Honestly, it was only a matter of time before Tina Fey and Netflix teamed up for something that feels this nostalgic yet weirdly fresh. We are talking about the upcoming series The Four Seasons, a project that has been quietly simmering but is now boiling over with a cast list that looks like a dream board for anyone who grew up on 30 Rock or early 2000s ensemble dramedies. It’s a reimagining of the 1981 Alan Alda film. If you haven't seen the original, don't worry—most people haven't, but the premise is gold: three couples vacation together every season, things get awkward, secrets spill, and the group dynamic eventually implodes under the weight of midlife crises and changing seasons.
The Netflix The Four Seasons cast isn't just a group of actors. It’s a strategic play. Netflix is leaning hard into the "prestige sitcom" vibe, and honestly, they had to. When you’re adapting a story about long-term friendships and the messy realities of aging, you can’t just cast "hot young things." You need people with comedic timing that feels like muscle memory.
Who is actually in Netflix's The Four Seasons cast?
Let's look at the heavy hitters first. Tina Fey is leading the charge, which isn't a shocker since she’s also co-creating the show with Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield. But the real "get" here is Steve Carell. Seeing Fey and Carell reunited after Date Night is basically a dopamine hit for anyone who misses the heyday of NBC’s Thursday night lineup. They have this specific, frantic chemistry that works because they both play "high-functioning disaster" so well.
Then we have Colman Domingo. This is where it gets interesting. Domingo has been on an absolute tear lately with Rustin and Sing Sing, and putting him in a half-hour comedy alongside Carell and Fey is a stroke of genius. It balances the tone. You need someone who can ground the absurdity of a disastrous group vacation, and Domingo has that gravitas. He’s joined by Erika Henningsen, who most fans will recognize as the original Cady Heron from the Mean Girls musical on Broadway. It’s a nice full-circle moment for Fey’s casting department.
The Supporting Players and Why They Matter
The ensemble keeps going. Maya Erskine, the co-creator and star of Pen15 and more recently Mr. & Mrs. Smith, is on board. Erskine is a master of the "uncomfortable silence." If the show stays true to the 1981 film's DNA, there will be plenty of those moments. Rounding out the main group is Casper Noble.
It's a tight-knit group. That’s the point. The show doesn't work if the Netflix The Four Seasons cast feels like strangers. They have to look like people who have known each other's annoying habits for twenty years. They have to look like they’ve shared too many Airbnb bills and seen each other through divorces and career shifts.
What's the deal with the 1981 original anyway?
Alan Alda wrote, directed, and starred in the original film. He played Jack Burroughs. In the movie, the group’s dynamic is shattered when one of the men leaves his wife for a much younger woman and insists on bringing her on the seasonal trips. It’s uncomfortable. It’s petty. It’s very human.
Netflix's version is likely to lean more into the "frenemy" territory. We know Tina Fey’s writing style; it’s fast-paced, dense with jokes, and usually has a cynical heart of gold. By bringing in Steve Carell, they’re basically guaranteeing a hit for the demographic that still watches The Office on a loop before bed.
Why this cast works for 2026
The industry has changed. We've moved past the "prestige TV" era where everything had to be a dark, gritty 10-hour movie. People want comfort, but they want it with high production values and actors they actually trust. This cast is a safety net. You know what you’re getting with Carell and Fey. You know Domingo will bring the soul. You know Erskine will bring the weirdness.
The Production Reality
Filming started in late 2024 and carried into 2025. This isn't a show that relies on heavy CGI or massive set pieces. It’s all about the dialogue. It’s about six people sitting around a dinner table in Vermont or a beach house in the Hamptons, slowly picking each other apart. That kind of production requires a very specific type of actor—one who can handle long takes and heavy dialogue loads without losing the comedic beat.
Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield, who worked with Fey on 30 Rock and Great News, are the secret weapons here. They understand how to structure a joke so it lands even if the subject matter is a bit depressing. Because let's be real: a show about the slow decay of middle-aged friendships is kind of a bummer on paper. The Netflix The Four Seasons cast has to make that "bummer" funny.
- Tina Fey: The neurotic glue holding the group together.
- Steve Carell: Likely the one undergoing the most obvious mid-life spiral.
- Colman Domingo: The sophisticated friend who sees through everyone's nonsense.
- Maya Erskine: The wildcard who probably says the things no one else is brave enough to say.
Addressing the "Younger Woman" Trope
In the original film, the catalyst for the drama is the introduction of a younger woman into the group. It will be fascinating to see how Fey and her team handle this in 2026. The "trophy wife" trope is a bit tired, so expect a subversion. Maybe the "new" person isn't a threat because of their age, but because of their lifestyle or their refusal to play by the group's unspoken rules.
Erika Henningsen’s role is key here. As the youngest member of the main cast, she’ll likely be the disruptor. Whether she’s playing a new partner or a younger friend, her presence is what will force the veteran characters to look at their own stagnant lives.
Is it a comedy or a drama?
It’s a "dramedy," but that word is kinda overused. Think of it more as a "comedy of manners." It’s about the etiquette of friendship. When do you tell your best friend their new husband is a jerk? How do you handle it when one couple in the group suddenly has way more money than the others? These are the small, itchy questions that The Four Seasons thrives on.
The casting of Steve Carell is particularly relevant here. Carell has spent the last decade proving he’s a formidable dramatic actor (Foxcatcher, The Morning Show), but he hasn't forgotten how to be hilarious. This role seems to sit right in the middle. It demands someone who can be pathetic, charming, and annoying all at once.
What we know about the filming locations
Since the show follows the seasons, the production has been moving around to capture authentic weather. No one wants to see fake snow in a Tina Fey production. They’ve been spotted in New York and various rural locations that can pass for the seasonal retreats the characters frequent. This commitment to "real" seasons adds a layer of texture that helps ground the comedy.
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The "30 Rock" DNA
If you look at the writers' room—Fisher, Wigfield, Fey—this is basically a 30 Rock reunion in spirit. But it’s more mature. 30 Rock was a cartoon (a brilliant one), but The Four Seasons feels like the version of that humor for people who have grown up and realized that life isn't just about career ambition anymore—it's about who you’re left with when the work day ends.
The Netflix The Four Seasons cast reflects this evolution. It’s a sophisticated lineup. It’s not about slapstick; it’s about the humor found in the awkwardness of being a person in the world.
Expectation vs. Reality
People might go into this expecting The Office 2.0 because of Carell, or Mean Girls because of Fey. They shouldn't. This is an ensemble piece. The 1981 film was very much a "group" movie, and Netflix seems to be honoring that. No one person is the "lead." The group is the lead.
The success of the show depends entirely on whether these six people feel like a real unit. If the chemistry isn't there, the jokes about shared history will fall flat. But given the caliber of talent—especially with the addition of Colman Domingo, who adds a layer of unexpected cool to the mix—the odds are in their favor.
What to do while you wait for the release
If you want to be ahead of the curve, track down the original 1981 The Four Seasons. It's a great time capsule of early 80s adulthood. It'll give you a sense of the plot beats, though Fey will undoubtedly modernize the sensibilities. You can also watch Great News on Netflix, which was created by Tracey Wigfield and produced by Fey; it’s the closest thing to the "vibe" we can expect from this writing team. Finally, keep an eye on Netflix's " Tudum" site for the first official teaser trailer, which is expected to drop any day now given the production timeline. Be sure to check your Netflix notification settings so you don't miss the drop—this is one of those shows that will dominate the "Top 10" for weeks.