What “The Four Seasons” Show Us About Long-Term Gay Partnership
Netflix’s hit list has a new resident, and it seems everyone is checking into The Four Seasons.
Spearheaded by Tina Fey, this comedy reimagines the 1981 Alan Alda film, dropping us into the lives of several married couples whose group dynamic gets a shake-up during their regular seasonal holidays together.
This time around, one of those core couples is Danny and Claude, and their story is already getting people talking.
Right off the bat, The Four Seasons makes it clear that Danny, played thoughtfully by Colman Domingo, and his affectionate Italian husband Claude, brought to life by Marco Calvani, aren’t just there for show. They represent a committed, long-term couple navigating the real stuff.
Yes, their marriage is open, but the series handles this without resorting to tired stereotypes. Instead, we see a relationship built on clear, respectful boundaries about who they connect with outside the marriage.
Interestingly, any drama between them doesn’t stem from secret affairs or jealousy. It is sparked by Danny’s casual approach to his own health clashing with Claude’s sometimes overwhelming need to look after him.
Domingo and Calvani show the deep affection between these two men, even when they are bickering. Their dynamic feels authentic, reflecting the kinds of tensions many long-term couples face, regardless of who they love.
Lumberjack Scene Explained
Things reach a boiling point during the autumn episodes, particularly Family Weekend and Ultimate Frisbee (which Domingo directed). While settling into their New England hotel room, Claude casually scrolls Grindr – “how I learn the spirit of a new place,” he tells Danny – leading to some laughs about the local talent, including a bloke with a cat-like neck beard. They clock a handsome, lumberjack type on the app, who they later spot giving them eyes at the hotel bar.
Before you know it, they are back in the room with the potential woodsman for some three-way fun. But the mood shifts dramatically when Claude, searching for a condom in Danny’s bag, finds cigarettes instead. This discovery triggers another tearful confrontation about Danny’s health secrets.
The lumberjack, caught in the crossfire, quips, “I’m here for the open part, not the marriage part,” just before Claude starts ‘helping’ Danny pack by tossing his clothes out the window. It is a moment that is both chaotic and strangely relatable – relationships are messy, right?
Who Is The Hunky Lumberjack Jacob Buckenmyer?
We will let you watch the rest unfold yourself, but the big question remains: who played the third in their almost-threesome? That would be model and actor Jacob Buckenmyer, credited simply as “Lumberjack” on IMDb. A quick look confirms he certainly fills out the flannel shirt required for the role.
For those curious, Buckenmyer is also a fitness coach and often shares gym content on his Instagram. While he is married (to a woman, sorry fellas), he is no stranger to queer-interest projects. You might recognise him from the comedy Steam Room Stories: The Movie, the web series Coffee House Chronicles, the short film Love Is Just Love, or even as a dancer in Welcome To Chippendales. He seems genuinely chuffed about his role in The Four Seasons, posting recently that he is “incredibly grateful” for the opportunity and “still can’t believe [he’s] involved in” the project.
The Four Seasons uses Danny, Claude, and the lumberjack encounter to explore partnership with humour and honesty. It’s worth a watch and is streaming now on Netflix.
