Grace and Frankie, a Netflix original

[NV Whino]

I wanted to like this. Really I did. I mean look at the cast: Lily Tomlin, Sam Waterston, Jane Fonda and Martin Sheen. But inane, hackneyed dialog; 1970s, high key, lighting; and predictable story left me cold.

Or maybe it was too many chiefs and not enough Indians or too much Botox.

[olddots]

1. it gets much better

the charactors become people around the 5th.show ....real slow start I agree .

[NV Whino]

2. It does get better

Still, I was disappointed.

I've been thinking about it some more, and I think my assessment was correct. Too many chiefs. All these people do much better when they use their individual style to play off a supporting actor. When they bounce off each other, no one gets to shine.

[2banon]

10. in agreement here.

Initially I was looking forward to this, but at first found it really difficult to keep watching through the very first episode (left me a bit cold) but I continued anyway, (which is unusual for me) ..There was just enough really funny bits which kept me engaged.

And it did start getting really entertaining & funny in later episodes.

[ananda]

3. Sam Waterson is the weak link, imo.

He always looks like he's just so proud of himself
for playing a gay character.

Martin Sheen comes across as more genuine.

Lily Tomlin is OK, but a bit too too.

Jane Fonda and the daughters and sons are great!

[NV Whino]

4. Yeah, I think Fonda, the two daughters and Sheen

Could make this work with two other lesser known actors.

I love Tomlin, but her forte is standup comedy. She's great at standup deadpan delivery, but falls flat at sitcom stuff where she has to interact with other characters.

And Waterston's role just doesn't seem to work at all, neither as husband nor gay lover.

We, however, appear to be in the minority with our opinions.

[ananda]

5. Lol.

It's still a good show. It really brings up issues that
senior women face, and that is pretty bold for a tv
show.

One of the best lines was when Grace was looking
for certain qualities in a potential date on an online
dating site, and was thinking about the qualities she
should put down for herself.

At one point, Frankie says something like: remember
the sixties, were you living in a bunker when women
freed themselves from being defined by a man?

That was good!

[2banon]

11. I totally agree regarding Waterston. I can hardly handle his bit. But I love Tomlin .She plays this

really well, to me she's hilarious and I think she does sitcom very well.

All their roles are somewhat anachronistic caricatures but Tomlins' role resembles one of my current roommates in so many ways, you'd think they had her in mind when they wrote the script! For that alone, I'm looking forward to the next season.

Sam's character though doesn't work for me at all. Sheen's ok.

[Goblinmonger]

14. For me, I think the problem with Waterson was his Law & Order role.

It is so different from this and it was hard to jump out of my expectations for him regarding that role. As the show went on, I was able to let go of Law & Order and I thought he was a very lovable genuine character.

[2banon]

15. You know, I didn't like him in Law and Order either, as hard as I tried to.

can't quite put finger on it. at times it was this sort of sanctimonious flavor, there was this weird schtick that just bothered me about him, and it sort of carries in this role. It must be his actual personality that turns me off, but I'm sure he's a nice enough guy and all that

[Goblinmonger]

16. I didn't really like the L&O character, either.

I mean, I never thought we were supposed to, anyway.

I felt I was interpreting his new character with that old character hatred.

[2banon]

17. Bingo, I think that explains it perfectly.

[Silver Gaia]

6. I really enjoyed it. It made me laugh!

[PasadenaTrudy]

7. I'm just happy seeing

a show where the main characters are all over 35!

[NV Whino]

8. There is certainly something to be said for that.

[Stardust]

9. With all due respect, I just finished the season and really loved it. And it's been renewed! Yay

[LiberalAndProud]

12. Say what? I am so surprised by this review.

I absolutely loved the season and cannot wait for more.

[DebJ]

13. I just binged on it the past week and I love it!

And I've always loved Sam Waterston.

I like everything about this show.

[Hollingsworth]

18. It felt a lot overdone at first of First World Problems of well to do people.

I got over that and ended up enjoying watching. Tomlin is a treasure. Waterston was a lot of meh for me tho.

[libodem]

19. Loving this show

At other people's houses. I'm going to ask in here about streaming from my computer to the tv. I recently hooked up to wifi but that is as far as I've gotten. I've avoided cable for the last 10 years. I watch Rachel in V&M.

Signed your best Technophobe.

[NV Whino]

20. If you have a smart TV, you can stream directly to your TV

If you have an older, not smart TV, you will need a "box" to stream. This can be an Apple TV, which is not a TV but an assistant to help your TV stream, or a Roku. Some DVD, Bluray players or X-boxes will do the same thing.

I have an Apple TV and now a smart TV. I still prefer to go through the Apple rather than directly through the smart TV. I just prefer the user interface.

[libodem]

21. Thank you

But all that is like a foreign language. I'm going to either get one of my sons or the son of a friend and discuss this Firestick thing and its ilk, of which they speak.

And I might pm you for translation.

This is an area where I have zero experience.

So embarrasing.