Netflix’s latest series, The Four Seasons, is helping fans realize the importance of friendship while also making sure they are living life to the fullest.

The Four Seasons, which is also based on the 1981 film directed by Alan Alda, makes you want to book your next friend trip and cherish the memories with those you love most.

What is ‘The Four Seasons’ about?

According to the official Netflix description, The Four Seasons is based on Alan Alda’s 1981 film, which follows a group of lifelong friends as they vacation together each season of the year. They start off as three couples: Kate (Tina Fey) and Jack (Will Forte), Nick (Steve Carell) and Anne (Kerri Kenney-Silver), and Danny (Colman Domingo) and Claude (Marco Calvani).

Early on, Nick stuns everyone by divorcing Anne and starting a new relationship with the significantly younger Ginny (Erika Henningsen). It takes some adjusting, but the group endures, even as their dynamic shifts. Just as things seem to have found a rhythm—with the former couple sharing custody of their vacations with friends by New Year’s Eve—tragedy strikes.

How does the series differ from the film?

Even though the eight-episode series is based on a film, the creative team had more time to give the core characters a fuller arc. Throughout the series, the audience gets to dive deeper into each relationship, which also means some characters receive more screen time.

This shift is most noticeable in the storyline between Nick and Anne, who break up at the start of the show. While Anne’s character doesn’t get much attention in the film, the series shows her mourning the loss of her marriage and friend group while figuring out how to move forward as a newly single woman.

The biggest difference? Nick dies in a car crash. That wasn’t his fate in the 1981 film, and the twist lands like a gut punch.

This modern take also brings more representation. Danny and Claude are a gay couple in an open marriage. Their storyline not only portrays love in vibrant color but also explores marriage on one’s own terms—something rarely shown with such honesty and depth.

What happens to all of the couples in ‘The Four Seasons’?

Anne and Nick

Though Anne and Nick divorce early in the series, they eventually find common ground and learn to co-parent their shared friend group before Nick’s death. Anne rediscovers who she is and begins to embrace new experiences, including dating. Her relationship with her boyfriend, Terry, doesn’t last, but it marks one of the first signs that she has made peace with the divorce.

Nick and Ginny

After his divorce, Nick begins dating Ginny, who is much younger than him. She’s beautiful, adventurous, positive, and tries hard to fit in with his friends. For much of the series, things seem solid—until their New Year’s Eve trip. Ginny has spent a lot of energy adjusting to Nick’s world, but when the roles reverse, Nick doesn’t offer the same effort.

Ginny finally speaks up. Nick steps away to reflect and decides to make peace by grabbing a few of Ginny and her friends’ favorite things—but he dies in a car accident before he can return. Ginny is left to grieve, but in the final episode, we learn she’s pregnant with Nick’s child. While one life ends, another begins.

Claude and Danny

Claude and Danny are one of the series’ most lovable couples, but that doesn’t mean they’re without challenges. Claude is a devoted partner but can be overbearing and clingy. Danny is grappling with heart issues and avoids getting surgery. Instead, he throws himself into work, refusing to face his health issues—something that frustrates Claude even more.

Tensions peak when Claude finds cigarettes in Danny’s travel bag and sees him doing cocaine at a party. He throws Danny’s things out. Eventually, Danny realizes that Claude’s frustration stems from love and concern. He finally understands that Claude just wants him to be happy and healthy.

Kate and Jack

Kate and Jack seem to be the most stable couple—until they slowly begin to drift apart in the second half of the season. They try couples counseling in an effort to reconnect. During the New Year’s Eve trip, Kate suspects Jack is cheating after seeing him take phone calls from an unfamiliar contact.

It turns out Jack hasn’t been cheating—he’s been consulting a divorce attorney. Just when it looks like their marriage is over, Kate gets the call about Nick’s death. The tragedy puts things into perspective, and the couple chooses to continue working things out.

What happens to the friendship group at the end of ‘The Four Seasons’

While the loss of Nick breaks everyone, it also helps the group realize that their friendship is what matters most. In the final episode, they come together for a dinner after Nick’s funeral—celebrating his life and the impact his friendship had on each of them.

The Four Seasons is now streaming on Netflix.

The Four Seasons

Get relevant content delivered to you once a week