Of all the ’80s staples that feel ripe for remakes, the hangout movie might be the one with the most protential for television series.  There haven’t been enough hangout movies in the last few years, and there are so many good ones to choose from. Enter Tina Fey, Lang Fisher, and Tracey Wigfield, who have crafted a new remake of the 1981 hangout classic—and feature film directorial debut of Alan Alda—The Four Seasons.

As in the original, The Four Seasons concerns three couples:  Tina Fey and Will Forte are Jack and Kate, the slightly neurotic but otherwise stable couple.  Steve Carell and Kerri Kenney-Silver are Nick and Anne, the wealthy friends who have lost some of the passion in their lives. Rounding out the sextet is Colman Domingo and Marco Calvani as Danny and Claudio, a couple that has more passion than they know what to do with.  

The story takes place—just like the original film—over the course of four separate trips.  A spring trip to a lake house, a summer trip to a tropical paradise, a fall trip to the university where they all met, and a winter trip to a ski lodge.  

The first episode introduces each of the couples as they are arriving at the lake house. The initial moments are light and fun, and set up the group dynamics almost immediately as a group of old friends who know almost, but not quite, everything about one another. The first night goes well, with talk of soul mates and past exploits and life. Then, the next morning, Nick tells Jack and Danny that he intends to divorce Anne.

The secret does not stay a secret of course, except from Anne herself, and hijinks ensue. By the next trip Nick is dating a much young woman, Ginny (Erika Henningsen), whose presence on the group trip causes all kinds of awkwardness.  

The Four Seasons is a story that wouldn’t work if you weren’t invested in the characters. They need to be fun and funny, but vulnerable and honest, and just a little bit quirky. The characters in this story fit that description both individually and as a group.  

Will Forte is excellent as Jack, and a perfect fit for the kind of role that Alan Alda used to play. He’s comfortable, maybe too comfortable with his friends, but also awkward and weird and self deprecating. He has just the right energy to pull this off. Tina Fey works very well opposite him as his loyal if occasionally exasperated wife, and you really believe that these two are the stable ones. They might have a slightly boring life, but they truly care for one another and it shows.  

Colman Domingo bring a certain presence to his role as Danny, both passionate but guarded with his husband, but open and honest with his best friend Kate. Marco Calvani’s Claudio is perhaps the most stereotypical here as the slightly flamboyant European homosexual, but he also gets several of the funniest moments in the series, as well as some of the most vulnerable and honest.  

Steve Carell reminds us that in addition to being extremely funny, he’s one of the best at being tender and heartfelt, and as his Nick navigates separation from Anne and the new relationship with Ginny, we get to see him run a gamut of emotional beats and he tackles all of them with aplomb. Erika Henningsen as Ginny is another bright spot in the series. As the character that causes the shakeup in the group dynamic, she handles the awkwardness well, and that specific trying-maybe-too-hard well.  

Kerry Kenney-Silver is maybe the MVP as Anne though. Blindsided by the divorce, she gets the most overt arc from bored wife to fully-realized person again.  Kenney-Silver is one of our most reliable character actors and it’s a delight to see her in an ensemble like this. Whether she’s smashing figurines or ribbing Carell, the Anne she creates is someone you can really root for.  

These dynamics are as much a testament to the writing as the acting. There’s an ebb and flow to group dynamics in life, especially among first who have known each other for literal decades. There’s a level of familiarity, both in spoken and body language, the small things they do for one another and the cadence of conversation. The Four Seasons captures this dynamic nearly perfectly, especially once Ginny joins them and causes some tension. Moreover, the relationships between the friends are as or more important than the couples themselves, and that’s something that feels very true as well.  

This is a group that you will find yourself invested in quickly and easily, and you’ll likely find yourself reluctant to stop watching as they take their four trips. There’s awkwardness and strife, but while things may change there’s never any doubt that they’ll still be friends in the end. There are characters are chosen family and love each other, and that feels very true as well.

For those who have seen the original film, you will have some idea what you are in for, but fear not, the series does offer some new twists and turns so you won’t see everything coming. The characters don’t line up exactly either, so it will feel fresh and new, but still just as cozy and warm to visit with. 

The Four Seasons is a charming little series about the power and importance of friendship. It weaves it’s characters into a an authentic, funny, sometimes rocky hut heartfelt story that is never not relatable, and will leave you wanting to hang out more with this chosen family. 

All eight episodes of The Four Seasons begin streaming on Netflix on May 1, 2025.