Netflix’s adaptation of The Four Seasons concludes with a significant departure from the 1981 film pertaining to Nick‘s fate. This creative decision regarding Steve Carell‘s character has garnered mixed reviews from viewers. So, what happens to Nick?
Here are all the details.
Does Nick die in The Four Seasons’ ending and how?
Nick dies right before the season’s grand finale in episode 7 of The Four Seasons. The concluding episode of the Netflix show focuses on how Anne, Nick’s ex-wife, and Ginny, his girlfriend, are coping with the grief.
Anne is constantly reminded that she is planning a “celebration of life” for her ex-husband, who didn’t want her in his life. In her eulogy, Anne confesses that talking about Nick is complicated. On one hand, she has two decades of beautiful memories with him.
On the other hand, she carries the constant reminder that Nick did not want to live with her any longer, a decision she was made aware of on her vow renewal day. Anne said, “I knew him so well, and yet I didn’t know him at all.”
In the original film, Nick did not die. After divorcing Anne, he fell in love with Ginny, who was much younger than him. At the end of The Four Seasons, Ginny gets pregnant, and Nick has a new outlook on his relationship.
The creative decision to kill off Nick is backed up by other cast members who felt deeply emotional by the ending. Tina Fey, who plays Kate in the series, explained, “What are things that are really, really human-scale that can happen?” (via Netflix Tudum)
She added, “And having someone die is something that, the older you get, the more that starts to happen.” She thought Nick’s character was perfect for the tragic ending, as he had the “I only live once” spirit.
Meanwhile, Steve Carell found Nick’s death heartbreaking. The Office alum quipped, “It is a running joke now that I die in every TV show that I’m in.” He added, “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.” The Golden Globe Award winner noted, “It’s really sad to me, because everybody is so delightful and nice.”
