“Congratulations—today is a sex day.” It’s a small, cheeky tip from Alan Alda’s character to Tina Fey’s in Netflix’s The Four Seasons, but it perfectly captures the tone of a series that knows how to balance humor, heart, and hard truths. More than just a star-studded remake of Alda’s 1981 film, this eight-episode comedy series soars by giving its iconic source material the time and emotional depth it never had—and the cast delivers performances worthy of a Marvel–DC crossover level of gravity and fun.
How The Four Seasons Turned A 1981 Bittersweet Comedy Into A Streaming Tour De Force
Alan Alda’s original The Four Seasons was a product of its time—both in style and sensibility. While the film broke ground in its exploration of midlife marital crises, now it feels dated, especially in its portrayal of women. Anne (Sandy Dennis) was written off as inert, and her character arc—or lack thereof—left audiences with more questions than empathy. Netflix’s adaptation doesn’t just update the setting; it reclaims the story.
Created by Lang Fisher, Tracey Wigfield, and executive produced by Tina Fey, the new The Four Seasons retains the core premise: three couples who’ve been friends since college take quarterly weekend trips. But when one couple’s marriage implodes, the group dynamic fractures. What follows is a sharp, hilarious, and at times heartbreaking exploration of friendship, aging, love, and identity.
Beyond The Laughs: A Deep Dive Into The Characters That Make The Four Seasons Unmissable
Netflix pulled an all-star ensemble that reads like the comedic Avengers: Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Will Forte, Colman Domingo, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Marco Calvani, and Erika Henningsen. Each actor brings a unique energy to a character that’s been given room to grow in ways the original film never allowed.
Carell’s Nick is no longer just the guy walking away from a marriage; he’s a man grappling with the clash between his desire for adventure and the reality of growing old. Anne (Kenney-Silver) doesn’t fade into the background—she reels, she flails, and then she blossoms. Her journey from humiliation to empowerment is one of the series’ most powerful arcs. And Kate (Fey), the tightrope-walking “glue” of the group, bears emotional scars with a sharp tongue and a softer heart beneath.
Jack (Forte) and Kate’s dynamic is a masterclass in unscripted chemistry. Their marital spats and silent reconciliations echo the realism of a relationship worn by time but not broken. Domingo’s Jack—creative, brave, and quietly battling a heart condition—adds a layer of urgency to the group’s seasonal rituals. He’s not just living for the moment; he’s making every moment count.
Hidden Easter Eggs And Emotional Resonance: What Makes Four Seasons A Superhero Origin Story For Adults
Like any great Marvel or DC film, The Four Seasons is packed with subtle nods and thematic through-lines that elevate its storytelling. Alda himself appears—not as a lead, but as a torchbearer passing the baton. His cameo as Anne’s father, giving her that “sex day” advice, is less about nostalgia and more about endorsement. He’s saying, this is where we started, and this is where it’s gone—and it’s better.
The show’s structure, mirroring the seasonal getaways, cleverly uses setting and tone to track emotional progression. What begins as summer fun with underlying tension slowly turns into a winter of discontent, and eventually, personal rebirth. The misfired jokes, the awkward flirtations, the explosive fights—they’re all part of a larger emotional ecosystem that the series navigates with precision.
Anne’s repeated hotel suite takeovers—once a punchline—become a metaphor for her reclaiming space in a world that’s trying to write her off. Nick’s new girlfriend Ginny (Henningsen), initially seen through the lens of a midlife cliché, gains her own voice as she negotiates her place in a group that’s decades older and deeply set in its ways.
Why The Four Seasons Is The Fast & Furious Of Relationship Dramas—Built On Brotherhood, Growth, And Risk
There’s a moment in every Fast & Furious film where the team talks about family. The Four Seasons is that, but for middle-aged friendships and marriages. It’s about the risks we take—not on the street, but in our hearts. The gambles we make when we confess boredom, when we try to spark desire, when we wonder if growing apart is inevitable or optional.
This isn’t just a show about three couples. It’s about the unsaid agreements that hold friendships together, the emotional labor one partner carries while the other drifts, and the terrifying freedom of starting over when you’re not 20 anymore. It’s about aging with dignity, desperateness, and sometimes, dirty jokes.
Final Thoughts: The Four Seasons Is Netflix’s Most Underrated Emotional Blockbuster
Netflix’s The Four Seasons may not have capes or car chases, but it delivers emotional stakes just as high. It’s a series that dares to make you laugh at your own midlife crisis and then consoles you with the knowledge that you’re not alone. With smart writing, heroic performances, and a story that respects its audience’s emotional intelligence, The Four Seasons is a rare win—a nostalgic remake that doesn’t just honor its past, but outshines it.