5 Movies and Shows You Need to Watch to Understand Alan Alda’s Brilliance from Netflix’s ‘The Four Seasons’

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Alan Alda did not just walk into Hollywood, he waltzed in with a grin, a typewriter, and a PhD in charisma. From Emmy-winning turns to scientific podcasting, he has spent decades proving that intelligence and likability are not mutually exclusive. He has written screenplays with more emotional nuance than most therapy sessions and still found time to be devastatingly charming in a cable-knit sweater. And now, he returns in the Netflix adaptation of The Four Seasons

, adding yet another feather to his already overachieving cap.

To fully appreciate his impact in The Four Seasons

, one must first witness these five cinematic triumphs.

1. The Four Seasons (1981)

Released in 1981, The Four Seasons

was written, directed by, and starred Alan Alda as Jack Burroughs, a neurotic but lovable man grappling with aging, friendship, and marital shifts over seasonal vacations. The film was a commercial hit, cementing Alda’s reputation beyond M*A*S*H*

. Fast forward to 2024, Netflix’s sleek new retelling of Alda’s The Four Seasons

 

saw Alda returning as the only original cast member, serving as a respectful bridge between the original and the reboot.

2. Bridge of Spies

In the 2015 historical drama Bridge of Spies

, directed by Steven Spielberg, Alan Alda played Thomas Watters, a senior partner at a law firm overseeing a pivotal Cold War negotiation. Although his screen time was limited, Alda brought corporate polish and quiet authority to the role. He did not receive any major awards or nominations for the performance, and the part mainly functioned to support the lead character played by Tom Hanks in the unfolding legal and political drama.

Read More: Where Was Netflix’s ‘Four Seasons’ Filmed? A Guide to All Locations Used for the Comic Hit

3. Flirting with Disaster

Flirting with Disaster

, released in 1996 and directed by David O. Russell, features Alan Alda as Richard Schlichting, a free-spirited biologist and long-lost father to Ben Stiller’s character. The film’s chaotic road-trip structure allowed Alda to embrace a looser, more eccentric role than usual, playing a laid-back, LSD-experimenting hippie. While the film itself received critical praise for its quirky tone, Alda’s performance stood out for its comic energy and for pushing his usual persona into offbeat, hilarious territory.

4. Everyone Says I Love You

In Woody Allen’s ensemble musical Everyone Says I Love You

, released in 1996, Alan Alda portrayed Bob Dandridge, the kind-hearted and slightly bewildered father of a large, liberal New York family. The film mixed spontaneous musical numbers with classic Allen-style neuroses. Alda’s role was supportive rather than central, he brought warmth to a character surrounded by romantic misadventures and existential confusion. The film received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Picture – Musical or Comedy, though Alda himself was not nominated.

Read More: ‘The Four Seasons’ on Netflix: Cast, Plot, Trailer, Release Date and Everything You Need to Know

5. Nothing But the Truth

Alan Alda played defense attorney Alan Burnside in Nothing But the Truth

, a 2008 political drama inspired by real-life cases involving journalistic integrity and national security. His character defends a journalist who refuses to disclose a source. Alda’s performance was measured and persuasive, adding gravity to the legal debates at the film’s core. 

Which Alan Alda character stuck with you the longest? Let us know in the comments below. 

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