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

BusinessHollywood & EntertainmentNetflix’s ‘The Four Seasons’ Turns Midlife Crises Into Comedy GoldByDana Feldman,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Dana Feldman is a Los Angeles-based reporter who covers entertainment.Follow AuthorMay 30, 2026, 02:54pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Tina Fey, Marco Calvani, Will Forte, Erika Henningsen, Colman Domingo, and Kerri Kenney-Silver in 'The Four Seasons' on Netflix.Photo by Emily V. Aragones for Netflix Building on the strengths of its first season and delivering an even richer, more emotionally resonant story, the second season of Netflix’s The Four Seasons asks unsettling but deeply human questions: What are we truly willing to sacrifice for love? Can betrayal ever give way to forgiveness, and even friendship? And can a marriage survive on carefully kept secrets, or does real intimacy demand complete honesty?Inspired by Alan Alda’s 1981 romantic comedy of the same name, which he wrote, directed, and starred in, the Netflix adaptation carries these timeless themes into the present day. Alda also serves as a producer on the series. Season one drew more than 53 million views globally in its first two weeks, with 11.9 million households tuning in during its opening weekend. The eight-episode second season, which premiered on May 28, follows the group as they grapple with the loss of Nick (Steve Carell), while welcoming a very pregnant Ginny (Erika Henningsen) more fully into their lives. This season takes the group from the Jersey Shore to upstate New York and, finally, to Italy for the holidays. Co-created by Tina Fey, Lang Fisher, and Tracey Wigfield, The Four Seasons has mastered the art of the laugh-cry, balancing heartbreak and humor as it explores grief, infidelity, betrayal, and the messy realities of long-term relationships. As Fey said in an interview pegged...