Tina Fey’s New Netflix Series Has a Perfect Score on Rotten Tomatoes (& It’s Giving ‘White Lotus’)

Don't get me wrong—romantic stories that center on young adults are great. They're exciting and thought-provoking and so relatable. But to explore the complexity of marriage, as told by endearing, middle-aged couples who've stayed together for several years? I find this so much more refreshing.

Steve Carell and Kerri Kenney-Silver's characters, Nick and Anne, are the pair that interests me the most because of their sudden divorce. I imagine this feels like starting over, and I'm curious to see how they navigate this new normal, especially since they share a daughter. But these two aren't the only pair with problems. A few cracks are exposed in the other relationships, too, and this prompts deeper reflection about the health of their own marriages as they deal with midlife issues. It goes to show that even the most put-together married couple doesn't always have it all figured out, and it's interesting to see how each character deals with these challenges.

While chatting with Netflix, Kenney-Silver said, “This show is a love letter to all kinds of relationships. But I love that it’s told through the eyes of our generation. I think everyone will appreciate it, but there’s something lovely about it being told through a lens of people that are at that stage in their life where they’re recent empty-nesters and in long-term relationships. It’s nice to see a story like that for a change today.”

I've been in a situation where I broke up with an ex and struggled to figure out how to navigate certain relationships with our mutual friends, but I imagine that this particular situation is a thousand times worse. I've yet to see how it all plays out, but I do appreciate that the series is shedding light on how this divorce is already affecting the dynamic of the entire group and making things...well, awkward.

For instance, Nick seems to have moved on rather quickly and his friends are trying their best to be supportive, but it proves to be a challenge when they notice how much he's changing to appease his new girlfriend. It makes things unnecessarily complicated, and it's so clear that the group just doesn't feel the same without Anne. What an accurate depiction of how romantic relationships can impact friendships.

Casting Carell as the inconsiderate guy who rejects his wife at the altar (as they renew their vows) and runs off to be with a younger woman was such a smart move. He can be blunt and at times he's immature, but I still find it hard to hate his character. And apparently, Fey knew that his charm and likability would make him the ideal fit.

She told Netflix, “Steve Carell is an American icon. He’s really great in situations where his character is so happy that you want to punch him in the face. And that’s where Nick is, emotionally, for most of the series. It takes a really great, beloved actor to get away with that, and for the audience not to be like, 'Eff you, dude.' Steve Carell, to me, has that Jimmy Stewart quality—even if he plays a guy who’s kind of a jerk, you know that the actual person behind the character is such a good person that you still love the character. Steve just has that quality to him.”

Couldn't agree more.

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