‘The Four Seasons’ Is Heading Back for Season 3 and David Tennant Could Be Coming Along for the Whole Ride
Netflix has made it abundantly clear that it is not ready to pack up the vacation bags on one of its most charming comedy-dramas just yet. ‘The Four Seasons,’ the comedy series co-created by Tina Fey, Lang Fisher, and Tracey Wigfield and based on the 1981 Alan Alda film of the same name, has been officially renewed for a third season at the streamer. The show has carved out a devoted audience for itself as one of the rare comedies on the platform that blends genuine emotional warmth with sharp, observational humor about the messier parts of adult life.
The renewal was announced on stage at the BANFF World Media Festival by Jinny Howe, Netflix’s Head of Scripted Series for U.S. and Canada, during a fireside chat. Like the first two seasons, the third installment will consist of eight episodes split over four two-episode arcs taking place in spring, summer, fall, and winter, each chronicling a group of longtime friends reuniting for a vacation or celebration. The structure has become something of a signature for the series, and fans have clearly responded to its rhythmic sense of ritual and reunion.
The renewal comes with a notable asterisk for viewers who finished the Season 2 finale with their jaws on the floor. In a surprise cameo, David Tennant appeared in the finale cliffhanger as Gianpiero, a neighbor and potential love interest for Nick’s widow Anne, played by Kerri Kenney-Silver, in Italy. The moment carried an extra layer of delicious irony, as Gianpiero happens to be the exact name Anne had assigned to a fake boyfriend earlier in the same episode. Tennant’s arrival has since become one of the most talked-about moments of the streaming season, and it is now driving enormous anticipation for what comes next.
Co-showrunner Tracey Wigfield has teased in interviews that there will be more stories with Tennant’s character in Season 3, though the extent of his involvement remains unclear as no deals are currently in place. Unlike the departure of Steve Carell after Season 1, the full main cast of Season 2, including Fey, Will Forte, Kenney-Silver, Marco Calvani, Erika Henningsen, and Colman Domingo, are all set to return for the new season. That kind of ensemble stability is a significant vote of confidence, especially given the show’s complicated viewership story heading into this renewal.
Season 2 saw a steep 63% drop in opening-week viewership compared to its debut season, a number that would have once sent alarm bells ringing through any streamer’s programming department. Season 2 ranked within Netflix’s Top 10 in 56 countries and has not been pushed off the Global Top 10 most-watched shows ranking since its release in late May, suggesting that the show’s sustained popularity carried more weight in the decision than its opening-weekend sprint. Critics have also rallied behind the new season in a meaningful way, with Season 2 earning a 91% score compared to Season 1’s 78%, a jump that points to a show finding its creative stride exactly when it needed to.
Co-creators Fey, Fisher, and Wigfield released a joint statement saying they are thrilled to bring a third season to life, closing with the rallying cry: “Middle-aged people, LFG!” Netflix Vice President of U.S. Comedy Tracey Pakosta added that it has been a joy watching the chaotic, beautiful journey of these lifelong friends, praising the creative team’s ability to blend heart and sharp humor in a way that makes viewers feel like part of the inner circle. With a likely Spring 2027 premiere window on the horizon and a charming Scotsman potentially waiting in the wings, the question fans are debating right now is whether Gianpiero will become a series regular or just a recurring flame for Anne going forward.
