‘The Four Seasons’ Is An Incredibly Funny Remake

Whether we like it or not, Hollywood is still transfixed by the classic movie-to-television remake pipeline, trying to breathe new life into old IP. However, more often than not, those attempts prove futile. Luckily for Netflix, its newest reimagining doesn’t seem to have that problem.

That’s because “The Four Seasons,” a new half-hour comedy starring comedic icons Tina Fey and Steve Carell, feels like such a fresh addition to the TV landscape, even though it’s based on Alan Alda’s 1981 rom-com of the same name. Like the original movie, Netflix’s series follows three middle-aged married couples who vacation quarterly, navigating life’s woes through spring, summer, fall and winter. But their latest curveball comes from learning that one of the couples is about to split up, leaving the longtime friends much to unpack on their four weekend trips.

The plot may not be anything new, but Netflix’s iteration takes a heartwarming approach to expand on these familiar characters, leading with laughs all the way, exactly as co-creator Fey intended.

“I hope audiences feel like they are inside a big sweater with us, and also having a dinner party with us,” she told Netflix. “And I hope that any of the joy and warmth that we all feel for each other all transfers to them, and that we are a comfort and provide some laughs for them in their home.”

If the creative comedy team behind “The Four Seasons” — Fey plus “30 Rock” writer-producers Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield — doesn’t pique your interest, perhaps the ensemble cast will. Starring alongside Fey and Carell are Oscar-nominated star Colman Domingo and Emmy nominee Will Forte, plus breakout actors Marco Calvani, Kerri Kenney-Silver and Erika Henningsen.

All eight episodes of the series’ remake are streaming on Netflix.

Below, we chat about everything we thought of “The Four Seasons,” from the dynamo cast and the funniest lines to why more 30-minute comedies like this are needed. Plus, our thoughts on whether the series deserves another season — the answer may be rather obvious after you watch.

When I first read that Fey, Carell and Domingo were coming together for a Netflix TV comedy, I was all in. I’ve mostly seen Domingo in dramatic roles like his stellar turn in 2024’s “Sing Sing,” but I’ve watched some interviews of him, and he is pretty quippy and funny. Let me just say that I laughed so much at Domingo in this show, probably more than anyone else in the cast. Fey and Carell were reliably funny, too, but it really was a treat to get to see this side of Domingo. Plus, his character really got to put on some cute outfits, so it felt like watching him on multiple red carpets all in one mega event. I wasn’t as familiar with the other actors including Kenney-Silver (whose character I loved and related to so much), or Henningsen, or Calvani. But I really thought they all made for an incredible ensemble cast. – Erin

I couldn’t agree more, Erin. Carell and Fey in a comedy together is already a guaranteed good time. But when you throw Domingo in the mix, too, who’s actually pretty funny outside of his dramatic acting roles, I was all in on watching “The Four Seasons.” Honestly, though, the show worked so well for me because the entire ensemble brought the laughs with their witty banter and hysterical antics; I cackled through every episode. I couldn’t get enough of Calvani’s character, Claude, and the same goes for Kenney-Silver’s Anne. That familiarity with some cast members, combined with some unfamiliar faces who are quite funny in their own right, made for a great dynamic in the show. — Njera

The pacing of the show along with its tight and funny writing really made it an enjoyable watch — even when the series explored some really tough topics, including divorce, heart health, communication breakdowns and even grief. All of the characters felt lived in, and you quickly got a sense of the dynamics between them. The plot consistently gives you people to root for — and you can pick sides between the couples when they get into arguments. I, of course, am also glad that they didn’t drag this out to 10 episodes, or worse, make the episodes an hour long. But more on that in a sec. — Erin

The dynamics of each married couple is what did it for me. You have Kate (Fey) and Jack (Forte), the laidback pair who seem to have it all together (until they don’t); Danny (Domingo) and Claude (Calvani), who don’t realize one is suffocating the other; and Nick (Carell) and Anne (Kenney-Silver), whose relationship upends the entire friend group in hilarious and devastating ways. There are so many personalities to keep up with, which made it all the more fun to watch them interact. I think that’s also what made the season zip by.

To your point about tackling tough topics, I think that added another layer of intrigue for me, the fact that the writers could find comedy even during the most serious moments in the show. I hope they stick to whatever formula they figured out to make every aspect of the show gel together so well. — Njera

I’ve been mulling over a story idea about why we need more 30-minute comedies for a while so I’ll just use the opportunity here to go on a rant about it. I watched “The Four Seasons” all in one day, over the course of a few hours. It’s not exactly a background show because the writing of it is so incredibly funny that you don’t want to miss a joke or a quick side-eye. But it’s also not a show you have to give too much energy to either. This is the kind of content we need, Hollywood. Too many shows now are either dramatic, too mysterious, too long, or not funny — and “The Four Seasons” is literally opposite of all of that. In some ways, because of the seasonal format, it felt like watching four mini-movies, and I loved that strategy, too. In times like … this … we need more entertainment that actually understands that TV needs to be more fun and just like this show. — Erin

Yes, to all of this. I honestly could have binged the show in one sitting, but I enjoyed it so much, I broke the season in half so I could savor all the laughs. I can’t tell you how exhausting television has become these days. Don’t get me wrong, I love a serious drama that’s actually good enough to hold my attention for an entire season without getting fatigued, but quick 30-minute comedies like “The Four Seasons” get the job done just as well just by sticking to the basics: a funny cast, good writing, and situational comedy that doesn’t overcomplicate the plot. Like you said, Erin, people just want TV to be fun again, and this show is a good step in that direction. — Njera

I think it’s in Episode 3, when they end up on “vacation” at basically a campsite with a bunch of yurts, and Danny says, “It’s the hotel equivalent of a white man with dreads.” I literally screamed at this line because I knew exactly what he meant. I’ve never loved seeing a white man with locs — and I would never want to pull up to a vacation where I slept in tents and on a rock-hard bed. Give me luxury. — Erin

It’s hard to pinpoint one specific line from the show, because so many of them are downright hilarious. However, the funniest scene to me is probably in Episode 5, “Family Weekend,” when Nick and Anne’s disgruntled daughter, Lila (Julia Lester), catches the whole group off guard with her college play about how “my dad destroyed our family and started dating a stupid bitch.” I almost lost it when the camera panned to Danny, mouth ajar, and Anne with a small smirk on her face. This particular scene captures how absurdly funny this show gets, which is my favorite part about it.

Honorable mention for the line in Episode 6, “Ultimate Frisbee,” when Danny tells Anne about Nick’s new girlfriend and says she’s “really into essential oils, and whatever one she’s using right now makes her smell like a Thanksgiving turkey.” Maybe it was Domingo’s delivery, but either way, I could not stop laughing at the unhinged comment. — Njera

The biggest difference I noticed in the remake, aside from being a wholly modern update, is how deliberately funny it is compared to the original film. For that, I’m glad I watched them in reverse. For the most part, though, the Netflix show stays pretty true to Alda’s story, even down to the same character names (save for Danny’s partner, Claudia, now being Claude) and that cliffhanger with Ginny (Henningsen). Some TV reboots miss the mark when they recycle material, but in this case, “The Four Seasons” takes the most memorable aspects from the ’80s film and expands them even further. It shouldn’t work, but it does. — Njera

One thing that I immediately noticed about the film is that the cast genuinely seemed to enjoy making the film together. Like, they were cackling through so many scenes that I couldn’t help but laugh with them. I also am obsessed with Alda, Carol Burnett and Rita Moreno, so it was incredible to see them in the little movie together. Another change that I really appreciated was that the Danny character in the film was so grouchy versus Domingo’s Danny in the remake, who was just so delightful throughout the series. There were some moments ripped right from the film ― the moment at the ice machine, a thin ice scene and some dinner table antics ― that paid homage to the original but also were well done in their own right. This is how you do a remake! But also, I think it should be a rule that if a studio or streamer remakes a film or TV series, that they should also make the original work available. — Erin

I won’t spoil the end of the season, but considering the jaw-dropping cliffhanger it leaves us with, we absolutely need a Season 2. I won’t be content if this becomes another one-and-done comedy that doesn’t finish what it started. “The Four Seasons” does a great job of getting us hooked on these characters, so it’d be a real shame if this is all we get out of them. Hopefully, the show succeeds enough that Netflix has no choice but to renew it. — Njera

Everybody better watch this show, so that it’s a surefire bet for Netflix to renew. That cliffhanger had me like, wait, what?! — Erin

SAME. I had so many questions. Netflix, I hope you see this because we need answers ASAP! — Njera