Grace and Frankie

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Grace and Frankie is an American comedy-drama web television series created by Marta Kauffman and Howard J. Morris for Netflix. The series stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in the title roles of Grace and Frankie, two unlikely friends who are brought together after their husbands announce that they are in love and plan to get married. Sam Waterston, Martin Sheen, Brooklyn Decker, Ethan Embry, June Diane Raphael, and Baron Vaughn co-star in supporting roles. It premiered on Netflix on May 8, 2015, with all 13 episodes of the first season released simultaneously. The second and third seasons, also consisting of 13 episodes each, have been released on May 6, 2016 and March 24, 2017, respectively.

Despite mixed reviews upon its debut, the series was met with a more positive critical reception towards its later seasons and has received several nominations, including four Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress - Television Series Musical or Comedy.

On April 12, 2017, Netflix renewed the series for a fourth season, set to premiere on January 19th, 2018.

Video Grace and Frankie

Premise

The series follows Grace, a retired cosmetics mogul, and Frankie, a hippie art teacher, whose husbands, Robert and Sol, are successful divorce lawyers in San Diego. Grace and Frankie's lives are turned upside down when Robert and Sol announce that they are in love with each other and are leaving their wives. Now, the women, who have never particularly liked each other, are forced to live together and learn to unite and cope with difficulties.

Maps Grace and Frankie

Cast

Main

• Jane Fonda as Grace Hanson, a retired cosmetics mogul
• Lily Tomlin as Frances "Frankie" Bergstein (née Mengela), a hippie art teacher
• Martin Sheen as Robert Hanson, a successful divorce lawyer and Grace's former husband who later becomes Sol's husband
• Sam Waterston as Sol Bergstein, a successful divorce lawyer and Frankie's former husband who later becomes Robert's husband
• June Diane Raphael as Brianna Hanson, older daughter of Grace and Robert, head of the company founded and once run by Grace
• Baron Vaughn as Nwabudike "Bud" Bergstein, adopted son of Frankie and Sol, and also a lawyer
• Brooklyn Decker as Mallory Hanson, younger daughter of Grace and Robert, and a housewife with four children
• Ethan Embry as Coyote Bergstein, adopted son of Frankie and Sol, a substitute teacher and recovering addict

Recurring

• Geoff Stults as Mitch, Mallory's husband of more than seven years and a doctor. (seasons 1, 3)
• Timothy V. Murphy as Byron, one of Frankie's ex-convict students and Grace's love interest. (season 1)
• Craig T. Nelson as Guy, Robert's adventurous college friend and Grace's love interest. (season 1)
• Ernie Hudson as Jacob, Frankie's love interest.
• Peter Cambor as Barry, one of Brianna's employees and her love interest.
• Tim Bagley as Peter, one of Robert and Sol's friends and Jeff's partner.
• Sam Elliott as Phil Milstein, Grace's love interest. (season 2)
• Lindsey Kraft as Allison, Bud's love interest with an eccentric personality even by the Bergsteins' standards. (season 3-present)

Guest stars

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Episodes

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Production and development

In March 2014, Netflix finalized a deal for a 13-episode straight-to-series order for Grace and Frankie, with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin attached to star in the lead roles. The series was written and created by Marta Kauffman and Howard J. Morris, who also serve as executive producers alongside Fonda, Tomlin, Paula Weinstein and Tate Taylor, and Skydance Productions' Dana Goldberg, David Ellison and Marcy Ross.

On May 26, 2015, Netflix renewed the series for a second season which premiered on May 6, 2016.

On December 10, 2015, the series was renewed for a third season which premiered on March 24, 2017.

On April 12, 2017, the series was renewed for a fourth season, set to premiere sometime in 2018.

Casting

Casting announcements began in June 2014, with Martin Sheen cast in the role of Robert, Grace's husband. The following month, Sam Waterston was cast in the role of Sol, Frankie's husband. June Diane Raphael and Baron Vaughn were then added to the cast, with Raphael cast in the role of Brianna, Grace and Robert's elder daughter, who rebels against Grace's decorum. Vaughn signed onto the role of Nwabudike, Frankie and Sol's son, who was adopted from Uganda at a young age. Shortly afterwards, Ethan Embry and Brooklyn Decker were cast in the remaining roles on the series. Embry joined in the role of Coyote, Frankie and Sol's recovering drug addicted son (also adopted), while Decker signed onto the role of Mallory, Grace and Robert's younger daughter. In October 2015, it was announced Sam Elliott would appear in the second season as Grace's love interest. In April 2017, it was reported that Lisa Kudrow will appear in the fourth season as Sheree, Grace's manicurist.

Filming

Production on season one of Grace and Frankie began in Los Angeles, California, in early August 2014, and ended in late November. Production on season two of the series began in July 2015, and ended in November the same year.

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Reception

The first season of Grace and Frankie received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes it has a rating of 50%, based on 32 reviews, with an average rating of 6.2/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Grace and Frankie's stellar cast adds an undeniable appeal, although its sloppy dialogue and clichéd sitcom setup will still leave most viewers wanting." On Metacritic the season has a score of 58 out of 100, based on 27 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

The second season received more positive reception from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a rating of 89%, based on 9 reviews, with an average rating of 7.2/10. On Metacritic, the season has a score of 62 out of 100, based on 6 critics, indicating "generally favourable reviews". Jasef Wisener of TVOvermind gave the second season a 4.5/5, calling it "heartfelt and hilarious" and "a huge improvement over the sometimes sluggish first season."

The third season received critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a rating of 100%, based on 5 reviews, with an average rating of 7.5/10.

Accolades

Controversy

After the show's release, Tomlin and Fonda expressed displeasure once it became public that their salaries were just equal to those of Sheen and Waterston, even though "the show is not 'Sol and Robert', it's 'Grace and Frankie,'" in the words of Lily Tomlin, and contended this constituted a significant pay inequity. Shortly thereafter, Sheen and Waterston went on the record to support their co-stars' demands for a salary increase, with Waterston being quoted as saying: "I think they're being cheated". After fans of the show gathered nearly 200,000 signatures on a petition protesting the disparity, the two actresses issued a public statement backing away from criticism, saying: "This just reminds us to be mindful of how things come across in interviews. We appreciate everyone's support and the attention to this issue, but the structure of Grace and Frankie is fair, and we couldn't be happier to work with Skydance, Netflix and the great cast of this show." Fonda and Tomlin made a statement to The Wrap that they were never unhappy with the salaries to start with and that they had "made a joke in an interview about our salaries, which was taken out of context."

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References

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External links

• Official website
• Grace and Frankie on IMDb

Source of the article : Wikipedia