The Four Seasons

During the May spring vacation at the forest cottage, Nick confides in Jack that he is unhappy in his marriage and intends to divorce Anne. He says he wants a woman who can excite him, denying involvement with another woman when asked. Jack passes this worry to Kate, who is devastated by the admission and fears for Anne.

Kate is devastated when Jack shares Nick's plan to divorce Anne. The revelation unsettles the group, especially Kate who worries about Anne. The scene signals cracks in the marriages as the friends confront Nick's dissatisfaction.

While the husbands plan and cook, Kate and Claudia discuss Anne's latest photographs. The conversation reveals different tastes and undercurrents between the women, hinting at the strains the group will face as the seasons pass.

Nick has separated from Anne and starts dating Ginny Newley. The group is skeptical of Nick's charm, while Ginny accepts his tall tales with a mix of naivety and confidence. The shift in Nick's relationship status becomes a focal point of the summer dynamics.

During the summer voyage, the sailboat becomes stuck on a sandbar, disrupting sleep as Nick and Ginny have sex loudly at night. The rest of the couples privately discuss the strain Nick's relationship places on their group. When the journey resumes, tensions linger.

After Nick and Ginny's open displays, the Zimmers begin swimming naked as a provocative response to the couple's relationship. The gesture mirrors the blurred boundaries and the group's attempt to cope with the changes. The summer days on the water heighten underlying judgments and tensions.

In autumn, the group travels to Connecticut for Parents' Weekend to visit Beth and Lisa. They check into a university inn and run into Anne, who has become depressed from her separation. The meeting underscores the growing distance within the circle.

Anne, depressed by her separation, declares she is moving on by traveling to Czechoslovakia and adopting a pet snake. The change signals a shift in her life as she tries new experiences.

Beth reveals that she and Lisa are no longer close, highlighting fractures in friendships. Danny confides in Jack that Nick has cheated on Anne with multiple other women, exposing Nick as a womanizer. The revelations deepen the rift among the couples.

During a soccer match, Jack bruises his knee from tackling Nick, and the two grow estranged as tensions rise. Kate confesses she hates planning the quarterly vacations, which compounds the group’s discomfort with Nick and Ginny's dynamic.

In winter, Nick is married to Ginny, while Anne becomes a magazine photographer. The group retreats into their preexisting rituals but the personal changes linger beneath the surface.

At a bar in the ski resort, Ginny defends Danny from the others’ jests about his fears, prompting Kate to insult Ginny by saying she will never understand the group. Upset, Ginny leaves the lodge, unsettled by the confrontation.

Nick reveals that Ginny is pregnant. Later, Danny goes to look for Ginny when she seems absent, and he falls through the ice while she hurries back to warn the others. They rescue him in Danny's Mercedes as the car sinks, and the group reconciles with a vow to return next winter.