NetflixNetflix's Grace and Frankie is probably not what you expected it to be. And that's a great thing.
On paper it sounds like the things fun TV comedy is made of: Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin play frenimies who bond over their husbands leaving them for each other. Cool, the 9 to 5 stars get to pal around as a pseudo Odd Couple and get into crazy situations together from the co-creator of Friends. But, and this is a big but because it's rare for a comedy in 2015 to do this, Grace and Frankie takes time to delve into the messiness that comes when those 40-year marriages suddenly dissolve. It doesn't go from the big dinner breakup to the two Emmy winners being the best of friends, living their new lives.
Grace and Frankie—at least in the first six episodes—takes time to explore the loss the women are going through, the feelings of betrayal, the uncertainty they face and their attempts to grasp their new reality. It's messy, emotional, funny and entertaining all at once.
Martin Sheen's Robert, Grace's (Fonda) husband, and Sam Waterston's Sol, Frankie's (Tomlin) husband, were law partners for years before they became "homosexual law and bed partners with each other in life." Their affair had been going on for 20 years and the reveal devastates the women—and the men. They've been married to these women for years, so even if they're not "in love" anymore, there is love involved.
Tomlin and Fonda put in heartfelt performances as the jilted wives who now find themselves emotionally supporting one another. At times it is two wacky women of a certain age getting into situations like online dating and accidentally touring a nursing home as a new resident, but at the core, Grace and Frankie is a story about these two women— who couldn't be more different—finding their way again.
This isn't just a sitcom; at times it felt like a movie, which is most welcome. Sorry, Malibu Country. But in Grace and Frankie there are repercussions. The stories, the feelings—everything continues through the episodes to create a magical tapestry of wonderful storytelling. While there are some episodes where you can clearly tell a different writer has taken the task of scripting (it was a bit jarring to go from episodes one and two to three), the story threads remain and are easily picked up.
Another welcomed surprise? The cursing. It's not over the top, with f-bombs dropping left and right, but the dialogue is written like—shocker—normal people speak. There are s—ts and f—ks peppered in, as they should be.
Like other Netflix shows, Grace and Frankie is gratifying viewing because it trusts the viewer to come along for the whole ride. This gives Fonda and Tomlin to develop and grow right before our eyes. It's a show for everybody, especially those who enjoy acting legends serving up some genuinely enjoyable and moving TV. Grace and Frankie is committed to its story and makes the investment in it. So should you.
Grace and Frankie premieres on Netflix on Friday, May 8.