Saturday, June 12, 2010

Party Smarty

A few weeks ago I noted how much I liked Party Down, a sitcom about a catering group. Since then, if anything, it's only gone up in my estimation. The writing, as I noted, is smart. And, financially (for the production), it's a good set-up--each week they have one, but only one, new setting.

What's impressed me most after seeing several episodes (all from season two) are the plots. You'd think catering a new party each week could get boring, but they mix things up enough so you never know what you'll get.

In the first episode I saw, they cater a backstage party for a rock star, and he gets out of his makeup and pretends to be one of them to find out how the other half lives (while one of the staff dresses up as the rock star). In another, they cater a party where the guests don't understand until they show up that the host is expecting an orgy. In another, Steve Guttenberg has forgotten to cancel his party so he ends up leading them in reading and rewriting a screenplay that one of the staff is working on.

It's still mostly about the jokes, but it's so much easier to be smart when the plot is working.

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Which one is supposed to be Velma, and which one Daphne?

11:19 AM, June 12, 2010  
Blogger LAGuy said...

It's actually close to Taxi, but then, who cares?

11:20 AM, June 12, 2010  
Blogger LAGuy said...

How's that for a quick response, btw?

11:21 AM, June 12, 2010  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Depends on what you mean by response. I'd say the clock is still ticking.

code word: surmons

Not sure whether I'm lecturing you or suing you.

5:14 PM, June 12, 2010  
Blogger LAGuy said...

You don't get that Taxi is a different sort of comedy vehicle?

6:32 PM, June 12, 2010  

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