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''Party Down'' is an American
sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...
created and primarily written by John Enbom, Rob Thomas, Dan Etheridge and
Paul Rudd Paul Stephen Rudd (born April 6, 1969) is an American actor. He studied theater at the University of Kansas and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, before making his acting debut in 1991. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in ...
that aired on the
Starz Starz (stylized as STARZ since 2016; pronounced "stars") is an American premium cable and satellite television network owned by Lions Gate Entertainment, and is the flagship property of parent subsidiary Starz Inc. Programming on Starz consist ...
network in the United States in 2009 and 2010. The series follows a group of
caterers Catering is the business of providing food service at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, hospital, pub, aircraft, cruise ship, park, festival, filming location or film studio. History of catering The earliest account of major servic ...
in Los Angeles as they hope to make it in Hollywood. Starz canceled ''Party Down'' on June 30, 2010. While the show was warmly received by critics, its
Nielsen ratings Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
were very low. Losing
Jane Lynch Jane Marie Lynch (born July 14, 1960) is an American actress, comedian and author. She is known for starring as Sue Sylvester in the musical comedy series ''Glee'' (2009–2015), which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award. Lynch also gained recogni ...
to ''
Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
'' as well as Adam Scott to ''
Parks and Recreation ''Parks and Recreation'' (also known as ''Parks and Rec'') is an American political satire mockumentary sitcom television series created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur. The series aired on NBC from April 9, 2009, to February 24, 2015, for 125 ...
'' were believed to be additional factors in the decision to end the series. In November 2021, a six-episode revival of the series was ordered by the network. The third season is scheduled to premiere on February 24, 2023.


Premise

This half-hour comedy follows a
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
catering Catering is the business of providing food service at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, hospital, pub, aircraft, cruise ship, park, festival, filming location or film studio. History of catering The earliest account of major services be ...
team for the titular company. The sextet of aspiring
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...
actors and writers, as well as drifting lost souls, work small-time catering gigs while hoping for their break or some positive change in their lives. Each episode finds the team working a new event, and inevitably getting tangled up with the colorful, affluent guests and their absurd lives.


Cast


Main cast

* Adam Scott as Henry Pollard, a failed actor who returns to Party Down catering after he quit acting. He is most well known for a beer ad where his line "Are we having fun yet?" earned him fame but killed his career. Apathetic and a perpetual underachiever, he often plays straight man to the rest of his coworkers and is most often the most level-headed of the group. His romantic relationship with Casey is a recurring plot element in the show. *
Ken Marino Kenneth Joseph Marino (born December 19, 1968) is an American actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter. He was a cast member on MTV's ''The State'' and has starred in shows such as ''Party Down'', '' Marry Me'', ''Burning Love'', and ''Childre ...
as Ronald Wayne "Ron" Donald, the prideful team leader of Party Down catering who is very uptight when it comes to work and strives for customer satisfaction. He is a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, although he relapses when under pressure from work as he suffers from low self-esteem. His dream is to manage a Soup R' Crackers, a franchise that offers all-you-can-eat soup. After getting the money, the business shuts down after five months, forcing Ron to return to Party Down but not as team leader. *
Lizzy Caplan Elizabeth Anne Caplan (born June 30, 1982) is an American actress. Her first acting role was on the television series ''Freaks and Geeks'' (1999–2000). She received wider recognition with roles in the films ''Mean Girls'' (2004) and ''Cloverfi ...
as Casey Klein, a struggling comedian and actress who often disregards authority, especially Ron's. She was married at the start of the series but got divorced and started a relationship with Henry to make a "clean break" from her marriage. *
Ryan Hansen Ryan Hansen is an American actor, entrepreneur and comedian. He is best known for starring as Dick Casablancas on the noir drama series ''Veronica Mars'' (2004–2019), as Kyle Bradway on the Starz comedy series ''Party Down'' (2009–2010), and ...
as Kyle Bradway, an actor, model, and front man for the band Karma Rocket. He believes he is the "total package" and is just waiting for his big break. *
Martin Starr Martin James Pflieger Schienle (born July 30, 1982), professionally known as Martin Starr, is an American actor and comedian. He is known for the television roles of Bill Haverchuck on the short-lived comedy drama ''Freaks and Geeks'' (1999–20 ...
as Roman DeBeers, a screenwriter who is a fan of
hard science fiction Hard science fiction is a category of science fiction characterized by concern for scientific accuracy and logic. The term was first used in print in 1957 by P. Schuyler Miller in a review of John W. Campbell's '' Islands of Space'' in the Novem ...
. Often frustrated by his lack of success, he harshly judges his colleagues and party guests. *
Jane Lynch Jane Marie Lynch (born July 14, 1960) is an American actress, comedian and author. She is known for starring as Sue Sylvester in the musical comedy series ''Glee'' (2009–2015), which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award. Lynch also gained recogni ...
as Constance Carmell (season 1, episodes 1–8; guest star season 2, episode 10), a former actress who befriends and mentors aspiring actor Kyle. Lynch did not appear in the last two episodes of the first season due to her commitment to ''
Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
''. Lynch guest starred in the final episode of the second season. *
Jennifer Coolidge Jennifer Audrey Coolidge (born August 28, 1961) is an American actress known for her roles in comedic film and television particularly in American Pie (series), ''American Pie'' film series (1999–2012), Legally Blonde (franchise), ''Legally Bl ...
as Bobbie St. Brown (season 1, episodes 9 and 10) – Constance's roommate who replaces her on the Party Down team after her absence. *
Megan Mullally Megan Mullally (born November 12, 1958) is an American actress, comedian, and singer. She is best known for playing Karen Walker on the NBC sitcom ''Will & Grace'' (1998–2006, 2017–2020), for which she received eight Primetime Emmy Award no ...
as Lydia Dunfree (season 2), a recent divorcee who has moved to Hollywood hoping to achieve stardom for her 13-year-old daughter Escapade. She is very optimistic and naive, constantly seeking advice from people in the entertainment business.


Recurring cast

*
J. K. Simmons Jonathan Kimble Simmons (born January 9, 1955) is an American actor, considered one of the most prolific and well-established character actors of his generation. He has appeared in over 200 films and television roles since his debut in 1986. He ...
as Leonard Stiltskin, disgruntled, foul-mouthed film producer who appears in season 1's "Taylor Stiltskin Sweet Sixteen" and season 2's "Precious Lights Pre-School Auction". *
Joey Lauren Adams Joey Lauren Adams (born January 9, 1968) is an American actress and director. Adams starred in ''Chasing Amy'', for which she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, and played smaller role ...
as Diandra Stiltskin, Leonard's unhappy and unfaithful wife who tries to seduce Kyle, appearing in season 1's "Taylor Stiltskin Sweet Sixteen" and season 2's "Precious Lights Pre-School Auction". *
Ken Jeong Kendrick Kang-Joh Jeong (, ; born July 13, 1969) is an American actor, stand-up comedian, producer, writer and licensed physician. He rose to prominence for playing Leslie Chow in ''The Hangover'' film series (2009–2013) and Ben Chang in the ...
as Alan Duk, original Party Down CEO who purchases one of Ron's "Soup 'R Crackers", appearing in season 1's "Sin Say Shun Awards After Party" and "Stennheiser-Pong Wedding Reception". Duk was tried and convicted for white collar crimes before season 2. *
Kristen Bell Kristen Anne Bell (born July 18, 1980) is an American actress. Beginning her acting career by starring in stage productions while attending the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, she made her Broadway stage debut as Becky That ...
as Uda Bengt, the uptight leader of Valhalla Catering who eventually starts a relationship with Henry after Casey leaves. She appears in season 1's "Stennheiser-Pong Wedding Reception" and season 2's "Party Down Company Picnic". *
Aviva Baumann Aviva Baumann ( Farber; born July 10, 1984) is an American actress. She is known for playing Nicola in the comedy film ''Superbad'' (2007), young Shannon Gibbs on the military police procedural series '' NCIS'', and Mandy on the sitcom ''Party D ...
as Mandy, Ron's girlfriend who appears in season 2's "Jackal Onassis Backstage Party" and "Precious Lights Pre-School Auction". *
Michael Hitchcock Michael Hitchcock (born July 28, 1958) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and television producer. Early life Hitchcock received his Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern University and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Un ...
as Bolus Lugozshe, the new owner of Party Down, appearing in season 2's "Party Down Company Picnic" and "Constance Carmell Wedding". *
June Diane Raphael June Diane Raphael ( ; born January 4, 1980) is an American actress, comedian, and screenwriter. She has starred in TV comedy programs ''Burning Love'', Adult Swim's '' NTSF:SD:SUV::'', and ''Grace and Frankie''. Notable film work includes support ...
as Danielle Lugozshe, daughter of Bolus who begins an affair with Ron and eventually chooses him over her fiancé. She appears in season 2's "Party Down Company Picnic" and "Constance Carmell Wedding". ''Party Down'' featured several cameos and guest appearances, including
Kevin Hart Kevin Darnell Hart (born July 6, 1979) is an American comedian and actor. Originally known as a stand-up comedian, he has since starred in Hollywood films and on TV. He has also released several well-received comedy albums. After winning se ...
,
Steve Guttenberg Steven Robert Guttenberg (born August 24, 1958) is an American actor, author, businessman, producer, and director. He is known for his lead roles in Hollywood films of the 1980s and 1990s, including '' Cocoon'', ''Police Academy'', ''Three Men a ...
,
Rick Fox Rick may refer to: People *Rick (given name), a list of people with the given name *Alan Rick (born 1976), Brazilian politician, journalist, pastor and television personality *Johannes Rick (1869–1946), Austrian-born Brazilian priest and mycol ...
, and
George Takei George Takei (; ja, ジョージ・タケイ; born Hosato Takei (武井 穂郷), April 20, 1937) is an American actor, author and activist known for his role as Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the fictional starship USS ''Enterprise'' in the televi ...
.


Development


Conception

The concept of ''Party Down'' was six years in the making, with many of the ideas for the episodes conceptualized years before the show was made. An original unaired pilot was shot at Rob Thomas's house with all the original cast except
Lizzy Caplan Elizabeth Anne Caplan (born June 30, 1982) is an American actress. Her first acting role was on the television series ''Freaks and Geeks'' (1999–2000). She received wider recognition with roles in the films ''Mean Girls'' (2004) and ''Cloverfi ...
, whose character was played by
Andrea Savage Andrea Kristen Savage (born February 20, 1973) is an American actress, comedian, and writer known for her roles in projects such as the Comedy Central mockumentary series '' Dog Bites Man'' (2006), the comedy film '' Step Brothers'' (2008), Hulu ...
.
Paul Rudd Paul Stephen Rudd (born April 6, 1969) is an American actor. He studied theater at the University of Kansas and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, before making his acting debut in 1991. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in ...
was also in the pilot, but could not participate in the series due to film projects. The pilot was used to sell the show to the
Starz Starz (stylized as STARZ since 2016; pronounced "stars") is an American premium cable and satellite television network owned by Lions Gate Entertainment, and is the flagship property of parent subsidiary Starz Inc. Programming on Starz consist ...
network.


Crew

The series was
executive produced Executive producer (EP) is one of the top positions in the making of a commercial entertainment product. Depending on the medium, the executive producer may be concerned with management accounting or associated with legal issues (like copyrights o ...
by co-creators John Enbom, Rob Thomas, Dan Etheridge and
Paul Rudd Paul Stephen Rudd (born April 6, 1969) is an American actor. He studied theater at the University of Kansas and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, before making his acting debut in 1991. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in ...
. Enbom served as
showrunner A showrunner (or colloquially a helmer) is the top-level executive producer of a television series production who has creative and management authority through combining the responsibilities of employer and, in comedy or dramas, typically also th ...
. The co-executive producers were Jennifer Gwartz and Danielle Stokdyk and Jennifer Dugan was a producer. Beginning with season two, series star Adam Scott served as a producer, while series directors
Bryan Gordon Bryan Gordon is an American film and television director, writer and producer who is primarily known for directing comedy television shows. Early life Gordon was born and raised in Dover, Delaware. He graduated from Dover High School. He grad ...
and
Fred Savage Frederick Aaron Savage (born July 9, 1976) is an American actor and director. He is known for his role as Kevin Arnold in the American television series ''The Wonder Years'' (1988 to 1993). He has earned several awards and nominations, such as ...
served as supervising producers. Series star
Ken Marino Kenneth Joseph Marino (born December 19, 1968) is an American actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter. He was a cast member on MTV's ''The State'' and has starred in shows such as ''Party Down'', '' Marry Me'', ''Burning Love'', and ''Childre ...
directed the second-season finale episode.


Possible film adaptation

On January 8, 2012,
Megan Mullally Megan Mullally (born November 12, 1958) is an American actress, comedian, and singer. She is best known for playing Karen Walker on the NBC sitcom ''Will & Grace'' (1998–2006, 2017–2020), for which she received eight Primetime Emmy Award no ...
stated a film was being written by John Enbom and she would be part of it. According to Mullally, the film would likely pick up where season two left off. In a January 2012 interview,
Martin Starr Martin James Pflieger Schienle (born July 30, 1982), professionally known as Martin Starr, is an American actor and comedian. He is known for the television roles of Bill Haverchuck on the short-lived comedy drama ''Freaks and Geeks'' (1999–20 ...
commented that "I know that things have gone out that make it seem like it’s official, but there’s nothing official. We all have our fingers crossed and hope that everything works out and that we can get it made. There are small steps being taken that hopefully will lead to people signing contracts and us getting to do something, but at the moment I’m not capable of saying that it’s happening yet". Starr continued that, although he had "heard of the possibility of financiers", he was not sure "to what degree things are moving forward, or if things are moving forward". He then joked "Hopefully those talks lead to us getting to make an amazing movie that all seven of us fans can watch". In December 2015, Adam Scott said the film is unlikely to ever happen, and if anything were to happen it would most likely be new episodes.


Revival

In March 2021, it was reported that a revival as a six-episode limited series was in development at Starz. The originals series creators Enbom, Thomas, Etheridge, and Rudd are involved and Enbom serves as showrunner. In November 2021, Starz officially ordered a six-episode series with Adam Scott, Jane Lynch, Ken Marino, Martin Starr, Ryan Hansen and Megan Mullally to return; Lizzy Caplan did not return due to scheduling conflicts.
Jennifer Garner Jennifer Anne Garner (born April 17, 1972) is an American actress. Born in Houston, Texas, and raised in Charleston, West Virginia, Garner studied theater at Denison University and began acting as an understudy for the Roundabout Theatre Compan ...
,
Tyrel Jackson Williams Tyrel Jackson Williams (born March 16, 1997) is an American actor. He starred as Leo Dooley in the Disney XD series ''Lab Rats''. Williams also co-starred in the 2014 Disney XD television film '' Pants on Fire''. From 2017 to 2020 he co-starred ...
, and
Zoë Chao Zoë Carroll Chao (born September 19, 1985) is an American television and stage actress and screenwriter, principally known for her role as Isobel in ''Strangers'', and Zoe in '' The Afterparty''. Early life Chao was born in Providence, Rhode I ...
were cast as series regulars, while
James Marsden James Paul Marsden (born September 18, 1973) is an American actor, singer, and former model. Marsden began his acting career guest starring in the television shows '' Saved by the Bell: The New Class'' (1993), '' Touched by an Angel'' (1995), ' ...
was cast in a recurring role. The series began production in January 2022 and filming wrapped in March 2022. The third season is scheduled to premiere on February 24, 2023.


Episodes


Season 1 (2009)


Season 2 (2010)


Reception

The first season of ''Party Down'' holds an 87% approval rating with an average score of 8.5 out of 10 on
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
based on 30 critical reviews. The website's critical consensus is, "Before shows about struggling actors were done to death, there was ''Party Down''." On
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
, it has a score of 66 based on 12 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Andrew Wallenstein of ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' said, "Lurking behind the surface of this raucous comedy is an astute meditation on the promise and peril of leading an unconventional life, something about which aspiring actors know a thing or two." The
American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Leade ...
named ''Party Down'' one of the 10 best shows of 2009. The second season holds a 100% rating with an average score of 8.9 out of 10 on Rotten Tomatoes based on 13 reviews. The website's critical consensus is, "''Party Down''s second season further entrenches the show's status as an astute and acidic comedy gem." On Metacritic, it has a score of 84 based on 12 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".
James Poniewozik James "Jim" Poniewozik (; born July 12, 1968) is an American journalist and television critic. He is the chief TV critic for ''The New York Times''. Earlier in his career, he wrote ''Time'' magazine's ''Tuned In'' column for 16 years. Early life ...
of ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'' ranked ''Party Down'' as the sixth best television series of 2010. The show was nominated at the
26th TCA Awards The 26th TCA Awards were presented by the Television Critics Association. Dax Shepard hosted the ceremony on July 31, 2010, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Winners and nominees Multiple wins The following shows received multiple wins: Multipl ...
for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy. In 2014, ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' listed the show at #22 in their list of the "26 Best Cult TV Shows Ever" calling it a "smart, drily funny series" and saying, "But the off-beat writing shone brightest in the smaller moments, when the gang was just sitting around a kitchen and bickering to pass the time." In 2020, Briana Kranich of ''
Screen Rant ''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and film theories. ''Screen Rant'' was launched by Vic Holtreman in 2003, and originally had its primary office in Ogden, Utah. ''Scr ...
'' ranked ''Party Down'' as the second-most underrated TV show of the 2000s.


References


External links

* * {{Starz Shows 2009 American television series debuts 2010 American television series endings 2000s American sitcoms 2010s American sitcoms 2000s American workplace comedy television series 2010s American workplace comedy television series American television series revived after cancellation English-language television shows Fictional waiting staff Starz original programming Television series about actors Television shows set in Los Angeles