Grace and Frankie: 5 Times Sol Was The Worst (& 5 Times Robert Was)

Grace and Frankie emerged as one of Netflix’s new originals back in 2015 to great acclaim. While the show’s primary focus is on the titular couple, it has also grown to focus almost just as much as on the spouses that left them and married each other, Sol and Robert.

Here are a few examples of when Sol and Robert have proven themselves to be just as stubborn and foolish as Grace and Frankie.

10 Sol: Whiny And Indecisive

Let’s cut to the quick here. Sol is more often than not the instigator of drama in his relationship with Robert. While Robert would rather just simply live their life together in peace and quiet, Sol can’t seem to just enjoy it without having some drama at the fray. Just when things seem to be quiet enough, something gets Sol going. That’s not to say that Robert never does anything wrong, but Robert at least tends to be more measured in his responses.

9 Robert: Doesn’t Want To Be Too Gay

There’s no “right” way to be gay. You don’t need to wear particular kinds of clothes, eat certain kinds of food, or speak in a certain tone. But for Robert, a gay man who has spent the vast majority of his life in the closet, it’s difficult to display parts of his personality that would suggest he’s gay. He would be completely fine just spending the rest of his days with Sol at home, reading, eating great food, and otherwise staying off of everyone else’s radar. As the series progresses, Robert does learn to come out more and embrace his sexuality more openly, but it’s usually done while kicking and screaming.

8 Sol: Not Supportive Of Robert’s Theatre Pursuits

Retirement doesn’t come easy to Sol and Robert, but they eventually decide their time to leave their firm behind in the hands of Bud, son of Sol and Frankie. Sol, wanting to find new pursuits to fill their time, has Robert audition for their local theatre. Things don’t quite go according to plan when Robert ends up getting offered a role and Sol doesn’t.

We can understand how it feels not making the cut, but Sol struggles to support Robert at all once he finds a new community in the theatre. It’s not an easy thing for Robert to pursue stereotypical gay interests. Why can’t you let him have this one thing, Sol?

7 Robert: Not Supporting Sol At Protests

One of the things that Sol and Frankie bonded over during their complicated marriage was their joint desire to be vocal about the things for which they felt very passionate. When Sol marries Robert, he discovers that this is not a bond he will be able to forge with Robert. Sol has no problem getting on the frontlines when it comes to gay rights and even gets arrested. Robert, on the other hand, would rather let others fight the fight. For him, just getting married to Sol felt like progress enough. Robert eventually comes around, but he later makes it clear that he is more of a “theatre gay,” not a “protest gay.”

6 Sol: Relies Too Much On Frankie

Life is messy. No one could expect a gay couple to have a smooth transition to being together after spending almost a lifetime in a heterosexual relationship. But Sol struggles a lot, in the beginning, to let go of the same traditions and pastimes he and Frankie shared together to the point that he still does some of them with her. This is not to say that Sol should never be expected to have feelings for Frankie again or mourn the loss of their relationship. But it puts Robert in a very difficult place when he wants Sol and him to finally experience the life they’ve always dreamed of together.

5 Robert: Backing Out Of Cruise With Sol

Robert, unfortunately, does let his theatre community get in the way of his relationship with Sol. From having late night after-practice parties to simply spending a lot of time at the theatre itself, Robert struggles to reconnect with Sol. Eventually, Robert decides to quit the theatre and take Sol on a folk cruise.

But when Robert is offered the lead for the newest play, he tries to make Sol a counteroffer on the cruise so that he can also take the role. Robert knows that he and Sol aren’t going to live forever, if much longer at all, and it’s particularly hurtful that he can’t simply find a different pastime.

4 Sol: Never Getting Rid Of Joan Margaret

We’ve all had that employee that has the best of intentions but simply isn’t good at their job. Joan Margaret, the secretary of Robert and Sol’s law firm, has a heart of gold, but absolutely no clue how to do her job, even after working for them for years and years. It takes a lot of convincing from Bud for Sol to finally let go of Joan Margaret. If it took until the end of Sol’s tenure for this to happen, it makes us wonder exactly what else Sol let slide during his time at the firm.

3 Robert: Inviting Peter To Live With Them

Robert makes a lot of sacrifices to be in his community theatre, but one sacrifice tries him and Sol in a totally new way. When Peter, the director of the theatre group, finds himself kicked out of his house after cheating on his husband, Robert decides to offer him a place to stay without asking Sol’s permission so that Peter will give Sol the lead role. This would be all well and fine given the size of Robert and Sol’s house except that Peter is a pill (and that’s putting it kindly). Not only that but even after Robert opens their house to Peter, he won’t give Robert the lead role. This was not a good move for anyone, Robert.

2 Sol: Sleeping With Frankie

Of all the dumb things that Sol has done, this is almost certainly the worst. At the conclusion of the first season, it is just a week before Sol and Robert’s wedding. After decades of hiding their relationship from their wives, Sol and Robert are finally tying the knot.

But as Robert is writing his vows to deliver at the wedding, Sol and Frankie are sleeping together. It’s never a good idea to sleep with your ex when you’re in a committed relationship, but it’s especially bad when you’re a week out from your wedding.

1 Robert: Trying To Push Oliver Out Of The Closet

After deciding to leave the only home they’ve had together, Robert and Sol decide to forge a new path and move into a completely different neighborhood. When a new couple, Oliver and Jo, moves into their neighborhood they decide to pay Robert and Sol a visit. Not only does Oliver give them a housewarming gift; he sends Robert and Sol’s “gay-dar” off the charts.

Robert and Sol start to believe that Oliver and Jo may be in a mixed-orientation relationship, something they both have extensive experience with. Robert wants to spare Oliver and Jo the same pain that he experienced with Grace when he wasn’t honest with her, but his timing is off.

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