Grace & Frankie

This is a brilliant and timely series. Sheen, Waterston, Fonda, and Tomlin. I'd guess nearly 200 years of combined acting experience. It shows. The writing in this series is witty and attentive to popular culture. It gently picks away at the nonsense in our contemporary lives and exposes the raw human condition. The only thing that eats at me a little is the upper-class white privilege that penetrates throughout. Despite this, the series makes some very real, critical, and timely social commentary. At the very moment that the Supreme Court of the United States debates gay marriage, we have Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston - two very straight and very accomplished actors - kissing on the screen.

Having met Jane Fonda, Lilly Tomlin, and Martin Sheen, I can tell you that these actors care deeply about their work and the role it plays in advancing social justice.

Sadly, many will critique this show along political lines - whether they support equal rights or not. Watch it for yourself, it's good TV.

I binged the series over a 2-day period and wished there was more. The characters were well developed and the whole thing was very entertaining. It covered many bases that divorce can bring about to family and friends, and dealt with issues of loss, honesty and aging, among others.

I wish Sheen and Waterston had had greater chemistry between them, but their interactions with the family members were believable and poignant. I especially enjoyed June Diane Raphael and Baron Vaughn, as two of the four adult children.

What I can't decide is who I liked better, Fonda or Tomlin. In each case, they braved characterizations that were vulnerable and multi-faceted. In the case of each, this is their best performance, and the two together were phenomenal. Funny one moment and heart-tugging the next.

This is an adult story, in the best sense of the word.

Though I see where one may feel it's dull or "Flat" as one reviewer called it. It's because this show has a sense of honesty and a realistic charm to make you forget its a show and not something happening to a friend. When something seems real it loses a bit of edge, real isn't sexy (girls wearing black thongs every night sexy/not real, ugly laundry or period panties so not sexy/ oh so real).This gem of a show has Tomlin, Fonda, Sheen and Waterson, Living Legends and they prove it in each scene. The history their characters have in some part feels more authentic do to the history the cast must actually have. Years working in the same industry, on a number of projects together (West Wing, Newsroom, 9 to 5, to name a few). The added connections brought by their children brilliantly played by Raphael, Vaughn, Decker and especially Ethan Embry legitimizes the story because no matter what we do it always effects our kids even if they're grown. The revolving door of great guest stars is that perfect little finishing touch to an already great freshman year. I cant wait for more , it does not help that I too binge watched in one sitting just created a longer wait for my self.

Getting divorced at the age of 70? Leaving your wife for a man at the age of 70? In the past, people with more than 20 years of marriage just stuck together. Maybe they were not in love anymore, maybe there was only respect and companion, but a new start at the age of 70 was never a chance. Grace & Frankie makes the opposite happen in a such a real way. Because they are 70 years old people, but they live in 2015. They have cellphones, computers, they masturbate, they have sex, they get high, they feel lonely, they cry, they laugh (and make us laugh) about what happens when you are 70 and don't spend your days in a rocking chair.

I'm only 28 years old and find this show so refreshing. A reminder that getting older does not prevent you from doing stupid things, making mistakes and/or hurting people you love. Because getting older never means you stop failing at life, but you can always take it in a humorous way.

*Note* This review was written after finishing Season 1. I hope it continues this good.

I will admit the first episode is kind of "meh." I wasn't thrilled. I mean this was Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda! It should have been rolling funny.

It wasn't. And the second episode? Well...

But then!! OMGosh!

By the third episode the writers and cast and crew had found their stride and I was in love. So clever! So funny! So sweet! So engaging! Yes, that is a lot of explanation points but I couldn't help it. The show deserves them all.

Lily is simply wonderful as Frankie. I mean I fell in love with her. I want her as my BFF. Fonda was wonderful as well as the uptight Grace. She could have played it as a cliché but I was happy to find myself slowly warming up her as the episodes passed. In other words, Fonda showed up the person beneath the outer shell.

I liked Sheen but was crazy about Waterston playing the men who leave their wives to be with each other.

I wasn't crazy about some of the kids, but that wasn't the actor's faults. They did great. I just didn't find them very likable people. But again that was all right.

For instance is Brooklyn Decker cold as Mallory--but she was a chip off her old mother (Fonda). And Fonda's other daughter, June Diane Raphael as Brianna, is a bit of a bit*h. But again, she was a product of a mother who was never there and very self involved.

I did however love Ethan Embry as Coyote (one of Tomlin's adopted kids). He is a recovering addict of all kinds and my heart went out to him. The only member of the cast that I was cold to was Baron Vaughn as Nwabudike (the other adopted son). I don't want to be mean but he was terrible. He approached his character as if this show were a 70s sitcom and not a Netflix dramedy--his acting over the top. He jolted me out of the story every time.

I really hope this show comes back for a second season. I loved it!