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Tina Fey’s New Show SHOCKS Fans! Is This REALLY Her?

BBG News

Instead of the usual words like ‘brutal’ or ‘harsh’, connected with Tina Fey, consider using ‘sharp’, ‘witty’, or ‘biting’. However, these new Netflix series, “The Four Seasons“, co-created and starring Fey, exhibit a different side. Unlike her previous works like “Saturday Night Live“, “Mean Girls“, or “30 Rock” filled with absurd characters, quick humor, and cynical social commentary, this dramedy series is more about the heartfelt portrayal of marriage and friendship among Gen X empty nesters. It’s a softer, more empathetic approach that showcases Fey in a tender and wistful light.

The change in the show’s tone might be due to the fact that “The Four Seasons” wasn’t solely created by Tina Fey, Lang Fisher (of “Never Have I Ever”), and Tracey Wigfield (of “Great News”). Instead, it is based on Alan Alda’s 1981 film of the same name, which was a popular urban comedy that has been overshadowed over time by classic ’80s romantic comedies like “When Harry Met Sally.” Just like in Alda’s movie, the title refers to four seasonal group vacations (two half-hour episodes for each season in the series), with the appropriate Vivaldi concerto accompanying each. Alongside a star-studded cast that includes Steve Carell and Colman Domingo, Tina Fey plays Kate, a responsible and anxious pragmatist married to Jack, a passive and contemplative man played by Will Forte; Carol Burnett and Alda originally portrayed these roles.

As I step into this new phase, I can’t help but feel it’s a softer turn for me. Recently, on Amy Poehler’s podcast, “Good Hang,” I referred to it as a “very, very gentle program” and I’m eager to see how it’s received. My approach is surprisingly compassionate, which seems to be shedding a different light on the nearly three decades of work that came before. The harshness and controversy that often surrounded my perspective may have masked it, but I believe there was always a more benevolent sensibility waiting to emerge, and now it finally is.

In a 2024 interview for the podcast Las Culturistas, Tina Fey advised Bowen Yang, “Being truthful can be risky and costly.” Yang had become too well-known, she explained, to continue expressing straightforward opinions about individuals he might one day collaborate with. “Are you having an issue with Saltburn?” Fey inquired. “Just keep it private,” she suggested. “Because what will you do when Emerald Fennell contacts you about her next project, where you portray Carey Mulligan’s coworker in the bridal section of Harrods and then Act 3 takes a sudden, sexually violent turn? You’ll have to pretend to be taken aback by that twist.

The essence of Fey’s playful critique – that being a celebrity means anything you say can be turned against you – and the fact that it became viral are significant. Since her portrayal of Liz Lemon, the harried, unglamorous sketch-show head writer in 30 Rock, which coincided with the rise of pop feminism in the late aughts, every one of her plots and statements has been under close scrutiny. Tina Fey has a large number of devoted fans, but she’s also faced more than her fair share of misogyny and criticism for her controversial stance on identity politics.

A significant portion of backlash against her choice was both appropriate and essential. Prior to the Black Lives Matter movement sparking introspection in the entertainment industry, Tina Fey unfortunately included white actors in blackface on 30 Rock. Despite the joke being at the expense of an unenlightened character or a racist entertainment sector, the painful imagery couldn’t be overshadowed by context. In 2020, she issued an apology and removed those episodes from streaming platforms.

Despite audiences being quick to judge Fey critically, her jokes have sometimes sparked unnecessary backlash. For instance, after the 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, she faced criticism for a sketch on SNL where she humorously suggested viewers should deal with their anger by eating cake instead of fighting Nazis. It was clear to any reasonable viewer that Fey wasn’t condoning the marchers, and even slipped in progressive opinions for broadcast television. She said things like, “This isn’t our country. We took it from the Native Americans. When they peacefully protest, we shoot at them with rubber bullets. But you, chinless turds, can march through the streets with semiautomatic weapons.” However, she admitted that the segment didn’t meet her expectations and on David Letterman’s show, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, she stated, “If I had a time machine, I would end the piece by saying… ‘Fight [the Nazis] in every way except the way that they want.’

When Fey finds herself in difficult situations, whether justified or not, it’s often due to her dark humor being rooted in a layer of societal cynicism – including Hollywood as its reflection – that isn’t always apparent. While viewers understood her award-winning portrayal of Sarah Palin on SNL represented the VP candidate’s appeal to a demographic seeking ‘Caribou Barbie’ in politics, they didn’t always grasp that the characters of Jenna Maroney and Tracy Jordan from 30 Rock’s show-within-a-show were caricatures of certain negative stereotypes about white women and Black men. This wasn’t because Fey believed these characters accurately depicted those groups, but rather because the entertainment industry favors performers who cater to audiences’ biases.

It’s understandable why Fey might prefer a break from satire at this stage of her successful career and during such a contentious time in cultural discourse. There have been whispers that she could take over SNL if Lorne Michaels ever retires, but it seems unlikely that she would want to continue grappling with the zeitgeist for the role. Instead, she appears to be prioritizing relaxation in her professional life. Her ongoing comedy tour with Poehler is reportedly more casual, featuring them joking while wearing pajamas. On Good Hang, Fey discussed taking time off after years of overwork, expressing a desire to “be a person in this world and perhaps enjoy some leisure time, like watch a show.” In the same interview, she shared her strategy for producing The Four Seasons: “I made an effort to create a very healthy set with reasonable hours, and I carefully selected people I believed were good individuals who wouldn’t cause trouble for me.

The excessive amount of criticism Tina Fey receives can be seen as proof of how skillfully she’s portrayed various characters over time, such as a stern schoolmarm, a modest prude, or an airhead white feminist. People often confuse comedy with reality, and she has been labeled as “square” and “obedient,” terms she herself uses frequently. Lately, there’s been discussion about her Enneagram personality test result: the Achiever.

In the show “The Four Seasons,” Fey’s character presents a more down-to-earth and compassionate interpretation of an uptight woman. Although Kate appears controlling in her friendships and marriage, her overly cautious behavior stems from her deep concern for others. She laments to Jack that she must always play the good guy, leaving little room for other roles. The series displays a similar kindness towards its other characters. The plot revolves around Carell’s Nick planning to leave his wife Anne (Kerri Kenney-Silver) after their 25th anniversary gathering, causing turmoil among the couples and the overall group dynamic. However, Nick is portrayed as less callous than in Alda’s movie, instead showing a man grappling with his own mortality. While Anne becomes less prominent after the separation, Fey makes a concerted effort to provide insight into the perspective of the wronged spouse.

In a different perspective, one might question where the humanism was concealed throughout Fey’s work, given her portrayal of characters as often flawed, shallow, and oblivious. However, upon closer examination, it becomes clear that these characters were hiding in plain sight. The true essence of a writer’s worldview can be found in how they conclude their stories. In this case, Fey has consistently shown a subtle optimism. For instance, while Mean Girls is often compared to the bleak high school satire Heathers, the former ends on a hopeful note with a transformed queen bee and an idealistic teenage social order, unlike the latter’s grim conclusion of suicide and murder. Similarly, Seinfeld, another NBC sitcom about self-centered New Yorkers, infamously ended its characters in prison, but 30 Rock offered Liz Lemon a fulfilling career, a baby, and a loving partner. Even Fey’s series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, known for its dark humor, found humor in the struggles of an abused and traumatized kidnapping victim navigating a city marked by economic inequality. Yet, the title itself hints at Kimmy’s resilience, suggesting that despite her hardships, she ultimately overcomes them.

The Four Seasons may not be on its way to becoming a timeless classic like 30 Rock or Mean Girls; it lacks the wild highs and occasional missteps that are characteristic of Tina Fey’s best work. However, it remains an enjoyable viewing experience, one that showcases maturity and wisdom rather than youthful brilliance. Most notably, it offers a unique, empathetic perspective on the most intriguing character created by Tina Fey herself: Tina Fey.

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2025-05-01 18:07

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