In "Grace and Frankie," Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin play two aging women whose husbands reveal that they have been secretly in love for over twenty years. Frankie is a hippie who has lived life to the fullest, while Grace is a grumpy, cynical career woman who has coped with her frustrations and unhappy family life by drinking. Although they have known and despised each other for decades, circumstances force them to share the family’s beach house while trying to rebuild their lives. Gradually, they develop a strong friendship that transcends their individual values and prejudices.

Despite its quirky premise, “Grace and Frankie” mostly plays out like a classic sitcom from the late 90s, complete with choppy writing and an uneven tone. However, the chemistry between the two leads is so good that I would watch them do anything until the end of time, no matter how sloppy things get.

The show hits its peak in seasons two and three, when a stronger emphasis on family drama arises. The challenges of aging and the impact of our actions on those around us are hinted at, creating a more relatable and memorable experience. Unfortunately, the show rapidly declines from the fourth season. The main problem is that the same overall structure and dynamics keep getting rehashed each season, and Grace's character becomes too soft too soon, making the same recipe feel bland. Additionally, the feel-good comedy dominates too much, overshadowing the poignant family drama that could have made the characters even more relatable. Even when exploring Sol and Robert’s goofy relationship, we only scratch the surface of their problems, despite their more grounded approach to life providing a more relatable counterpoint to Grace and Frankie’s extravagance.

The supporting cast is another major issue contributing to the show's decline. Although it seems that the showrunners were planning for the kids to get a more prominent role over time, they clearly had no clue of what to do with them. The lack of consistent storylines and character development resulted in them becoming more annoying than anything else. Brianna is the only exception, though she has little interesting material to work with in the later seasons (just like her mother, she gets too soft too soon).

Grace and Frankie's love interests fare no better. Although they are initially introduced as important characters who can add new dynamics and spice things up, they are conveniently disposed of with ridiculous excuses as soon as they become a threat to the status quo. Jacob is the only one to get decent storyline without turning into a joke, but poor Nick...

Overall, "Grace and Frankie" has its ups and downs, but I would still recommend it as a casual comedy to enjoy occasionally, provided you can feel the chemistry between the two leads. Just be sure not to binge-watch it.