‘The Four Seasons’ Review: Tina Fey’s Star-Studded Netflix Divorce Dramedy Isn’t a Trip to Remember

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During the third season of HBO’s The White Lotus, there is a group of three friends from childhood who make it clear they don’t get along. From the instant they disembark the boat, these 40-somethings are exchanging subtle jabs and gossiping about each other. However, at the end of the week, one friend expresses genuine feelings about how their shared past has given their relationship significance. “We began this journey together,” she says. “I mean, we’re going through it separately now. But we’re still connected.” She continues, “I look at you all, and I feel like there is something meaningful here.

While observing an unhappy group in Tina Fey’s latest Netflix show, “The Four Seasons,” I found myself reminiscing about that speech, which seemed strikingly similar to the dynamics of this new clique. The bond they share, forged over shared history, might be the reason they keep returning to each other, taking four annual vacations together. However, there seems to be little proof that they genuinely enjoy one another’s company.

Over time, their relationships may grow stronger, but I can’t say the same about the series itself. Its eight episodes don’t feel like valuable use of my time, more just a passing of it, in a way that’s neither entertaining enough to hate nor engaging enough to love.

To be fair, it appears that the friendships among the three couples in “The Four Seasons” are stable, albeit peculiar given their long history together. However, it’s the marriages that seem to be on shaky ground. As the group assembles for a weekend at a lake house to celebrate Nick (Steve Carell)’s 25th anniversary with Anne (Kerri Kenney-Silver), what nobody else is aware of is that Nick has already made up his mind to end things with her.

The news unexpectedly shocks Anne’s friends more than it does her, causing chaos in all their lives. Over three additional journeys – a summer holiday at an overzealously eco-friendly lodge, a visit to Vassar College during parents’ weekend in the fall, and a New Year’s Eve ski trip – we observe how the remaining couples are compelled to scrutinize the flaws in their relationships, facing both real and symbolic storms.

As a gaming enthusiast delving into the world of television, I can’t help but feel excited about “The Four Seasons.” With big names like Carell, Kenney-Silver, Fey, Forte, Domingo, and Calvani on board, it’s tough not to have high hopes. Fey even co-created this series, teaming up with Tracey Wigfield (from NBC’s “Great News” and Peacock’s “Saved by the Bell” reboot) and Lang Fisher (Netflix’s “Never Have I Ever”). Just seeing these names makes me anticipate great things, even after the first two episodes (directed by Oscar nominees Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini), which didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

Man, I can’t help but feel a bit underwhelmed with each episode starting off with typical seasonal visuals – flowers in full bloom or trees glistening with frost, all set to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. It’s not that I’m expecting the same level of rapid-fire jokes as 30 Rock and its descendants, but a bit more of their wit, crisp pacing, or unique universe building would have been great. After all, this is my gaming world, and I crave a little more excitement!

Rather than experiencing a wealth of substance, we encounter numerous elements that merely exist. While there are distinct, captivating descriptions (such as Nick’s vivid portrayal of his marriage as “similar to coworkers at a nuclear facility – we spend all night in the same room, monitoring different screens”) and occasional humorous climaxes, these instances are insufficient to imbue The Four Seasons with a unique comedic spirit. There are some delightful moments and touching ones, but they seldom resonate deeply due to the shallow character development.

Danny and Kate are narrow-mindedly cynical, closely bonded in their mutual disdain for emotions and their disrespect towards their spouses. Meanwhile, their partners – Jack and Claude – are equally tiresome, albeit in different manners: Jack tends to be spineless while Claude leans towards melodrama, and both seem overly dependent on their partners who may not feel the same way. Nick appears to be going through a typical midlife crisis, complete with a new flashy car and a new romantic interest, and the show doesn’t make much of an effort to portray him as anything more than that. Instead, these characters resemble the outcomes of a personality quiz rather than well-rounded individuals.

In Nick’s circle, there are two women who stand out differently: Kenney-Silver delivers an emotionally complex portrayal of Anne, teetering on the thin edge between heartbroken and pitiful. Her eyes, large and expressive, reflect the internal struggle between her despair and anger over her old life’s end, and her cautious optimism for a fresh start. Similarly, Erika Henningsen skillfully develops Nick’s spirited younger girlfriend Ginny from a stereotype (as one character snidely remarks, “her personality is all squats”) into a realistically complex woman, striving imperfectly to understand and support her boyfriend.

Anne and Ginny’s relationship has a lively, unpredictable nature that could support an engaging series, but not this one, as it appears overly focused on Kate, Jack, Danny, and Claude continuously rehashing their disagreements. Titled “The Four Seasons,” the show presents itself as an exploration of marriage, and it’s accurate that in long-term relationships, certain conflicts do recur. However, the constant portrayal of their resentments becomes monotonous, making even joyful moments feel like precursors to future arguments.

In a somewhat skeptical tone, the play The Four Seasons concludes with an overly sentimental twist, where a character surprisingly embraces the idea of “soulmates” that they had previously scorned. However, it’s the characters who view marriage as more of a responsibility than a comfort zone that truly resonate. If you’ve accumulated a quarter-century of shared memories, have a child you both cherish and a home you jointly own, maintaining the status quo may seem like the easier option – even if it means enduring hardship – simply because change can be an arduous endeavor.

It’s fortunate that I only possess four hours of history with “The Four Seasons,” as I find it easy to dismiss them as an insignificant moment and continue with the rest of my life without giving them much thought.

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2025-05-01 10:24