Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox television
Party of Five is an American teen and family drama television series created by Christopher Keyser and Amy Lippman that originally aired on Fox from September 12, 1994, to May 3, 2000, with a total of six seasons consisting of 142 episodes. The series featured an ensemble cast led by Scott Wolf as Bailey, Matthew Fox as Charlie, Neve Campbell as Julia, and Lacey Chabert as Claudia Salinger, who with their baby brother Owen (played by several actors) constitute five siblings whom the series follows after the loss of their parents in a car accident. Notable co-stars included Scott Grimes, Paula Devicq, Michael Goorjian, Ben Browder, Jeremy London, and Jennifer Love Hewitt. While categorized as a series aimed at teenagers and young adults, Party of Five explored several mature themes, including substance and domestic abuse, teen pregnancy, mental illness, cancer, and the long-term effects of parental loss.<ref name="Chicago Tribune" />
Despite receiving positive reviews from television critics after its debut, including TV Guide naming it "The Best Show You're Not Watching" in 1995,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> the series suffered from low ratings during its first and second seasons, during which speculation arose that it would soon be cancelled.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1996, Party of Five won the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama, after which ratings and popularity grew for the majority of the remainder of the series.<ref name="AV Club">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
A spin-off, Time of Your Life, starring Hewitt, debuted on Fox on October 25, 1999, and was cancelled after one season and 19 episodes.
SynopsisEdit
The show, set in San Francisco, centered on the five Salinger siblings (the "party of five" of the show's title), who become orphans after their parents are killed in a car accident caused by a drunk driver. The family is composed of 24-year-old Charlie (Matthew Fox), the eldest, a womanizing, immature manual laborer who struggles with the responsibility of being the new head of the family; 16-year-old Bailey (Scott Wolf), the once-rebellious teen forced into a role of responsible caretaker and later veering into alcoholism; 15-year-old Julia (Neve Campbell), a sensitive teen; 11-year-old Claudia (Lacey Chabert), a precocious child prodigy musician; and baby Owen, age one.
The siblings take over the running of their family's restaurant, Salinger's. Charlie initially serves as bartender and manager, and later Bailey takes over. Over the years, the Salingers face various struggles: the long-term effects of parental loss; in season three, Bailey's attempt to recover from alcoholism; in season four, Charlie's diagnosis with cancer; and in season five, Julia's dealing with domestic violence in a relationship.<ref name="Chicago Tribune">Template:Cite news</ref>
As the series progressed, romantic relationships became plot points and new cast members joined the show, including Jennifer Love Hewitt as Sarah, Bailey's girlfriend; Jeremy London as Griffin, Julia's "bad-boy" boyfriend and later husband; and Paula Devicq as Kirsten, Owen's nanny, who develops an on-again-off-again relationship with Charlie throughout the series, until they get married during the show's sixth and final season.
Cast and charactersEdit
Cast timelineEdit
- Cast notes
MainEdit
- Scott Wolf as Bailey Salinger; the second-born sibling who is forced to grow up fast after growing up as a rebellious teenager and deal with life after his parents' deaths. He is 16 at the start of the series, 21 at its conclusion.
- Matthew Fox as Charlie Salinger; the eldest sibling who struggles to live his own life in the reluctant role of legal guardian to his brothers and sisters. Immature and insecure, he dropped out of college his senior year to "find himself" and was planning to re-enroll when his parents' deaths made him his siblings' legal guardian. He is 24 at the start of the series, 30 at its conclusion.
- Neve Campbell as Julia Salinger; a highly intelligent, emotionally sensitive teen who struggles to adjust to being an orphan and having more family responsibilities. She is 15 at the start of the series, 20 at its conclusion.
- Lacey Chabert as Claudia Salinger; a gifted violinist struggling to build a life for herself and also deal with being an orphan. She is 11 at the start of the series, 17 at its conclusion.
- Paula Devicq as Kirsten Bennett Salinger (seasons 1–2, 5–6, recurring seasons 2–4); a graduate student who is hired as Owen Salinger's nanny and becomes romantically involved with Charlie off-and-on during the series, eventually marrying him by season six and being pregnant with their first child by the end of the series.
- Scott Grimes as Will McCorkle (seasons 1–2, 6, recurring seasons 3–5); Bailey's best friend from high school.
- Michael Goorjian as Justin Thompson (season 2, recurring seasons 1, 3–6); Julia's friend, and later off-and-on boyfriend, during the series.
- Jennifer Love Hewitt as Sarah Reeves Merrin (seasons 2–6); Bailey's sensitive, off-and-on girlfriend from high school who struggles to "find herself" after she finds out that she was adopted.
- Alexondra Lee as Callie Martel (season 3); Bailey's roommate and girlfriend during his freshman year at college.
- Jeremy London as Griffin Chase Holbrook (seasons 4–6, recurring seasons 2–3); A moody and troubled teenager whom Julia dates, and later marries and divorces. Older brother of Jill Holbrook, Bailey's ex-girlfriend who dies from a drug overdose. The character was originally portrayed by James Marsden in the first-season finale episode.<ref name="eonline25">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Jennifer Aspen as Daphne Jablonsky (season 6, recurring seasons 4–5); a part-time stripper who becomes briefly romantically involved with Charlie and later has his baby.
RecurringEdit
The following lists all actors who appeared in five or more episodes during the run of the show. Template:Columns-list
ProductionEdit
Fox Entertainment Group chairman Sandy Grushow commissioned the show as a possible replacement for Beverly Hills, 90210, which was then in its fourth season. Grushow stated that "I wanted a show that would possess many of the same values that '90210' had in the beginning. A show about teenagers and for teenagers. I pitched the notion of a group of kids who lost their parents in a tragic accident and therefore were forced to raise themselves."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
When Christopher Keyser and Amy Lippman came on board to create the show, they disliked the more lighthearted premise the network had come up with, essentially of a bunch of teens without parents left to go wild, which Keyser called a "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead kind of thing." They decided to take the show in a more dramatic direction, where the characters have to deal with the serious repercussions of being orphaned and growing up.<ref>Template:Cite videoTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
Jerry O'Connell was initially offered the role of Bailey, but he chose to sign with the series Sliders instead. Scott Wolf auditioned and was cast the very same day, the first of the actors to be cast.<ref name="Tara Aquino">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":0" /> Neve Campbell, who was still living in Canada at the time, auditioned for Party of Five while she was in Los Angeles interviewing with different talent agencies to represent her. She auditioned along with her then-roommate Tara Strong, and ended up winning the role of Julia and moving to Los Angeles for the show, after it was picked up by Fox for a full series.<ref name="Tara Aquino"/><ref>Template:Cite videoTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
The show was produced by Columbia Pictures Television (CPT) and High Productions. CPT would later be folded into Columbia TriStar Domestic Television, which soon afterward became Sony Pictures Television.
Nielsen ratingsEdit
| Season | Episodes | Timeslot (ET) | Season Premiere | Season Finale | Rank | Rating (Households) |
Viewers (in millions) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 | Monday 9:00 Wednesday 9:00 |
September 12, 1994 | March 15, 1995 | #82<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
5.0<ref name=":1" /> | Template:N/a | |
| 2 | 22 | Wednesday 9:00 | September 27, 1995 | March 27, 1996 | #96<ref name=":2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
7.1<ref name=":2" /> | Template:N/a | |
| 3 | 25 | August 21, 1996 | April 2, 1997 | #72<ref name=":3">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
6.7<ref name=":3" /> | 8.9<ref name=":3" /> | ||
| 4 | 24 | September 17, 1997 | May 13, 1998 | #56<ref name="9798season">Template:Cite news</ref> | 6.7<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
11.5<ref name="9798season" /> | ||
| 5 | 25 | September 16, 1998 | May 19, 1999 | #65<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
7.2<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
9.90<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
| 6 | 24 | Tuesday 9:00 Wednesday 9:00 |
October 5, 1999 | May 3, 2000 | #113<ref name=":4">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
4.3<ref name=":4" /> | 6.135<ref name="9900season2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
EpisodesEdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Template:Series overview
Home mediaEdit
On April 27, 1999, Columbia TriStar Home Video released the season 2 episode "The Wedding", the season 3 episode "Intervention", and the season 4 episode "Richer, Poorer, Sickness, and Health" on VHS.<ref name="VHSep31">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="VHSep64">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="VHSep77">Template:Cite book</ref>
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released all six seasons of Party of Five on DVD in Region 1 between 2004 and 2013.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="DVDs2r1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="DVDs1r1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="DVDs3r1">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In August 2013, it was announced that Mill Creek Entertainment had acquired the rights to various television series from the Sony Pictures library including Party of Five.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> They subsequently re-released season 1 on DVD on June 24, 2014, followed by season 2 on January 6, 2015.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On January 5, 2016, Mill Creek released a complete series set featuring all six seasons of the series, available together for the first time.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In January 2016, it was announced that Hulu had acquired the rights to every episode of the series.<ref name="variety1-9-2016">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In 2021, it was announced by a Sony representative that the show had been remastered in 4K HDR quality.<ref name="hollywoodreporter1-23-2021">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The show's remastered version was made available for streaming in multiple Prime Video regions starting in 2022, although only in 1080p quality thus far.<ref name="primevideo10-25-2022">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="justwatch">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="twitter">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
| DVD Name | Ep # | Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | DVD Special Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Complete 1st Season | 22 | May 4, 2004 June 24, 2014 (re-release) |
Sept, 25 2006 | May 5, 2006 June 7, 2017 (re-release) |
Audio Commentary On Selected Episodes.
"Party of Five: A Family Album", 17 minutes of a documentary about the shows first 4 seasons. 9 Behind the Scenes Featurettes with the Cast and Crew (On Original DVD Release Only) |
| The Complete 2nd Season | 22 | December 20, 2005 January 6, 2015 (re-release) |
Sept, 3 2007 | February 14, 2007 June 7, 2017 (re-release) |
Audio Commentary On Selected Episodes.
Documentary on the Series Featuring Jennifer Love Hewitt. (On Original DVD Release Only) |
| The Complete 3rd Season | 25 | March 25, 2008 | N/A | June 7, 2017 | Minisodes |
| The Complete 4th Season♦ | 24 | March 5, 2013 | N/A | June 7, 2017 | None |
| The Complete 5th Season♦ | 25 | July 2, 2013 | N/A | June 7, 2017 | None |
| The Complete 6th and Final Season♦ | 24 | October 1, 2013 | N/A | June 7, 2017 | None |
| The Complete Series | 142 | January 5, 2016 | N/A | November 1, 2017 | "Party of Five: A Family Album", the complete 44 minute documentary. |
♦ - Manufacture-on-Demand (MOD) release.
Critical receptionEdit
For the show's first season, review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 85% based on 13 critic reviews, with an average rating of 6.4/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "A sincere family drama full of tear-jerking moments, Party of Five excels at its authentic depiction of young adult issues."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Awards and nominationsEdit
| Award | Year | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Template:Abbreviation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALMA Awards | 2000 | Emerging Actor in a Drama Series | Wilson Cruz | Template:Won | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
| Casting Society of America | 1995 | Best Casting for Pilot Episode | Mary V. Buck and Susan Edelman for "Pilot" | Template:Nominated | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
| GLAAD Media Award | 2000 | Outstanding TV Individual Episode | "I'll Show You Mine" | Template:Nominated | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
| 1996 | Outstanding Television Series | Template:Nominated | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | ||
| Golden Globe Awards | 1997 | Best Television Series - Drama | Template:Nominated | <ref name="gg">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | |
| 1996 | Best Television Series - Drama | Template:Won | ||||
| Humanitas Prize | 1998 | 60 Minute Category | Christopher Keyser and Amy Lippman for "Before and After" | Template:Nominated | <ref name="humanitas">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
| 1996 | 60 Minute Category | Christopher Keyser and Amy Lippman for "Thanksgiving" | Template:Won | |||
| Kids' Choice Awards | 2000 | Favorite Television Actress | Jennifer Love Hewitt | Template:Nominated | ||
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 1996 | Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series | "The Wedding" | Template:Nominated | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
| Teen Choice Awards | 1999 | TV – Choice Actor | Scott Wolf | Template:Nominated | <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
| TV – Choice Actress | Neve Campbell | Template:Nominated | ||||
| TV – Choice Actress | Jennifer Love Hewitt | Template:Nominated | ||||
| TV – Choice Drama | Template:Nominated | |||||
| Writers Guild of America Awards | 1997 | Television: Episodic Drama | Mark B. Perry for "Falsies" | Template:Nominated | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
| Young Artist Awards | 1999 | Best Performance in a TV Drama or Comedy Series - Leading Young Actress | Lacey Chabert | Template:Won | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
| YoungStar Awards | 1998 | Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Drama TV Series | Template:Won | |||
| 1997 | Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Drama TV Series | Template:Won |
RebootEdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} In January 2018, Freeform ordered a pilot for a reboot of Party of Five, featuring five children who must take care of themselves after their parents are deported back to Mexico.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In April 2020, the reboot was canceled after one season.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In popular cultureEdit
Party of Five is credited with "[moving] televised stories about and targeted at young adults away from the soap-opera genre and [helping to] make the medium safer for the more realistic teenagers we’d meet later on Dawson’s Creek, Freaks and Geeks, Friday Night Lights, and Gilmore Girls."<ref name=":0" />
In 2021, Party of Five was one of the shows featured in the third episode of season 1 of Vice Media's Dark Side of the 90s entitled "TV for Teens."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
ReferencesEdit
Further readingEdit
- John J. O'Connor. "Trying to Make a House a Home". The New York Times. October 17, 1994. p. C16.
- Brenda Scott Royce. Party of Five: The Unofficial Companion. Los Angeles: Renaissance Books, 1998. Template:ISBN. Template:Oclc.
External linksEdit
- [https://www.imdb.com/{{#if: tt0108894
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- The Original Party of Five Was a Surprisingly Important Series in Esquire
- Clip from pilot episode
- Sony Pictures Museum
Template:GoldenGlobeTVDrama 1990–2009 Template:Party of Five