Sunday, April 9, 2023

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

Party Down: Season 3, Episode 6 “Sepulveda Basin High School Spring Play Opening Night” (B+)

This was a very fun finale, one that could serve as a second series ender if need be, but that would be a real shame since it’s got so much more to offer. Having it take place at Henry’s students’ performance and the subsequent surprise party Evie planned for him was a great idea, and every character got their own bit of closure that felt perfectly fitting for them. Ron dressing like he believed an owner should only to discover that his lawyer filled out the paperwork wrong and Constance actually owned a majority stake of the company was just his luck, and he showed that he’s actually quite good for something when he volunteered to deal with Vice Principal Mittman, played by Dan Bakkedahl from “Life in Pieces” and “Made for Love.” I’m glad that they gave him a little arc of his own, realizing that he missed being Mr. M and ultimately coming through to save Henry’s job. Kyle discovering that he was playing the dad, not the lead, was an amusing development, one that made a dejected Roman feel better. I also enjoyed that Lucy had her big ticket out of all this until Ron ate it and managed to regain her sense of smell. While it would have been nice to see Henry and Evie end up together, parting on good terms when he realized what he really wanted to do, and it was an important set-up for the unexpected mid-credits scene. I had forgotten all about Casey, and it was a wonderful surprise to see Lizzy Caplan return for such a superb ending. I so hope that we’ll see more of them in the future, and that this show’s revival has been a resounding success. It’s been a blast.

Season grade: A-
Season MVP: Zoë Chao as Lucy

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