Has anyone else been watching? I binge watched the whole show this weekend and just loved it. It's great to see Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda together again, and the rest of the cast is excellent as well. Thought it was extremely funny, but also touching and thought provoking. In some ways it reminded me of Transparent, though the experiences are not the same. Really hope it gets picked up for a second season!
I watched three episodes, and while it was good, I kept wishing the actresses had switched roles. The roles seem tailored to them, and I'd prefer just the opposite.
"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg."
-- Thomas Jefferson
I have also watched three episodes last night and funny you mentioned the actresses switching roles madbrian I was thinking the same thing. Also so far the 4 supporting children not a fan with any of their acting abilities hopefully that will change the more I get into the show. So far favorite line had to do with sandy vagina. :)
"I hope your Fanny is bigger than my Peter."
Mary Martin to Ezio Pinza opening night of Fanny.
I don't think it's in the same league as TRANSPARENT, but it's entertaining, and the four leads are great! (Falling in love with Lily Tomlin all over again!) I'm not crazy about the supporting cast, and think the characters could have been better developed. I also don't think that it lends itself to, or benefits from, binge viewing. It can become repetitive. A couple of episodes at a time is enough for me. I've watched the first four, so far. Hoping it continues to improve and gets a chance at a second season.
I liked June Diane Raphael quite a lot as the Type-A businesswoman daughter, and Brooklyn Decker grew on me as the episodes progressed. (I watched the whole thing.) Ethan Embry and Baron Vaughn were less successful overall, but their characters also felt less substantially developed in the writing.
I think it's... fairly good. Mostly due to the cast, though (I'm half way through,) there have been a few really well written scenes. I think it's the tone that throws me--it doesn't seem to know whether it wants to be a punchline heavy sitcom (no surprise since Marta Kaufman, a co-creator, is most famous from Friends,) or--and forgive me for using this term--a 30 minute dramedy. Some of the drama really falls flat for me--though more with the other characters--Robert's break down and reconciliation with Sol near the end of the funeral episode did NOT work remotely for me.
I expect heavy acting award nominations for the leads, though the Emmys and especially Globes probably would have given the leads nominations no matter what the quality.
Three episodes in... When it's funny, it's really funny, but when it's dull, it's reeeaallly dull. I love Tomlin and Fonda. Not really giving two sh**s about anyone else on the show though.
I'm on episode 10 now I think. Jane and Lily are superb, but when the focus is taken off of them, it starts to fall apart for me.
I do love seeing Tinnifer from Parks and Rec though!
They really needed to keep the focus on the 2 ladies and have everyone weave in and out of their story. I found myself zoning out when Jane and Lily weren't the focus. Sam Waterston is quite good, but I'm not convinced by Martin Sheen at all. If they pick it up for a second season, I hope they're able to find more focus in the show. Just all over the place at places for me for long spells.
It's also crazy that all 4 of them were paid the same salary for the 1st season.
I just finished watching the whole thing, it only took me two days (i had yesterday off) and I mildly enjoyed it. I was engaged enough to watch the whole thing although I frequently didn't pay the most attention. I love Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin (although I also expected Dolly Parton to at least appear at some point during the season, a missed opportunity) and it was wonderful to see them together. Jane looks fantastic. I give it a B. Minus.
"Contentment, it seems, simply happens. It appears accompanied by no bravos and no tears."
"I feel like the kids (Fonda's especially) seem way too young to be children of these people. "
I kept thinking that too, especially because both of the couples had been married for 40 years and the kids seemed much younger than that. Although Lily Tomlin's are adopted (they never specified if one of them was infertile or not) so that wasn't as distracting.
"Contentment, it seems, simply happens. It appears accompanied by no bravos and no tears."
I wonder if the show was rushed. The directing often feels only as adequate as a (admittedly well done) web series--the episode where Grace is looking up online sites and Frankie and Grace's daughter get instantly high was especially poorly done (as was the whole dream focus of that episode.)