by Samuel Nichols, Contributing Writer
Blood may be thicker than water, but no one drinks blood. Welcome back Four Seasons! With the Netflix show returning for its second outing, it’s time to hit up a nice VRBO. Slurp up these scenic getaways while these “end-of-middle-aged” adults stress about their marriages instead of just kicking back. But stress not yourself, dear reader. This has plenty of comedy to keep you interested too.
Everyone is still grieving after Nick’s passing (Steve Carell). After the cliffhanger last season ended, we pick up with the group still going on their once-a-season trips. But they have become more difficult for the group, knowing they have to care for Nick’s pregnant girlfriend Ginny (Erika Henningsen) and almost-ex-wife Anne (Kerri Kenney). Kate (Tina Fey) and Jack (Will Forte) are still the driving force that keeps the group coming together. But the party doesn’t feel complete until Claude (Marco Calvani) and Danny (Colman Domingo) arrive.
The most reliable part of the show is enjoying the scenic beauty of these trips. Gorgeous, sunny beaches. Snowy cabins up north. Beautiful Italian cities. Green and homey mountain towns. Everywhere this group goes gives me travel-envy. I don’t know what they all do for a living, but they must be in some real high tax brackets. But the vacationers themselves are what keeps me interested. With talents like Fey, Domingo, and Forte it is so easy for everything to feel light and breezy. Effortless chemistry and timing go a long way when your jokes have to share a screen with a beach sunset. Personally, my favorite pairing is Domingo and Fey. I have only seen Domingo flexing his chops in big dramatic roles like Euphoria or Sing Sing. So, seeing him match the tone and banter with a legend like Fey was wonderful.
Other standouts include Kenney as Anne. She has a quiet and dry tone that pairs well against most of the casts expressive and outspoken styles. Still grieving the death of her ex-husband who hadn’t divorced her, she is in a complicated spot caring for Ginny and Ginny’s future child, as that’s her last connection to Nick. Kenney plays the role with dignity and portrays a quiet strength throughout.
Despite the good dramatic and comedic elements my biggest overall criticism here is that there is too much comedy or drama when it should’ve been one or the other. Clearly, you have something with a cast like this. The four of them are terrific together and their stories never seem to get too serious. Just having them go on these excursions together while dealing with some situational comedy would have been more than enough to make a good show. It also would’ve cut down on the number of characters you have to be invested in. Conversely, all the important dramatic moments seem to stem from Anne and Ginny’s individual characters and relationship. Both have this connection to Nick and have a right to grieve in their own way. But it makes their relationship one worth exploring. Ginny carrying Nick’s child adds the right kind of empathy for her. Both Kenney and Henningsen do well in these roles too. And just watching them grieve together but coming together for the sake of the baby is good storytelling.
These situations create an uneven distribution of comedy and drama in the show. With one part of the cast being charged with most of the drama and the other part responsible for the comedy, it feels disjointed. Individually both parts are good, maybe even a little better than just good. But no character on the show gets to fully experience both. Ultimately, it is still a good binge from Netflix as the season consists of only eight 30-to-40-minute episodes. But this could have been something better. The writers and cast are clearly capable of making an audience both laugh and cry. I just wish they could have balanced who delivered the gut punches and the punchlines.
Rating: Low Side of Liked It
The Four Seasons is currently available to watch on Netflix
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