill tell one of her highbrow friends that Andy is just her security guard and not a date. Tammy has sex for the first time in seven years while riding with Yuri.
Absent: William Fitchner as Adam
Title meaning: Yuri describing Tammy's conversations with his Uber passengers and Andy telling the waitress where his craft beer should be from.
126
16
"Skippy and the Knowledge Hole"
James Widdoes
Story by : Gemma Baker & Marco Pennette Teleplay by : Alissa Neubauer & Sheldon Bull & Britté Anchor
When Christy gets her credit card bill and sees how much she spent on cigarettes, she tries to quit, making her irritable around the rest of the group. Tammy encourages Bonnie to take the GED exam with her, but Bonnie fails. After Bonnie describes to the group how she felt while taking the test, Wendy suggests she may have Attention Deficit Disorder.
Title meaning: The brand of peanut butter that Bonnie thinks would be funny to feed to Marjorie's cats and Christy's description of Marjorie's mouth.
127
17
"A Dark Closet and Therapy with Horses"
James Widdoes
Story by : Sheldon Bull & Anne Flett-Giordano & Michael Shipley Teleplay by : Nick Bakay & Warren Bell & Susan McMartin
While helping Adam at the bar during the March Madness rush, Christy gets caught up with a group of guys using phone apps to bet on every aspect of the games. Although Christy doesn't make any bets herself, she receives tip money for making correct picks for the guys, causing her to ask her GA sponsor if it counts as gambling. Meanwhile, Bonnie is at her prickly but vulnerable best during her first sessions with her new A.D.D. therapist, Trevor (Rainn Wilson).
Title meaning: Trevor's comments during Bonnie's session and Bonnie asking Trevor for alternatives to medication.
128
18
"Soup Town and a Little Blonde Mongoose"
Rebecca Ancheta Blum
Story by : Gemma Baker & Adam Chase & Sheldon Bull Teleplay by : Anne Flett-Giordano & Michael Shipley & Britté Anchor
Bonnie gives up a chance to go with Adam to an Eagles concert so she can take care of Christy, who has a bad case of the flu. However, the challenge of being a mother to a sick child soon wears on Bonnie. Meanwhile, Jill, Marjorie, Wendy and Tammy notice a change in their group dynamic with the Plunketts' absent.
Title meaning: Bonnie's description of caring for an ill Christy and Jill's term for Christy's role in the group.
129
19
"Lumbar Support and Old Pork"
James Widdoes
Story by : Nick Bakay & Warren Bell & Maria Espada Pearce Teleplay by : Marco Pennette & Alissa Neubauer & Susan McMartin
Christy and Bonnie are surprised to open the refrigerator and find plentiful, name brand food, which Adam says he bought because the bar is doing well. Adam then surprises Bonnie with a new car at Baxter's dealership, but Bonnie refuses it because her decades-long experience tells her that good fortune never lasts. Elsewhere, Tammy encourages Christy to go on a date with Yuri's cousin, Sergei. Christy likes the guy until she sees him getting involved in some criminal activity, which she fears might affect Tammy's parole status. Christy tries to convince Yuri to throw his cousin out for Tammy's sake, but instead, he breaks up with Tammy.
Special guest star: Matt Jones as Baxter. Jones' final appearance on the show.
Title meaning: The seat cushions of Bonnie's new car and the food that Christy is willing to take her chances with in order to go on a date.
130
20
"Triple Dip and an Overhand Grip"
James Widdoes
Story by : Marco Pennette & Alissa Neubauer & Michael Shipley Teleplay by : Nick Bakay & Sheldon Bull & Susan McMartin
Bonnie and Tammy take a trip to their old foster home to make amends to their former caretaker, Claire (Lois Smith). Angered that Claire blatantly favors Tammy, Bonnie confronts her, only to discover a secret about Tammy's troubled past. Elsewhere, while Marjorie and Wendy attend a play at the senior center, Christy and Jill hesitantly accept a coffee date with a pair of men from their Tuesday meeting. While the two women return from the date, Christy's car is stopped by Andy, who reconnects with Jill.
Absent: William Fitchner as Adam
Title meaning: The three dips Jill tells Christy to use while eating onion rings and Jill's description of how Christy's date, Mark, holds his fork.
131
21
"Finger Guns and a Beef Bourguignon"
James Widdoes
Story by : Gemma Baker & Britté Anchor & Chelsea Myers Teleplay by : Warren Bell & Anne Flett-Giordano & Adam Chase
Despite owning a new car and having no place to park her old one, Bonnie is procrastinating on selling her old beater and being harsh to Adam when he tries to talk to her about it. Her ADD therapist, Trevor, tries to convince Bonnie that the car represents her old self, which she has grown out of but is hesitant to leave behind. Meanwhile, Christy is annoyed that her new law firm job involves grunt work and being ignored by a jerk of a junior associate, but later finds perverse pleasure in coming up with a sharp legal idea that the jerk passes off as his own work.
Title meaning: Christy's law firm boss, Russell, referring to her hand gesture as a microaggression and a complicated meal Bonnie is attempting to cook to put off getting rid of her old car.
132
22
"Crazy Hair and a Teeny Tiny Part of Canada"
James Widdoes
Story by : Warren Bell & Michael Shipley & Britté Anchor Teleplay by : Gemma Baker & Adam Chase & Anne Flett-Giordano
On the day of her six-year "sober birthday", Christy is distraught after learning that Nora is moving to Minneapolis and can no longer be her sponsor. Elsewhere, Adam and Bonnie travel to Reno to pick up a vintage jukebox for the bar, and argue over Bonnie's reluctance to set a wedding date. Bonnie then angrily agrees to marry Adam immediately at a chapel in Reno, which further upsets Christy when the two return. Christy complains that her mother has shared terrible experiences with her, but cut her out of a wonderful one. Everyone gathers at the bar for a much nicer celebration, and Marjorie tells Christy she'd love to return as her sponsor.
Title meaning: What Bonnie tells Adam to fix, and Nora describing the location where she will give her weather reports when she moves to Minneapolis.
Ratings
Viewership and ratings per episode of Mom season 6