“The Four Seasons” has finally arrived on Netflix, and I can safely say I came away impressed.
Frankly, I’m just glad this show lived up to the hype. It was one of my most anticipated Netflix shows of the year, and the first look we got back in March — plus the trailer we got last month — did nothing to cool my excitement.
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For those who aren’t familiar with the premise of this eight-episode miniseries, it’s an adaptation of the 1981 movie of the same name, and it’s bringing a ton of star power to the streaming service.
Seriously, this cast is loaded.
There are three couples at the core of the story: Kate (Tina Fey) and Jack (Will Forte), Nick (Steve Carell) and Anne (Kerri Kenney-Silver), and Danny (Colman Domingo) and Claude (Marco Calvani).
Later, Ginny (Erica Henningsen) joins the group as Nick’s girlfriend after Nick and Anne split (that reveal is in the trailer).
‘The Four Seasons’ shines thanks to its cast
This show has a call sheet that showrunners would kill for, and having watched the whole series, it’s by far the highlight of the series.
Granted, the show’s premise is a good one, even without the stacked cast. It’s basically a play in four acts — spring, summer, fall and winter — and in each act (two episodes), this group of old friends goes on a trip somewhere new.
Things get a wrench thrown in them fast, though. Nick reveals in the first act that he’s going to leave Anne. When the second act starts, not only is he no longer with Anne, but he’s now got a new girlfriend, Ginny, and their relationship screams midlife crisis.
Of course, Anne was still Nick’s wife for 25 years and is still close with the rest of the group, so she never goes away. The rest of the show explores the ever-changing dynamic of the group as a whole as well as the couples within it.
Ultimately, that’s why you watch this show. You want to see these three couples, portrayed by incredible actors, interact with each other.
They don’t disappoint. You can honestly believe that Tina Fey and Will Forte are not only a couple but could easily be one in real life. Steve Carell is Steve Carell, and Kerri Kenney-Silver does an incredible job of becoming her character.
In the beginning of the show, she’s a bit of a dud — like Anne — but as Anne grows, Kenney-Silver suddenly starts shining. It’s subtle, but once you realize it, you come to appreciate the performance.
But the stars of the show are Marco Calvani and Colman Domingo. Especially Colman Domingo.
I would watch a show just about their relationship, which is incredibly complex yet arguably the healthiest of the bunch, because it’s one that’s the most open despite some more than occasional bumps. Domingo steals the scene every time he’s on screen, and his chemistry with Calvani is incredible.
Stream ‘The Four Seasons’ on Netflix now — and binge it all at once
If there’s one knock I have against this show, it doesn’t really get into its groove until you get past Nick and Anne splitting up.
It’s still funny, the couples are still great to watch, but the show sort of needs to get over that hump in order to dive into its story.
So while I typically don’t love the binge model, it works for “The Four Seasons.”
I’d really try and make it through episode 3, as that third episode is where things really start to cook. Be warned, though, if you get that far, you might have trouble stopping until you finish the whole thing.
Stream “The Four Seasons” now on Netflix
Malcolm McMillan
Malcolm has been with Tom’s Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He’s not one to shy away from a hot take, including that “John Wick” is one of the four greatest films ever made.
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