Season 1 — Grace And Frankie -
Grace and Frankie Season 1: A Refreshing and Witty Exploration of Life After 60
Season 1 of Grace and Frankie mixed to average reviews from critics upon its 2015 debut, currently holding a Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic Grace and Frankie - Season 1
Episode 7: "House of Blue Mangoes"
The Authentic Life: For characters like Robert and Sol, coming out is not a single moment but a lifelong process of learning to be their authentic selves after decades of living as "imposters". Grace and Frankie Season 1: A Refreshing and
The series begins with the story of Robert Adler (Martin Starr), Grace's husband of 40 years, who leaves her for a younger woman, Sol (Chelsea Handler). This unexpected turn of events brings Grace and Frankie together, as they form an unlikely friendship. Frankie, a free-spirited artist, becomes a source of comfort and support for Grace, as she navigates her divorce and the challenges of aging. Sexuality: The show does not shy away from
- Sexuality: The show does not shy away from geriatric sexuality. Robert and Sol have a tender, believable romance. Grace discusses vaginal dryness with her pharmacist. Frankie creates a lubricant made from yams. It is crude, human, and revolutionary.
- Independence: The “Vibrator Episode” (Episode 7, “The Spelling Bee”) has become legendary. After Frankie buys a wildly aggressive “personal massager,” Grace accidentally activates it during a high-stakes business call. The resulting chaos is slapstick perfection, but the underlying message is serious: sexual pleasure, agency, and joy do not expire at 70.
- Forgiveness: The finale forces Grace and Frankie to literally hold hands and lie to their children to protect Robert and Sol. It is a masterclass in moral complexity. The women realize they hate their ex-husbands, but they hate the idea of destroying the men they loved even more.
- Jane Fonda brings a razor-sharp, brittle energy to Grace. Her physical comedy—attempting to shoplift, failing to use a smartphone, accidentally getting high on Frankie’s edibles—is a delight. But her dramatic moments, especially when she admits she hasn’t felt "desired" in decades, are gut-wrenching.
- Lily Tomlin is the heart of the show. Frankie could have been a cartoonish hippie stereotype, but Tomlin infuses her with a deep, aching loneliness. When she talks to her plant or drives her convertible while crying, you believe every second.
- Martin Sheen & Sam Waterston as the gay newlyweds are revelation. Sheen, famously the idealistic President Bartlet in The West Wing, is hysterically awkward as Robert. Waterston, the stoic Jack McCoy from Law & Order, brings a gentle, mournful dignity to Sol.
The series begins with a dinner that changes everything. Grace Hanson (Jane Fonda), a retired cosmetics mogul with a penchant for martinis and rigid decorum, and Frankie Bergstein (Lily Tomlin), a bohemian art teacher who embraces herbal remedies and spiritualism, have never liked each other. Their only bond is their husbands, Robert (Martin Sheen) and Sol (Sam Waterston), who are successful divorce lawyers and long-term partners in their firm.
