Honestly, we didn't expect more than three years. They were really just starting to do their originals. That makes it the longest-running original on Netflix too, right? It is amazing that "Grace and Frankie" went for seven seasons and about, what, 94 episodes? That is so impressive. The following interview transcript has been edited for length and clarity.
MARTA KAUFFMAN FULL
We cover this in greater depth in the full length "Salon Talks" episode, a highly recommended watch for anyone who loves "Grace and Frankie" and seeks a fuller understanding of what's happening in the streaming industry from a veteran creator's point of view.
MARTA KAUFFMAN SERIES
They're inviting these friends into their homes, and people always talk about, 'Are you a Grace or a Frankie?' Clearly, these characters have resonated."ĭuring our conversation Kauffman discusses bringing the series to a close while also explaining how the approach that Netflix and other streaming services have taken to content creation has changed. They do it because it makes them feel good, and feel comfortable. "People aren't watching 'Grace and Frankie' just because it's about two older women. "My theory is, if you have characters that you want to spend time with, that you care about, characters who you're invested in, then people will watch," she said. "Who's going to watch a show about a bunch of 20-somethings?" became the doubting development executives' refrain, she recalled. Surprisingly, Kauffman revealed that she encountered a similar bias against the other end of the age spectrum when she and her "Dream On" co-creator David Crane were shopping around "Friends" in the 1990s. " People aren't watching 'Grace and Frankie' just because it's about two older women. That adds an extra layer of triumph to the show's multi-generational popularity in a development landscape that perennially favors youth and a male point of view. These are two revered performers who had never been tapped to star in a show, and when it began Fonda was 77 and Tomlin, 75.
MARTA KAUFFMAN TV
"Grace and Frankie" also marks the first time that Fonda and Tomlin played leads in a TV series, which is astonishing to realize. RELATED: "Grace & Frankie" finale reunites the "9 to 5" cast She was part of HBO's leap into original programming thanks to "Dream On" and kept NBC's Must-See TV banner aloft with "Friends." "Grace and Frankie" debuted in 2015, placing her at Netflix near the beginning of its original programming expansion – granting her a unique window into how the streaming service has changed since then. We write for us, and hope that it translates."įew TV industry creatives have an informed perspective on par with Kauffman. "For me, I want to write a show that I would like to watch, where I would feel satisfied. Sorry," Kauffman told during our recent "Salon Talks" episode.
"You're never going to make everybody happy. Together we watched these best friends discover time and again that there is no such thing as a universal standard for perfection. That's what Kauffman wanted to do as she brought "Grace and Frankie" to a close after seven seasons, following the lessons lived and learned by Jane Fonda's Grace Hanson and Lily Tomlin's Frankie Bergstein. It's also one of the increasingly rare series farewells that satisfied most viewers. Morris created " Grace and Frankie," Kauffman brought us "Dream On," "Veronica's Closet" and one of the most popular comedies of our time, "Friends." That series finale holds the record as the most-watched TV episode of the aughts and the fifth-most-watched in television history. Lisa Kudrow recently opened up about Friends' lack of diversity on the show, and David Schwimmer also shared that he campaigned for his character Ross to date women of color.Marta Kauffman has ample experience with planning the perfect farewell celebrations for beloved television companions. “That has been the hardest pill for me to swallow, is that I’m part of that group,” she shared. She continued, “I mean we’ve always encouraged people of diversity in our company, but I didn’t do enough and now all I can think about is what can I do? What can I do differently? How can I run my show in a new way? And that’s something I not only wish I knew when I started showrunning, but I wish I knew all the way up through last year.”ĭuring the same panel, Julie Plec, who was the showrunner for The Vampire Diaries and The Originals, recognized she was also part of the problem. I would’ve made very different decisions.” “Sorry, I just wish I knew then what I know now. "I wish I knew then what I know today,” Marta shared, while getting tearing up. The Friends and Grace and Frankie co-creator opened up during the virtual 2020 ATX Festival about not doing enough. Marta Kauffman is reflecting on her past mistakes of not being diverse enough on her hit shows and in her career.
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