Grace and Frankie had to end sometime.
The dramedy - which stars Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Sam Waterston, and Martin Sheen - has
kept fans laughing and crying since 2015… but Netflix execs still decided to pull the
plug.
Why did they cancel the show?
We have some theories.
Although the friendship between Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda's characters in Grace and Frankie
changes and grows throughout the series, a stronger sense of character development would've
made for a better show.
For example, Tomlin's Frankie is your typical Southern California hippie with an interest
in drugs and shamanism.
"You know what?
This is not the energy I wanted to start my vision quest with."
Meanwhile, Fonda's Grace is a status-conscious woman who mourns the loss of her youthful
good looks.
As you can see, it's all a bit on the nose - Grace and Frankie are essentially caricatures
rather than fully-developed individuals.
Given the talents of Tomlin and Fonda, it's a shame the writers couldn't find a way to
flesh out deeper personalities for the characters.
That's a missed opportunity that might have cost the show in the long run.
In 2015, there was a bit of a controversy related to Grace and Frankie.
At a press conference, Jane Fonda dropped a bomb about her and Lily Tomlin's salaries.
According to Vanity Fair, Fonda said,
"[Tomlin] found out [Sam Waterston and Martin Sheen] are getting the same salary that we
are.
That doesn't make us happy."
"I just need to do what I always do when I'm blue."
Some fans were outraged by this information and started a petition, demanding that Netflix
execs increase compensation for Tomlin and Fonda.
After all, they're the stars of the show, and their male counterparts are supporting
cast members.
Ultimately, the petition amassed around 9,000 signatures.
In an interesting twist, a publicist later reached out to Vanity Fair to supposedly clarify
things.
In a joint statement, Tomlin and Fonda said:
"We made a joke in an interview about our salaries which was taken out of context.
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."
Hmm.
Grace and Frankie has been lauded by many critics as a funny show that's ushered in
a new age of comedy, picking up where the beloved series The Golden Girls left off.
And seeing as the show will ultimately run for seven seasons, it's safe to say that plenty
of viewers loved the show's sense of humor.
But some critics think the show is a little lacking in the hilarity department.
As Mic points out, many of the jokes sound dated - like they came out of the 1990s.
"We are also homosexual law and bed partners with each other.
In life."
Similarly, Grace and Frankie often make bitter comments about their ex-husbands' sexuality
- and they almost always sound reductive.
"Try to be straight for one more brunch."
Perhaps if these jokes were sharper and more sophisticated, Netflix might have given Grace
and Frankie an eighth season.
Some critics have argued that the queer themes in Grace and Frankie seem tacked on.
As Mic points out, the queer premise was added after the two leads had already been cast.
Clearly the priority was having a show that starred Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.
In an interview with Salon, the show's creator Marta Kauffman said,
"Once we knew that Jane and Lily were both interested, we had to come up with an idea
that would be worthy of them because they're both so extraordinary."
When her development executive suggested that the characters' husbands fall in love, Kauffman
simply loved the idea.
Perhaps that goes some way in explaining the lukewarm chemistry between Sam Waterston and
Martin Sheen.
They seem more like two really good friends, less like lovers who can finally stop living
in secrecy after a clandestine 20-year love affair.
Does this body language scream "passionate romance" to you?
"This is my home and you are my life.
I'm sorry about that text mixup."
Waterston and Sheen certainly have the acting chops to convey fiery passion … so why aren't
they doing it on Grace and Frankie?
Perhaps that was just one more nail in the coffin for the show.
Although Grace and Frankie centers around two older women, Salon points out that the
show borrows a little too much from the Amazon series Transparent.
Grace and Frankie was announced by Netflix just one month after Transparent started streaming.
Additionally, the storylines somewhat echo one another: Transparent is about a transgender
woman in her 70s who comes out of the closet.
Grace and Frankie is about two women in their 70s navigating the fallout after their husbands
come out as gay.
Of course, both shows are set in suburban Los Angeles, which ultimately gives them a
rather similar vibe.
To top it all off, the adult children in Grace and Frankie have complicated relationships
with one another - which is yet another plot parallel to Transparent.
"Does your loved one have trouble getting up from a seated position?"
Perhaps that's why Grace and Frankie isn't getting an eighth season - it comes off as
just a little too much like Transparent.
It can be frustrating to have one of your favorite Netflix shows cancelled - but you
better get used to it: According to Deadline, the streaming giant is pulling the plug on
more and more shows after just two or three seasons.
To that end, it's pretty incredible that Grace and Frankie has lasted this long.
In fact, by the time it wraps up, the show will have surpassed Orange Is the New Black
as the longest-running Netflix series ever.
So while you may be bummed that Grace and Frankie is coming to an end, you can at least
be grateful that we've been able to enjoy it for so long.
After all, seven seasons is nothing to sniff at - and all told, it's been quite a ride.
"Whoo hoo!"
"Ocean, here I come!"
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