After going to the funeral, Grace’s daughter, Brianna, comes over to help Grace set up an online dating profile, but ends up having quality time with Frankie. Brianna and Frankie end up getting high together and have a deep talk about Grace and Frankie’s relationship. After some convincing, they get Grace to take them to get frozen yogurt. While there, Grace has a daydream where she falls, breaks her hip, and ends up in the hospital needing surgery. Through this vision, she realizes how much she needs Frankie in her life. When she “comes out” of the daydream, she gives Frankie a huge hug while still in the frozen yogurt shop. The episode concludes with the two women laughing and enjoying their time with one another.
Grace and Frankie “The Fall” passes the Bechdel Test by including…
- Two women named Grace and Frankie
- The episode includes conversations where the women are talking to one another
- Throughout the episode they have conversations that are not about men. In this particular episode, they have a conversation about getting frozen yogurt.
Grace Skolka (Hanson)
Masculine Traits:
- Forceful
- In the beginning of the episode, Grace is very forceful in both her conversations with Frankie and Brianna. She is almost demanding that things are her way.
- Within her daydream, Grace is also forceful in the hospital. Although they present her with an x-ray, she proclaims that she did not break her hip!
- Makes decisions easily
- When she was “in the hospital”, she makes the decision to not have surgery or an MRI very quickly. Unfortunately, for her, she ended up going through both, even if just in her imagination.
- Dominant
- Grace showed dominance in a conversation with Frankie and Brianna where she proclaimed it was her house, even though it is both her and Frankie’s.
- Aggressive
- Grace is aggressive towards different characters in the hospital. She yells that she “did not want ice” and for the nurse “stop touching” her! Both of these proclamations are accompanied by shoving from Grace.
Feminine Traits:
- Shy
- Grace is shy and timid towards creating a dating profile. She is nervous that people are going to see her as a “desperate loser”.
- Not susceptible to flattery
- When Grace imagines herself in the hospital, Robert comes to visit her. When he walks in the room he tries to be nice towards her and she is short in her words in return.
- Loyal
- In the end of the episode, Grace and Frankie exemplify loyalty towards one another. They are starting to realize that they are one another’s closest friends.
- Eager to soothe hurt feelings
- Grace talks to Brianna about what she said about Frankie at the funeral; how Grace is “stuck” with Frankie. Grace seems like she is sorry and feels bad about what she said.
- Childlike
- Grace is very childlike when she is signing up for her online dating profile. She reminded me of a middle schooler who just entered their first relationship.
- Additionally, at the end of the episode, Grace slurped her frozen yogurt from her sample cup. Most grown individuals would eat it with a spoon or just more subtly, but not her.
Frankie Bergestein
Masculine Traits:
- Defends own beliefs
- At the end of the episode, when Grace and Frankie have a heart to heart conversation about one another Frankie opens up about her true feelings towards Grace. She tells her that she doesn’t like the way Grace treats her and it needs to change.
- Assertive
- When Grace “falls” at the frozen yogurt shop, Frankie asserts responsibility and yells for someone to call an ambulance.
- Self-sufficient
- Even though Frankie gets very high from smoking in the beginning of the episode, she claims to Grace that she is okay enough to drive.
- When Frankie goes to pay at the frozen yogurt shop, Grace offers, but Frankie insists that she can pay on her own.
- Individualistic
- In the beginning of the episode Frankie makes a statement regarding how her bra was uncomfortable, but then looked downing realized she wasn’t wearing one. Not most women would be open and even outspoken about this.
Feminine Traits:
- Loyal
- In the end of the episode, Grace and Frankie exemplify loyalty towards one another. They are starting to realize that they are one another’s closest friends.
- Sensitive to others’ needs
- Frankie is sensitive towards Brianna who is stressed from having to cope with her dad’s new love and helping her mom through a tough time. To help, Frankie offers to smoke with her and in doing so, the two end up having a deep conversation.
- Sensitive
- Grace mentioned in the beginning of the episode how she was alone, to which Frankie was sensitive towards.
- In the hospital, Grace blamed Coyote’s, Frankie’s son’s, substance abuse issue on her. Frankie seemed hurt by this and stormed out, but then comes back to save Grace from her MRI.
In this episode, I believe that Grace and Frankie are fairly androgynous. They both exemplify an evenly balanced amount of masculine and feminine characteristics. I think this is because it is in this episode where the two women start to realize what great friends they are to each other, but it takes them some time to realize it. While they figure themselves out, they are very masculine, but once they start to see each other for who they really are they exemplify more femininity.
Shared by: Reegan Haines
Image Credit: Grace and Frankie Season 1, Episode 6 (approximately 5:45)