What I’m Watching: Party Down

Party Down: Season 2, Episode 2 “Precious Lights Pre-School Auction” (B)

This show continues to be funny but not altogether engaging or even. It’s fun and certainly satisfying to see Henry yell at Ron for all of his faults, but by ten minutes in, Ron being present but not in charge is more annoying than anything else. Henry as team leader is a lot like having Jim being temporarily promoted to co-manager on “The Office,” though it should work better as a long-term device here. It’s particularly unfortunate to see those who actually like him and might respect him, like Casey, being so openly insubordinate and obnoxious to him. I do like how he responded with “as team leader, they do pay me enough” after Casey said that they had both agreed that they didn’t get paid enough to take the job seriously. His description of his home as having a great view, even though it was a taco ball, was also funny. Roman trying to sweet-talk Kyle into lending him money for the fourth issue of Uncanny X-Men was an ill-fated attempt which resulted hilariously in him insulting him by calling him a “can’t-act creature from the no-talent lagoon.” I love Lydia’s complicity in Ron’s efforts to piss off Henry, suggesting “will anyone do?” when he says that he should pretend to be engaging in intimate relations with Casey. The best part of the episode, as is often the case, is the guest stars. J.K. Simmons walks in and immediately steals the show with his foul language, aided by the not-as-lovely-as-usual-but-still-great Joey Lauren Adams. His comment about Roman looking like he just stepped off the set of “The Big Bang Theory” was terrific, but what was really great was his ending rant directed at a befuddled Henry, whose only response to the comment that he’d never work in this town again was “I know.”