Me excited this is back, and me definitely want to watch it... but enough to subscribe to Starz-with-a-Z? Bad enough me had to sign up for Peacock for Poker Face! Me might wait until season is done, do free trial, and watch whole season in week... but me also know that not incentivizing Starzzz to do more seasons of show. It real moral quandry.
Well, I was one of the dozens who have been waiting for this for 10 years. When Veronica Mars got its fourth season I remember thinking that I would have been much more excited if Rob Thomas had gotten to revisit Party Down instead. I thought this opener was... fine. I think the need to connect the dots between where they were ten years ago and where they are now weighed the episode down a little too much. Obviously necessary, but perhaps it could have been done a little more artfully. As a result, this might have been the least funny episode of the whole series (which is not to say that it wasn't funny at all). On the plus side, I do think they nailed the feel of the characters, and I thought Jennifer Garner and Tyrel Jackson Williams were solid additions to the ensemble. I'm hoping that now that the required business of catching everyone up has been taken care off, that the remaining episodes are more free to let loose.
it's me, i'm the dork from 2009 who is positively ecstatic that this show is back and doesn't suck. ken marino is a national treasure and we must protect him at all costs.
Enjoyed it! I'm surprised how seamless of a return it felt, considering its been almost 15 years and many of the stars have become so closely associated with other things (e.g. Parks and rec, silicon valley) in the meantime. I think these 6 episodes will breeze by. Also, there's been so much made of Lizzie Caplan not returning, I'm still not sure if I should be expecting some cameo in the final episode or something.
I’m so late getting to this, but I’m deeply appreciative that you are covering this show. I finally watched the first episode, and I was glad that it felt organic and interesting. Maybe I never should have doubted the creatives behind it all, but the first two seasons are some of my favorite TV ever, and the end of season 2 completely worked as a series finale for me. I was really worried that returning to these characters couldn’t possibly work for me, but while this isn’t what I imagined for them, it definitely works.
Same -- I've been wanting to get to this revival ever since it was announced, but I had so much else to watch that signing up for Starz just wasn't enough of a priority until now. (It helps that Party Down is *SO* under the radar that I was in no danger of ever encountering spoilers for it.) Finally did so and watched the first episode tonight, and was thrilled to find that yes, I had these reviews to look forward to in my inbox like I thought I did.
Overall, I enjoyed this first episode. The reunion catch-up stuff is a bit creaky, but the awkward comedy starts right back up, and I'm glad they didn't try to cram in Henry's reason for rejoining the catering company as well. I expect this will probably be the weakest of the six new episodes, and even still, it feels like the writers haven't missed a beat.
I do love that Henry's still getting recognized for that old commercial of his, even if it somewhat strains my credulity. I wouldn't recognize any of the Budweiser "Wasssup?!" guys if I randomly saw them at a party this decade, and that seems to be the appropriate analogue here.
As an original viewer back in the long-ago day I'm glad to see a new season. I did wait three weeks to start watching, putting off subscribing to Starz (Starz?!?) until a few episodes in to read these reviews and they convinced me to go for it. Thanks Myles for helping me spend my money! Can we get a third season of Flight of the Conchords now?
Me excited this is back, and me definitely want to watch it... but enough to subscribe to Starz-with-a-Z? Bad enough me had to sign up for Peacock for Poker Face! Me might wait until season is done, do free trial, and watch whole season in week... but me also know that not incentivizing Starzzz to do more seasons of show. It real moral quandry.
Maybe this promo reel from Starz's launch in 1994 starring Christopher Reeve will make your decision easier: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZpl9kJnTMM
Seeing that Scent of a Woman preview, it remarkable that we thought *that* was Pacino shouting and hamming it up, with no idea of what was to come.
After so many bad and unnecessary revivals, I've been slightly dreading this since it was announced.
I'm relieved that it's funny! Bless Ken Marino. Why is it so enjoyable to see his characters get humiliated?
I proposed to my wife while watching the original show on Netflix in 2009, and as per your last bullet, my answer is a firm "heck yes."
It's like a fairytale!
Well, I was one of the dozens who have been waiting for this for 10 years. When Veronica Mars got its fourth season I remember thinking that I would have been much more excited if Rob Thomas had gotten to revisit Party Down instead. I thought this opener was... fine. I think the need to connect the dots between where they were ten years ago and where they are now weighed the episode down a little too much. Obviously necessary, but perhaps it could have been done a little more artfully. As a result, this might have been the least funny episode of the whole series (which is not to say that it wasn't funny at all). On the plus side, I do think they nailed the feel of the characters, and I thought Jennifer Garner and Tyrel Jackson Williams were solid additions to the ensemble. I'm hoping that now that the required business of catching everyone up has been taken care off, that the remaining episodes are more free to let loose.
it's me, i'm the dork from 2009 who is positively ecstatic that this show is back and doesn't suck. ken marino is a national treasure and we must protect him at all costs.
Enjoyed it! I'm surprised how seamless of a return it felt, considering its been almost 15 years and many of the stars have become so closely associated with other things (e.g. Parks and rec, silicon valley) in the meantime. I think these 6 episodes will breeze by. Also, there's been so much made of Lizzie Caplan not returning, I'm still not sure if I should be expecting some cameo in the final episode or something.
I’m so late getting to this, but I’m deeply appreciative that you are covering this show. I finally watched the first episode, and I was glad that it felt organic and interesting. Maybe I never should have doubted the creatives behind it all, but the first two seasons are some of my favorite TV ever, and the end of season 2 completely worked as a series finale for me. I was really worried that returning to these characters couldn’t possibly work for me, but while this isn’t what I imagined for them, it definitely works.
Same -- I've been wanting to get to this revival ever since it was announced, but I had so much else to watch that signing up for Starz just wasn't enough of a priority until now. (It helps that Party Down is *SO* under the radar that I was in no danger of ever encountering spoilers for it.) Finally did so and watched the first episode tonight, and was thrilled to find that yes, I had these reviews to look forward to in my inbox like I thought I did.
Overall, I enjoyed this first episode. The reunion catch-up stuff is a bit creaky, but the awkward comedy starts right back up, and I'm glad they didn't try to cram in Henry's reason for rejoining the catering company as well. I expect this will probably be the weakest of the six new episodes, and even still, it feels like the writers haven't missed a beat.
I do love that Henry's still getting recognized for that old commercial of his, even if it somewhat strains my credulity. I wouldn't recognize any of the Budweiser "Wasssup?!" guys if I randomly saw them at a party this decade, and that seems to be the appropriate analogue here.
As an original viewer back in the long-ago day I'm glad to see a new season. I did wait three weeks to start watching, putting off subscribing to Starz (Starz?!?) until a few episodes in to read these reviews and they convinced me to go for it. Thanks Myles for helping me spend my money! Can we get a third season of Flight of the Conchords now?