TV Throwback Review: Party Down (1×09) “James Rolf High School Twentieth Reunion”

There is a moment in “James Rolf High School Twentieth Reunion” in which Lizzy Caplan’s performance reaches heights traditionally associated with prestige dramas or higher-brow sitcoms like [early seasons of] The Office. It’s an absolutely devastating dramatic moment, and both…

TV Throwback Review: Party Down (1×08) “Celebrate Ricky Sargulesh”

Now that’s more like it. If you’ve been following along with my Party Down reviews, by any chance, you’ll remember that I was let down by the last couple of episodes. I didn’t find them comedically satisfying. Last week’s episode,…

TV Throwback Review: Party Down (1×07) “Brandix Corporate Retreat”

There’s one truly great sequence in “Brandix Corporate Retreat.” It comes along well into the episode’s running time, just as all of the members of the Party Down crew show up for a team building exercise Ron has insisted they…

TV Throwback Review: Party Down (1×04) “Investors Dinner”

“You know what they say about a gun in the first act.” – Casey Things get pretty crazy in this week’s episode of Party Down. More so than the previous three episodes, “Investors Dinner” demonstrates just how far Rob Thomas,…

TV Throwback Review: Party Down (1×03) “Pepper McMasters Singles Seminar”

In “Pepper McMasters Singles Seminar,” things are settling into a rhythm. The format of Party Down is becoming clear–every episode takes place over the course of a Party Down-catered event. Henry settles into the tedium of bartending, Casey argues with…

TV Throwback Review: Party Down (1×02) “California College Conservative Union Caucus”

In last week’s “Willow Canyon Homeowners Annual Party,” the perceived failure of Henry Pollard is contrasted with the perceived success of Gordon McSpadden. In “California College Conservative Union Caucus,” the innate laziness behind Henry’s decision to quit acting is examined…

TV Throwback Review: Party Down (1×01) “Willow Canyon Homeowners Annual Party”

“Do you know what you get when you hire a Party Down catering team?”     Conventional wisdom would suggest that if you were to begin a Party Down retrospective series with a quotation, you’d go with “Are we having fun…