Netflix’s ‘The Four Seasons’ Turns Midlife Crises Into Comedy Gold

Writing Complex Characters

Ahead of the premiere, Fisher and Wigfield sat down to discuss this season’s evolving dynamics, including the surprising bond between Anne (Kerri Kenney-Silver) and Ginny, the woman Anne’s late husband cheated on her with, impregnated, and ultimately, left her for. Though that relationship never existed in Alda’s original film, the writers found it compelling.

“That was exciting for us. In season one, these women meet as adversaries. There’s no reason they would ever like each other, but they get to a sort of understanding of each other at the very end of season one. They still have stuff to sort through at the beginning of this season,” explained Wigfield.

She added that their relationship was kismet in many ways. “We loved the idea that if Nick had not died, they would never have known each other this way. They’d never become friends, but at this moment in both of their lives, Ginny really needs help, and Anne is lonely and really needs purpose. They see this in each other, and it just works out beautifully. They’re able to show up for each other in this weird way that no one else can. They know each other in a really specific, odd way that’s really meaningful at this certain point in their lives.”

Fisher said it felt organic to create this friendship. “These two people both need someone, and they are each other’s right person in that moment. We were very happy when we found that.”

Betrayal and Friendship

Kenney-Silver, who plays Anne, sat beside Will Forte, who portrays Jack, to discuss season two. Anne’s unlikely friendship with Ginny becomes one of the season’s most compelling storylines.

“There is a self-serving element. I believe that when the rug got pulled out from under her, she needed to be needed. She needed to know what her place was and what her purpose was. The last time she had a job, she was making pottery and selling it at a flea market when she met Nick. What, 26 years ago, right? Her job has been raising Lila. Well, Lila’s off doing great now. She’s picturing the rest of their life. She knows what that’s going to look like. We’ll go on vacations with our friends, and maybe we’ll redo the kitchen. My life is set, right?” said Kenney-Silver, adding that caring for Ginny and the baby gives Anne purpose.

Henningsen, whose Ginny entered the group as the much-younger girlfriend who broke up a marriage, reflected in a separate interview alongside Marco Calvani on how naturally the character became part of the ensemble.

“I remember when we got the episode eight, season one script, and I found out Jenny was pregnant, I went, ‘How is this going to work?’ Because this insinuates that she’s going to stick around, but in what capacity? I think our writers are so smart with the way they sort of gently threaded her into the group from the beginning to the end of this season, where it makes sense. And I think the two things that they pulled on, one, from a very sort of just generational standpoint, Ginny’s in her thirties, her friends, if you remember them, from season one. Those people are not having children. And here’s a group of people who can provide advice and support, and can also be sort of tethered to Nick, the parent of her child, whom she lost. But the other reason, and I think this is the stronger one, and it’s what ties her to Anne, is neither of them knows what their next move is. They do not know what they’re doing,” said Henningsen.

As for Ginny and Anne’s evolving bond, she added, “I think they come together because, despite perhaps the awkwardness or the weirdness, life is weird and messy, and this situation that they find themselves in is something that only life could write. It’s a story that you don’t think is going to happen to you, and then it does, and you just have to jump on board and put one foot in front of the other. I really loved seeing how they came together.”

Henningsen pointed out that grief can strengthen friendships. “They are both in their own ways grieving, and somehow that brings them closer together, even though the person they’re grieving is a man that they both loved.”

Sacrifices in Relationships

Fisher and Wigfield also explored Danny (Colman Domingo) and Claude’s (Calvani) marriage, particularly the sacrifices each partner makes for the other. They admitted finding the right emotional balance took time.

“It’s clear they love each other so much, but often with our show, it’s like you’re trying to balance the dynamics and make sure that one person isn’t giving too much so viewers aren’t saying, ‘That guy is a real pushover.’ Or, ‘They’re not going to make it.’ You want to make sure that every decision they make, you understand as a viewer. When we were trying to write it, we were trying to figure out exactly what the balance was and how much each of them was sacrificing and doing for the other,” Fisher explained, adding, “I think it came out really lovely because Danny is this wonderful character who’s larger than life, but has some selfish tendencies. To see him recognize what his partner has done for him over the years and be so desperate to do the same back.”

“It’s the things you do for people you love,” added Wigfield. “That’s the best part of a really good marriage. You miss each other so many times, and you don’t do exactly the right thing, but there are times when you both are showing up for each other and really loving each other and honoring the marriage the right way, and that’s really beautiful.”

One of the season’s most powerful moments comes when Claude stands outside a hospital room while Danny speaks with his mother. It’s a scene that underscores the sacrifices at the center of their marriage. Calvani said the moment crystallized his character’s emotional journey.

“It was huge, because living in Italy wasn’t just, ‘Oh, we go back to where I’m from, and it feels more organic for me.’ It was the ultimate stop for me to find my voice again, which I somehow lost by coming to this country and becoming the husband of a very alive and present husband, who is very opinionated. There’s true love between these two men. From the very beginning of season one, it was a choice we made, but it was in the writing already. These two love each other no matter what they go through. They love one another. They made a decision that they are each other’s person. For those people you choose to be your life partner, you make those kinds of sacrifices.”

Calvani explained that they end up with a chosen family when they decide to take care of Danny’s ailing mother. “We end up growing a family in a completely unexpected, surprising way. We are going to take care of somebody who is in need.”

It’s also imperative in a relationship, added Calvani, that both people are happy. “While I’m outside that room, I also hear him saying to his mom that he wants to protect me. He wants to be in Italy because I am very happy there. And that warms my heart. But at the same time, all I hear is that I am, not that we are. I can see that we are not aligned. And the most important thing for me is to be aligned. And what he needs right now is to be with his mom. So I will be by your side. But the difference is that I make this decision now. I’m in charge.”

Like the friendships at its core, The Four Seasons is funny, flawed, and occasionally heartbreaking. The series captures the complexities of love, whether it’s romantic, platonic, or familial. It’s about the people who stay beside you through every season of life, even the messy ones.