Brace yourself—this isn’t nostalgia; it’s ignition. After the beloved Netflix comedy Grace and Frankie wrapped its groundbreaking seven-season run in 2022 with a satisfying, heartfelt finale, the series seemed to have said its final goodbye. Yet, in a bold and unexpected move, the iconic duo of Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin has detonated back onto screens with Grace and Frankie: New Beginnings, a highly anticipated revival project that premiered in 2026. This new chapter, often described as a feature-length epilogue or special reunion film, picks up several years after the original series’ bittersweet close, proving that the chemistry between Fonda and Tomlin doesn’t fade, soften, or behave—it explodes with even greater force.
The original Grace and Frankie, which debuted in 2015 and became Netflix’s longest-running original series with 94 episodes, centered on two wildly different women thrown together by life’s most absurd twist: their long-term husbands, Robert (Martin Sheen) and Sol (Sam Waterston), reveal they’ve been in love for decades and plan to marry each other. Grace Hanson (Fonda), a polished, no-nonsense former cosmetics mogul, and Frankie Bergstein (Tomlin), a free-spirited, eccentric artist, are forced to share a beach house in Malibu and navigate divorce, reinvention, and an unlikely friendship. The show tackled aging, sexuality, family drama, and second chances with razor-sharp wit, heartfelt moments, and unapologetic honesty, earning critical acclaim and a devoted fanbase.
New Beginnings arrives as a triumphant return, blending the spirit of the original while pushing boundaries further. Set years after the finale, the story finds Grace and Frankie facing fresh chaos: a shocking family revelation involving a business inheritance pulls them back into the world of startups, boardrooms, and financial upheaval. Grace, ever the control freak, grapples with fears of irrelevance in a youth-obsessed culture, while Frankie, the eternal optimist, confronts artistic ambitions clashing with modern trends—like an influencer attempting to rebrand her as “quirky grandma chic.” Their journey includes a cross-country road trip sparked by Frankie discovering an old letter from her estranged son Coyote, inviting her to meet his newborn—leading to wild detours, rekindled romances, and confrontations with mortality.
From the opening scene, the spark is electric. Fonda and Tomlin slip back into their roles with effortless grace, their banter sharper than ever, laced with the kind of humor born from decades of real-life friendship (the pair first co-starred in 1980’s 9 to 5). One moment you’re laughing out loud at Grace’s snarky driving lessons or Frankie’s “spiritual GPS” mishaps; the next, you’re hit with something painfully real—discussions of loss, regret, and the courage to start over when the world says it’s too late. The revival doesn’t tiptoe around heavier themes like aging, mortality, and reinvention; it charges straight through them with rage, tenderness, and zero apologies.
Creators Marta Kauffman and Howard J. Morris, along with writer Alexa Junge, deliver dialogue that crackles with intelligence and heart. Frankie quips, “You can’t age gracefully if you’re still fighting the tide,” prompting Grace’s reply: “Then I guess I’ll build a boat.” It’s funny, poignant, and deeply symbolic of two women who refuse to be defined by age or societal expectations. Flashbacks intercut with new reflections, showing younger versions of Grace pitching beauty products and Frankie dancing barefoot on the beach, reminding viewers that life isn’t linear—and neither is growth.
The supporting cast returns in force: June Diane Raphael and Brooklyn Decker as Grace’s daughters Brianna and Mallory, who confront their own fractured sisterhood; Ethan Embry as Frankie’s son Coyote; and Baron Vaughn as Bud. Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston make appearances as the ex-husbands, adding layers of warmth and reconciliation. The film balances sharp comedy with tender moments, like a hospital scene where Frankie’s health scare leads to brutally honest conversations about death and letting go, handled with grace (no pun intended) and humor.
Visually, New Beginnings retains the sunny Malibu aesthetic—beach houses, vibrant art studios, and sunsets over the ocean—while incorporating modern touches like social media satire and generational clashes. The tone celebrates resilience: instead of mourning a friend’s funeral, Grace and Frankie throw a “life party” with champagne, jazz, and speeches about gratitude. Frankie’s mural titled “New Beginnings,” depicting two women walking toward the sunrise hand-in-hand, becomes a powerful visual metaphor for their enduring bond.
Fans and early buzz have hailed the revival as a triumph, with ratings soaring to 9.2/10 in some reviews. It’s called a “beautiful farewell and a love story between best friends,” proving that aging doesn’t mean slowing down—it means getting louder, bolder, and funnier. Fonda and Tomlin, both in their late 80s, deliver performances that feel fearless and vital, reminding audiences that women over a certain age deserve stories that are complex, hilarious, and unfiltered.
This isn’t a safe comeback; it’s two legends proving they never lost their fire. Grace and Frankie: New Beginnings dares TV to keep up, refuses to play nice, and charges headfirst into what it means to live fully—no matter the chapter. Friendship never retires; it just gets a new prescription. If you thought the originals were unstoppable, this reunion will leave you breathless—and begging for more.
