The Four Seasons is the Netflix equivalent of background music. That may sound like a criticism, but this adaptation of the Alan Alda movie from 1981, itself a cinematic easy listening experience, has buckets of charm. Coupled up in no precise order are Tina Fey and Will Forte, Colman Domingo and Marco Calvina, while Kerri Kenney-Silver and Erika Henningsen round out this ensemble. This being Season 2 Steve Carrell is initially missing in action, but fans of this Oscar winning actor might just have a few surprises waiting for them as well.
In a season that deals primarily with the processing of grief and that universal need to leave a legacy, The Four Seasons unpacks some serious subject matter. The fact that audiences might not always see it coming is a mark of how disarming this series can be. Every member of this cast is on some kind of subconscious charm offensive, bickering, belittling, and reconciling every episode as the tapestry of their relationships are crafted.
Colman Domingo and Marco Calvani remain an endearing highlight as the most fractious couple in this equation. As the presence of Ginny is a constant reminder of Nick and his unborn child destined to carry on the bloodline, this brooding couple get into the whys and wherefores of having one of their own. Meanwhile, Will Forte’s Jack is mourning his friend through deflection, seeking to celebrate rather than embrace that feeling of loss.
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As a co-writer and creator on The Four Seasons Tina Fey sits back in this sophomore effort and lets others shine. Fey has been around since 30 Rock and SNL so there is nothing left to prove here, leaving the way clear for her writing to shine. There is such a clever balance between relatable melodrama and genuinely grounded moments, that audiences might think dialogue like this is easy.
There is an effortless and engaging vibe throughout Season 2 that belies the complexity of these plotlines as they intertwine. These are dramas and they do revolve around a tragedy, but no one here does much navel gazing, preferring instead to lock horns with each other. What Season 2 attempts to do and succeeds in achieving in the main is an organic follow-on that feels genuine.
This is a show that might come across as easy listening, but blindsides audiences by weaving in universal life lessons that never feel sanctimonious. Themes people have seen explored before, but in the hands of this ensemble cast cease to be as stereotypical. In a time when YouTube filmmakers are breaking box office records, and the playing field is shifting when it comes to cinema, The Four Seasons intentionally tells an old-fashioned story without whistles and bells. An honestly underrated skill in an oversaturated marketplace populated with too much choice.
The Four Seasons is now streaming on Netflix