Grace and Frankie began their titular duo seven seasons ago, staring at the end of their respective marriages and terrified of what comes next.
At Friday’s series finale, they leaned on each other as they looked to the future. But that’s not how it started…
Frankie, depressed after the eulogies for her fake funeral, which all included anecdotes with or about Grace, lamented living a “small, insignificant life in the giant shadow of a skinny alcoholic.” She and Grace have not spoken to each other since their argument over Grace’s decision to attend an important meeting with the “world’s most important toilet man” instead of attending the funeral.
Bud convinced her to come downstairs for Coyote and Jessica’s wedding – a fake ceremony to make Frankie feel better.
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Meanwhile, Sol and Robert were reminiscing about their relationship in giant beach chairs overlooking the ocean. In the penultimate episode, Robert forgot the story of how they got together – they kissed in an elevator in New York – and mixed it up with a very different memory. After failing to remember such a significant moment in their lives, Sol worried that Robert would forget it too. That was enough for Robert to finally agree to see a doctor about his memory loss.
After not speaking to each other for three days, Grace returned to the house and asked about Frankie’s funeral. Frankie, of course, lied about the disastrous event, saying she was “overwhelmed by all the beautiful things” everyone was saying about her and that Grace never showed up. As the conversation shifted to Grace’s big meeting with the toilet man, Grace also lied about how things were going well – reader, it wasn’t going well – and Frankie knew from the voicemail on her phone that it wasn’t.
If you thought Robert would spring into action before he even saw a doctor, you’re right. He went from denial to a plan of action for his future care, suggesting using sticky notes to remind him of things he will forget and lining up their ducks so the “burden” wraps around him to worry, not everything is falling on Sol. But as Sol pointed out, Robert skipped the sad, grim part of their situation – the things he’s best at.
Brianna, finding out that Mallory would be fired from Say Grace for being a terrible leader, subtly tried to convince her sister to stop before they could do so. Mallory took it the wrong way, especially when Brianna suggested she was overlooked. Mallory didn’t want to give up her “great job” to do her own thing like her sister. She even accused Brianna of being unhappy and jealous of her success.
Elsewhere, Frankie found her phone and listened to Grace’s frantic message that she had to sing karaoke to close the deal. It was perfect ammunition for their fight during Coyote and Jessica’s sham marriage, where each one upset the other about being left. Frankie was still convinced of her death date, which Grace didn’t believe was real. Meanwhile, Grace was upset that Frankie was so anxious to die. Frankie admitted she was afraid of getting sick and not being able to do the things they made themselves. The fact that she couldn’t finish her last picture really took her with her.
When Grace tried to hug her friend, her martini glass collided with the microphone Frankie was holding and sparks flew. Both women fell off the stage and woke up in a white void with white sofas and flowers. Well, it looks like they died and made it to heaven.
Not even the promise of eternal rest was enough to keep the two from arguing about her death. Grace was confident she could get her out of there—after all, she was talking her way out of a timeshare—while Frankie was content to stay. When she and Grace first thought their lives were over, all she had to deal with was heartbreak after her husband left her. Now her “whole body is collapsing and it’s only going to get worse”. But Grace insisted they weren’t done and that the best was yet to come.
A white door appeared, leading to the 9 to 5 reunion we’ve been waiting for since the show began. Dolly Parton sat behind an acrylic desk as Agnes, just a “working-class angel” who hadn’t been promoted in 250 years.
Grace told her there was a mistake that she had to go back and Agnes agreed. While her papers were marked for return, Frankie’s name was on the list to stay in heaven. Realizing this, Grace insisted that she and Frankie were no good alone, and Agnes assured her that she would be back soon enough. Also, Frankie would get her own art studio and be able to paint again. That wasn’t enough for Frankie, who without Grace would be in “such emotional pain” that “all the cheese in heaven isn’t going to help.” But rules are rules and it was time to say goodbye.
In a tearful scene, Frankie and Grace said goodbye and hugged one last time. Agnes interrupted her touching moment to remind her that time was running out. Also, she would never tell them to take the stamp that’s on the right side of her desk and mark Frankie’s paperwork “return” as well. No, not even when she briefly turned her back on the couple and allowed them to do just that.
Grace and Frankie woke up in the same place after only being gone for a few seconds. They were back and ready to move forward.
Coyote and Jessica eventually married with no family present, and Allison eventually gave Bud permission to quit his job. Mallory found out what Brianna was trying to do on the fake wedding day and thanked her sister for being there for her. When Mallory asked why she was fired, Brianna lied to make her feel better, claiming it was because she stopped eye butter.
In New York, Sol took Robert to the hotel where they first met to refresh Robert’s memory. While the Knish did nothing for him, the piano melody helped things click for him, as did the elevator bank they soon found themselves in front of. Sol pointed out that Robert will eventually lose some of those memories, but they can now bring one back – and maybe even create a new one. The couple entered the elevator, kicked the bellboy out for privacy, and kissed as the doors closed.
Frankie said goodbye to her brushes and called her painting over. But not if Grace had anything to say about it. They could do it together, with Frankie’s hands guiding Grace’s across the canvas. The finished piece was a portrait of the couple playing in the ocean. Cut to them walking through the shallow ocean waters, with Grace remarking that she never thought she’d ever been in the ocean again.
The series ended with Grace and Frankie walking arm in arm along the shore with Aretha Franklin’s You’re All I Need to Get By playing in the background.
“What now?” Grace asked and Frankie just laughed. To a fresh start…
What did you think of the Grace and Frankie series finale? Rate the episode (and final season) below and let us know what you think in the comments.