The Four Seasons Season 1 Review : A refreshing, witty and relatable slice of mid-life!

Story: Three middle-aged couples who take brief vacations together across the year see their marriages unravel, in different ways, through the seasons.

Review: Based on Alan Alda's 1981 film by the same name, The Four Seasons has been adapted into a series by show creators Tina Fey, Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield. And in the series, Fey also returns as one of the principal characters, Kate, married to Jack (Will Forte). The season opens with Spring when Jack, Kate, Damien (Colman Domingo) and his husband, Claude (Marco Calvani), visit Nick (Steve Carrel) and Anne (Kerri Kenny Silver) at their lake house to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. But while on a hike with Jack and Damien, Nick reveals to them that he is planning to leave Anne right after the anniversary weekend. He describes their marriage as worse than living as roommates, "like co-workers at a nuclear facility — we sit in the same room all night, monitoring different screens." While the two try to dissuade Nick, he is adamant about leaving his stagnant marriage and on the other hand, Anne has a whole surprise planned for him for their anniversary celebration. The spring episodes also bring out the marriage dynamics of the other two couples.

When we meet the group in the summer, Nick has not only brought his young girlfriend, Ginny (Erica Henningsen), on their trip, but has also had her plan it! So the affluent fifty-year-olds suddenly find themselves in a zero-waste eco lodge with composting corners, common outdoor showers and uncomfortable yurts to sleep in. And as much as the group tries to 'be nice' to Ginny, much awkwardness ensues with this May-December romance, as their loyalty obviously lies with Anne. Nick, of course, is upbeat and full of energy, spouting gems like "earthworms are the lungs of the Earth," trying to keep up with Ginny even as some midlife crisis moments manage to spill out. Add to that, Damien bumps into Anne, on a solo vacation at a plush resort next door.

Autumn brings them together for the 'parents weekend' at the liberal arts college, where Anne and Nick's daughter, Lila (Julia Lester) and Kate and Jack's daughter, Beth (Ashlyn Maddox), study. It is also the weekend that Ginny and Anne finally meet, and Nick has to confront the fallout of his decision on Lila. Damien, back from a two-month work assignment in Austin, finds the usually clingy Claude playing it very cool during the weekend, until a disturbing discovery sets him off. Jack wants this weekend to be all about reliving his college romance memories with Kate, but she wants to focus on where their relationship is now.

In winter, it's Anne's turn to make a trip with the group. So they all end up at a ski lodge for the New Year weekend, minus Nick, who is at another resort with Ginny and her vegan friends. Nick tries hard to fit in with this new set of young people who prefer immunity shots over alcohol. But his stories and jokes, over mushroom coffee, don't quite land for them. And he realises he is quite miserable without his OG group and video calls them to find that they are chilling over meat sausages and alcohol, and plan to turn in early.

Aptly set to Vivaldi's vibrant composition, The Four Seasons is neatly divided into 2 episodes per season, each one a tight 30 minutes, making it a breezy watch. As the narrative glides through each weekend getaway, it delves into the inconsistent relationships and bumpy marriages of fifty-something empty nesters. What happens when couples have to finally confront each other, when the kids have left for college? Or confront the fact that maybe they are growing apart. While keeping it relatable, warm and humorous, the episodes give a delightful insight into adult relationships through divorce, infidelity, compatibility, lasting friendships and equally fickle health. They discuss vasodilators and blood pressure medication in equal measure, as day-time drinking and have heart-to-heart outpourings about each other's spouses. While Damien evades the difficult conversations, Claude is overprotective; while Kate is dominating, Jack is indecisive, while Nick is all set for adventure, Anne is reluctant and too careful.

The writing is witty and smart, the banter and misunderstandings between the friends feel very real and lived, although it does stumble at one point when the balancing of comedy with a tragic moment feels a bit off. However, this refreshing series makes no bones about its imperfect characters with their insecurities, emotional baggage and flaws. Nick puts it best when he says, "We are all a little banged up." Add to that, remarkable performances by a very competent cast who share an excellent chemistry. Tina Fey, Colman Domingo, Steve Carrel and Marco Calvani especially stand out. And Alan Alda, also executive producer of the series, pops in for an endearing cameo.

The Four Seasons ends on a different note than the 1981 film, with a cliffhanger ending, making it inevitable that we have to wait for season two to partake in some more of the lives of this group of friends who share their vulnerabilities, as much as they share the fun times.