The long-awaited third season of the Starz comedy reunites the cater-waiters for a hilarious revival.
Plot: Ten years later, most of the Party Down catering team have moved on, including actor/bartender Henry Pollard (Adam Scott). After a surprise reunion, the gang find themselves once again stoically enduring the procession of random parties and oddball guests all over Los Angeles.
Review: In 2010, Starz cancelled Party Down after only two seasons on the air. Whether Jane Lynch joined Glee10 or Adam Scott joining Parks and Recreation, was the reason the funny series about a team of cater-waiters became a part of the show’s growing fan base. Party down has returned for a third season, with most of its main cast back. Set a decade after the last season, Party Down is as funny as ever, with new characters joining the fray for a six episode run that mines how much fame and Hollywood celebrity have changed since the series was last on the airwaves.
Party Down opens with the crew of the titular catering company reuniting after ten years apart. Ron Donald (Ken Marino), a veteran waiter Roman Starr (Martin Starr), is still in charge. Henry Pollard (Adam Scott), a married high school teacher, comes to celebrate with Kyle (Ryan Hansen), who landed a highly sought-after role on the big screen. Constance (Jane Lynch), a wealthy widow and Lydia (Megan Mullally), an agent, reunite with old friends, except Casey (Lizzy Caban), who is too famous not to attend the soiree. Season one opens with bright perspectives and promise for many of the main characters. Then, COVID strikes. COVID strikes. Many people are tired of shows using the pandemic to advance their plot points. However, it does move the story forward a year and makes the season more entertaining.
How Henry rejoins the catering crew is something that you will have to see. The six-episode third series (five episodes of which were made accessible for this review) flows in an episodic format with some guest stars appearing over multiple episodes. Tyrel Jackson Williams, Zoe Chao, and Lucy, the Party Down waiter Saxon, are notable additions to this cast. Saxon is a rising influencer while Lucy is trying not to make boring food but is attempting to be an artistic chef. Both are funny additions that go well with the legacy characters. Jennifer Garner will play the role of Hollywood producer Evie and James Marsden will portray Jack Botty, an A-list actor. Both Garner and Botty fit nicely with the cast and factor into the season-long plot nicely.
Adam Scott plays a great straight man here, and this is a really fun counterbalance to his excellent work on Severance. Scott and Garner are great friends, while Scott and Garner let the rest of the cast get into the more involved hijinks. Ken Marino is the show’s MVP, and he has done some of the best work this year. Lynch and Mullally are as funny as ever, while Ryan Hansen and Martin Starr effortlessly slip back into their roles like it is yesterday. You will also see some great guest actors, which I will leave to you to discover as the season progresses. All five episodes I have seen had me audibly laughing, something I have not done as much with many comedy shows since the original run of Party Down left the air.
Producers Rob Thomas and Paul Rudd retain credits on the series, with writer Jon Enborn and director Bryan Gordon joined by several writers and directors from prior seasons. The series’ format and look is identical to the first two seasons. The decade between episodes works as an element of the show’s plot, without having to deal with the time-consuming changes that other revivals have had to endure. Although the cast looks the same as the second season, they balance their ages with the younger cast members. There are always solidly written poop jokes that no one is too old to deliver, which I am always up for. The variety of parties that the crew hosts is as hilarious as ever, from prom to nazi rallies to luaus, and Mullally and Lynch are both great additions to the season. Although Lizzy Caplan’s absence was not as significant as I expected it to be, I would have loved to see her in the pink bowtie.
Party Down has returned with the most consistently funny series of episodes of any revival. It is a shame that this revival has not happened sooner. There is still plenty of chemistry among this cast that can be turned into hilarious entertainment. It will be a treat if this crew is willing and able to reunite after this season. Party downis back and it is great, especially the fourth episode. This episode is the most funny of the entire series. If you have not checked out the first two seasons yet, binge them as soon as possible before this new batch premieres.Party Down
premieres on February 24th on Starz.8
