TV

Party Down

Are we having fun yet?

Photo: Vulture; Photo: Starz Entertainment/Colleen Hayes

“To an almost astonishing degree, the new season of Party Down is able to capture and even extend all of the best things about its first two seasons. It can return to the original conceit of each episode being its own catered event, which lets the show play around with different settings and guest appearances. It seamlessly incorporates a couple of new, younger team members — Tyrel Jackson Williams as Sackson, a wannabe influencer working as a cater-waiter until his sponsorship deals come in, and Zoë Chao as the group’s new chef, Lucy — while also building in an outside perspective on staff dynamics via the addition of Jennifer Garner, whose comedy instincts help soften and expand the show’s occasionally grim outlook.”

— Kathryn VanArendonk “Party Down Has Time on Its Side”

  1. Episode 10 Constance Carmell Wedding
    Party Down Season Finale: We Belong Together If this is the end of the line for the most critically adored/commercially ignored sitcom since ‘Arrested Development,’ then what a way to go.
  2. Episode 8 Joel Munt’s Big Deal Party
    Party Down: Bubbles, the Clown Tackling the easy L.A. cliches the right way – with Andre Royo!
  3. Episode 7 Party Down Company Picnic
    Party Down: No Picnic The best ep of the season centers around a cater-off!
  4. Episode 5 Not on Your Wife Opening Night
    Party Down Recap: Welcome to the Thee-Uh-Tuh It’s all one big farce in this highly entertaining episode.
  5. Episode 4 Steve Guttenberg’s Birthday
    Party Down Recap: Hot Tub Time Machine Steve Guttenberg, half naked. That is all.
  6. Episode 3 James Ellison Funeral
    Party Down: The Truth Shall Set You Free We feel compelled to admit that this was the weakest of at least the first seven episodes.
  7. Episode 3 Nick DiCintio’s Orgy Night
    Party Down: Orgy in Blue A delightfully silly, profoundly dirty episode.
  8. Episode 2 Precious Lights Pre-School Auction
    Party Down: Truck Drivers and Trade School Planning for the future.
  9. Episode 1 Jackal Onassis Backstage Party
    Party Down Recap: It’s Back! It’s Back! Season two begins, and new cast member Megan Mullally achieves the otherworldly task of making us not miss Jane Lynch.
  1. Episode 6 Sepulveda Basin High School Spring Play Opening Night
    Party Down Season-Finale Recap: One Last Ride The Party Down crew learns to revise, downgrade, or let go of old dreams.
  2. Episode 5 Once Upon a Time “Proms Away” Prom-otional Event
    Party Down Recap: Pressure Makes Diamonds Lydia and Escapade beat the odds and “made it” in Hollywood, but at what cost?
  3. Episode 4 KSGY-95 Prizewinner’s Luau
    Party Down Recap: A Long, Strange Trip (feat. the Police) The crew has never been shy about taking drugs during a gig, but usually they’re not surrounded by cops.
  4. Episode 3 First Annual PI2A Symposium
    Party Down Recap: What Is This Event? We’ve seen the Party Down crew take on less-than-savory jobs in the past, but it’s never literally catered to white supremacists.
  5. Episode 2 Jack Botty’s Delayed Post-Pandemic Surprise Party
    Party Down Recap: An Earthy Whiff of Decay It’s not Party Down until Henry Pollard begrudgingly dons a pink bow tie.
  6. Episode 1 Kyle Bradway is Nitromancer
    Party Down Season-Premiere Recap: Personal Business on Company Time The Party Down crew has mostly moved on to bigger (or more mundane) things, but their reunion feels just like old times.

More Party Down

  1. best of 2023
    The Best TV Shows of 2023Shows may come and shows may go, but great TV will never leave us.
  2. last night on late night
    Lizzy Caplan Would Return for One More Season of Party DownNow that Fleishman is out of trouble, Caplan can go back to catering.
    By Bethy Squires
  3. finale thoughts
    Shit Buckets and StopwatchesThe Party Down cast reflects on a season that almost didn’t happen.
    By Erik Adams
  4. profile
    Ken Marino Will Do Anything for ComedyDead rats, discouragement, the shame of farting in front of his colleagues: Nothing can stop this man.
    By Jen Chaney
  5. chat room
    Martin Starr Pulled His Party Down Trip From Personal Experience“With mushrooms, it’s a different story.”
    By Erik Adams
  6. republican party down
    Two Party Down Episodes, Two Snapshots of American PoliticsJohn Enbom explains the satirical echoes in the new season’s spiritual sequel to “California College Conservative Union Caucus.”
    By Hershal Pandya
  7. chat room
    How Tyrel Jackson Williams Brought TikTok Cringe to Party Down“It’s sort of a newer version of the L.A. actor ride that Kyle is on the first two seasons, but it’s worse.”
    By Caitlin Wolper
  8. ask the experts
    What the Party Down Premiere-Party Caterers Think of Party Down“I think I might have to tell Adam Scott that he’s a really big influence to me, as a caterer.”
    By Bethy Squires
  9. now streaming
    The 8 Best Movies and TV Shows to Watch This WeekendIf there’s a theme this week, it’s “party drugs.”
    By James Grebey
  10. party report
    Adam Scott’s Prank Made Ken Marino Cry During Party DownTears of joy.
    By Alejandra Gularte
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