Party Down - Season 3 Premiere Discussion

Submitted by Prax150 t3_11aw7yg in television

Party Down - Season 3

Premise: This half-hour comedy follows a Los Angeles catering team for the titular company. The sextet of aspiring 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.

Subreddit(s): Platform: Metacritic: Genre(s)
r/PartyDown Starz [81/100] (score guide Comedy

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Emperor_Zurg t1_j9v74aj wrote

Absolutely loved it, especially the >!covid reveal!< at the end.

Ken Marino deserves to be so much more famous than he is.

The desperation in his eyes kills me, and it's even funnier now that we're ten years later and Ron is still in the same place with the same goal.

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Prax150 OP t1_j9vhtaw wrote

> reveal at the end

I know people are wary of this kind of thing but they pulled it off so perfectly and it really sets a great tone for the rest of the season.

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this_ismyfuckingname t1_j9xkzxt wrote

Loved that reveal, too. Is this maybe the first times that kind of reveal has been done? (Same spoiler, don't read cause it is really good)

>!I mean a covid reveal as a punchline to a joke about how it's going to fuck over everyone's entire next 2 years.!<

It was honestly really clever, and I wouldn't be shocked to see this same joke pop up in other media.

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Moggehh t1_j9zhi9w wrote

I literally screamed when they showed the punchline. It was so perfect. It makes so much sense why they were finally able to write another season.

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triumph_ride t1_ja2ct92 wrote

Yeah I guess it'll make sense for why Henry is back in the crew etc.. but I feel like teaching would've been a steady job? Regardless, COVID is a great way to say why these people might still be in catering years later.

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tetoffens t1_j9ufrjf wrote

I liked it.

Was less funny than a typical episode of the first two seasons but not going to judge off just this one episode because there was a lot of catching up and setup for the cast coming together and by the end it making sense why they're involved with Party Down catering again. The next episode should presumably be the normal formula of the original series.

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parastro t1_ja0xv2s wrote

I agree, it felt a little slow and not as tight as the first two seasons, but like you said there had to be a lot of exposition. And if they got Casey back, I feel like it's good to make us wait for the reveal.

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Sufficient_Creme6961 t1_j9v89np wrote

Way less funny??? I wouldn’t say this show was ever constant laugh out loud funny. In fact I’d say this was a rare occurrence I didn’t see a drop off in a long spaced revival

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2bored2beIgnored t1_j9vck7k wrote

It certainly wasn't rare occurrence and yes this episode is not typical Party down.

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Sufficient_Creme6961 t1_j9vf4tw wrote

Yes arrested development, full house, mad about you, punky Brewster, X-Files, Veronica Mars all had GREAT revivals!!!!!!

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druidmind t1_j9y9kwn wrote

Ken Marino is the most underrated amongst the cast. He's so good at playing an A-hole that you want to root for!

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PerfectZeong t1_j9yl5l7 wrote

Nobody quite sells pathetic desperation like Ken Marino. He's got the willy loman schtick down.

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darthstupidious t1_j9zutwn wrote

He really does. Every episode he goes from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows in about 30 seconds flat and he always sells it so well.

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Moonalicious t1_j9zlvdj wrote

I was like wow, he looks old, when I saw the grey streaks and then died when they were fake

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SnavenShake t1_j9zqdqe wrote

Yeah this gag was great! Did he say he did it because somebody called him childish on a feedback card? I need to rewatch.

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incognithohshit t1_ja0wv56 wrote

yeah basically they said they didn't trust him or something because he came off childish

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Sankara____ t1_j9xguka wrote

Man, it's dead in this thread. That's sad.

I thought it was a really good first episode for a revival. Felt as close to the spirit of the original as any "way after the fact" revival series I've seen.

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SnavenShake t1_j9xjmfx wrote

Yeah. For as much as this show came up in this subreddit over the last decade I’d have expected more fanfare. A lot of the articles about the revival made it pretty far up the front page. I really hope this does well, I already want a season four after just one episode.

I feel like Starz has done their very best to market the hell out of this, so I can’t blame them.

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StarsandBass t1_j9xk6fg wrote

That seems to be the case for most revivals and Rob Thomas's other big 00's show Veronica Mars is a good example. Lots of talk and then people don't actually care when it comes back. Hopefully it's just a Friday thing and people watch over the weekend.

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Pool_Shark t1_ja166rg wrote

The problem is probably that no one has Starz

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FizzWigget t1_jaatb8x wrote

There are dozens of us! Dozens!

Didn't watch it till today

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FrostyFoss t1_j9xmmdc wrote

Seeing this thread surprised me, forgot they were making a new one. A decade ago I would be pumped but it's just been to long I think. No Lizzy Caplan also hurts.

I might check it out one day but i'm in no hurry.

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Sankara____ t1_j9xn0pt wrote

For what it's worth, I thought the whole thing felt very natural and a worthwhile continuation that everyone involved seems to be all-in on.

I like Lizzy Caplan but I didn't particularly miss her presence in this episode. It didn't feel much different from when they swapped out Jane Lynch for Megan Mullally (both of whom are in this revival).

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FrostyFoss t1_j9xnpjn wrote

Good to know. I see it has Jennifer Garner, always been a fan since here Alias days so that moves it up the queue.

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incognithohshit t1_ja0x8e4 wrote

it looks like she might be a regular cast member?? she's playing a totally different type of character than her kickass stone cold Sydney Bristow character, very bubbly and friendly and super charismatic (closer to 13 Going On 30)

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druidmind t1_j9y958h wrote

Them making snide remarks at Casey's expense because she hit it big and now doesn't care about the gang was so funny because Lizzy wanted to do the show but couldn't due to scheduling conflicts but I feel like by setting the show at the start of the pandemic they're trying to pull one over us with a surprise cameo. What do you guys think?

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Pool_Shark t1_ja16dgi wrote

The fact that they had her images in the first episode makes me think it’s super super likely. Would be weird foreshadowing if they didn’t

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Indigocell t1_j9zyvoe wrote

I think it was already confirmed, she will be there for one episode or something.

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HeroOT t1_j9v2bbb wrote

A fun premiere definitely catered to fans (no pun intended). The whole timeline of events was very interesting and it was topical whelk still having that signature humor.

I really hope it finds its audience, I’m nostalgic for this one.

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TornadoApe t1_j9w8k1m wrote

Had a blast watching that. So happy this show is getting a second life.

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37Schmeckles t1_j9wjd6n wrote

Im so very dissapointed to see this with only 27 review ratings on imdb so far - this frickin network man…..theres no WAY this show wouldnt be popular as shit with marketing on a major platform

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SnavenShake t1_j9xk8cn wrote

I can’t blame Starz, they have marketed this to the best of their abilities in my opinion. They just don’t have a lot of reach.

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Pool_Shark t1_ja16yoa wrote

They have been marketing it like crazy. I see ads all over Instagram + Twitter and it’s been all over Reddit. The real issue is not many people have Starz and idk if this one show is enough to move the needle to pay for yet another streamer.

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alexpenn t1_j9x7pg8 wrote

Surprisingly there is a building sized billboard for it in LA on the 405 near LAX. I was surprised to see them promoting it so much here.

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curiousbeetle66 t1_j9wsdli wrote

Oh boy how much I missed them! Ken Marino is always so funny. I loved just seeing (almost) everyone again and I'm so excited to see the other episodes!

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Letsgobroncos t1_j9xhm59 wrote

Oh man I was surprised how good that was. Most of these reunion seasons suck, but that was on the same level of the season 1&2.

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parastro t1_ja0yfbq wrote

I only heard of this show because Adam Scott was pushing it really hard on his Instagram, I'm amazed I never watched it when it was on! (Though, I didn't know anyone who had Starz back in the cable days.) I watched it over the last two days and it's now one of my favorite shows ever. Got me all nostalgic for those mid- to late-2000s shows like Happy Endings, Parks and Rec.

Gotta love that little gag with the bouncer: "Party Down... never heard of it, was it on cable or something?"

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rocker2014 t1_j9x7wrt wrote

They haven't missed a beat, felt just like the original show. The chemistry, the pacing, the dialogue, etc. It was great and I laughed my ass off. Especially the reveal at the end, that was fantastic. So glad it's back!

Hopefully it does well and they can do more seasons (and get Lizzy Caplan back).

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AbsentUse t1_j9xto13 wrote

Doing a new season over a decade later worked out perfect for this show. Interested to see where everyone ends up.

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darthstupidious t1_j9zuo9t wrote

I was curious how they were gonna make the revival work, and made note of the many times they mentioned "ten years ago" being when the original show took place (considering it was 15 years ago now). Then they hit us with Ron's "this is gonna be the best year of my life" and then the mention of COVID... damn, what a great setup.

Can't wait to see where the next five episodes go!

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televisionceo t1_j9ymutb wrote

Amazing first episode. I had my doubts about the revival but their are nailing it

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incognithohshit t1_ja0xxdo wrote

James Marsden is so photogenic even his neck veins are hot

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chilango2 t1_ja11v3w wrote

I saw him once in Studio City as he was coming out of a coffee shop that I was going in. It was the only time I was starstruck seeing a “famous” person. Well, maybe also meeting Raquel Welch. He was the most strikingly beautiful person I ever saw (I’m a cis heterosexual man in his 40s).

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urgasmic t1_j9xlkxy wrote

god im glad this show is back, Fran Kranz! Really enjoyed it.

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YO_SEGABABA t1_j9xuokl wrote

mr. left hand aka that stoner guy in Cabin In the Woods aka the director of Mass

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TNWhaa t1_j9zrzzf wrote

The guy that wanted to dissect poop in the who pooped the bed episode of Always Sunny

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DannyBarsMusic t1_ja2exaw wrote

Love they were able to bring the cast back together (minus Lizzy Caplan but it seems they hinted at a return/cameo in the end of ep one when they mentioned 'needing Casey' to make it officially a reunion - echoing what they presume fans were prob saying)

First ep was great and set things up, didnt expect them to be one of the shows that chooses to work COVID into the story but i think it was just to set up the flash forward so not too much

Love the addition of Jennifer Garner too, could be Lizzy Caplans new love interest-replacement for Adam Scott

This really remind me of how Arrested Development was ressurected cuz A.) it was a cult classic cut short as it was ahead of its time and B.) had an amazing cast that went on to bigger things and were hard to get back together until over a decade later

Also i missed the announcements so realizing there was a new season/ep up about an hour ago made my week!

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AzovApologist t1_ja36v0u wrote

It's been so long since a show made me laugh like this. Holy shit comedy isn't completely dead yet

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Wasted__Space t1_j9xoo1n wrote

Felt very natural between all that time.

🍿🍿🍿🍿🍿 + 🎀key chain

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youarockandnothing t1_j9xftxn wrote

I love the original show but some reveals of where the characters are now broke my heart / pissed me off, cause how perfectly season 2 ended really made you want to imagine a happier fate for them.

This was a pretty funny reunion tho

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parastro t1_ja0xfq6 wrote

Same, especially Henry! I thought the whole point of the end of season 2 was that he would get back into acting and "make it."

But also, I think a key point of Party Down is that "making it" is elusive and hard to define.

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Steelyp t1_ja4iybt wrote

I was hoping the twist with Henry meeting the producer was he got that part but it was super cgi so no one recognized him. Was sad it was the “are we having fun yet” again haha

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oxygen_addiction t1_j9xx1dc wrote

I missed this show so much. What a great start.

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Halo_LAN_Party_2nite t1_ja2hh56 wrote

Just caught the episode. Man, I was laughing out loud a lot. They nailed it. I am all in. I hope it can gather new fans.

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Kirkanam t1_ja6h6xm wrote

Sitting here listening to the closing credits music, and I'm just so happy this 3rd season actually happened. What a super solid premier, especially after all this time. Really excited for the next episode.

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GuybrushThreepwood99 t1_ja6wwzo wrote

I remember hating Roman when I saw this show as a kid.... but now he's by far the most relatable character. Ugh.

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myzombiemancer t1_ja8rsg6 wrote

Same for me. He's super realistic and while I still think he's an awful person, he's an incredible character. I see a lot of myself in him and it's a good motivator to change.

It's rare to find a character who is so unpleasant but still easy to connect with. I'm glad they didn't tone him down, but I hope we can watch him develop more.

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crudedrawer t1_j9x95nn wrote

I love this show and the premiere of s3 felt seamless but I miss Lizzy because henry and casey's deadpan, cynical back and forth was my favorite URST on TV.

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Sankara____ t1_j9xgyfz wrote

They didn't have unresolved sexual tension, they banged all the time lol

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TalkToTheLord t1_j9xt6qo wrote

Loved it. Weakest part was the antagonist ex-band member, that character was, err, like written for another show. Just didn’t fit for me.

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oxygen_addiction t1_j9xx6ue wrote

The whole point of it was that there'd be a real life supervillain.

And I've met creepy dudes that look like that in their 40s, still clinging on to that alt rock fame many years after it passed.

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gggggrrrrrrrrr t1_ja5u25o wrote

Eh, Party Down's always had some sillier, unrealistic characters like Uda Bengt. And "bitter ex-hipster uses social media to rail against personal enemies" isn't that outside of the box in the first place.

Miles was definitely unexpected, but I felt like he fit the general vibe of the show just fine.

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DannyBarsMusic t1_ja2f44c wrote

anyone know if it was a multi season deal like for s3 and 4 etc? itd be a shame to ressurrect it after all this time and only get one season - plus i feel like Starz is falling behind a bit with HBOMax/Showtime/AMC/FX/Hulu/Apple TV/Paramount Plus and ofc Prime/Netflix taking over the prestige tv landscape so they need this to catch back on, kinda shocked netflix didnt get the rights a la Arrested Development

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SnavenShake t1_ja2gghf wrote

No guarantees of a fourth season. From interviews the cast (including Lizzy) would be all in for another one.

Narrator: Please, tell your friends about this show.

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Prax150 OP t1_ja87prs wrote

Seems like it was really hard to get the cast back together and figure out everyone's filming schedule so I wouldn't bet on it. Everyone in the show has other things going on, Adam Scott in particular just took off with Severance too. They couldn't get Lizzy back (although the cast availability was always in issue with this show). But also I'm sure it's not too complicated to shoot since most episodes are a single location and I'm sure they'd like to try. Hopefully we get a handful of episodes every couple of years or something, maybe with some cast rotating in/out.

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drcorndog t1_j9uutr6 wrote

Is any other streaming platform picking this up?

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tetoffens t1_j9uxa12 wrote

Nope. Starz does a 7 day trial though if you want to do it both legal and without paying for another service, you'd just have to wait a few weeks until it's all out.

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CosmicLars t1_j9vib3a wrote

Also I think it's $5 for 3 months currently. Not bad at all.

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chilango2 t1_j9w88pa wrote

We did six months for $20, which is a totally acceptable fee to support this show. And since it wasn’t out last night like I thought it’d be, we started a drama called Gaslit that is amazing and I fully recommend.

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FrostyFoss t1_j9xnbbs wrote

>six months for $20

Well worth it if you haven't seen Black Sails, one of the top dramas with a really solid ending.

Another good show on there is The Missing.

Flesh and Bone is one you don't hear talked about much, it was killed off after 1 season so there's not a lot that wraps up but I thought it was interesting. Something to check out if you're looking for something different.

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incognithohshit t1_ja0xhqy wrote

hello one other person that enjoyed Flesh and Bone

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FrostyFoss t1_ja18q81 wrote

Yeah my first time running into someone else who watched it.

Really had some good storylines and Sarah Hay was impressive in it. Her ballet background helped make it feel more authentic, never guessed that was her first acting job until I looked it up after.

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superfuntimes5000 t1_j9ypuna wrote

You can subscribe to Starz through Amazon prime as like an add-on; we did this last night because I refuse to join another streaming service. It’s a 7-day free trial then $8.99/month. I will probably cancel immediately after this season ends.

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Solace2010 t1_j9uop9f wrote

Do I need to watch the first season ?

Edit: good job Reddit for downvoting a question…

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SignificantTravel3 t1_j9uu5dn wrote

Of course you need to watch season 1 and 2 before watching season 3. It's not an anthology series.

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Solace2010 t1_j9wo71d wrote

Lol sorry didn’t realize you were so passionate about this show

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tetoffens t1_j9upzim wrote

It's not continuing any specific story of the first two seasons but I don't think you'll care for it much without knowing the relationships, personalities, and backgrounds. This first episode of the revival is a lot of catching up with the old characters and I think a lot of it would fall flat for someone who has no idea who any of the characters are. This premiere at least is definitely for people who know the show.

There are only 20 episodes total that are less than a half hour each prior to the revival, so no reason to not just track those down if the cast or premise appeals to you. This is a week to week release anyway so plenty of time to spare to watch the original ones while this comes out. If you're in the US, the first two seasons are on Hulu.

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Solace2010 t1_j9wobaw wrote

I am not hence why I asked the question…

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