Even Netflix’s biggest-ever shows rarely run beyond a handful of seasons, and that’s without taking a second to lament the eye-watering volume canceled before their time. A lot of people might not even realize it, but Grace and Frankie still reigns supreme as the streaming service’s master of longevity.
One of a very few live-action originals to last for seven whole seasons, the quaint sitcom is currently tied with Orange is the New Black in that regard, but it does boast the highest episode count for any live-action Netflix exclusive as well, having churned out 92 installments before drawing with a close. Of course, in terms of seasons it’ll be overtaken eventually after Elite was renewed for a landmark eighth run, but for the time being it remains at the head of the class.
However, Brooklyn Decker has revealed in an interview with The Messenger that despite being one of the principal cast members for the whole time Grace and Frankie was on the air, she hasn’t seen a single penny of residuals for her contributions to the show, which is even more concerning when you consider it’s been her only source of acting income since her last feature film appearance in 2018’s Support the Girls.
“It is our industry’s big fight and an effort to preserve the craft of creativity and actors and writers at this point. With all streamers, they release internationally on the same day. So you’re not getting any syndication, you’re not paying any royalties. You make what you make for shooting episodes, and there’s no money to be made after you’ve seen that. This is the life of an actor. You can be working for a year straight and then a three-year dry spell. You have to think of insurance.
There’s no maternity leave in the television, so the strike is hugely important. I had an amazing experience working, but it was definitely not what it would have been at a network. These streamers are making a ton on the back of creatives and it’s time that those wages are just paid out and allocated fairly. No one’s asking for more than they deserve. Everyone’s just asking for fairness and fair wages for their work.”
Residuals have been a key part of the ongoing strikes, and when seven seasons of Netflix TV doesn’t earn you an additional penny despite the popularity of the project in question, it’s easy to see why.