Steve Carell’s character, Nick, plays a significant role in Netflix’s new comedy-drama series, The Four Seasons, which explores his family, friendships, and relationship with his wife, Anne. The eight-part series is based on the 1981 comedy movie of the same name, written, directed, and starring Alan Alda, who has a special cameo in the Netflix series that pays tribute to the original. The Four Seasons‘ acclaimed remake follows three couples, also lifelong friends, who go on a weekend vacation to celebrate one couple’s anniversary, but their time together is impacted by surprising news that changes their friendships forever.

The cast of The Four Seasons includes Steve Carell as Nick, who, during the group’s vacation, reveals his intentions to divorce Anne, his wife of 25 years. Nick’s announcement begins a chain of events throughout the four seasons of the year that sees the group experience unexpected changes, fractures, and tragedies that have the potential to destroy their friendships and romantic relationships. In a major change from the 1981 movie’s story, The Four Seasons‘ penultimate episode introduces another shocking twist of fate for Nick, which leaves a long-lasting impact on his family and friends.

Nick Died In A Car Accident In The Four Seasons

His Fate Leaves Consequences For His Friends & Family

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Netflix’s The Four Seasons revolves around how Nick’s decision to end his marriage to Anne affects them as a couple and all of their friends, with his new relationship also causing more tension for his friends and family ahead of the finale. For much of the series, Nick’s daughter, Lila, and ex-wife, Anne, are dismissive of his new, younger girlfriend, Ginny, which leads to plenty of division within the greater friend group. Eventually, those tensions come to a head during a winter vacation at a ski resort in episode 7, when Nick meets Ginny’s friends for the first time.

After an argument in which Nick and Ginny express their frustrations at not understanding each other’s lifestyles and friend groups, Nick leaves the house and is seen by viewers buying alcohol and snacks at a grocery store. In an unexpected end to the episode, Tina Fey’s Kate then receives messages later that night from Ginny informing her that Nick was killed in a car accident while driving alone. Netflix’s The Four Seasons remake never shows Nick’s accident or death on-screen, and is instead only explored through his friends’ devastated discoveries.

The reveal of Nick’s death shocks the entire group, as just a few hours before, they had been wishing each other a happy new year via video chat. Kate and Jack are ultimately the ones who break the news to Anne, who expresses her devastation at his death, despite their divorce. Tragically, the group’s final reunion in The Four Seasons‘ ending consists of the old friends arranging Nick’s memorial and attempting to come to terms with his sudden death. Of course, Nick’s death isn’t the only curveball thrown in the final episodes of the Steve Carell Netflix comedy.

As the characters toast to Nick at the very end of the series, Anne announces to the group that Ginny is pregnant with his baby. It’s a sudden and shocking note to end on, but also comes with a bittersweet sentiment that this new life will continue to carry on Nick’s legacy after he’s gone. Both Lila and Nick’s baby with Ginny help keep his memory alive, and the rest of the group will doubtlessly be there to support Ginny as they honor Nick and his enduring impact on their lives.

Nick’s Death Is A Huge Change From The 1981 Movie

The Crew Decided To Change Certain Aspects Of The Original Story

The news of Nick’s death in Netflix’s The Four Seasons serves as a shocking twist and was one of several changes made from the original 1981 movie. In the Alan Alda movie, Nick does not die and goes on to marry Ginny after his divorce from Anne is finalized. In the dramatic climax of the original The Four Seasons movie, the group saves Danny from nearly drowning in a frozen lake, with all the main characters ultimately surviving the film.

In the 1981 The Four Seasons movie, Nick was portrayed by Len Cariou.

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In an interview with TV Line, the series’ co-creator, Tracey Wigfield, revealed that the choice to kill off Nick “was a decision [they] thought about a lot,” but that it felt right, stating that Nick’s unexpected death represented “the stakes of real life.” While there was already a near-death experience to drive that emotional climax at the end of the original film, the Netflix remake actually killing off Nick allowed the story to go even deeper with those stakes, forcing the characters to fully contend with the reality of unexpectedly losing one of their best friends.

Steve Carell later revealed that he knew that his character would be killed off, but the rest of the cast were not aware of the twist until the script reading. Colman Domingo, who plays Danny, stated that the twist felt like “a punch in the gut“ and Kerri Kenney-Silver, who plays Nick’s wife, Anne, revealed that it saddened the cast (via Netflix Tudum). While Carell admitted that he found his character’s death “heart-breaking,” he also made light of the decision to kill Nick off, remarking that it is now “a running joke that [he dies] in every TV show [he’s] in.”

The Real Meaning Of Nick’s Death In The Four Seasons’ Ending

It Offers A Bigger Chance Of A Second Season

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While Nick’s death in The Four Seasons proved to be shocking, it also proved necessary for the overall story. The Netflix series explores the themes of friendship, choices, change and the unexpected events that take place in life. It is Nick’s decision to leave Anne in episode 1 of The Four Seasons that marks the beginning of unexpected changes the group face in their friendships and relationships. The announcement of his death makes the friends understand that change is inevitable and nothing ever remains the same.

Nick’s death also allows a better chance for the group to develop a connection with Ginny by the end of The Four Seasons.

Nick’s death also allows a better chance for the group to develop a connection with Ginny by the end of The Four Seasons. In episode 8, during Nick’s funeral, both Anne and Ginny clash over their relationships with Nick, with Anne dismissing any of Ginny’s suggestions and refusing to let Ginny give a eulogy. But, by the end of the series, the two are able to come to an understanding and allow the beginning of the group’s acceptance towards Ginny, which is an aspect that could be explored in the story for a potential The Four Seasons season 2.

While Nick’s tragic fate was a major difference between Netflix’s The Four Seasons and the original 1981 movie, it helps set up a believable and relatable plot for season 2, which could see deeper character development and further changes in the group’s friendships as they come to accept Nick’s death and the aftermath.