Grace and Frankie: The Complexy of Gay Inty – THE CAROLINIAN

Contents:

• WHAT ‘GRACE & FRANKIE’ GETS RIGHT & WRONG ABOUT GAY FRIENDSHIP
• GRACE AND FRANKIE: THE COMPLEXY OF GAY INTY
• MART SHEEN, SAM WATERSTON ON PLAYG GAY ON 'GRACE AND FRANKIE'
• THE BT GAY COUPLE A S ARE BROTHERS.
• MART SHEEN AND SAM WATERSTON GO GAY FOR PAY (AND LGHS) ON ‘GRACE AND FRANKIE’
• THE BERGSTES    FRANKIE FRANC "FRANKIE" BERGSTE (NéE MENGELA)PORTRAYED BY: LILY TOMLA HIPPIE ART TEACHER, ADOPTIVE MOTHER TO COYOTE AND BUD AND EX-WIFE OF SOL. BOURGEOIS BOHEMIAN: FRANKIE IS A BATN OF HIPPIE, NEW AGE AND FAR-LEFT STEREOTYP. BUT SHE IS ALSO CLEARLY ACCTOMED TO THE HIGH STANDARD OF LIVG SHE ENJOYED AS A LAWYER'S WIFE AND HAS A HISTORY OF MAKG EXPENSIVE PURCHAS, IRONILLY TEND TO HELP HER GET MORE TOUCH WH THE SPIRUAL AND LS WH THE MATERIAL. CLOUDCUCKOOLANR: FRANKIE HAS HER MOMENTS, PECIALLY WHEN SHE'S HIGH. COOL OLD LADY: AN AVID FAN OF DGS, HIP HOP, AND OPENLY HONT ABOUT SEX AND HER OWN VAGA, FRANKIE FELY QUALIFI. GRANOLA GIRL: BIG TIME. HIPPIE PARENTS: ALONGSI SOL. HIPPIE TEACHER: RUNS AN ART CLASS FOR NVICTS OR "SOCIETY'S OUTSTS". HOEWIFE: A SUBVERSN NTRAST TO GRACE. FRANKIE SEEMS TO HAVE LTLE THE WAY OF OKG OR HOEKEEPG SKILLS. IT IS HEAVILY IMPLIED THAT SOL WAS THE MA OK THEIR FAY AND OPENLY STATED THAT BUD DID MOST OF THE HOEHOLD CHOR. FRANKIE VOTED MOST OF HER TIME TO ARTISTIC, ACTIVIST AND SPIRUAL PURSUS. GRACE, NTRAST, AT LEAST KNOWS HOW TO OK REASONABLY WELL AND TRI TO KEEP A TIDY HOME EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS A REER WOMAN. INFORMED JUDAISM: IS NOMALLY JEWISH, BUT ALSO PRACTIC NEW AGE AND NEOPAGANISM RUALS. AT ONE POT SHE VOK THE NORSE GODSS FRIGG. MANCHILD: AN EXTREMELY RARE FEMALE EXAMPLE, MOSTLY APPLIBLE BEE SHE IS HER 70'S AND THE UAL FEMALE TROP FOC ON MUCH YOUNGER WOMEN. FRANKIE THROWS TANTMS WHEN PEOPLE DON'T DO WHAT SHE WANTS, SHE SGS LOUDLY WHEN PEOPLE SAY THGS SHE DON'T WANT TO HEAR AND WILL PULL STUNTS LIKE LOCKG HER FAY OUT OF THE HOE (OR LOCKG HERSELF ) WHEN SHE IS MAD AT THEM. SHE IS ALSO FANCIALLY IRRPONSIBLE AND HAS RELIED HEAVILY ON HER (NOW EX-) HBAND AND SONS TO HANDLE THE PRACTIL MATTERS OF LIFE. SHE N BARELY DRIVE, AND SEEMS TO LACK MANY BASIC LIFE SKILLS. POLIL OVERRRECTNS: FRANKIE N TAKE THIS TO EXTREM THAT DRIVE EVERYONE ELSE NUTS. TO THE POT THAT BRIANNA'S CAMP GAY ASSISTANT WANTS TO RERD ONE OF HER RANTS ON HIS PHONE BEE HE SAYS THAT SOME OF HIS IENDS STILL DON'T BELIEVE THAT FRANKIE IS REAL. SANY SLIPPAGE: FRANKIE'S MD IS NOT ENTIRELY WHAT ONCE WAS. IT'S ORIGALLY CHALKED UP TO HER BEG A CLOUDCUCKOOLANR, BUT LATER BE APPARENT THAT IS MORE THAN THAT. A MAJOR HIGHLIGHT IS WHEN SHE ACCINTALLY DRIV OM LA TO MEXI WH BUD'S BABY HER BACKSEAT BEE SHE SAW AND ICE-CREAM TCK AND CID TO FOLLOW . FOR SOME REASON. WHEN QUTNED ABOUT HER LOGIC THIS, SHE NNOT PROPERLY EXPLA WHY. SHE STARTS HAVG "SENR MOMENTS" WH CREASG EQUENCY AFTERWARDS. SEND LOVE: FDS WH YAM FARMER JAB. SOAPBOX SADIE: DENSTCTED. HER ATTEMPT TO PROTT AGAST THE E OF PALM OIL HER LUBE ENDS UP RAILG THE PRODUCT ENTIRELY WHEN SHE MAK A STATEMENT BY SPREADG FAKE BLOOD HERSELF DURG A MEETG WH AN IMPORTANT VTOR AND S HER WORK RELATNSHIP WH BRIANNA, SPE THE FACT THAT SHE WAS TRYG TO GO AS FAR AS HER PANY ULD GO TO MAKE AN ENVIRONMENT IENDLY PRODUCT BUT ULDN'T GET RID OF THE PALM OIL. STICKY FGERS: INIALLY SEEMED TO BE A SGULAR CINT: STEALG A PACK OF CIGARETT WHEN AN OBNOX STORE CLERK WAS IGNORG HER AND GRACE. BUT WHEN GRACE TAK FRANKIE TO A MEETG AT A BS CUBATOR SHE PRACTILLY FILLS HER PURSE WH EMS STOLEN OM THE OFFICE. STRAW CHARACTER: FRANKIE IS A STRAWMAN POLIL RITURE OF FAR-LEFT STEREOTYP. ONE OF THE SENR PARTNERS AT SOL'S LAW FIRM REFERRED TO HER AS HIS "MUNIST WIFE". SHE IS ALSO HYSTERILLY OPPOSED TO GRACE HAVG A GUN, SPE HER OWN SECURY ABOUT BEG THE HOE AFTER A BREAK-. FRANKIE ALSO PASSNATELY SUPPORTS ANY ENVIRONMENTALIST E (BUT WANTS TO E GRACE'S CRED RD TO "ADOPT" A SNOW LEOPARD). INED, THE MA THG LIMG HER ACTIVISM IS THAT SHE NO LONGER HAS SOL'S MONEY TO SPEND ON . WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE SNAK?: IN FRANKIE'S SE, THE BIG PHOBIA IS EARTHQUAK. EVEN VERY MOR ON SEND HER TO A STATE OF TERROR. WHICH MAK RATHER ODD THAT SHE LIV CALIFORNIA. SHE IS ALSO TERRIFIED OF GUNS AND REF TO LIVE A HOE WHERE ONE IS KEPT.    SOL SOL BERGSTEPORTRAYED BY: SAM WATERSTONA SUCCSFUL DIVORCE LAWYER WH A HIPPIE STREAK, ADOPTIVE FATHER TO COYOTE AND BUD, EX-HBAND TO FRANKIE AND CURRENT HBAND TO ROBERT. STEPFATHER TO MALLORY AND BRIANNA. BUNNY-EARS LAWYER: WHEN HE IS ACTUALLY ACTG LIKE A LAWYER, SOL ACROSS AS BEG VERY PETENT. THIS IS AT ODDS WH HIS BEHAVR HIS PERSONAL LIFE, WHERE HE SEEMS RATHER NROTIC AND EMOTNALLY OPEN. COOL OLD GUY: MUCH LIKE FRANKIE. GENTLE GIANT: CAN'T STAND MAKG ANYONE UNHAPPY AND WAS APPARENTLY 6FT TALL BY THE AGE OF FOURTEEN. HENPECKED HBAND: WHEN FRANKIE LAMENTS THAT A FIGHT SHE HAD WH GRACE IS WORSE THAN ANY SHE EVER HAD WH SOL, BUD POTS OUT TO HER THAT THIS IS BEE SOL ALWAYS VED TO WHAT BUD EXPLICLY LLS HER "TANTMS". SENSIVE GUY AND MANLY MAN: THE SENSIVE GUY TO ROBERT'S MANLY MAN. SUPREME CHEF: SOL IS AN EXCELLENT OK. OUT OF THEIR BED FAY ONLY MALLORY CLOSE.    COYOTE COYOTE BERGSTEPORTRAYED BY: ETHAN EMBRYFRANKIE AND SOL'S ADOPTIVE SON. A REVERG ALHOLIC AND DG ADDICT, HE WORKS AS A SUBSTUTE TEACHER. AERHAND BOB: HIS AND BUD'S FULL NAM AGAST BRIANNA AND MALLORY'S. THE ALHOLIC: FREQUENTLY REFERENCED BUT HE'S REVERG. CLOUDCUCKOOLANR: HE FELY TAK MORE AFTER FRANKIE THAN SOL. ENARGLY DORKY: COYOTE HAS A NERVO, BOYISH, QUALY THAT NTRASTS HIS MORE NFINT AND MATURE BROTHER. MOST PEOPLE LIKE HIM. FOOLISH SIBLG, RPONSIBLE SIBLG: THE FOOLISH TO BUD'S RPONSIBLE. MANCHILD: HAS A CHILDLIKE NAIVETY,AND ISN'T KNOWN FOR MAKG RPONSIBLE CISNS. LAMPSHAD BY BOTH HIM AND BRIANNA.MALLORY: ARE YOU 15?COYOTE: IN MANY WAYS, Y. HAPPILY ADOPTED: FDS A LOVG FAY WH FRANKIE AND SOL BUT STILL PURSU HIS BIRTH FAY. REALLY GETS AROUND: BACK BEFORE HE GOT SOBER. REVERED ADDICT: WENT THROUGH A PARTICULARLY BAD PHASE, BUYG E OM ONE OF HIS STUNTS AND HAVG AN ADDLED ADDICT EPISO MALLORY'S ONT YARD WHERE HE PLEAD WH HER TO NOT MARRY MCH, TO WHOM SHE HAD ALREADY BEEN MARRIED FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND HAD CHILDREN WH. HE GOT BETTER, BUT EVERYONE LIV FEAR OF A RELAPSE. SIBLG Y-YANG: LS RPONSIBLE AND UPTIGHT THAN HIS MORE RPONSIBLE AND ANIZED BROTHER THE THG THAT WOULD NOT LEAVE: FOR HIS BROTHER BUD. HE WAS SLEEPG ON BUD'S UCH UNTIL WELL TO SEASON 3.    BUD NWABUDIKE "BUD" BERGSTEPORTRAYED BY: BARON VGHNSOL AND FRANKIE'S ADOPTIVE SON. A LAWYER LIKE HIS FATHER. AERH AND BOB: HIS AND COYOTE'S NAM STAND OUT AGAST THE HANSON'S LS UNUAL ON. THE DUTIFUL SON: HE'S MUCH MORE AWARE OF THE NEEDS OF HIS FAY THAN HIS SIBLGS, SPENDG THE FIRST SEASON TRYG TO MAKE SURE THAT BOTH OF HIS PARENTS ARE OK. ENARGLY DORKY: DPE BEG MORE MATURE THAN HIS BROTHER MANY WAYS,THEN BUD HAS A NERVO, BOYISH QUALY AT TIM. FOOLISH SIBLG, RPONSIBLE SIBLG: THE RPONSIBLE TO COYOTE'S FOOLISH. HAPPILY ADOPTED: DPE THE DYSFUNCTN, BUD OBVLY LOV HIS FAY GREATLY. NOT SO ABOVE IT ALL: WHILE UALLY MATURE, THEN HE HAS HIS MOMENTS OF IMMATURY LIKE TRYG TO FORCE HIS GIRLIEND AND BROTHER TO GET ALONG BY MAKG THEM SPEND TIME TOGETHER. ONLY SANE MAN: BETWEEN HIS HIPPIE ARTIST MOTHER, GAY FATHER AND FORMER DG ADDICT BROTHER BUD STANDS OUT AS THIS FOR THE BERGSTES.COYOTE: [BUD], YOU'RE THE ONLY NORMAL ONE THE FAY. AND WE RELY ON YOU A LOT. SIBLG Y-YANG: THE RPONSIBLE, ANIZED AND UPTIGHT ONE THE FAY, NTRASTG HIS MORE NAIVE AND IMPULSIVE BROTHER.THE HANSONS     GRACE GRACE HANSONPORTRAYED BY: JANE FONDAA FORMER SMETICS MOGUL WHO BUILT HER OWN PANY. EX-WIFE TO ROBERT AND MOTHER TO BRIANNA AND MALLORY. COOL OLD LADY: NOT QUE AS MUCH AS FRANKIE BUT SHE'S STILL THIS. DEADPAN SNARKER: PRETTY MUCH A REQUIREMENT WHEN YOU LIVE WH SOMEONE LIKE FRANKIE. JERKASS WH A HEART OF GOLD: ONLY AFTER DIVORCG ROBERT DO GRACE FALLY SEE HOW MEAN AND CEL SHE ULD BE CLUDG RIDG FRANKIE FOR NEVER ACTUALLY HAVG GIVEN BIRTH AND TELLG MALLORY TO NOT HAVE ANY MORE KIDS. DPE THIS, SHE'S A FUNDAMENTALLY GOOD PERSON. LADY DNK: GRACE IS RARELY SEEN WHOUT AN ALHOLIC BEVERAGE NEARBY, EVEN THE MORNG. MATERNALLY CHALLENGED: GRACE STGGL TO RELATE TO HER YOUNG GRANDCHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDISH PURSUS. IT IS IMPLIED THAT THIS WAS ALSO AN ISSUE WH BRIANNA AND MALLORY. NOTABLY, WHEN MALLORY NEED A BABYSTER FOR HER DGHTER SHE OPTED FOR ROBERT AND SOL RATHER THAN GRACE. RICH BCH: WAS THIS DURG HER MARRIAGE TO ROBERT, WHEN SHE WAS A SUCCSFUL BSWOMAN MARRIED TO A SUCCSFUL LAWYER AND HER CIRCLE OF IENDS WERE ALL LIKE THIS. SHE GRADUALLY GETS OVER AFTER THE DIVORCE, ALTHOUGH THE FACT THAT SHE NO LONGER HAS AS MUCH MONEY MAY HAVE NTRIBUTED TO HER REALIZATN AS TO HOW BAD SHE WAS. SANY SLIPPAGE: LS SEVERE THAN FRANKIE'S, BUT 'S THERE. GRACE WAS ONCE A VERY SHARP BS WOMAN WHO, WH THE EXCEPTN OF ROBERT AND SOL, WAS QUE SKILLED AT SNIFFG OUT BULLSH AND SELF-RELIANT. AS SHE HAS GOTTEN OLR, HER ABILI BOTH PARTMENTS HAVE CREASED, TO THE POT THAT SHE IS NNED BY A CROOKED NTRACTOR AND HAS ALL OF THE PPER PIPG THE BEACH HOE STOLEN, STARTS RELYG MORE ON INSANE TROLL LOGIC AS A JTIFITN FOR SOME ACTNS. SILVER VIXEN: BY VIRTUE OF BEG PLAYED BY JANE FONDA, THE GRANDMOTHER OF FOUR PASS FOR THIS. STRAIGHT MAN: TO FRANKIE. THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY: FOR GRACE, 'S PHIL MILSTE.     ROBERT ROBERT HANSONPORTRAYED BY: MART SHEENA SUCCSFUL DIVORCE LAWYER. EX-HBAND TO GRACE AND FATHER TO MALLORY AND BRIANNA. CURRENT HBAND TO SOL AND STEPFATHER TO COYOTE AND BUD. ALL GAYS LOVE THEATER: LOV THEATER, AND EVEN JOS A QUEER THEATER GROUP STARTG SEASON 3. COOL OLD GUY: IT'S MART SHEEN SO OF URSE HE'S THIS. DEADPAN SNARKER: HE HAS A VERY SHARP SENSE OF HUMOR. HENPECKED HBAND: IRONILLY, MORE SO AFTER THE DIVORCE THAN BEFORE. DURG HIS MARRIAGE TO GRACE THEY WERE ACTUALLY A SOMEWHAT DISTANT UPLE. SCE THEN HE HAS HAD TO AL WH A MORE PHY SI OF GRACE. FOR EXAMPLE, SHE STIGAT HIM FOR KEEPG A STOCKPILE OF EXPENSIVE JEWELRY TO GIVE HER AS GIFTS RATHER THAN BUYG EACH PIECE DIVIDUALLY AS AN OCSN ME UP. SHE ALSO REELS ROBERT AND SOL TO HELP PACKAGE HER VIBRATORS FOR SHIPMENT AND CRICIZ HOW NEATLY HE LABELS THE BOX. PARENTAL ISSU: HAS A VERY LD RELATNSHIP WH HIS AWFUL, EMOTNALLY ABIVE MOTHER. SENSIVE GUY AND MANLY MAN: THE MANLY MAN TO SOL'S SENSIVE GUY. STRAIGHT GAY: ROBERT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS. HE HAS TYPIL MASCULE TERTS OF AN AGG BOOMER/SILENT GENERATN MAN. HOWEVER, HIS "GAYNS" SHOWS UP BEG A THEATER GEEK, AS MENTNED ABOVE.     BRIANNA BRIANNA HANSONPORTRAYED BY: JUNE DIANE RAPHAELTHE HEAD OF SAY GRACE AFTER HER MOTHER'S RETIREMENT. ELST OF ROBERT AND GRACE'S DGHTERS. CHILD HATER: DO NOT EVEN LIKE THE IA OF HAVG LUNCH WH HER SISTER MALLORY IF THE BABI GET BROUGHT ALONG. BUT SHE PROMIS THAT SHE WILL BE A COOL AUNT ONCE THE KIDS BEE TEENAGERS. DEADPAN SNARKER: EASILY THE WORST FOR THIS. IT OFTEN LEADS TO SOME OF THE SERI' FUNNIT MOMENTS. DEOSTG ICE QUEEN: AS THE SHOW PROGRS, WE GET TO SEE A SOFTER SI OF HER. FLANRIZATN: HER RELATNSHIP WH BARRY. WHILE SHE WAS ALWAYS THE MORE DOMANT ONE THE RELATNSHIP, SHE BEME PECIALLY BCHY AND TOXIC SEASONS 6 AND 7. LADY A POWER SU: UNSURPRISG FOR A SMETICS EXECUTIVE, AND SOMETHG SHE CLEARLY LEARNED OM HER MOTHER. BRIANNA FAVORS STYLISH BUT PROFSNAL OUTFS THAT ACCENTUATE HER LOOKS WHILE ALSO PROJECTG A NO-NONSENSE IMAGE. LOOKG FOR LOVE ALL THE WRONG PLAC: SHE HAS A STRG OF ONE-NIGHT-STANDS, AND EVEN ATTEMPTS TO PAY HER WAY TO A RELATNSHIP WH A MALE RT. FORTUNATELY, SHE FDS A GENUE NNECTN BARRY. JERK WH A HEART OF GOLD: SHE'S AND DOWNRIGHT SULTG MOST OF THE TIME, BUT IS OVERALL NOT A BAD PERSON. MORALY PET: BARRY IS THIS TO BRIANNA. THE SNARK KNIGHT: SHE'S SHOWN TO RE EPLY FOR HER IENDS AND FAY, EVEN IF SHE'S UNFORTABLE WH HER EMOTNS AND PREFERS TO RORT TO SARSM. PLAYED FOR LGHS WHEN 'S REVEALED THAT SHE KEEPS SAD DOG MOVI ON HAND FOR THE ONE TIME A YEAR SHE ALLOWS HERSELF TO CRY.     MALLORY MALLORY HANSONPORTRAYED BY: BROOKLYN DECKERDEVOTED HOEWIFE AND MOTHER. MALLORY IS ROBERT AND GRACE'S YOUNGT DGHTER. DEAD SPARKS: BETWEEN HER AND MCH. TO THE POT THAT NEHER OF THEM REALLY WANTS TO GO ON A CHILD-EE VATN TOGETHER. FAY VERS CAREER: A SORE POT BETWEEN MALLORY AND GRACE, AS GRACE FEELS THAT MALLORY SHOULD STOP HAVG CHILDREN AND DO SOMETHG ELSE WH HER LIFE. FEME WOMEN CAN COOK: ROBERT HAS HER GUI HIM THROUGH PREPARG A MEAL FOR SOL VIA VIO LL. BRIANNA OR GRACE DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE EVEN BEEN NSIRED AS SOURC OF STCTN. HOEWIFE: TO A DOCTOR HBAND. MALLORY IS EXTREMELY PETENT AT DOMTIC MATTERS. MUCH MORE SO THAN HER MOTHER. SIBLG Y-YANG: WH HER SISTER BRIANNA, WH A DOSE OF LIGHT FEME DARK FEME. WHEREAS MALLORY IS NICE, IENDLY, FAY-ORIENTED AND DRS MOSTLY PASTEL LORS, BRIANNA IS SNARKY, OFTEN , DISLIK YOUNG CHILDREN AND IS A REER-ORIENTED WOMAN WHO WEARS MORE FORM FTG, REVEALG OUTFS BOLD LORS.OTHER CHARACTERS
• GRACE AND FRANKIE: THE COMPLEXY OF GAY INTY

WHAT ‘GRACE & FRANKIE’ GETS RIGHT & WRONG ABOUT GAY FRIENDSHIP

Gay men thrive a tribe. That’s what I’ve learned om TV shows, thk piec, and Instagram photos featurg groups of gays. But that’s not how my gay plotle has veloped.

GRACE AND FRANKIE: THE COMPLEXY OF GAY INTY

I me out paratively late, bond wh a muny of people uned by a sire to perform edy a grocery store basement, and let ternalized homophobia stall my self-acceptance until well after I found my Mr.

Now I’m a 32-year-old married gay man who’s more proud of beg out than ever — but I don’t have a group of gays.

MART SHEEN, SAM WATERSTON ON PLAYG GAY ON 'GRACE AND FRANKIE'

In three seasons, those gay septuagenarians have e out of the closet, grown fortable their inti and disvered their own ner fabulons. I spent most of my 20s figurg out how I uld and should be gay, pecially sce my role mols growg up as a eply closeted Tennsean were limed to Will, Jack, and Ellen. Sol and Robert are the gays I’ve been wag to see.

Robert’s as perplexed by the gay dog park’s hook-up lgo “The Goodby” as I would be, and I feel Sol’s hance about drag queen bgo “The Negotiatn. ” That’s why surprised me when was revealed halfway through season one that Sol and Robert, after half a century the closet, have a group of gay iends — the one thg I haven’t been able to figure out.

In the seri’ sixth episo, “The Earthquake, ” Robert is shown hangg out wh Al and Eddie, two brightly drsed, middle-aged gay men that get a few snap-worthy zgers durg their mute on screen. We don’t, however, see them exert any energy over makg gay iends. Their gay iends jt magilly appear, as if they were part of the g out gift set.

THE BT GAY COUPLE A S ARE BROTHERS.

The newly out uple mak gay iends so effortlsly that the show don’t even show you how they did . But also, Sol says season one’s “The Secrets” (which troduc the also fabulo Jeff and Peter) that they only “know five gay people the world.

MART SHEEN AND SAM WATERSTON GO GAY FOR PAY (AND LGHS) ON ‘GRACE AND FRANKIE’

” I gus after g out to their wiv, Sol and Robert highlighted all the known gays their rolox and ma a big ph for new iendships. I have plenty of iends that are gay, but my go-to crew is predomantly straight.

The FOMO I feel every time I see pics of gay bnch/movie nights/etc.

Siarly, my gay/straight iendships are tensely important to me (they are my crew, after all), and would be valuable to see that reflected Grace and Frankie, too. Robert and Sol have s’ worth of iendships and the show suggts they’ve dropped all of them favor of hangg out wh the five gays the entire world that they knew. The jt released season three actually clus a multi-episo plotle that uld have been a great way for Robert and Sol to make gay iends.

THE BERGSTES    FRANKIE FRANC "FRANKIE" BERGSTE (NéE MENGELA)PORTRAYED BY: LILY TOMLA HIPPIE ART TEACHER, ADOPTIVE MOTHER TO COYOTE AND BUD AND EX-WIFE OF SOL. BOURGEOIS BOHEMIAN: FRANKIE IS A BATN OF HIPPIE, NEW AGE AND FAR-LEFT STEREOTYP. BUT SHE IS ALSO CLEARLY ACCTOMED TO THE HIGH STANDARD OF LIVG SHE ENJOYED AS A LAWYER'S WIFE AND HAS A HISTORY OF MAKG EXPENSIVE PURCHAS, IRONILLY TEND TO HELP HER GET MORE TOUCH WH THE SPIRUAL AND LS WH THE MATERIAL. CLOUDCUCKOOLANR: FRANKIE HAS HER MOMENTS, PECIALLY WHEN SHE'S HIGH. COOL OLD LADY: AN AVID FAN OF DGS, HIP HOP, AND OPENLY HONT ABOUT SEX AND HER OWN VAGA, FRANKIE FELY QUALIFI. GRANOLA GIRL: BIG TIME. HIPPIE PARENTS: ALONGSI SOL. HIPPIE TEACHER: RUNS AN ART CLASS FOR NVICTS OR "SOCIETY'S OUTSTS". HOEWIFE: A SUBVERSN NTRAST TO GRACE. FRANKIE SEEMS TO HAVE LTLE THE WAY OF OKG OR HOEKEEPG SKILLS. IT IS HEAVILY IMPLIED THAT SOL WAS THE MA OK THEIR FAY AND OPENLY STATED THAT BUD DID MOST OF THE HOEHOLD CHOR. FRANKIE VOTED MOST OF HER TIME TO ARTISTIC, ACTIVIST AND SPIRUAL PURSUS. GRACE, NTRAST, AT LEAST KNOWS HOW TO OK REASONABLY WELL AND TRI TO KEEP A TIDY HOME EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS A REER WOMAN. INFORMED JUDAISM: IS NOMALLY JEWISH, BUT ALSO PRACTIC NEW AGE AND NEOPAGANISM RUALS. AT ONE POT SHE VOK THE NORSE GODSS FRIGG. MANCHILD: AN EXTREMELY RARE FEMALE EXAMPLE, MOSTLY APPLIBLE BEE SHE IS HER 70'S AND THE UAL FEMALE TROP FOC ON MUCH YOUNGER WOMEN. FRANKIE THROWS TANTMS WHEN PEOPLE DON'T DO WHAT SHE WANTS, SHE SGS LOUDLY WHEN PEOPLE SAY THGS SHE DON'T WANT TO HEAR AND WILL PULL STUNTS LIKE LOCKG HER FAY OUT OF THE HOE (OR LOCKG HERSELF ) WHEN SHE IS MAD AT THEM. SHE IS ALSO FANCIALLY IRRPONSIBLE AND HAS RELIED HEAVILY ON HER (NOW EX-) HBAND AND SONS TO HANDLE THE PRACTIL MATTERS OF LIFE. SHE N BARELY DRIVE, AND SEEMS TO LACK MANY BASIC LIFE SKILLS. POLIL OVERRRECTNS: FRANKIE N TAKE THIS TO EXTREM THAT DRIVE EVERYONE ELSE NUTS. TO THE POT THAT BRIANNA'S CAMP GAY ASSISTANT WANTS TO RERD ONE OF HER RANTS ON HIS PHONE BEE HE SAYS THAT SOME OF HIS IENDS STILL DON'T BELIEVE THAT FRANKIE IS REAL. SANY SLIPPAGE: FRANKIE'S MD IS NOT ENTIRELY WHAT ONCE WAS. IT'S ORIGALLY CHALKED UP TO HER BEG A CLOUDCUCKOOLANR, BUT LATER BE APPARENT THAT IS MORE THAN THAT. A MAJOR HIGHLIGHT IS WHEN SHE ACCINTALLY DRIV OM LA TO MEXI WH BUD'S BABY HER BACKSEAT BEE SHE SAW AND ICE-CREAM TCK AND CID TO FOLLOW . FOR SOME REASON. WHEN QUTNED ABOUT HER LOGIC THIS, SHE NNOT PROPERLY EXPLA WHY. SHE STARTS HAVG "SENR MOMENTS" WH CREASG EQUENCY AFTERWARDS. SEND LOVE: FDS WH YAM FARMER JAB. SOAPBOX SADIE: DENSTCTED. HER ATTEMPT TO PROTT AGAST THE E OF PALM OIL HER LUBE ENDS UP RAILG THE PRODUCT ENTIRELY WHEN SHE MAK A STATEMENT BY SPREADG FAKE BLOOD HERSELF DURG A MEETG WH AN IMPORTANT VTOR AND S HER WORK RELATNSHIP WH BRIANNA, SPE THE FACT THAT SHE WAS TRYG TO GO AS FAR AS HER PANY ULD GO TO MAKE AN ENVIRONMENT IENDLY PRODUCT BUT ULDN'T GET RID OF THE PALM OIL. STICKY FGERS: INIALLY SEEMED TO BE A SGULAR CINT: STEALG A PACK OF CIGARETT WHEN AN OBNOX STORE CLERK WAS IGNORG HER AND GRACE. BUT WHEN GRACE TAK FRANKIE TO A MEETG AT A BS CUBATOR SHE PRACTILLY FILLS HER PURSE WH EMS STOLEN OM THE OFFICE. STRAW CHARACTER: FRANKIE IS A STRAWMAN POLIL RITURE OF FAR-LEFT STEREOTYP. ONE OF THE SENR PARTNERS AT SOL'S LAW FIRM REFERRED TO HER AS HIS "MUNIST WIFE". SHE IS ALSO HYSTERILLY OPPOSED TO GRACE HAVG A GUN, SPE HER OWN SECURY ABOUT BEG THE HOE AFTER A BREAK-. FRANKIE ALSO PASSNATELY SUPPORTS ANY ENVIRONMENTALIST E (BUT WANTS TO E GRACE'S CRED RD TO "ADOPT" A SNOW LEOPARD). INED, THE MA THG LIMG HER ACTIVISM IS THAT SHE NO LONGER HAS SOL'S MONEY TO SPEND ON . WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE SNAK?: IN FRANKIE'S SE, THE BIG PHOBIA IS EARTHQUAK. EVEN VERY MOR ON SEND HER TO A STATE OF TERROR. WHICH MAK RATHER ODD THAT SHE LIV CALIFORNIA. SHE IS ALSO TERRIFIED OF GUNS AND REF TO LIVE A HOE WHERE ONE IS KEPT.    SOL SOL BERGSTEPORTRAYED BY: SAM WATERSTONA SUCCSFUL DIVORCE LAWYER WH A HIPPIE STREAK, ADOPTIVE FATHER TO COYOTE AND BUD, EX-HBAND TO FRANKIE AND CURRENT HBAND TO ROBERT. STEPFATHER TO MALLORY AND BRIANNA. BUNNY-EARS LAWYER: WHEN HE IS ACTUALLY ACTG LIKE A LAWYER, SOL ACROSS AS BEG VERY PETENT. THIS IS AT ODDS WH HIS BEHAVR HIS PERSONAL LIFE, WHERE HE SEEMS RATHER NROTIC AND EMOTNALLY OPEN. COOL OLD GUY: MUCH LIKE FRANKIE. GENTLE GIANT: CAN'T STAND MAKG ANYONE UNHAPPY AND WAS APPARENTLY 6FT TALL BY THE AGE OF FOURTEEN. HENPECKED HBAND: WHEN FRANKIE LAMENTS THAT A FIGHT SHE HAD WH GRACE IS WORSE THAN ANY SHE EVER HAD WH SOL, BUD POTS OUT TO HER THAT THIS IS BEE SOL ALWAYS VED TO WHAT BUD EXPLICLY LLS HER "TANTMS". SENSIVE GUY AND MANLY MAN: THE SENSIVE GUY TO ROBERT'S MANLY MAN. SUPREME CHEF: SOL IS AN EXCELLENT OK. OUT OF THEIR BED FAY ONLY MALLORY CLOSE.    COYOTE COYOTE BERGSTEPORTRAYED BY: ETHAN EMBRYFRANKIE AND SOL'S ADOPTIVE SON. A REVERG ALHOLIC AND DG ADDICT, HE WORKS AS A SUBSTUTE TEACHER. AERHAND BOB: HIS AND BUD'S FULL NAM AGAST BRIANNA AND MALLORY'S. THE ALHOLIC: FREQUENTLY REFERENCED BUT HE'S REVERG. CLOUDCUCKOOLANR: HE FELY TAK MORE AFTER FRANKIE THAN SOL. ENARGLY DORKY: COYOTE HAS A NERVO, BOYISH, QUALY THAT NTRASTS HIS MORE NFINT AND MATURE BROTHER. MOST PEOPLE LIKE HIM. FOOLISH SIBLG, RPONSIBLE SIBLG: THE FOOLISH TO BUD'S RPONSIBLE. MANCHILD: HAS A CHILDLIKE NAIVETY,AND ISN'T KNOWN FOR MAKG RPONSIBLE CISNS. LAMPSHAD BY BOTH HIM AND BRIANNA.MALLORY: ARE YOU 15?COYOTE: IN MANY WAYS, Y. HAPPILY ADOPTED: FDS A LOVG FAY WH FRANKIE AND SOL BUT STILL PURSU HIS BIRTH FAY. REALLY GETS AROUND: BACK BEFORE HE GOT SOBER. REVERED ADDICT: WENT THROUGH A PARTICULARLY BAD PHASE, BUYG E OM ONE OF HIS STUNTS AND HAVG AN ADDLED ADDICT EPISO MALLORY'S ONT YARD WHERE HE PLEAD WH HER TO NOT MARRY MCH, TO WHOM SHE HAD ALREADY BEEN MARRIED FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND HAD CHILDREN WH. HE GOT BETTER, BUT EVERYONE LIV FEAR OF A RELAPSE. SIBLG Y-YANG: LS RPONSIBLE AND UPTIGHT THAN HIS MORE RPONSIBLE AND ANIZED BROTHER THE THG THAT WOULD NOT LEAVE: FOR HIS BROTHER BUD. HE WAS SLEEPG ON BUD'S UCH UNTIL WELL TO SEASON 3.    BUD NWABUDIKE "BUD" BERGSTEPORTRAYED BY: BARON VGHNSOL AND FRANKIE'S ADOPTIVE SON. A LAWYER LIKE HIS FATHER. AERH AND BOB: HIS AND COYOTE'S NAM STAND OUT AGAST THE HANSON'S LS UNUAL ON. THE DUTIFUL SON: HE'S MUCH MORE AWARE OF THE NEEDS OF HIS FAY THAN HIS SIBLGS, SPENDG THE FIRST SEASON TRYG TO MAKE SURE THAT BOTH OF HIS PARENTS ARE OK. ENARGLY DORKY: DPE BEG MORE MATURE THAN HIS BROTHER MANY WAYS,THEN BUD HAS A NERVO, BOYISH QUALY AT TIM. FOOLISH SIBLG, RPONSIBLE SIBLG: THE RPONSIBLE TO COYOTE'S FOOLISH. HAPPILY ADOPTED: DPE THE DYSFUNCTN, BUD OBVLY LOV HIS FAY GREATLY. NOT SO ABOVE IT ALL: WHILE UALLY MATURE, THEN HE HAS HIS MOMENTS OF IMMATURY LIKE TRYG TO FORCE HIS GIRLIEND AND BROTHER TO GET ALONG BY MAKG THEM SPEND TIME TOGETHER. ONLY SANE MAN: BETWEEN HIS HIPPIE ARTIST MOTHER, GAY FATHER AND FORMER DG ADDICT BROTHER BUD STANDS OUT AS THIS FOR THE BERGSTES.COYOTE: [BUD], YOU'RE THE ONLY NORMAL ONE THE FAY. AND WE RELY ON YOU A LOT. SIBLG Y-YANG: THE RPONSIBLE, ANIZED AND UPTIGHT ONE THE FAY, NTRASTG HIS MORE NAIVE AND IMPULSIVE BROTHER.THE HANSONS     GRACE GRACE HANSONPORTRAYED BY: JANE FONDAA FORMER SMETICS MOGUL WHO BUILT HER OWN PANY. EX-WIFE TO ROBERT AND MOTHER TO BRIANNA AND MALLORY. COOL OLD LADY: NOT QUE AS MUCH AS FRANKIE BUT SHE'S STILL THIS. DEADPAN SNARKER: PRETTY MUCH A REQUIREMENT WHEN YOU LIVE WH SOMEONE LIKE FRANKIE. JERKASS WH A HEART OF GOLD: ONLY AFTER DIVORCG ROBERT DO GRACE FALLY SEE HOW MEAN AND CEL SHE ULD BE CLUDG RIDG FRANKIE FOR NEVER ACTUALLY HAVG GIVEN BIRTH AND TELLG MALLORY TO NOT HAVE ANY MORE KIDS. DPE THIS, SHE'S A FUNDAMENTALLY GOOD PERSON. LADY DNK: GRACE IS RARELY SEEN WHOUT AN ALHOLIC BEVERAGE NEARBY, EVEN THE MORNG. MATERNALLY CHALLENGED: GRACE STGGL TO RELATE TO HER YOUNG GRANDCHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDISH PURSUS. IT IS IMPLIED THAT THIS WAS ALSO AN ISSUE WH BRIANNA AND MALLORY. NOTABLY, WHEN MALLORY NEED A BABYSTER FOR HER DGHTER SHE OPTED FOR ROBERT AND SOL RATHER THAN GRACE. RICH BCH: WAS THIS DURG HER MARRIAGE TO ROBERT, WHEN SHE WAS A SUCCSFUL BSWOMAN MARRIED TO A SUCCSFUL LAWYER AND HER CIRCLE OF IENDS WERE ALL LIKE THIS. SHE GRADUALLY GETS OVER AFTER THE DIVORCE, ALTHOUGH THE FACT THAT SHE NO LONGER HAS AS MUCH MONEY MAY HAVE NTRIBUTED TO HER REALIZATN AS TO HOW BAD SHE WAS. SANY SLIPPAGE: LS SEVERE THAN FRANKIE'S, BUT 'S THERE. GRACE WAS ONCE A VERY SHARP BS WOMAN WHO, WH THE EXCEPTN OF ROBERT AND SOL, WAS QUE SKILLED AT SNIFFG OUT BULLSH AND SELF-RELIANT. AS SHE HAS GOTTEN OLR, HER ABILI BOTH PARTMENTS HAVE CREASED, TO THE POT THAT SHE IS NNED BY A CROOKED NTRACTOR AND HAS ALL OF THE PPER PIPG THE BEACH HOE STOLEN, STARTS RELYG MORE ON INSANE TROLL LOGIC AS A JTIFITN FOR SOME ACTNS. SILVER VIXEN: BY VIRTUE OF BEG PLAYED BY JANE FONDA, THE GRANDMOTHER OF FOUR PASS FOR THIS. STRAIGHT MAN: TO FRANKIE. THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY: FOR GRACE, 'S PHIL MILSTE.     ROBERT ROBERT HANSONPORTRAYED BY: MART SHEENA SUCCSFUL DIVORCE LAWYER. EX-HBAND TO GRACE AND FATHER TO MALLORY AND BRIANNA. CURRENT HBAND TO SOL AND STEPFATHER TO COYOTE AND BUD. ALL GAYS LOVE THEATER: LOV THEATER, AND EVEN JOS A QUEER THEATER GROUP STARTG SEASON 3. COOL OLD GUY: IT'S MART SHEEN SO OF URSE HE'S THIS. DEADPAN SNARKER: HE HAS A VERY SHARP SENSE OF HUMOR. HENPECKED HBAND: IRONILLY, MORE SO AFTER THE DIVORCE THAN BEFORE. DURG HIS MARRIAGE TO GRACE THEY WERE ACTUALLY A SOMEWHAT DISTANT UPLE. SCE THEN HE HAS HAD TO AL WH A MORE PHY SI OF GRACE. FOR EXAMPLE, SHE STIGAT HIM FOR KEEPG A STOCKPILE OF EXPENSIVE JEWELRY TO GIVE HER AS GIFTS RATHER THAN BUYG EACH PIECE DIVIDUALLY AS AN OCSN ME UP. SHE ALSO REELS ROBERT AND SOL TO HELP PACKAGE HER VIBRATORS FOR SHIPMENT AND CRICIZ HOW NEATLY HE LABELS THE BOX. PARENTAL ISSU: HAS A VERY LD RELATNSHIP WH HIS AWFUL, EMOTNALLY ABIVE MOTHER. SENSIVE GUY AND MANLY MAN: THE MANLY MAN TO SOL'S SENSIVE GUY. STRAIGHT GAY: ROBERT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS. HE HAS TYPIL MASCULE TERTS OF AN AGG BOOMER/SILENT GENERATN MAN. HOWEVER, HIS "GAYNS" SHOWS UP BEG A THEATER GEEK, AS MENTNED ABOVE.     BRIANNA BRIANNA HANSONPORTRAYED BY: JUNE DIANE RAPHAELTHE HEAD OF SAY GRACE AFTER HER MOTHER'S RETIREMENT. ELST OF ROBERT AND GRACE'S DGHTERS. CHILD HATER: DO NOT EVEN LIKE THE IA OF HAVG LUNCH WH HER SISTER MALLORY IF THE BABI GET BROUGHT ALONG. BUT SHE PROMIS THAT SHE WILL BE A COOL AUNT ONCE THE KIDS BEE TEENAGERS. DEADPAN SNARKER: EASILY THE WORST FOR THIS. IT OFTEN LEADS TO SOME OF THE SERI' FUNNIT MOMENTS. DEOSTG ICE QUEEN: AS THE SHOW PROGRS, WE GET TO SEE A SOFTER SI OF HER. FLANRIZATN: HER RELATNSHIP WH BARRY. WHILE SHE WAS ALWAYS THE MORE DOMANT ONE THE RELATNSHIP, SHE BEME PECIALLY BCHY AND TOXIC SEASONS 6 AND 7. LADY A POWER SU: UNSURPRISG FOR A SMETICS EXECUTIVE, AND SOMETHG SHE CLEARLY LEARNED OM HER MOTHER. BRIANNA FAVORS STYLISH BUT PROFSNAL OUTFS THAT ACCENTUATE HER LOOKS WHILE ALSO PROJECTG A NO-NONSENSE IMAGE. LOOKG FOR LOVE ALL THE WRONG PLAC: SHE HAS A STRG OF ONE-NIGHT-STANDS, AND EVEN ATTEMPTS TO PAY HER WAY TO A RELATNSHIP WH A MALE RT. FORTUNATELY, SHE FDS A GENUE NNECTN BARRY. JERK WH A HEART OF GOLD: SHE'S AND DOWNRIGHT SULTG MOST OF THE TIME, BUT IS OVERALL NOT A BAD PERSON. MORALY PET: BARRY IS THIS TO BRIANNA. THE SNARK KNIGHT: SHE'S SHOWN TO RE EPLY FOR HER IENDS AND FAY, EVEN IF SHE'S UNFORTABLE WH HER EMOTNS AND PREFERS TO RORT TO SARSM. PLAYED FOR LGHS WHEN 'S REVEALED THAT SHE KEEPS SAD DOG MOVI ON HAND FOR THE ONE TIME A YEAR SHE ALLOWS HERSELF TO CRY.     MALLORY MALLORY HANSONPORTRAYED BY: BROOKLYN DECKERDEVOTED HOEWIFE AND MOTHER. MALLORY IS ROBERT AND GRACE'S YOUNGT DGHTER. DEAD SPARKS: BETWEEN HER AND MCH. TO THE POT THAT NEHER OF THEM REALLY WANTS TO GO ON A CHILD-EE VATN TOGETHER. FAY VERS CAREER: A SORE POT BETWEEN MALLORY AND GRACE, AS GRACE FEELS THAT MALLORY SHOULD STOP HAVG CHILDREN AND DO SOMETHG ELSE WH HER LIFE. FEME WOMEN CAN COOK: ROBERT HAS HER GUI HIM THROUGH PREPARG A MEAL FOR SOL VIA VIO LL. BRIANNA OR GRACE DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE EVEN BEEN NSIRED AS SOURC OF STCTN. HOEWIFE: TO A DOCTOR HBAND. MALLORY IS EXTREMELY PETENT AT DOMTIC MATTERS. MUCH MORE SO THAN HER MOTHER. SIBLG Y-YANG: WH HER SISTER BRIANNA, WH A DOSE OF LIGHT FEME DARK FEME. WHEREAS MALLORY IS NICE, IENDLY, FAY-ORIENTED AND DRS MOSTLY PASTEL LORS, BRIANNA IS SNARKY, OFTEN , DISLIK YOUNG CHILDREN AND IS A REER-ORIENTED WOMAN WHO WEARS MORE FORM FTG, REVEALG OUTFS BOLD LORS.OTHER CHARACTERS

Robert gets volved a gay muny theater group’s productn of 1776. Season three’s “The Burglary” even als wh one of my personal worri about gay iendships: not beg gay enough.

Robert loved beg wh people that only knew him as a gay man, not as a recent nvert. That same fear crept to my bra when I was around groups of gay men my 20s.

I thought there was only one right way to be gay, and I was an outlier. ” In the episo, Robert shows a great al of tert his gay nurse Jojo’s (played by Queer Eye for the Straight Guy‘s Jai Rodriguez) explos.

GRACE AND FRANKIE: THE COMPLEXY OF GAY INTY

Sol’s shocked by all this, tellg Jojo that he and Robert aren’t “that kd of gay. ” To Sol’s surprise, Robert adms he might be that “kd of gay” — or at least he’d like to try out. ” After s of nial, the two had to accept themselv and acknowledge and embrace their part the larger world of gay men.

There’s no one way to be gay — and beg “that kd of gay, ” if you are that kd of gay, isn’t a thg to be ashamed. It took me a long time to embrace the thgs that make me gay as hell; now, at 32, I sport a mtache, wear speedos, rock gay pri Star Wars te and quote RuPl wh scery and reverence. Part of the fun of watchg Grace and Frankie is watchg Robert and Sol embrace the thgs that make them gay as hell, too.

Now I jt need to bt out my rolox and fe them gay iendships. Yep, there are some thgs I n learn om those 70-somethg fictnal gays. The two disver that their hbands, Robert Hanson and Sol Bergste, played by Mart Sheen and Sam Waterston, not only want a divorce, but are gay, and want to be together.