The Four Seasons Ending Explained: One Ending, One Beginning & What It Means for the Friend Group’s Future
Netflix’s emotional ensemble dramedy wraps its first season with death, reconciliation, and a new life on the way. Created by Tina Fey, Lang Fisher, and Tracey Wigfield, The Four Seasons is a heartfelt exploration of long-term relationships—romantic, platonic, and everything in between. Inspired by Alan Alda’s 1981 film of the same name, the eight-episode Netflix series follows three longtime couples who vacation together every season.
But in a bold departure from the original, the show ends with an emotional gut punch: the unexpected death of a key character, followed by a quiet yet powerful shift in the group’s dynamic. Let’s break down The Four Seasons ending—and everything it leaves behind.
Why does Nick die in The Four Seasons Finale?
The biggest twist in the show arrives at the end of episode seven when Nick (Steve Carell) dies in a car accident—a major deviation from the film. In the finale, titled “Fun,” the group plans a celebration of Nick’s life, all while new revelations loom.
“Steve’s character is the character that was like, ‘I only live once, life is short. I’m going to do what I want.’ And he was right,” said Tina Fey to Tudum. For the creators, Nick’s death felt like a natural, human-scale event. As Wigfield put it, “Those are the people that you really need to lean on when things are bad.”
Carell was in on the twist from the beginning. “It is a running joke now that I die in every TV show that I'm in,” he said. “I've died in the last two, and now I die in this one. I hope to continue to die in TV shows well into the future,” he added. In all seriousness, Carell found Nick’s death heartbreaking. “It’s really sad to me, because everybody is so delightful and nice, and with any luck they get to continue on with this story.”
The rest of the cast didn’t find out until the table read. “When we got on that Zoom, everybody was so sad,” said Kerri Kenney-Silver (Anne). Colman Domingo (Danny) called it a “punch in the gut.” Nick had become the glue of the group, and his absence leaves a lasting void.
Do Anne and Ginny find Closure?
Nick’s ex-wife Anne and his new, much younger girlfriend Ginny (Erika Henningsen) clash throughout the series—but their tension peaks in the finale. Anne is hesitant to let Ginny help with funeral plans, insisting on her place in Nick’s life. “She’s hurt,” Kenney-Silver said. “She is mostly trying to keep up the guise in her mind that her relationship with Nick meant more than [his relationship with Ginny] did,” Kenney-Silver added. (via Tudum)
Kate (Tina Fey) tries to help by calling Ginny a “blip,” which devastates her. “It [didn’t] feel like a rebound or something that [was] going to quickly fade into the either of both of their lives,” Henningsen said.
At the funeral, Anne refuses Ginny a chance to speak. But when Ginny breaks down in Anne’s backyard, Anne finally comforts her. “These two people are so different… But they find similar footing there, and that allows them to turn towards one another instead of away from one another,” said Henningsen.
Anne ultimately acknowledges that Nick’s love for Ginny was real. She “realizes both things can be true,” Kenney-Silver said. In a moment of emotional vulnerability, Ginny tells Anne—off-screen—that she’s pregnant. “She feels so raw and vulnerable… I need to tell you this, or it’s going to eat me alive,” Henningsen explained.
Kenney-Silver sees this revelation as full-circle for Anne, who finds purpose again in caring for someone else. “Anne’s happy place is care-taking and, maybe more than care-taking, is being needed,” she said.
Wait—Ginny’s Pregnant?
Yes, and the pregnancy bombshell adds a surprising emotional layer to the finale. During the group’s final dinner, Ginny skips the traditional drink and silently gives Anne permission to share the news. “It let the air out of the balloon for everyone," Kenney-Silver said. (via Tudum)
“We don't know how everyone else is going to react, and we don't know how Anne’s going to react when it settles in. But in that moment it's just quite shocking, in a fabulous way,” Kenney-Silver added.
While the original 1981 film also ended with a pregnancy reveal, Nick’s death gives this version a deeper emotional resonance. “She wasn’t a blip,” Lang Fisher noted. “They had this really important love and connection.”
Fey even teased that this could open doors for the future: “Does Ginny remain close to the friend group because of that ongoing connection of having a child? We would see.” Henningsen added, “Anne would welcome Ginny to the table… wear my sweater… let me help you tell them this thing that is difficult.”
Do Kate and Jack make it?
Yes, despite hitting a rough patch in therapy, Kate (Fey) and Jack (Will Forte) reaffirm their love. After Kate falls through a frozen lake in the finale, she finally admits Jack is her soulmate.
“Kate is probably a little bit bossy in the dynamic and Jack is probably the heart of the couple, the empath,” said Fey. “They hit a few obstacles along the way... but they're always trying to fix it.” Henningsen added, “It makes Kate and Jack realize, yes, life and marriage are hard... Sometimes that is the greatest gift, if we can just acknowledge it.” (via Tudum)
Do Claude and Danny find Stability?
Yes. Claude (Marco Calvani) and Danny (Colman Domingo) work through the emotional imbalance in their open relationship. From over-caring to failed threesomes, their bond is tested—but not broken.
By the finale, they’re mourning Nick in different ways but still respect each other’s space. “You’re the exact right amount,” Danny tells Claude. A child's drawing labeled “Daddy” becomes a moment of profound clarity. (via Tudum)
And what about Anne’s Boyfriend, Terry?
Terry, Anne’s attempt to move on, proves to be temporary. “She’s trying, but I don’t think her heart’s ever there,” said Kenney-Silver. His painfully awkward “Candle in the Wind” performance seals the deal. (via Tudum)
Kenney-Silver added, “If her friends think she’s OK... then there’s always the chance they’ll tell Nick that, which she would love… She wasn’t actively bleeding anymore, but one false move, and it would tear open.”
Do the Friendship Group stay Together?
Yes. The group shares a final dinner at Anne’s house, with Ginny sitting in Nick’s chair and Danny suggesting a memorial vacation.
“What we hoped for the show was to drive home this little perspective shift... this is the most precious thing in my life,” Wigfield said. Fisher added, “You also need this group of old friends who can also tell the story of your life and where you've been.” (via Tudum)
The Four Seasons is now streaming on Netflix—a touching, bittersweet look at love, grief, and the enduring strength of friendship.
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