Tina Fey’s Netflix comedy-drama The Four Seasons has returned with its second season, and early reviews are mostly positive. The new season, which premiered Thursday with all eight episodes available to stream, brings back returning cast members including Fey, Will Forte, Colman Domingo, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Marco Calvani and Erika Henningsen. The series is based on the 1981 film of the same name starring Alan Alda and Carol Burnett.
The first season introduced three longtime couples whose tradition is to vacation together during each season of the year. Kate and Jack, played by Fey and Forte, travel with Danny and Claude, played by Domingo and Calvani, and Anne and Nick, played by Kenney-Silver and Steve Carell. The group’s dynamic changes after Anne and Nick announce they are separating, and Nick later begins a relationship with Ginny, played by Henningsen. In a major turn, Nick dies in a car accident near the end of Season 1, and the finale reveals that Ginny is pregnant.
Season 2 follows the friends and Ginny as they adjust to life after Nick’s death while changing their usual vacation routine. Instead of trips to the Jersey Shore or upstate New York, the group heads to Italy, giving the season a new setting and tone while still dealing with grief, friendship and changing relationships. The emotional aftermath of Nick’s death remains central, but critics say the show also leans into the ensemble chemistry that made the first season work.
On Rotten Tomatoes, Season 2 has opened with an 86% “fresh” critics’ score based on 14 reviews. That marks an improvement over Season 1, which held a 78% critics’ score from 80 reviews and a 63% audience score on the site’s Popcornmeter. Critics say the new season benefits from stronger character interactions, sharper humor and better use of the cast.
Several reviewers praised the writing and performances, particularly the pairing of Domingo and Calvani. Some critics noted that the show’s ensemble approach helps it move beyond the absence of Carell’s character, while others said the series has grown more confident in its second outing. A few reviews were mixed, with one top critic arguing that Season 2 repeats many of the same ideas from Season 1 and does not fully capitalize on its potential.
Even so, the overall response suggests a warmer reception than the debut season received. The new episodes continue to explore love, loss, aging and friendship through a mix of comedy and drama, while shifting the action to a fresh European backdrop. All episodes of both seasons are now streaming on Netflix.
