Grace and Frankie Season 3 Netflix Series Review

Grace and Frankie (2015-)
Season 3 - 13 episodes (2017)

Watch Grace and Frankie Season 3 on Netflix
Created by: Marta Kauffman, Howard J. Morris
Starring: Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Martin Sheen, Sam Waterston, June Dian Raphael
Rating: TV-MA 
 
Plot
Grace and Frankie become friends when they discover their husbands aren't just business partners, they're romantically involved.

Verdict
If you wants a more traditional sitcom, this would be it. It bounces between drama and comedy, though both are rather subdued. It's a look at friendship and love when you're over the hill. It's funny in the sense that, boy getting old sure stinks, but it also looks at love and life at that age. It's the small moments that work best.
With this season, Grace (Jane Fonda) and Frankie (Lily Tomlin) are trying to start a business. Robert (Martin Sheen) and Sol (Sam Waterston) are a new couple in their twilight years. This season dispenses with their unnecessary drama and lets them evolve as a couple. While I'm sure there is a segment that enjoys this show, I'm not a part of it. I can appreciate what it's trying to do.
Skip it.

Review
I could pretty much copy and past my review from season 2 here, though this season is better. It's more focused, which included a lot of heavy handed drama with main characters rotating love interests. That didn't work in season two, and thankfully it's completely gone this season.

Grace and Frankie have to confront their age. They are old whether they want to admit it or not. That age doesn't manifest as experience, but a risk for investors who are concerned they won't be around long enough to develop their sexual toy business they're trying to launch.

The second episode throws a few jabs at millennials who make nothing and just disrupt. They don't fund the business. Frankie finally gets capital from Brianna (June Diane Rapheal), though they both know Grace won't accept it. She doesn't want to admit that she needs help. Frankie tells Grace Jacob (Ernie Hudson) fronted them the money. When both Frankie and Grace's backs go out, Grace has to admit, sometimes she does need help.
Their product alone is difficult to market, as many women don't want to admit to using it

The drama this season is between the kids. Bud is tired of his forever roommate Coyote, and Mallory is upset that Brianna hates her kids. The kind of drama in small doses works.

Episode four touches upon the security or lack of safety senior citizens face. While the episode treats the subject glibly, it has to be a concern for people that are Grace and Frankie's age. They can't overpower anyone.

Robert is considering retirement, tired of being a lawyer. Robert and Sol's relationship really is the sweetest one. They're starting over in one sense while nearing the close of their careers. It brings up questions of who they are and what they want to do. For decades they had to hide who they were and how the felt.

Robert auditions for theater, though the jokes about gay theater seemed cheap. I never get the feeling this show has a handle on the comedy. It's at it's best when both families are together, but it's more poignant observations about maturation that outright funny.

 

At the midpoint both couples are fighting. Frankie is mad about Grace's gun, and Robert is mad that Sol outed him as a former straight man to the theater group. It's these small moments that make the relationships feel real. These plot point are what drive the rest of the season.