Netflix's 'The Four Seasons' Shocks with Major Character Death and Alan Alda Cameo

Warning: The following narrative includes plot points from Season 1 of “The Four Seasons” which is currently available on Netflix.

The Netflix series titled ‘The Four Seasons,’ created by Tina Fey, Tracey Wigfield, and Lang Fisher, follows a tight-knit group of friends. Throughout a single year in their lives, they face trials that threaten to divide them but ultimately reunite them again. This contemporary take on the 1981 film of the same name, written and directed by Alan Alda, who also starred, marks Fey’s return to series television for her first regular role since ’30 Rock.’ In her youth, Fey recalls watching this movie multiple times after it aired during the early days of cable when channels would rotate three movies. For her, ‘The Four Seasons’ provided an image of what adult life should be like, an impression that has remained with her ever since.

Initially seeking a new collaborative venture, Fisher recounts that Fey, along with frequent co-writers Wigfield, often brought up “The Four Seasons” as a potential fit. They were aiming for a project that offered a slightly realistic and emotionally resonant experience. Upon viewing the movie, they realized they could modernize it into a television series. After securing the rights, Alda serves as a producer on the show and even makes a cameo appearance.

The 1981 film “The Four Seasons,” which was a hit at the box office, follows the story of three couples as they embark on various trips together throughout a year. The lives of Jack (Alan Alda) and Kate (Carol Burnett), as well as Danny (Jack Weston) and Claudia (Rita Moreno), are disrupted when their friends Nick (Len Cariou) and Anne (Sandy Dennis) decide to divorce. This event causes a ripple effect, with Nick introducing his new younger girlfriend, Ginny (Bess Armstrong), into the group dynamics. Despite their initial attempts to dislike her out of respect for Anne, by the end of the movie, Ginny has become an accepted member of the group, and it’s revealed that she is pregnant, which will result in further expansion of their family.

Fey expressed that what drew her in was the mood and the cast of the show. As a child, she found it incredibly exciting to watch Alan Alda and Carol Burnett together, which might seem inappropriate by today’s standards, similar to an unusual fan-written story.”

“Fey mentioned that what caught her attention was the atmosphere and the cast of the show. To her, as a child, it was exhilarating to see Alan Alda and Carol Burnett together, which could be seen today as an unusual idea for a fan-written story.

The initial season of the show, consisting of eight episodes where each seasonal segment equals two episodes, primarily follows a structure similar to the movie but with certain modifications. In spring, we’re introduced to Jack (Will Forte) and Kate (Fey), who encounter Danny (Colman Domingo) and his husband Claude (Marco Calvani) en route to a lake house owned by Nick (Steve Carell) and Anne (Kerri Kenney-Silver). Upon arrival, Nick informs Jack and Danny about his decision to leave Anne, who, unaware, has prepared a surprise vow renewal for their 25th wedding anniversary. When the group reunites for their summer vacation at an eco-lodge in Puerto Rico, Nick is now with Ginny (Erika Henningsen) instead of Anne.

In the show, Anne isn’t quickly written off like she was in the film where Dennis’ character departed. Instead, Anne is a permanent member of the main cast. And when Nick, sadly, dies in a car crash during a ski trip with Ginny and her friends in the second to last episode (a surprising turn that contrasts with the movie), the finale hints at the possibility that Anne and pregnant Ginny could create a unique, contemporary family arrangement.

In a conversation with EbMaster, Fey, Fisher, and Wigfield share their plans for adapting Alda’s film, focusing on the elements they chose to preserve and alter. They further explore the reasoning behind making one of the couples gay men, what they envision for a potential second season, and how the show aims to portray the importance of having a close-knit group of friends — as Fisher explains, “to help you navigate your life and bear witness to it.

By the way, it was announced that the classic movie, yet to be streamed, will debut on Netflix as of May 5!

You killed Nick! Was that a foundational idea?

In our initial conversation regarding the season structure, Tina Fey suggested (if I recall correctly), and feel free to correct me if I’m off base, that we had agreed on a human-scale approach, meaning life events would naturally unfold as they do. Given our decision to produce an eight-episode series, she proposed that we required a slightly more substantial narrative driving force compared to a movie, just enough to keep the story moving forward.

Tracy Wigfield: A large part of our series focuses on middle age, depicting a tight-knit group of friends experiencing both their highs and lows together. Ending the story with one friend’s departure and the remaining ones supporting each other through their shared grief seemed fitting. However, it’s become quite a significant regret now!

Did you decide to kill Nick before you cast Steve Carell or after? Did he know he was signing up for one season?

Fey: When we pitched it to Steve, we already had that shape, right?

Sure thing!

“Yes, that’s correct. We initially approached Steve because he was the first person who came to mind when we were thinking about finding an actor for the role of Nick, even though we already had Tina in mind.

The movie also ends with Ginny being pregnant, but obviously it’s very different here, since Nick is dead. Ginny and Anne have bonded in the finale, coming together in grief. Is that something that you would want to explore further in a potential second season?

Given the opportunity, I believe we’d delve deeper into the story as Julia Lester’s half-sister is introduced to the family. The female characters in the movie were skillfully written by Alan, but there’s a desire among us to spend more time developing Anne post-divorce, since Sandy Dennis’ dramatic departure scene was captivating yet left room for further exploration of her character.

They don’t really stay friends with her.

Fey: They don’t stay friends with her! And that, sometimes in life, is how it goes.

The idea of what family can be in 2025 is very different from what it was in 1981. Was that on your minds with the Anne and Ginny accord at the end of the season?

Fey: We wanted Anne to not just hate Ginny — I think that would’ve been reductive for her.

Lang Fisher: It aids Anne’s journey as we aim to acknowledge every aspect of this conflict, understanding that it’s intricate when dear friends go through a separation. We’ve all experienced friendships ending with divorce. Our intention was to portray its complexity and depth, mirroring real-life experiences.

I will say in revisiting the movie, hearing Jack say to Nick, “Pregnant? You’re 43 years old. You’re going to start having babies now?” was a real slap in the face.

Last night at the theater – since we attended with Alan, making the experience even more memorable – drew laughter. It was reminiscent of, “Whoa, he’s only 43? I assumed he was 59!

Fey: I know, we’re all fully 10 years older than the cast in the original movie.

Thank you for aging the characters up. Seriously.

Fey: Well,I had no choice.

Wigfield: I think, just culturally even, what was 43 then is 53 now. I had a baby last year.

Fisher: All three of us have had babies basically at that age.

Fey: And we’re exhausted.

Yes, it’s tiring. What are some key beats from the movie that you knew you wanted to hit?

In Fey’s Words: There’s a casual comment from Kate to Jack in the dialogue, “Why are they splitting up? Can’t they just work it out instead?” A fellow fan of the film told me, “Make sure you remember that.

In that particular scene you frequently mentioned at the start, Tina, it’s when they’re listening while their friends are engaging in an intimate moment – a situation that elicits genuine laughter from Carol Burnett and Alan Alda. It’s evident that they find it hilarious to try and act unfazed by the situation, which creates a rather awkward atmosphere.

It seems reminiscent of those instances, often experienced in a long-term marriage, where shared humor escalates to uncontrollable laughter, leaving you both teary-eyed and unable to compose yourselves. These peculiar yet delightful moments are among the many that make spending a lifetime with someone so special.

Fey: We decided to keep the ice-getting scene as well: When the men are hurt and they’re fetching ice for themselves, and Ginny appears. It’s nicer now that it’s Colman and Will, since Colman’s character is gay, and he isn’t making sexual advances towards Ginny. Instead, it’s more about them both wishing for a young, naive partner who would blindly follow their commands!

Yes, Danny and Claudia have evolved into Danny and Claude, even though Claude does get to yell, “I’m Italian!” as Rita Moreno once did —

Fey: We were so happy because we were like, “Wait a minute, he really is Italian! Oh my God!”

I can totally imagine why you wanted to change one of the couples to two gay men, but can you tell me who that you wanted those characters to be in their new iteration?

Indeed, the intention behind the alteration is to make it more authentic, as it mirrors the composition of our everyday social circles in reality.

As a discerning film critic, I found myself yearning for more depth in the brief two-hour runtime of “Wigfield.” The intricate dynamic between Danny and Claude was tantalizingly hinted at, yet the characters’ relationship was merely sketched due to time constraints.

From the get-go, Colman was the embodiment of Danny – a career-driven individual with an impeccable sense of style, brimming with humor and the magnetism of life’s social hub. His Italian counterpart, Claude, remained enigmatic, but their contrasting personalities made for a captivating pair. However, I couldn’t help but feel that the film could have benefited from a deeper exploration of their bond, given the tantalizing hints that were provided.

Originally, the character was depicted as somewhat dull or uninteresting, but during the writing process, he evolved into a stay-at-home husband who takes care of him. However, the initial vision had been of a man who wasn’t quite in sync with the rest and didn’t share our humor. But when Marco came to read, his portrayal was far from what we expected, offering an exciting opportunity to reimagine the character for him.

I loved the Danny-Kate friendship also. Can you talk about creating that?

Fisher: We aimed to create an atmosphere where it feels like a genuine circle of pals, as there are always individuals within such groups who are more tightly bonded than others. These two have been college buddies for years, and it’s delightful that perhaps Kate had a secret crush on him during their college days, while he politely informed her, “Sorry, I’m not interested in you or anyone like you — I prefer men.

We’ve always had deeply bonded male friends who are gay, dating back from our childhoods, and they’ve been there throughout our odd phases and peculiar experiences in life – the same goes for us. This special friendship is something we aimed to depict on screen. It’s heartwarming because I believe that while a spouse is important, having a close-knit group of friends is essential to help you navigate your life, share in your experiences, and provide support. So, it’s great to see how tight these two friends are.

And it also brings out a little bit of a toxic part of Kate also. It seems like she is choosing Danny over Jack at certain points.

In Fey’s perspective, Kate believes that if not for their difference in orientation, she and Danny would make a great couple; however, it turns out that they wouldn’t work well together. As the story progresses in Episode 7, Kate recognizes this when she says, “Oh, right — this deeply caring, warm, non-judgmental person is what Danny needs.” Additionally, there’s a reversal from the original plot here, as Carol accuses Alan of being jealous of Nick. In this version, Jack confronts Kate, implying that her desire to be with others stems from her own insecurity about their relationship, suggesting, “Actually, it’s you. You wish you could do whatever you want. You want to be hanging with anybody but me.

Nick’s daughter Lila’s (Julia Lester) play is incredible. She gets her anger out about Nick divorcing Anne, and his new relationship with Ginny — in front of all of them at parents’ weekend.

Fisher: That’s a Tina Fey special.

Wigfield: We weren’t involved in that matter. Discussions regarding the play primarily took place between Tina and Jeff [Richmond]. We simply agreed to handle other tasks, saying something like, “We’re good for more!

How did you decide what you wanted Lila to be saying about Ginny and her dad?

Fey: In the initial film, I found the relationship between the father and daughter amusing due to her constant resistance towards him. I believed we could develop this aspect further. Plus, as a moderately talented college playwright, I was eager to contribute something. Julia is an exceptional actress with a theater background, making it enjoyable for us all to observe her performance. I believe Olivia enjoyed the whole scene immensely, feeling like, “What joy to witness this absurdity.

You mentioned the getting ice scene from the movie, which is pretty much verbatim on the show. And there’s Kate saying, “I’m a middle-aged woman with dry skin,” which I think about all the time, by the way. In the writers’ room, were you writing toward lines or scenes from the movie? Or were you creating a scene, and then realizing that a certain line would work there?

Fisher: As we planned the overall structure of the season, we often referred to memorable scenes from movies that we appreciated. One such scene that stood out for us was the intense argument between Carol Burnett and Alan Alda, where she was aggressively brushing her hair.

Wigfield: We were determined to have a conflict, and we had a clear vision for the boundary lines. However, the reasons for their disagreement differ significantly from the reasons portrayed in the film.

Fisher: We didn’t choose him for the role just because he was Italian. Instead, we picked him first and later, during scriptwriting for the fight scene, we realized that he could perfectly deliver the line “I’m Italian!” which added authenticity to the character.

Fey: I recall pondering over how we should portray Ginny, both in casting and writing. We discussed a lot about Bess Armstrong’s captivating performance in the movie, and her character is written with a high emotional intelligence (EQ). She’s a good person, intelligent, and she fits in well. We didn’t want to portray her as a stereotype like a bimbo or gold digger for comedic relief. Instead, we aimed to build upon the chemistry between Alan and Bess’s portrayal of Ginny, carrying it over into our work. In choosing Erika Henningsen for the role, given her wholesome and intelligent demeanor, I hope you never find her relationship with Nick distasteful.

Erika Henningsen played Cady in the stage version of “Mean Girls,” and you’ve worked with Will Forte and a number of people you’ve cast in other things. Do you feel like you have a troupe?

Fey: I indeed worked with her before, and if you come across a colleague who is exceptional and brilliant, it’s only natural to want to collaborate with them again. I have a tendency to revisit successful partnerships. Additionally, it would be accurate to say that I share similarities with Martin Scorsese…

This will be a Q&A, so it will, in fact, be that!

While perusing the script of Ginnys, I expressed, “Perhaps we should invite Erika to join us,” and I was quite excited to find out that our casting directors were already familiar with her. We then auditioned numerous talented actresses. Some were exceptional, but they were slightly younger, and I found myself saying, “That would be awkward.” Thus, we made a conscious effort to be cautious. Eventually, I was pleased to discover that without any bias, Erika emerged as the clear winner.

Funny enough, it’s hard for me to fathom that I didn’t cross paths with Kerri Kenney-Silver in our shared ’90s New York comedy scene. Yet here we are, meeting now. But the moment I read her part for the first time, I was instantly captivated. She truly brought the character to life in a way that was nothing short of extraordinary. Simply put, she was phenomenal!

I wanted to ask you about the Alan Alda cameo — he plays Anne’s father at the ill-timed vow renewal she throws for Nick.

In another version of events, our intention was to have him make a brief appearance, showcasing his unique ability to delve into the complexities of marriage and humanity, something audiences appreciate greatly. We began with the speech as a foundation, and later experimented with various scenarios where he enters the scene casually, only to say, “I’m just a traveler from nearby.” However, we soon realized that his character could be Anne’s father, making an appearance at the wedding instead.

We felt it necessary to clarify that he’s not an on-screen character, as it was causing confusion for us.

Did you try to get Rita Moreno or Carol Burnett for cameos?

In my own words: I couldn’t invite them because I wouldn’t feel right asking them for a favor when we had run out of budget, and I simply didn’t have the funds to treat them as they deserved.

Let’s hope for a second season. Speaking of which — not that this is a guarantee in this day and age — but I know there is a writers’ room for potential Season 2. When you think about moving beyond the footprint of the movie, where do you want to take these characters?

Fey: We’re going to start talking next week, the three of us. We’ll see.

Are you locked into the “four seasons” structure?

I believe that’s correct. It seems like you’re looking for this specific group of people. I don’t think it’s wise to bring in a large number of individuals, and perhaps even socializing with Danny’s relative—though, to be honest, I’m not sure about that!

The hotter friend group!

Fey: We should see the hotter friend group.

Proposal by Wigfield: Instead, let’s create an episode featuring the more lively friend group in Mykonos. This would also give us a chance to visit beautiful Greece together.

I believe our series centers around this close-knit circle of friends. Of course, there may be some shifts now since Nick isn’t here anymore, and Ginny’s situation has evolved in her unique way. However, I’m excited to delve into the dynamics of these couples from the first season, considering what challenges or surprises might arise in long-term relationships. It could be both positive and negative events that shake up their connections, making us wonder about the next phase they’ll experience together.

Is there anything that we didn’t talk about that you want to mention?

Fey: Look at this burrito that I had the restraint to not bite one time.

Fisher: It’s just sitting there haunting you.

Hey, do you know why the movie doesn’t stream anywhere?

Fey: Ah! The movie is going to return to Netflix [on May 5].

Oh my God! I asked them about that.

Fey: We said it last night at the Paris Theater, so I think we’re allowed to say it.

Thanks for this. And I’m still laughing at Kate saying, “I missed my epidural window because I wouldn’t take my pants off.” I felt like Liz Lemon jumped onto my screen.

Fey: [Fist pumps]Whatever it takes!

This interview has been edited and condensed.

2025-05-03 01:49

Netflix’s ‘The Four Seasons’ Shocks with Major Character Death and Alan Alda Cameo