Party Down

Chicago TribuneMaureen Ryan

There is bitterness aplenty, but Party Down didn’t create these characters simply to mock them. There is also bittersweet sadness lurking behind these droll, incisive portraits of failure and self-deception.

Hollywood ReporterAndrew Wallenstein

Lurking behind the surface of this raucous comedy is an astute meditation on the promise and peril of leading an unconventional life, something about which aspiring actors know a thing or two.

Los Angeles TimesRobert Lloyd

It is a smart, affable, mostly unpredictable ensemble comedy that reminds us that in the 500-channel universe, fine things can happen in unlikely places, as long as you are clever about budget, commit to a sensible number of episodes--in this case 10--write well and cast right, and that what matters ultimately to heaven is not the eminence of the venue but the quality of the work.

Boston GlobeMatthew Gilbert

All of the characters are misfits, and the pleasure of Party Down is watching the actors riff off one another as they go to extremes.

Newark Star-LedgerAlan Sepinwall

Party Down may not reinvent Starz the way "Mad Men" did for AMC, but it's a very funny series that any cable channel would be lucky to have.

Entertainment WeeklyJosh Wolk

Party has some great lines and a wicked streak even if, like catering food, the concept feels a little warmed-over.

New York MagazineEmily Nussbaum

Party Down’s satirical aim is unsteady, and the second episode (featuring Young Republicans) is so dated it’s practically unwatchable. But there’s sharp dialogue and insight into the nature of snuffed ambition.

New York Daily NewsDavid Hinckley

The warning bell is that since the team begins as caricatures, the show could become a string of situation jokes. There's room for growth, though, as they say, and the creators wisely mixed up the cast.

Philadelphia Daily NewsEllen Gray

Tone--and we're talking cringe humor here--only takes you so far, and those looking for "Mars"-like subtlety should look elsewhere. But those who miss Veronica and company might want to tune in for the reunions alone.

Pittsburgh Post-GazetteRob Owen

Party Down can't decide if it wants to be smart-funny or dumb-funny. Maybe if it does, the party will truly begin.

The New York TimesGinia Bellafante

A comedy about the ignominy of life as a member of a catering wait staff, Party Down is a great idea inadequately enlivened by desperation.

VarietyStaff (Not Credited)

There's no shortage of comedy with a semi-improvised flair trafficking in detached irony, but by the end of three catered affairs, I felt every bit as bored and blase about life as Henry.