Netflix series Grace & Frankie has been lauded for the attention it places on older women and the struggles they go through, especially when having to start over.
The premise of the widely popular series is that Grace and Frankie, the respective wives of partners in a law firm Robert and Sol, find a wrench thrown into their lives unexpectedly. Now in their 70s, the men reveal to the wives that they have been carrying on an affair for decades and are actually gay. The two women, who are completely different from one another, must lean on one another for support.
They move in together in a beach house the couples jointly owned where they discover new friendships, love, and leases on life. And, while the series is dubbed a comedy, it has tackled some pretty deep issues, too. (Note: some spoilers ahead for season 6).
Sol Had Cancer
In the latest season, Robert and Sol go to the doctor together. And, while Robert is concerned about his health and getting bad news, burying his sorrows in bacon and banana splits, they get the call that it’s Sol who actually has an issue.
It is revealed that Sol has early-stage prostate cancer, and he must deal with the difficult decision of whether or not to have surgery. At his age, surgery can be dangerous. He tries to deal on his own while Robert struggles with how to support him.
Grace Couldn’t Get Off The Toilet
The latest season centers around Grace moving in with her new, much younger husband Nick and discovering that she has trouble getting off his low, uncomfortable couch. She then gets stuck on the toilet, unable to hoist herself up. Feeling embarrassed, she calls Frankie to rescue her.
The friends go on to invest in a toilet with an automatic raising seat to combat the issue that is all too common among older folks. While the storyline takes hilarious turns, the underlying embarrassment Grace feels about her struggles is something with which many people can relate.
Frankie’s Hearing Loss
Like many older people, Frankie struggles to hear and refuses to admit it and get hearing aids. When she goes on a date with a new love interest, however, and he reveals a very important secret to her, she struggles with telling him the truth: she didn’t hear a word he said!
She eventually fesses up and gives in to getting a hearing aid despite the stigma around them. It’s a confidence issue that anyone with hearing loss has gone through. While you understand the need to get the help a hearing aid can provide, it’s tough to transition to being seen wearing one.
Brianna Not Wanting Children
Brianna, Grace’s daughter, has always been a career-minded, independent woman. But, when she starts a serious relationship with Barry, the reality of one person who doesn’t want to have children and another who does becomes very real.
Barry is approached by a pair of lesbian friends who ask him to donate sperm so they can have a baby. While Brianna isn’t one to show emotions, it’s a serious issue she must grapple with. Can she live with Barry having a biological child to satisfy his desire to do so, knowing that the child isn’t theirs?
Mallory’s Divorce
In the first seasons, Mallory is seemingly happily married to a doctor who we rarely see. He’s always traveling for business, leaving her on her own with the children. She eventually decides to divorce him.
This leaves Mallory a single mother of four children, a storyline that is often not focused on enough in the series. It’s a tough job for any woman, and Mallory eventually starts a job with her sister, making her a working single mother. She even starts dating again, despite how tough it can be.
Coyote Being a Recovering Addict
Coyote, Frankie and Sol’s adopted son, has struggled with alcoholism for years. Now clean and sober, we still see his struggles as he tries to clean up his life. In one season, he is dating a woman from his AA meetings, though they realize they need to take a step back for the sake of their sobriety.
While Coyote still seems to have some growing up to do, his ability to remain sober even given the circumstances of his life is admirable, and it’s an important issue the series handles with grace (pun intended).
Sol and Robert’s Relationship
The very premise of the series is pretty deep in and of itself. While it’s a comedy, the reality of two men who don’t publicly announce and accept their sexuality until they are in their retirement years is unfortunate but true.
While the two men should not be commended for going behind their wives’ backs for so long, the fact that they had the guts to admit the truth and openly become a couple shows that everyone can be happy in the end when the truth comes out.
Robert Has a Heart Attack
In an earlier season, Robert has a heart attack, and the family rallies around him. It’s a reality, especially with aging, that medical issues can arise, and this health scare gave the entire family a new perspective on life.
While Robert hurt Grace tremendously with his affair and untruths, it’s important to still always be there for your loved ones. And it became even clearer that even if the romantic relationships didn’t continue the four friends would always love one another and have each others’ backs.
Starting Over In Love
As Grace and Frankie deal with the aftermath of their divorces, and their respective husbands getting married to one another, they must try to move on, and that means forging new romantic bonds with potential partners.
In the beginning, Grace has a tough time being intimate with someone new, while Frankie can’t help but compare everyone to Sol, who is, for all intents and purposes, still her soulmate. The women go through hardships, break-ups, and confusion as they try to get back into the dating scene at the least likely time in their lives to do so.
Babe’s Assisted Suicide
In season two, Estelle Parsons plays Babe, a long-time friend of both ladies. And, while her upbeat and cheery nature gives the ladies a much-needed boost of morale, she eventually reveals some very sad news. She is dying of terminal cancer.
It takes an even more somber note when Babe asks Grace and Frankie to help her throw a big goodbye party and assist her in ending her life. The women struggle with not only knowing they will be losing their friend but also with the decision of whether to help her or not.
