Netflix’s highly enjoyable series “The Four Seasons” returns for a second season under the tutelage of Tina Fey, Lang Fisher, and Tracey Wigfield. Directors on Season 2 include cast members Colman Domingo, who directs the first episode, and Tina Fey, who directs the second. The writing staff includes Fey, John Riggi, Lang Fisher, and Lisa Muse Bryant.
When we last left long-time friends Kate (Tina Fey), Jack (Will Forte), Anne (Kerri Kenney-Silver), Danny (Colman Domingo), and Claude (Marco Calvani), they had just accepted their late friend Nick’s pregnant girlfriend, Ginny (portrayed by Erika Henningsen), into their core group, with whom they got involved after leaving Anne. The first episode of the sophomore season kicks off with the friends gathering in upstate New York to scatter Nick’s ashes. Over the course of the seasons, the group travels from the familiarity of the Jersey shore to the stunning landscapes of Italy with a little drama thrown in for good measure.
One of the first things that caught my eye this season was the way the writers organically weave in Ginny to the group. The early episodes really give Kerri Kenney-Silver and Erika Henningsen a chance to shine as their characters are the ex-wife and new girlfriend. The series doesn’t have a drawn-out catfight or plays for laughs; instead, it handles it maturely and allows the women to heal together. I also have to commend the creative team for not throwing in a random love interest for Ginny and actually allowing her character to grieve properly.
The remaining episodes give everyone a chance to shine in their own way, with the core motif alluding to the complacency we all face in life and in marriage over time. In the roles of Kate and Jack, Tina Fey and Will Forte are good and remind me of my own eighteen-year marriage. Both comedic actors have always excelled at dry wit, giving their characters a sense of authenticity.
While fresh off his performance as Joe Jackson in “Michael”, Colman Domingo continues to impress with a layered performance. The big angle of his storyline with Claude is whether to become parents at this stage in their lives and finding the balance in marriage when you sometimes have to sacrifice your own dreams to accommodate your partner.
“The Four Seasons” sophomore season builds on the sharp and witty performances established last year. While the series does give our characters a wrap-up by the end of each episode, I would love to see the cast reunite for another project.
Final Grade: B+
Season 2 of “The Four Seasons” is available to stream today on Netflix.
Director Potsy Ponciroli shifts gears for his third feature in “Motor City,” produced by IFC Films. Chad St. John penned the film’s screenplay, which was actually on the 2009 Black List and spent several years in development hell before finally getting underway.
San Francisco in film is often depicted through sweeping views of the Golden Gate Bridge or romanticized, foggy hills. However, “Splash City” from Lionsgate brings the focus down to street level. Co-directed by Alex Ferrufino and Gilbert Anthony Milam Jr. (better known as rapper and entrepreneur Berner), this R-rated crime drama moves away from postcard aesthetics to present a sharp, urgent portrayal of survival on the streets.
Writer-director Lee Cronin made an impressive feature film debut in 2019 with “The Hole in the Ground” and followed it up with a fresh and gruesome installment in the “Evil Dead” franchise, “Evil Dead Rise”. However, due to adult responsibilities, I missed his third film in theaters. The mixed reviews and rumors of a troubled production have me concerned.
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