Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin are teaming up for a single-camera comedy series for Netflix called Grace & Frankie, which chronicles two women in the “last chapter of their lives.” Now, normally this may not seem all that newsworthy, but there’s a few factors to consider here; 1) Netflix has been kicking ass with their original content, especially since it’s not censored like regular network shows and 2) The show is created by Marta Kauffman and Howard J. Morris. Kauffman created a little show known as Friends, which lasted ten seasons and became a cultural phenomenon. On top of that, the premise sounds rather compelling.
From the press release:
The single-camera comedy focuses on nemeses Grace (Fonda) and Frankie (Tomlin) facing the last chapter of their lives, though not in the way they expected. When their husbands announce they are in love with each other and plan to get married, the women find their lives both turned upside down and – to their dismay – permanently intertwined. Eventually, to their surprise, they find they have each other.
The 13- half-hour episode first season from Skydance Productions is written and created by Marta Kauffman, Howard J. Morris and Paula Weinstein, and will premiere next year. Skydance’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Marcy Ross will executive produce.
This may not sound like your usual cup of tea, but I thought the same thing about Orange Is The New Black before I saw it and it ended up becoming one of the best shows of last year. More than anything, I’m intrigued, as this has a lot going for it in terms of talent and venue. We’ll see if Netflix can continue their winning streak with this one…