Grace and Frankie Season 4 — Why You Should Watch the New Season

There's just simply not enough people watching Grace and Frankie, which returns for its fourth season on Jan. 19, and it's a travesty. The show, which debuted in 2015, is probably one of the most delightful modern comedies and manages to pair whacky hijinks with the emotional bond of strong friendships. And now that Friends star Lisa Kudrow is joining the show, there's simply no reason to miss out! Don't believe us? Here's why you should binge Grace and Frankie this year if you haven't already.

It's one of the only shows that centers entirely on older women.

It's pretty insane to think about, but not since The Golden Girls has there been a show about women age 70 and above. The series focuses on Grace, played by Jane Fonda, and Frankie, played by Lily Tomlin — two women in their 70s who move in together after their husbands decide to marry each other. In classic "odd couple" fashion, their opposite personalities have them constantly at odds with each other at first, but gradually they both build an amazing friendship. And don't let their ages fool you.

Both the ladies are whip-smart, hilarious, and even a little crude at times. But most importantly, the show isn't afraid to portray the women as funny and vivacious and never holds them back because of age. It's probably one of the most refreshing and original aspects of the show, and it's for that reason that it resonates with viewers of all ages. "What Lily and I hear very often is women saying to us: 'It makes us feel less afraid of getting older. It makes us feel hopeful,'" Jane said about the show's reception. "That makes you feel good."

It stars amazing actors.

In addition to Jane and Lily, both legends in their own right, the show also features The West Wing's Martin Sheen and Law and Order's Sam Waterston. The actors, along with the extended cast of regulars who play their adult kids, all bring a surprising warmth to the series that's both equal parts real and often times heartwarming. In the end, the result is an interesting and original tone the stars set that's missing from most modern sitcoms.

It's not afraid to go where other shows don't.

In an age where women can't say "vibrator" on TV (really), Grace and Frankie aren't shy about showing the sexual side of being a woman in her 70s. In season 3, the ladies embark on a hilarious business venture where they try to sell sex toys. Along the way, they get turned down by a loan officer (who tells them he doesn't think they'll live long enough to pay back the loan), get rejected by an annoying tech start-up full of millennial stereotypes, and even fall down and hurt their backs in the middle of an important business call.

"I think we have to be serious about the fact that older people do have issues with society," Lily told Parade. "They are discounted, they are set aside, and they are thought of as less capable, and all the things that go with it, and the women are considered not sexy anymore. They’re not viable in the market, and Jane disproves that."

It shows the power of female friendships.

During season 1 when the ladies have to deal with the demise of their marriages, the show wraps things up with a lesson that relationships might not last but friendships are forever. Most importantly, it shows that two leading female characters can both be friends and not rivals. It also helps that Jane and Lily are friends in real life, too!

"I've been a fan of her's since before I met her," Lily said in 2017. "I met her when she came backstage when I was doing Appearing Nitely at the Ahmanson Theatre in L.A. That was about '77 or '78. Next thing I knew, she asked me to be in 9 to 5. We've been friends ever since. We're friends because I just love her. I know Jane has my back whenever she can."

It's the perfect show for the current "binge-watching" age.

During its first season, the show takes a few episodes before it takes off. But because each episode is fairly short, it's easy to watch several in one sitting and cruise through all three seasons in just one weekend! Its easygoing format and light-heartedness means the watching experience isn't negative or stressful — you can get caught up in no time.