What is Netflix's The Four Seasons based on? Episode 2 reference explained
Tina Fey pays tribute to her inspiration for the streaming series.
Tina Fey is back on Netflix with a brand new comedy series titled The Four Seasons, which delves into the complicated marriages of a group of longtime friends.
The show draws inspiration from a 1981 romcom of the same name, which shared the same premise and was a favourite of Fey's growing up, with the star and co-creator attempting to capture the essence of the original in her version.
Fey co-stars opposite fellow Saturday Night Live alum Will Forte as married couple Kate and Jack, who are shocked to learn that close friends Nick (Steve Carell) and Anne (Kerri Kenney) are getting divorced.
"Kate and Jack are sort of the template... In the beginning, they might think that they're just this much better than everybody else at being married. They need to be just taken down a peg," teased Fey (via TUDUM).
If you'd like to know more about the inspiration behind Netflix's The Four Seasons, here's what you need to know about the original film – including how to watch it right now.
What is Netflix's The Four Seasons based on?
Netflix's The Four Seasons is a remake and reimagining of a 1981 romcom of the same name.
The new series has stuck relatively close to the premise of the original film, which was about "three 40-something couples who frequently vacation together", whose "dynamic is forever changed when one friend leaves his wife for a much younger woman" (courtesy of Focus Features).
While the updated version retains this basic premise, it also expands the story to fit eight half-hour episodes, updates it to a modern context and changes certain elements, such as the inclusion of a homosexual couple played by Marco Calvani (Claude) and Colman Domingo (Danny).
The Four Seasons original film reference explained
Netflix's The Four Seasons pays homage to the film that inspired it in episode 2, titled Garden Party, which features a guest appearance from Alan Alda.
Alda both wrote and directed the original film and has been a collaborator of Tina Fey's for some time, previously taking the recurring role of Milton Greene in her long-running NBC sitcom 30 Rock.
In the Four Seasons remake, he plays the father of Kerri Kenney's soon-to-be-divorced Anne, who is unrelated to his character in the original film.
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The veteran actor, best known for MASH, The Aviator and The West Wing among many other credits, "readily" gave Fey his blessing to remake The Four Seasons (according to TUDUM).
How to watch The Four Seasons film: Is it on Netflix?
Unlike the streaming remake, The Four Seasons is not currently available on Netflix (as of April 2025).
However, it can easily be watched online for a small rental fee ranging between £2.49 to £3.49 from a variety of premium video on demand services, such as Apple TV, Prime Video and Google Play.
Why did Tina Fey remake The Four Seasons?
Tina Fey has said that she was a "huge fan" of the original The Four Seasons film, which she watched several times when she was a girl via cable television.
"It just felt very cosy and aspirational," she recalled (via TUDUM).
On why she chose The Four Seasons for her next project, Fey and her collaborators wished to veer away from the zany, eccentric tone of their earlier work, which includes 30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Great News.
"We kept saying we wanted it to be something that felt grounded, and a story about friends, and about marriage," said co-creator Tracey Wigfield.
The Four Seasons is available to stream on Netflix from Thursday 1st May 2025. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
