I’ve been lying in bed, recovering from an injury and have had time on my hands the past few days, so I decided to binge the one show I’ve been waiting to have time for: Grace and Frankie on Netflix.
(If there are typos in this post, I may offer the excuse of having one hand, but I promise to proof-read before I hit “publish”.)
There is just too much to love about this show. Not only do you have Jane Fonda, who plays Grace, and Lily Tomlin, but also Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston, who play their husbands who reveal they are gay and love each other. They’re all nearing old age and a new definition of “family”. The results are hilarious and heart-numbing at the same time.
(Note: the word “numbing” has a particularly close relationship to describe my physical state the day after surgery.)
The show is one of the first I’ve seen in a long time, I suppose since the lovable Golden Girls, that reflects accurately the perils of aging. These characters are in what is unquestionably the last few chapters of their lives and are trying to find the shoe that fits best. I may only be in my 40s, but I often wonder what will become of me down the road when my children grow up and leave home. My husband and I will have been together for many years and we will have decisions to make about our respective futures. It’s about friendship – Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda leaning on each other for support whilst embarking on a solo journey for the first time ever. And on the side, Sam Waterson (who I adore!) and Martin Sheen who have waited 20 years to come out, to avoid hurting their loved ones.
The chemistry between Fonda and Tomlin is as good as it was 30+ years ago in Nine to Five. It’s like watching old friends re-enact what life will be like for me in 30-odd years. There are so many amazing lines that come out of their mouths, like these:
“Is there a group for wives of husbands who turn gay in their 70s?”
“Who hasn’t wondered about Ben and Jerry?”
“If anyone is gonna sit on Ryan Gosling‘s face, it’s gonna be me.”
There are really too many good ones to mention but the writing by Marta Kauffmam, as are Tomlin and Fonda muttering them with dignity and zest.
And me, I want to grow old gracefully and honestly like these four wonderful characters,
Go watch it! And let me know what you think about how media depicts aging in the comments below.
Disclosure: I’m a member of the #StreamTeam and receive complimentary Netflix service but all opinions are my own.
Follow
Thanks, Old Ain’t Dead, love your blog so much. You have a new fan.
Hi Holly, I enjoyed your review. I watched it and reviewed it the very first weekend it was out. Now I’m thinking about watching it all again! Love Jane and Lily and really enjoyed Grace and Frankie.