What would you do if your husband were to leave you for another man?
Today we are talking about Grace and Frankie, a Netflix original series who second season aired (in all countries in which the platform is available) on May 6.
What happens in the Pilot of the first season? Grace (Jane Fonda) and Frankie (Lily Tomlin) are two women in their seventies whose life is shaken by an unexpected revelation in the midst of a seemingly monotonous dinner.
We are immediately catapulted in this key moment: Robert (Martin Sheen) and Sol (Sam Waterston), the respective husbands of the two protagonists, reveal that they are both homosexuals, lovers of twenty years and they want to celebrate their love by getting married. As they are both now single, Grace and Frankie will have to face forced cohabitation and will have to learn so many things about one another.
If this story line so simple and of impact hasn’t convinced you yet, then here are five more reasons why you should definitely watch it.
IT’S RAINBOW
Robert and Sol make a courageous choice, which to some might seem selfish, but for them it’s absolutely necessary. Once they’ve understood that in order to be happy they must show who they really are and they have to live together, the first step is to divorce their wives. This aspect of the series, having to do with the characters that are way past the adult years, reveals how (homo)sexuality is an individual and personal experience, with multiple aspects, that sometimes can mature over time and later in life.
IT’S FUNNY…
We are talking about an unusual TV series: on one hand, it’s an old-fashioned sitcom, on the other hand, it uses many elements of the new American comedy. It succeeds to entertain above and beyond our expectations, but never crosses the line by becoming vulgar, offending minorities or reiterating the usual stereotypes of which – let’s be honest – comedies often abuse.
… BUT NOT ONLY.
There are many scenes that are very reflective, useful to help people understand the emotions caused by a situation that for the two protagonists is not the most optimistic; scenes that will make you step into the characters’ shoes and ask if the betrayal was caused by a woman and not a man, would things have gone the same way? What would you do if the your partner told you that he/she were gay?
FEMINISM, B*TCH!
Let’s face it, I tend to fall in love with anyone who uses words like “vagina” without being ashamed, so how could I not worship a show that, starting from these, invents new words? Vagacadabra, YAAS!
Although Grace and Frankie are more than mature women, this does not mean they are old-fashioned. Strong, emancipated, they talk about what they like to do in bed and with men, always emphasizing that elegance also due to the incredible talent of these two actresses.
THE POWER OF SISTERHOOD
Left by their husbands, Grace and Frankie will – you will discover how and why – to live together. That’s right, despite all their life did not stop, one must get busy and begin a new chapter. This is probably the most important aspect that Grace and Frankie wants to focus on: no woman needs a husband to define herself and to be happy, and the relationship that is born between Grace and Frankie is probably the most important relationship of all.
Needless to say, no TV series is perfectly feminist, but this one is definitely on the right track. If you are looking for a fun show, without boring sexist jokes and that gives importance to mature female characters, Grace and Frankie is definitely the right series for you.
