A bomb from Netflix: Grace and Frankie

Usually I give a new series a couple of episodes before deciding whether it's worth my time, or anyone's, but Grace and Frankie, from Netflix, a star vehicle for Lili Tomlin and Jane Fonda, is so idiotic, unfunny, and unbelievable that it's easy to pull the plug after episode one. Starts in post LA restaurant, Tomlin waiting for Fonda to arrive, we see all too obviously that they don't like each other and that they're entirely different personalities - Tomlin and New Age spiritual type and Fonda a social x-ray former model heavy drinker sharp-edged and shrill. Their husbands, law partners, are due to arrive soon to make an announcement - they're pretty sure the guys will tell them they're retiring. But lo and behold, they show up and tell G&F that they're in love with each other and are leaving their wives and getting married. Leads to a series of hysterics, including throwing food and silverware, and so off we go. If you can believe this plot set-up for two seconds, good for you, but I found that not a single line of the entire first episode rang true to life, the plotting is so schematic and over-determined - will you be surprised that G&F overcome their differences and become edgy friends, allies against their exes, who knows maybe a couple in their own right? - and will you care? This show aspires to comedy, but there's not a laugh along the way (maybe a little bit of a smile at one or two lines - Tomlin high on peyote saying she's on a desert but there's water - to which Fonda says: You mean you're on the beach?) and if the writers and director can't get laughs out of Fonda and Tomlin high together on peyote then they're in the wrong field.