Netflix has secured a new hit with Tina Fey’s resort-set comedy The Four Seasons, which claimed the #1 spot on the streaming platform’s U.S. charts. The series offers viewers a more optimistic alternative to HBO’s darker resort drama The White Lotus.
Based on Alan Alda’s 1981 romantic comedy, The Four Seasons examines friendship and midlife transitions through a comedic lens. The ensemble cast features Fey and Steve Carell alongside Marco Calvani, Colman Domingo, Will Forte, Erika Henningsen, and Kerri Kenney-Silver.
The series follows six longtime friends during their group vacation, where their relationships are tested when one couple unexpectedly separates. The friend group consists of three couples — Kate (Fey) and Jack (Forte), Nick (Carell) and Anne (Kenney-Silver), and Danny (Domingo) and Claude (Calvani). Tensions rise when Nick ends his marriage and introduces a younger girlfriend to the group.
Unlike The White Lotus, the drama in The Four Seasons remains grounded and ultimately hopeful. Carell described the cast’s chemistry as “lived-in,” portraying relationships that feel authentically developed over time.
The show’s title references the changing seasons, with each episode and vacation reflecting different stages of emotional evolution.
At a compact 30 minutes per episode, The Four Seasons distinguishes itself through its humanistic approach. Where The White Lotus employs biting satire to critique privilege, Fey’s series embraces empathy. Even potentially stereotypical characters like Nick’s new girlfriend Ginny (Henningsen) are given nuanced portrayals.
The Four Seasons also avoids shock-value plot devices that have become a hallmark of The White Lotus, including the controversial incest storyline from its most recent season.
Instead, the show celebrates warmth and humor while presenting a believable portrait of long-term relationships facing challenges. “It was a very interesting look at aging and how relationships evolve and change with time,” noted one viewer on Reddit.
The series has resonated with audiences seeking more authentic storytelling. “Warm and funny with perfect runtime, an absolute delight. I could watch so many more shows like this,” another Reddit user commented.
