I have yet another tv show recommendation. This one is extremely underrated and was actually cancelled after only two seasons. But, it's still a great show and has gained somewhat of a cult following. It's pretty much what happened with Arrested Development and Freaks and Geeks. Audiences don't realize how good it is until it's gone.
Party Down is about a hodgepodge group of people who work for a catering company. They work several different events which almost always turns into a hot mess. One of my favorite episodes includes them catering a porn star award show.
One main reason I believe people would be inclined to go back and watch this show is because of the amazing cast. They all bring something really special to their characters. This show is where Adam Scott kind of got his start in TV before his starring role in Parks and Recreation.
That ~sexual tension~
His character also has a fun will they/won't they relationship with Lizzy Caplan's character (yes, she played Janis Ian in Mean Girls.)
Other key players include Ken Marino, Martin Starr, Ryan Hansen, Megan Mullally and Jane Lynch. There's also a huge array of secondary characters and cameo appearances. Some names to mention include Jennifer Coolidge, J.K. Simmons and Ken Jeong.
I love how a simple idea of cater workers explodes into a comedic gem. They openly don't care too much about their job, including the boss, and goof around every event they work. (other than when they cater the boss's high school reunion, another great episode *cough cough*)
Anyway the writing is great and the cast is killer, so add this to your "to watch" list.
In his most recent short film he created, "Aspirational" starring Kirsten Dunst, Frost explores the "selfie culture" and comments on how social media effects our interactions, even with celebrities. It's entertaining and funny, while making a sad statement about our society. Watch the two minute film below:
If you enjoyed that, you may enjoy his previous short film with Lizzy Caplan, titled "Fashion Film." It's a commercial for Viva Vena and spoofs fashion advertisements that you'd normally see. (Clever for a fashion brand to make fun of other fashion advertisements... I see what you're doing here, Viva Vena.) And as always, Lizzy Caplan is hilarious.
Here are the three award short films for Vogue if you want to check those out:
I would not consider myself an advertising or fashion person at all, but I really love the charming humor that comes through in these beautiful advertisements.
One of my new favorite American television drama series is called Masters of Sex. This show was developed by Michelle Ashford and based on Thomas Maier's biography Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, the Couple Who Taught America How To Love. Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan star as the lead characters, Dr. William Masters and Virginia Johnson, two pioneering researchers of human sexuality at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. The series tells the real story of Dr. William Masters and Virginia Johnson and was picked up for a first season consisting of 12 episodes. September 29, 2013 was the premier date for the show but, with great ratings for the pilot October 22, 2013 Showtime renewed Masters of Sex for a second season for 2014.
This show is based on the real life Dr. Masters and Virginia. It's exciting to know how much the show has differed from the original story. Some characters like Barton Scully was a combination of several men whom Masters knew. One of them gay, but
it was not the same man serving as provost during Master's initial
study. Writer/producer Michelle Ashford also serves as a showrunner for Masters of Sex. Because of the time period Ashford has it set in the prop masters Jeffery Johnson had an extremely difficult job in creating and finding the sexual devices from that time period. He was able to obtain some vintage vibrators and dildos for use in the series along with acquiring condoms manufactured in the era. He designed "Ulysses," a transparent dildo with attached camera first seen in the pilot episode, from scratch, along with a diaphragm sizing kit seen in later episodes. As I watched I remember how sex was such a "taboo" idea to talk about. The release of this show in a time period where sex is something that is more open to talk about allows the audience to fully be intrigued with the content of the show and realize the irony of the time period then and now.
The first season of Master of Sex has received acclaim from critics. Based on 48 reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, the first season received a 90% approval rating from critics, with a rating average of 8.4 out of 10. The sites consensus: Seductive and nuanced, Masters of Sex features smart performances, deft direction, and impeccable period decor." Metacritic gave the first season a score of 85/100, based on 32 reviews. Matt Roush of TV Guide wrote that "There is no more facinating, or entertaining, news series this fall season." Diane Werts of Newsday gave it an "A" grade, complimenting the series on its use of humor, stating "its deft balance of epic scope and whimsical humanity", as well as the strong performances of the actors and creator Michelle Ashford's "scene-setting scripts". David Wiegand of the San Francisco Chronicle particularly praises the performances, calling them "extraordinary" and "stunning", and noting the series' A-list directors such as Michael Apted and John Madden. Hank Stuever of the The Washington Post wrote that after two episodes, "the character get better and more complex, the story builds, strange things start to happen and now I can't wait to see how its interweaving plots unfold. Alan Sepinwall of HitFix praised lead actors Michael Sheen and Lizzy long stretch. It's also a refreshing anomaly: a prestige cable drama that doesn't fee; like a recombination of elements from 15 shows that came before it.
Back in the late summer of 2010, I discovered the show Party Down as I was lazily flipping through the hundreds of options on my cable provider's OnDemand menu. I recognized Adam Scott from The Aviator and decided to give it a shot. I was addicted instantaneously. I watched all twenty episodes in a matter of a few weeks. After I'd finished with the two short seasons, I went on a search to figure out when I could tune in for the next season. Much to my surprise, I found that Starz had canceled this wonderfully dark and quick-witted comedy.
A little background on Party Down. Premiering in March of 2009, the half-hour show is about a Los Angeles catering team, made up of aspiring actors and writers. Each episode revolves around an event the team is working and the shenanigans each member ends up getting tangled up in. It was created by Rob Thomas (90210), Paul Rudd (I Love You, Man), Dan Etheridge (Biodome), and John Enbom (Veronica Mars). The show was directed by Bryan Gordon (Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Fred Savage (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia). The recurring characters included some recognizable actors:
With all of these big names associated with the show, it came as quite a shock when Party Down didn't get a chance at a third season. According to this article, the ratings simply were not there. While the show may have had staggering potential, I think there are two main reasons why Party Down never got to come full term: Starz and censorship. Starz is a little-known channel that comes up with very few contending programs in comparison to its ever-growing rivals, HBO and Showtime. The viewership for anything on a channel like Starz is low from the get-go. And Party Down is too graphic for the likes of NBC or FOX, which has to cater to parents' wishes to keep their children naive. We are still living in an time where censorship and media regulation laws rule, often leaving winning shows to die in the outer limits of obscure cable channels.
But there is hope on the horizon! There have been rumors circulating all over the internet these past few months, hinting at a potential Party Down full length feature. Rob Thomas has even gone as far to say that his people are well into negotiations for a movie deal. Along with all of the buzz from Arrested Development supposedly being picked up for a few more episodes AND a movie deal, this could make for some interesting coming years.
