The much ballyhooed new Netflix series GRACE AND FRANKIE Starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin landed over the weekend. Being the gay bachelor for the week, I spent my Saturday in a binge. Like I have said , it is pretty rare for me to do these shows all at once. If I like them, I don't want them over so fast - If I don't, I get bored and stop, usually never to return.
SPOILERS AHEAD
From get go the concept of this had me so excited. This beyond stellar cast, the reuniting of Fonda and Tomlin along with Martin Sheen and Sam Waterson had me really looking forward to watching . People over 40 on tv - shock and a gay couple over 30 on tv that is a game changer . From the minds behind FRIENDS and HOME IMPROVEMENT , Marta Kauffman and Howard J Morris - sadly the show is stuck in some bizarre sitcom universe where the talents of all these actors are just wasted.
For what ever reasons the writers felt the need to put the leads into old Lavern and Shirley scripts , giving them zany hi jinx to do instead of good lines. Such a waste of talent. Jane Fonda who looks absolutely amazing in EVERY shot of show needs to , at least first thing in the morning, NOT look so put together - an occasional hair out of place would have been welcome . And for what ever reason her only goal in life is, after a 40 year marriage ( which really does not add up to their ages - I just dont think the writers wanted to say 50 year marriage ) is look for another man - all the time - and that is pretty much all she does. A retired successful cosmetic company CEO - all she can do now is roam dating sites and wear very smart pant suits.
Tomlin is the only saving grace of the show - but even her great gifts are wasted in some of these scenes - They just take her too far , making her hippy earth mother a caricature , that could have been and HAS been in many many other sit coms. Its a little bit Odd Couple, a little bit Bridget Loves Bernie a little bit Dharma and Greg. Nothing at all new - what a waste.
Saving the worst for last the gay couple is horribly written, and I would almost guarantee write by Kauffman, the woman to de-gayed the West Village in Friends. They say and do things that a gay couple together fro any length of time, but TWENTY YEARS would never ever do. Only in one scene did they come anywhere close to poignancy .
All four leads are at a funeral for a mutual friend - and the Sheen character who is with out dazzling Jane Fonda for the first time in his adult life - realizes his loss of status in the straight world. Yeah, it all looks the same, but you no longer the king of that mountain you once were when you were the round peg in the round hole so to speak. Something that would have been fantastic to explore - coming out late in life, dealing with loss, dealing with change of status - ALL the while being completely happy for the first time in your life. SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT - all wasted on dressing Jane and Lily up and having them dance on a bar after doing shots - really.
Then a truly awful ending that came close to putting a big old pink sparkly bow on this one for me. If if comes back , I will watch again, just to see if they realize what they have and make the show better for them all...
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