Look, the ending of season five was a total gut punch. Grace marries Nick in a Vegas whim, and we’re all left wondering if the beach house—and that sacred, messy friendship—is just toast.
Honestly, by the time we hit Grace and Frankie season 6, the stakes felt weirdly high for a sitcom about women in their eighties. You’ve got people worried the show was losing its edge or, worse, becoming a cliché of itself. But here’s the thing: season 6 is actually where the show stops being just a comedy and starts being a survival guide for late-stage evolution. It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s got a hydraulic toilet.
The Nick Problem and the "Third Person" Dynamic
Most people think this season is about Grace choosing between her husband and her best friend. That’s a massive oversimplification. It’s really about the realization that Grace doesn't know how to be "just a wife" anymore. She’s spent five years becoming an independent, vibrant, slightly buzzed entrepreneur with Frankie. Moving into Nick’s ultra-sleek, minimalist penthouse isn't a step forward; it’s a gilded cage.
Peter Gallagher is great as Nick Skolka, don't get me wrong. Those eyebrows deserve their own credit in the opening titles. But Nick represents the old world—the world of trophy wives and corporate posturing.
The tension isn't just "Frankie is lonely." It’s that Grace is physically and emotionally out of place. When she throws her back out and can't get off the toilet, she doesn't call her billionaire husband. She calls Frankie. That’s the pivot point. It leads to the creation of the "Rise Up," their hydraulic toilet seat.
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Why the Rise Up Actually Matters
It’s easy to dismiss the bathroom humor. I mean, Frankie calls the prototype "the Helen Mirren of plumbing fixtures." It’s funny, sure. But the subtext is heavy. Grace and Frankie season 6 focuses on the indignities of aging—the stuff people don't want to talk about at dinner parties.
- The Problem: Standard toilets are too low for aging knees.
- The Solution: A seat that literally hoists you up.
- The Metaphor: It’s about not needing a man (or anyone) to help you do the most basic human things.
They even take this thing to Shark Tank. Yes, the real Sharks—Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O’Leary, Lori Greiner, and Rohan Oza—show up. It’s surreal and kind of jarring to see the fictional world of San Diego collide with reality TV, but it works because Grace and Frankie are so unapologetically themselves. They aren't just selling a product; they’re selling the idea that eighty-year-old women are a viable, powerful market.
The Sol and Robert Health Scare
While the women are busy with "Rise Up," Sol and Robert are dealing with a different kind of rising issue. Sol gets a prostate cancer diagnosis.
People often forget how this season handled that. It wasn't some grand, sweeping medical drama. It was irritating. Sol is terrified, and Robert—in typical Robert fashion—overcompensates by becoming a helicopter husband. It’s a fascinating look at how long-term partners deal with the "in sickness" part of their vows.
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Sam Waterston and Martin Sheen have this rhythm now that feels lived-in. When Sol finally snaps because Robert won't let him eat a donut or breathe without supervision, it feels real. It’s not about the cancer; it’s about the loss of autonomy.
The Kids are... Sort of Alright?
The subplots with the kids in season 6 are a bit of a whirlwind.
- Brianna (June Diane Raphael) is still the queen of the sharp-tongued one-liners, but her arc with Barry takes a weird turn. She proposes, but with the caveat that they never actually get married. It’s the most Brianna thing ever.
- Mallory (Brooklyn Decker) is trying to find her footing after the divorce, eventually realizing she’s actually better at the business side of things than anyone gave her credit for.
- Coyote (Ethan Embry) is finally sober and stable, dating Bud’s ex-girlfriend, Jessica. It’s awkward, but in that "blended family" way that the show excels at.
That Massive Finale Twist
The ending of season 6 is basically a demolition derby.
First, the business. Grace betrays Frankie on Shark Tank by taking a deal that excludes Frankie’s "creative" (read: weird) input. It’s a brutal moment because it shows Grace’s old corporate instincts haven't fully died.
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But then, the real world catches up to Nick. He gets arrested for white-collar crimes involving his ex-wife, Miriam (played by the legendary Mary Steenburgen). Suddenly, the penthouse is gone. The billionaire lifestyle is a crime scene.
And then we get the final image: Grace and Frankie back at the beach house. They find $50,000 hidden in Nick’s sofa—which Frankie promptly stabs to get the cash out—and they head home. But they aren't alone. Sol and Robert are there because the Rise Up prototype exploded and flooded their house.
Everyone is back under one roof. It’s a chaotic, full-circle moment that sets up the final season perfectly.
Key Facts About Season 6
| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Release Date | January 15, 2020 |
| Episode Count | 13 |
| New Main Cast | Peter Gallagher (Nick) promoted to series regular |
| Major Guest Stars | Mary Steenburgen, Michael McKean, Elliott Gould |
| The Invention | The Rise Up (hydraulic toilet seat) |
What You Should Do Next
If you’re revisiting Grace and Frankie season 6, pay close attention to the wardrobe. The contrast between Grace’s rigid, neutral-toned "wife" outfits in the penthouse and her return to linen and beach-wear is a subtle masterclass in character storytelling.
Also, watch the Shark Tank episode again. It’s easy to get caught up in the cameos, but the dialogue between Grace and Frankie in the hallway before they go on is one of the most honest depictions of business partners ever filmed.
Next, you'll want to dive into the first four episodes of season 7, which were released early due to the pandemic, as they pick up the literal second after the season 6 finale.