Are we having fun yet!

Party Down is a TV show that premiered this March on Starz.

According to the Starz website synopsis, "Party Down is about a group of struggling dreamers who are stuck working for tips while waiting for their big break. As employees of the L.A. catering company “Party Down,” these misfits mingle with guests at everything from sweet sixteen parties to the most lavish Hollywood soirees." That sounds about right, if you replace "mingle" with "meddle" and "soirees" with "disasters."

The show follows the ragtag group of washed-up and never-was actors as they work parties that often end in complete disaster. Their fearless leader, Mr. Ron Donald, is beyond clueless but never loses sight of his dream to open his own restaurant, 'Soup Or Crackers' (ultra cheesy pun here "Super Crackers"). Each episode highlights a cameo appearance from an otherwise out of work and real-life actor, which only adds to the absurdity. The cameos are not enough to spark a divine interest in the show, but it definitely brings me back for more. The subject matter is almost always mature with an abundance of swearing, adult situations, and at times nudity (female and male). This show is definitely not for kids.


One particular highlight to the show is its characters. Every interaction between the creepy nerd writer, Roman Debeers, and the trendy emo asshole, Kyle Bradway, yields a ridiculous clash of the titans and a lot of laughter. My favorite character has to be the washed-up beer commercial actor, Henry Pollard, who generally plays the straight man and usually gets swept up in the commotion. Other highlights include the charmingly confused Constance Carmell, and the negativist siren Casey Klein.

The actors portraying the characters are not only believable, but also highly engaging. The troupe combines for a group effort not shared in many comedies (with exception to Arrested Development). Adam Scott and Ken Marino, arguably the lead actors do an amazing job of subtly propelling their characters to the foreground of each scene and all eyes are on them, even when you want to look away (if you've seen the adult after party episode you'll know what I mean). Jane Lynch pulls the audience in with her dramatic flair and delivers every line perfectly while Ryan Hansen, Martin Starr, and Lizzy Caplan raise the bar with solid performances.

The show itself has a similar feel to Curb Your Enthusiasm in that it is slow paced and its humor is methodical. Its characters are much like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, utterly clueless, yet somehow functional. While it shares many traits with other shows, Party Down breaks the mold and creates a unique comedic experience that has me laughing hysterically. I can't wait to see more of this show.

You can catch up on past episodes from its first season on the Starz website: Party Down on Starz