This cancelled Netflix show just got its final release date
Popular comedy is getting a chance to say goodbye
Seven seasons is a good run for any TV show, but for a Netflix original series it's almost unprecedented. So, it’s bittersweet that the streamer has confirmed the details of the final season of Grace and Frankie in the wake of its cancelation.
The beloved comedy series was actually canceled way back in 2019, with a seventh and final season confirmed at the same time. However, a string of Covid-19 production problems plagued the filming of the final season of Grace and Frankie, which has significantly delayed fans getting to say their goodbyes to the pair.
Netflix has made the decision to split the show’s final collection of episodes into two batches. The first four dropped on the streaming service in August 2021, and it's been announced the remaining 12 episodes will hit the streamer on April 29. This will make the series Netflix’s longest-running show with a total of 94 episodes.
Grace and Frankie debuted on Netflix in 2015, and chronicles the odd pairing between the titular characters in the wake of their husbands leaving them to marry each other. The show starred Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in the main roles, with Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston playing their ex-husbands.
The series was created by Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman, and while it had a slow start out of the gate, over time it grew to develop a loyal legion of fans. Netflix is notoriously trigger happy when it comes to canceling original series, so Grace and Frankie was clearly doing something right to stick around for seven years.
Even with a seven season run, Kauffman told the Los Angeles Times the decision to end the series came from Netflix: “It was a combination of things. Netflix isn't doing long-term series anymore. And we are really lucky that we got the seventh season. I think when we started, we imagined seven seasons. But, really, this is the kind of decision that comes from Netflix. But as sad as I am that it’s ending, there’s something that makes sense about it."
Stars Fonda and Tomlin also issued a joint statement back in 2019 expressing their reaction to the cancelation news: "We are both delighted and heartbroken that 'Grace & Frankie' will be back for its seventh, though final, season. We're so grateful that our show has been able to deal with issues that have really connected to our grand generation. And their kids, and amazingly, their kids as well! We’ll miss these two old gals, Grace and Frankie, as much as many of their fans will, but we'll still be around. We've outlasted so many things—just hope we don’t outlast the planet."
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Let’s just hope that after all this time, Grace and Frankie go out on a high. If you’re looking for something to watch while passing the time till the final season launches in April, Netflix has a new movie you really need to watch, and it’s not The Adam Project. The streamer also has a new true crime documentary that critics are loving, but is dividing viewers.
In other TV news, we're excited to watch Atlanta season 3, as it finally returns to TV. And we're almost at the end of the season for the Shelbys, so check out our Peaky Blinders season 6 episode 5 preview to help you get ready for the penultimate episode.
And for those preparing for to watch the Oscars 2022 live streams, but are still catching up or rewatching the biggest films? We have some advice: watch West Side Story on Disney Plus — and not HBO Max for a couple of key reasons. Lastly, well, if the leaks and rumors are true? Morbius' post-credits scenes will have fans angry.
Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team.