With a release date of March 24th on Netflix, you’ve had three weeks to watch the newest installment of Grace and Frankie, and if you haven’t seen it yet…make the time, because it’s worth a watch.
If you’ve never seen the show before, (warning: spoilers ahead!) the first two seasons of Grace and Frankie end with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin living together when their husbands divorce them to marry each other. Bonding over their ex-husbands and family drama, Grace and Frankie form a relationship that defines #friendshipgoals. Frankie introduces Grace to her homemade yam lube and the two develop the idea to start a business in… sex. For older women. Between dryness and arthritis, these powerful ladies create a vibrator that suits the needs of an aging crowd.
Season three begins with the ladies developing their budding business, searching for a source of money to get started and trying to get their name established while maintaining their values. It’s threaded with the same hilarity from the first two seasons: for almost an entire episode Grace and Frankie cannot get up after falling on the floor after a hilariously awkward interaction of trying to get a religious group of older women to try their vibrators.
Admittedly, this season focuses a bit more on advancing the plot. The characters’ storylines are more developed, albeit strange in some cases, and create a deeper emotional connection than anticipated with characters like Mallory or Bud. You also might (like me) develop a distaste for some new characters in the season *cough cough Bud’s new GF*. While some might not find this kind of development entertaining, it gives the show emotional diversity and a unique voice that keeps it fresh. This is the kind of show you haven’t seen before, and one that’s worth talking about.
Through jokes and drama, the season has important messages about ageism and sexism. While the show details the struggles of getting a loan, not wanting to retire and the physical problems of aging, you also can’t help but draw the connection to the actresses themselves and imagine them throwing up a figurative middle finger to the entertainment industry that loses interests in older actors. Fonda and Tomlin are passionate, fiery and hilarious in a way that is inspiring to any collegiette or woman, and worth watching episode after episode.
Watch the season 3 trailer here.