Party of Five Season 6

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1990's, 2000's, Jacob Smith, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jeremy London, Lacey Chabert, Matthew Fox, Neve Campbell, Party of Five, Party of Five Season 6, Paula Devicq, Scott Grimes, Scott Wolf, Wilson Cruz

And here it is, my review of the final season of Party of Five. I must say its been quite an experience watching this family drama and observing the ups and downs of the Salinger Family. Here I am at the final stage, bidding farewell to the moving drama and characters I’ve come to feel for and enjoy the company of. Be warned, spoilers will follow in this take on the last season of Party of Five.

We rejoin the Salinger’s as Charlie(Matthew Fox) and Kirsten( Paula Devicq)are about to tie the knot. After numerous slip ups and hiccups, they finally marry, overcoming much adversity and obstacles that have stood in their way. Though Kirsten never thought she could have kids, with advances in research she decides it is time to start looking into IVF. It will be a trying time for them especially with young Owen(Jacob Smith) and baby Diana to look after, but they are willing to ride it out in the hopes of a positive outcome. Daphne is still around and has employed the help of nanny Victor(Wilson Cruz)to help with Diana when needed, he soon becomes a close family friend to the Salinger’s. Griffin(Jeremy London) is also very much a presence in their lives, particularly when he is involved in a motorbike accident and they cover his insurance to help him out. Bailey(Scott Wolf) is busying himself with things and not communicating with Sarah(Jennifer Love Hewitt). The strain on their relationship since she turned down his marriage proposal in Season 5 grows bigger and ultimately Sarah breaks off their romance. She decides that she wants to find herself and promptly leaves behind their relationship once and for all. As he feels he’s got no one to rely on or something to fix( plus an intense and ill advised rebound relationship), Bailey’s desire for alcohol comes back. Thankfully he is aware of it and decides to sort himself out rather than spiralling out of control like the last time. 
Julia(Neve Campbell) is offered a book deal that puts pressure on her to dig into her life and examine the painful times. She’s determined to do it, though it will prove difficult to assess all she has been through in such a short space of time. Claudia(Lacey Chabert) continues to grow into a mature young woman faced with the beckoning responsibilities and confusion of adulthood. She is nearly forced upon by a drunken classmate and it forces her to retreat into herself. It’s only with Julia’s help that she opens up again and tries to get back to her usual searching self again. In the end, the Salinger’s must decide how to move on with their lives and in what direction it is best to go in.

The main theme running through everything in this last season is moving on. Each of the Salinger’s has to contend with the possibilities of the future and what may lie ahead. More issues and moving moments ensue in this final season, rounding out the impressive arcs of the characters. There’s the peer pressure for Claudia, Bailey’s lapse into alcohol again and Julia’s journey of writing a memoir. Some story lines don’t quite add up or work(anything to really do with Daphne and Bailey’s relationship with a girl name Holly drags), but the vast majority of things compensate for that. Certain ones are hard to ignore, though we can still watch and be entertained by the various events the characters find themselves going through and their choices. What’s made the show one that I have enjoyed is the relatability. Every character is flawed and yet likeable in their own way and that’s been a consistent strength in Party of Fve during its run.

Major episodes that stand out are Griffin’s accident bringing everyone together, showing Party of Five at what it does best; emotional drama. The following episode gamely explores how the Salinger’s banding together to help Griffin in a way we are accustomed to seeing. One of the finest is titled What if and is a look at what life may have been like for the Salinger’s if their parents hadn’t died. It occurs following Bailey crashing his car and it examines the way in which lives can play out not according to plan or sometimes go another way. It’s a very strong episode that really reflects on how much they’ve all grown up in the years since their parent’s death and it’s neat seeing various ways that characters may have interacted if not for that one critical event. Season 6 may not be the best season of Party of Five( that honour goes to Season 3), but it signs off very credibly and emotionally in a way befitting of what’s come before it. What’s best about it is how it ties everything together and concludes the journeys of the Salinger’s in heartfelt fashion. The best episode is the last one that shows all of the characters letting go of the past, keeping their memories of good times and finally moving on with their lives. It’s a pleasing, emotional episode as Bailey, Julia and Claudia all accept scholarships, internships and a chance at college while Charlie, after reluctance, gives his blessing. What’s most moving is the selling of the Salinger home, which has experienced just about every event known to man. The episode finishes with the characters saying goodbye to the house and finally letting their wings fly. And if you don’t have tears in your eyes, there is seriously something wrong with you.

By this point, the main cast is completely in tune with the characters they’ve played for years and still doing a hell of a good job at. Matthew Fox is ace as the oldest Charlie, whose life has been eventful and a complete roller coaster just like his siblings. Fox has grown into the part and has shown the progression from slacker and selfish to mature and authoritative. He’s finally become someone selfless, hard-working, dependable and happy about it. Scott Wolf is fine once more, alternating between cheeky and fun loving and desperate to stay afloat. Bailey has beaten his demons before and with Wolf understanding it, that makes his recovery all the more well played and realistic. Neve Campbell’s mix of assurance and vulnerability is wisely kept intact with Julia as she matures and has to dig deep for some inspiration of what to do next in her life. In a similar vein, Lacey Chabert, with her combination of innocence and attitude, gets to the emotionally confused centre of Claudia in a time where she is confronting things she doesn’t want to, yet planning her future at the same time. Paula Devicq is supportive and caring as Charlie’s wife Kirsten, who more than anything would love a child of her own. It’s very nice seeing her and Charlie finally together for good. It’s been an extremely rough road for the pair along the way, but thankfully they have come through as they belong to each other and always have. Jeremy London appears as Griffin who is also looking to the future and grateful to the Salinger’s for everything they’ve done for him. Jennifer Love Hewitt, who appears only briefly before leaving is still effective as the conflicted Sarah, who needs some answers and assurance in her life. Scott Grimes returns again, playing Bailey’s best bud Will with a real enthusiasm and supportive nature in times of need for Bailey. Wilson Cruz is fine as the new addition of Victor, someone who is both fair and loyal to the family and little Jacob Smith is growing fast as the youngest sibling Owen.

A fine send off to a quality show that brought emotion and honesty to the issues faced by young people, Season 6 of Party of Five rounds things off in respectable and excellent fashion. I hope everyone has enjoyed my reviews of this show, as it’s been a ride of emotions for me and I’m happy I discovered Party of Five. I will definitely miss this show now that I’ve finished it, but I can bid farewell happily too.

Party of Five Season 2

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1990's, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jeremy London, Lacey Chabert, Matthew Fox, Michael Goorjian, Neve Campbell, Party of Five, Party of Five Season 2, Paula Devicq, Scott Grimes, Scott Wolf

We return to the journey and lives of the Salinger clan in Season 2 of Party of Five. Building on the set up from Season 1, this sophomore installment is just as good in how it deals with tough themes and explores relatable events. Be warned, spoilers will follow.

Charlie(Matthew Fox) and Kirsten(Paula Devicq) are now engaged after many hiccups in their relationship and thinks seem to be improving. Yet more upheaval and chaos throws a spanner in the works and a multitude of things stand in their way. It culminates in Charlie getting cold feet and callings off the wedding, despite the fact that they love each other. Bailey(Scott Wolf) is still struggling to come to terms with the death of Jill, despite the best efforts of buddy Will(Scott Grimes) to bring him out of his shell. At first he largely doesn’t notice sweet Sarah Reeves(Jennifer Love Hewitt), who has an obvious crush on him. But even when he begins to date her, it becomes clear that Bailey is wanting to escape his life that he sees as hopeless. Sarah also has her own struggles, but thankfully brings out some happiness in Bailey. Julia(Neve Campbell) experiences a crisis of the heart regarding her nice boyfriend Justin( Michael Goorjian)and the bad boy Griffin(Jeremy London). Justin breaks up with her after finding out about her tryst with Griffin, then things become more complex for her and Griffin. Julia doesn’t know how to deal with her emotions that are tangled to say the least. It appears that she finally gets a grip on her love life once and for all by reuniting with Justin. Then something really drastic happens and Julia is thrown into a massive tailspin. Claudia(Lacey Chabert), who has now entered junior high school, finds it difficult to adjust to being older and the pressures of puberty. Hanging out with a troublemaker at school, Claudia begins to rebel a lot. And baby Owen is finally starting nursery, while still needing the mature caring of his siblings in the place of parents. It’s another eventful journey for the Salinger’s as life poses a lot on them, but hopefully through unity they can survive.

Just like I predicted, Season 2 expands on what the debut season set up, finding firm footing in giving more attention to the individual characters, as well as the whole thing of family. The arcs of the characters have depth and honesty to them, tapping into themes of change, lying, love and even the return of their long lost grandfather. And issues faced with honest rendering and impactful force are sexual harassment, teenage pregnancy and commitment, showing the show dealing with complexity and intimacy in a way it knows already in this early stage to manage. Balanced among this is healthy doses of humour that enliven events, yet never get too over the top and take away from the moving stories at its heart. While I don’t think there is anyone who has gone through all of the issues mentioned in such a short space of time, Party of Five boasts a gravity and slices of realism to ground it in the most effective way. You do give a damn about these people and it isn’t a chore to watch the tribulations they must do battle with. Even if some of the stories don’t work as well as others, the overall impact and high quality rise it above just common teen drama into something more moving.

The episode of the wedding is a pretty effective one of highs and lows as Charlie and Kirsten attempt to salvage something but are ultimately at different ends of the spectrum. It’s a real heartbreaking episode as you know the two are meant to be together but are both unsure of what the future holds. Reconciliation could be on the cards, but if so it’s not going to be an easy ride for either party. Equally as wrenching is the episode of Julia discovering she’s pregnant and faced with a very difficult decision. We get to see how everyone reacts to this news and how it impacts on young Julia.  Eventually settling on having an abortion, Julia then experiences a miscarriage that devastates her. As she has no female role model to confide in, she finds unlikely support in the form of the usually not so helpful Charlie. An honest and authentic atmosphere is present throughout this episode, highlighting the issues of teen pregnancy and abortion sensitively.

Scott Wolf rocks it playing the frustration and pain of Bailey, while imbuing a charm and energy that could be the characters saving grace. Once more, Wolf allows Bailey to be troubled, but not so much as we can’t relate to him on a personal level. Matthew Fox impresses again as Charlie; whose coping mechanism of pushing those he loves away makes for drama. scared that his while life has been planned our for him already and wanting escape is rendered excellently by Fox. Neve Campbell hits the right notes with an emotion driven performance as mixed up Julia. You genuinely buy into her turmoil and gamut of unfortunately difficult events she encounters. Campbell nails the intelligence of Julia, but like most people, the pangs of confusion, guilt and unfortunate turbulence are all evoked in her more than capable hands for us to see. Lacey Chabert mixes childlike innocence with playful maturity as Claudia, whose finding out that growing up and all it entails is rough business. Jennifer Love Hewitt joins the cast as the sensitive Sarah, who provides a love interest for Bailey. Possessing an adorable smile and a gentleness, Hewitt is touching and charming in equal measure. She immediately gels with the other members of the cast and slots in nicely as a kind-hearted girl. The main chemistry between the main cast is as splendid as the first season, boasting a deep believability that these people are related. Paula Devicq steps up as Kirsten. I mentioned in my last review that she was a tad wooden last season, but she really shakes at off here with a very good performance. She’s got a sensitive depth and emotive ability that is on full display and shows Kirsten becoming more conflicted over her feelings with Charlie that are frequently challenged and come to a dramatic head. Good support and humour is glimpsed with Scott Grimes returning as loyal best friend Will. Michael Goorjian and Jeremy London provide the two very different love interests for Julia; the sarcastic Justin and rebellious Griffin.

Another impressive season of Party of Five, this second part is an emotionally invested and finely tuned triumph, benefiting from the fine cast and writing.

Party of Five Season 1

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1990's, Lacey Chabert, Matthew Fox, Neve Campbell, Party of Five, Party of Five Season 1, Paula Devicq, Scott Grimes, Scott Wolf

I recently found Party of Five on Netflix, having heard about it being popular in the 90’s. So I decided to give it a watch and I’m happy I did. Focusing around five siblings as they come to terms with the tragic death of their parents, it makes for earnest, moving and excellent television. What could have been an overly melodramatic concept, instead captures the things that young people go through smartly and with substance. Be warned, spoilers will probably follow in my overview of this promising first season.

It has been six months since the Salinger siblings lost their parents in a car accident and they are all still dealing with it. The orphans are oldest son Charlie(Matthew Fox); an immature, occasionally selfish 24-year-old who is appointed the head of the family; Bailey(Scott Wolf), the responsible but hapless 16-year-old; sensitive and awkward Julia(Neve Campbell); child prodigy Claudia(Lacey Chabert) and baby Owen. Each of them is trying to stay afloat and keep going with their lives, despite having responsibilities they are not ready for, thrust upon them. The shift in dynamics strains them all, as Charlie is not the most natural leader there is and frequently screws up. Bailey has to make sacrifices because of his maturity, which in turn causes his grades and teenage life to slide. Julia, who is a natural with poetry and writing, feels lost and begins to experiment with trying to be popular and accepted. And little Claudia, who is never far from her violin, is often the catalyst for mischief and sometimes soul-searching questions. The arrival of young Kirsten(Paula Devicq), who is hired as a nanny helps with things, yet gets equally complicated when her and Charlie become involved. The dramas and mounting pressures in their lives( loyalty, struggles to find oneself, love, keeping their father’s restaurant going and the nature of grief) is a constant burden as they really have no one to look up to. And with the many troubles of being a youth brings, it’s going to take a lot for them to get through everything that lies in wait for them. Through it all, the Salinger family, through frequently close to falling apart, manage to stick together through their respective grief and care.

There is something very organic about Party of Five; be it in the conversations of the characters or how they deal with things. Sure there is a lot of dramatic impact that is generated through the content, yet it feels very natural and how a family would be. The Salinger clan are relatable because of the way they are written, with the scripts fleshing out their tumultuous lives and fractured but alternately tight-knit closeness. The show stays on the right side of earnestness, only dipping its toes into sentimentality on the rarest of occasions. Originality is not what the show is going for, as it has the angst, hardships and relationships of adolescence in abundance. But that isn’t a deterrent from it, far from it in fact. Party of Five is a drama about the bonds of family and a mighty fine one at that. To be honest, lack of originality rarely bothers me when something is well made. The show isn’t attempting to be overly intellectual, and yet it does have significant clout when it comes to dealing with difficult issues sensitively. It’s the emotions that it really goes for and thankfully it never feels manipulative in how it elicits them. Too many dramas aimed at teenagers and young adults are superficial and shallow; Party of Five has a lot more on its mind and rises to a good level of genuine thematic material.  The inclusion of a soft guitar score is another thing that helps shape the show, with how it creeps in and nicely aids with its naturalness and calm.

The tropes of growing up and discovering the complexities of life, seen from Bailey’s unfortunately tragic relationship with a girl hooked on drugs that he can’t see at first or Julia discovering that her late mother, who she idolized, might have had an affair are just a few examples of what is covered. And while the show is eventful, it gives equal time to each of the characters stories, that often intertwine with each other. Not every episode is a knockout, but really when is that the case in any show? But the vast majority of the episodes depicting the struggles and journey of the Salinger family are engaging and filled with sincere emotional weight. And even though the main premise casts a tragic air over things, Party of Five is far from just an epic downer. It inevitably has a sadness to it that is well shown, but there is humour, drama and heartfelt reflection that round out events nicely. Life may be unfair and difficult for the Salinger clan, but the overall message is one of hope, even in the darkest circumstances. Season 1 is the set up of the show and it promises a lot more to come. I reckon Season 2, like most shows, will be the main step up and really hit its stride. Not that this debut season is a slouch, I feel it will become more expansive and build on the impressive building blocks that this has formed.

Scott Wolf leads as the reliable Bailey, who is the guy who fixes things yet often gets things wrong too. He is still a teenager at the end of the day, whose had to grow up fast and is more than a bit resentful of that fact. Bailey mainly represents the assertive but unlucky spine of the family and its core, which Scott Wolf unaffectedly brings out. It’s hard not to root for him, especially when the chips are down. Playing the part of reluctant guardian Charlie is Matthew Fox, who also impresses. Fox strikes the right balance between Charlie’s desire to live his life and the sacrifices that he’s had to employ to keep his siblings together. Charlie is a guy trying to assert authority, but being constantly challenged with the feeling that he’s not up to it, which is where Fox really hits the mark. Neve Campbell is incredibly convincing as Julia, whose always searching for herself and uncertain of her identity. This confusion is played very well by Campbell, who immediately gains our sympathies and successfully embodies the depth of Julia’s struggles with adjustment. Sensitivity tinged with melancholy colours the sensitive Julia, as her kindness and search for answers moves you. By far the best thing in Party of Five is how well the cast works together. They are immensely believable as a family going through change and the unfairness of life. From their interactions, misunderstandings and ties, we witness a family close to the edge but slowly pulling back up to some form of normality. Little Lacey Chabert is delightfully as the precocious Claudia, who is mature in many ways but still very much a child. She’s funny, petulant and at times wise beyond her years, all performed with effervescence by the young Chabert, who shows no sign of nerves when acting alongside older performers. Paula Devicq, while a bit wooden at first, certainly grows on you as the romantic interest of Kirsten, while Scott Grimes supplies humour as Bailey’s wise-cracking best friend Will.

A heartfelt family drama that never feels too forced or hackneyed, Party of Five is an honest and eminently watchable series that has me very much interested to see what future installments hold. If Season 1 is anything to go by, it must be good.