The Four Seasons Season 2 Review: A Funny and Surprisingly Emotional Return

Despite Nick’s passing, the group trips remain a tradition for The Four Seasons Season 2. Of course, that means there are new dynamics at play, which are immediately entertaining to watch.

The first two episodes are the group’s spring trip. Fittingly, the trip brings the entire group together for the purpose of spreading Nick’s ashes.

This means both Ginny and Anne are on the same trip, which is awkward for obvious reasons. It’s a clever way to bring them all together again.

And thanks to a comedy of errors in trying to spread the ashes from the top of a specific mountain in a town that Danny calls “too far upstate,” the outing keeps them all together for this particular trip longer than expected. 

Jack is focused on the nostalgia of it all. He tries to video everyone and tries his best to honor Nick, almost to a fault. Meanwhile, Ginny is now quite far along in her pregnancy, and Anne is deeply uncomfortable being around her. 

This sets up the trajectory of the entire season, which winds up focusing quite a bit on the dynamic between Anne and Ginny, as well as their grief over losing Nick — in their own ways. What I like most about this is that it offers Anne a chance to grow.

Her character is explored in much more detail than in the first season, and she experiences real change over the course of the eight episodes.

That’s true of the other characters as well. We do see Ginny going on her own journey as she figures out how to be a single mom, and she retains a strong connection to the rest of the group.

We also see Jack and Kate continue working on their relationship, which is full of love but also still has its challenges. They have their own goals as individuals and try one very badly named approach to improving their relationship that just creates more opportunities for miscommunication.

Danny and Claude have new challenges to work through as well, as they struggle to decide whether they should expand their family. The show also reveals some additional backstory for their relationship, and the two wind up having one of the most endearing story arcs of the season. 

Another relationship that sees some challenges and is explored further this season is the friendship between Danny and Kate. It’s fun to watch that dynamic, and their antics lead to some great moments of pure slapstick comedy. 

There’s growth and development for every character, making this second season of the series feel more satisfying than the first in a lot of ways. Yet, it still manages to have moments that reference that original film, even though the story itself moves in an entirely new direction.

 The season also includes one full flashback episode. It’s set during COVID, marking a very specific moment in time.

That choice is an interesting one, and probably a smart one, because it not only makes it clear the exact moment in time the flashback was — now six years prior — but it also gives us a new kind of insight into each character.

While a full flashback feels odd otherwise, it does wind up working really well for the show. And, it explains one particular choice that comes next.

My only real complaint about Season 2 is that it’s ultimately too convenient in the way it omits the kids from the story. While I can certainly believe Lila would have her reasons for not being with her mother to spread her father’s ashes, no explanation for why she’s not there is given.

That makes it feel unrealistic, especially given that Ginny is there for the occasion. 

The friends also find themselves together at Christmas, and neither Lila nor Beth is present. This part is actually explained, for one of them, but mostly it feels like a few steps are skipped in order to put the group of friends together the way they do.

Otherwise, everything about The Four Seasons Season 2 works well. This show is relatable in so many ways, even when the situations are heightened, and it perfectly balances comedy with emotional honesty. It’s the kind of show that’s just easy to settle into.

The season ends in a satisfying way for every character, and it comes with a few unexpected twists, too. It’s also really worth it to watch the original film (which stars Alan Alda, Carol Burnett, and Rita Moreno!) either before watching the show or after.

Seeing how the show adapts the film adds another layer of appreciation for the series.

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The Four Seasons Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.

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