Total Number of Ratings: 2
Party Down - Are we having fun yet?
Monday, June 22, 2009 12:38 AM
Some of us have the dream of making it big, some of us have tried, and some of us have simply fizzled in our hopes and dreams. The Party Down experience is something fun and fantastic that conveys that. Created by Rob Thomas, Paul Rudd, John Enbom, and Dan Etheridge (essentially everyone from Veronica Mars) Party Down is the story of Hollywood wanna-be's or failures working in the catering business in Los Angeles, California.
Think of Party Down as basically the U.S. version of The Office set in the catering business. Much of comedy is set on weird, quirky, awkward humor that is very much present on The Office. There is the overzealous boss Ron Donald who tends to make himself look like a moron (a very interesting and fun Ken Marino) who is dead set on opening up his own Soup&Crackers franchise store. Henry Pollard (Adam Scott) is essentially Jim Halpert but for some reason more interesting and can't stop running into people at parties that recognize him from the one commercial that has marked him as the guy who says, "Are we having fun yet?" Casey Clein (Lizzy Caplan) is kind of Pam but actually cool with a stand-up comedian backround who has recently divorced her husband. Martin Starr plays a Ryan/Dwight - esque character as an aspiring screenwriter waiting to make it big.
What's fun about Party Down is that every episode takes place at a different party. The episodes don't stretch outside the party but they are able to infuse personal lives throughout the conversations that take place at the parties they cater. So somewhat slowly we see character development more out of Henry and Casey and Ron as the episodes go on. And what's a shame is that Jane Lynch is not in the last two episodes of the season because she provides a nice contrast to the show, but she had to go start filming a series named Glee (which Conor and I have also reviewed the pilot gleefully hahahahaha) so Jennifer Collidge takes her place in the last two episodes of season 1.
What's also a shame about this show is hardly anyone has seen it. It's been on the Starz network and is now on Netflix Instant watch so I urge you to see it. The first season has only 10 episodes but they all conveniently fill the 25 minute mark. Party Down has been renewed for a second season and I feel it necessary for this show to get out to more people as Adam Scott is starting to climb my roster of interesting actors (not that I have a roster but still...ok Simon Baker, Jon Hamm...uh...). And yes the Lizzy Caplan bug has bit me, so all in all if you can check out this series somehow so that it gets some more air time.
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I really enjoyed this show (I saw the first 9 episodes via Google Video). I'm a big fan of Entourage as well, so it was great getting to see the flip side of the Hollywood success story. I'm really going to miss Jane Lynch in the second season, but I'll definitely be watching regardless. Gotta love Martin Starr as well. I like how the show stars a bunch of "that guy" actors, and yet you get to see the talent these actors have and gain an understanding of why they get used in so many movies starring your favorite bigger comedic stars.