What I’m Watching: Party Down (Season Premiere)

Party Down: Season 2, Episode 1 “Jackal Onassis Backstage Party” (B)

I wrote briefly about this show’s pilot last spring, declaring that it “left me disappointed because [it’s] the kind of fare I usually enjoy,” along with the late Patrick Swayze’s one-season drama “The Beast” and the NBC-to-TNT production “Southland.” As the first season of Starz’s caterers comedy went on, it became somewhat more enjoyable but still didn’t quite jump out to me as something I couldn’t miss. Jane Lynch left the show midway through the first year to star in the role of a lifetime which she’s excelled at on “Glee.” Jennifer Coolidge was a fine temporary replacement, and Megan Mullally, better known as Karen from “Will & Grace,” should serve as a proper, perfectly awkward permanent solution. This premiere episode was all about setup without much room for legitimate plot progression, although that’s sort of always the case on this show. Ron’s failure in his soup crackers endeavor was inevitable, and this is hardly the first time he’s shown up drunk and come off as extremely pitiful. Casey was bound to come back and there was absolutely going to be awkward tension between her and Henry because he’s now dating Uda (can’t wait to see Kristen Bell again). What was particularly fun about this episode, as is often the case, was the guest star and party in question. Jimmi Simpso, who has appeared recently on “Psych” and in the incredible TV pilot “Virtuality,” was amazing as Jackal Onassis, and seemed to have a brilliant time switching places with Roman and reveling in people hating him and being rude to him. The off-handed reference to “The Mentalist,” which seems to be a go-to nod for shows these days (see: “Psych”), was hilariously handled when Jackal said he didn’t know what that was but still proceeded to declare that he was going to watch it anyway. I’m also glad to have learned that it’s a really bad idea to give a Satanist a four-sided sandwich.