Party Down 2.01

Jackal Onassis Backstage Party

Henry is now in charge of the Party Down team. Roman changes places with Jackal Onassis and for the most part finds it to be very unsatisfying. The singer tends bar and is recognized by no one. Casey returns. There are some awkward moments between Casey and Henry. Ron returns with a girlfriend who wants to meet Jackal Onassis.

Thoughts

This is Megan Mullally's first episode of Party Down. She's taking the place of Jennifer Coolidge who took the place of Jane Lynch. The rest of the cast is the same as in the first season but things aren't exactly as they were in the first season.

Party Down 1.10

Stennheiser-Pong Wedding Reception

Ron is still reeling from his experience at the high school reunion in the previous episode. He loses his cool when he finds out that a team from Valhalla Catering is also working the wedding reception. The Valhalla team is led by Uda, a former employee of Party Down. Ron's crew is confined to the prep area.

Bobbie took some shrooms and is high as a kite. Casey has a job offer and doesn't know how to tell Henry. Ron falls to pieces. Henry tries to keep the crew working together as best he can. Roman annoys George Takei, one of the guests at the wedding.

Everything seems to go to pieces towards the end of the episode.

Party Down 1.09

James Rolf High School Twentieth Reunion

Ron has the Party Down crew work his high school reunion. Henry is thinking of moving back home with his parents while he tries to figure out what to do next. Casey talks him out of it. Ron tries to woo Melinda, who is oranizing the reunion and whom he had a crush on in high school. Ron runs into Donnie, his best friend from high school who hasn't changed much in 20 years.

Thoughts

Constance is not in this episode. She has been replaced by Bobbie (Jennifer Coolidge) for the last two episodes of the season. Constance won't be back until the final episode of season 2.

Molly Parker plays the part of Melinda. I know her best from Deadwood although I couldn't figure out why she looked familiar until I looked her up. Its been over 10 years since I watched Deadwood.

Party Down 1.08

Celebrate Ricky Sargulesh

The Party Down team works a party where some of them get recognized for their work in front of the camera. The party is thrown for Ricky Sargulesh who was recently acquitted of murder. Casey is still angry at Roman and Henry because they thought she slept with Rick Fox. Ula, Ricky's girlfriend, flirts with Henry. Kyle gets recognized for his work on a reality TV show. Constance gets recognized for her work in a few movies (Dingleberries, Wild Nuts, Scream Weaver). Henry gets recognized for his beer commercial work.

The party guests insist on talking to the actors whom they recognize. Ron ends up having to do most of the work. Roman is tasked with reading Ricky's script and starts thinking that Ricky is planning to murder Zoltan, one of the other party guests. 

Party Down 1.07

Brandix Corporate Retreat

The Party Down team works at a corporate retreat. Rick Fox is there to give a motivational speech but he doesn't know exactly what Brandix does. Casey tries to help Rick Fox which makes Roman and Henry suspect that she is going to have sex with him. Ron "borrows" some of the team building gear and tries to run his own little team building exercises with the Party Down team. Kyle plays a trick on Roman which involves a homophobic joke and the movie 300.

Thoughts

I love how the different story bits work together in this episode. I didn't care for the homophobic joking. Kyle starts it but Henry and some of the others also laugh at Roman about it.

Party Down 1.06

Taylor Stiltskin Sweet Sixteen

The Party Down team works the party of the daughter of a big shot Hollywood director. Ron gets high by accident after going to talk to the entertainment for the party. Constance and Casey are tasked with talking the birthday girl into actually showing up for her party. Roman hits on one of the teenagers at the party. Kyle just had his teeth fixed and they are hurting a lot. The wife of the host comes on to him. She offers him a part in her husband's next film if he will sleep with her. He tries but his teeth are hurting too much. Henry runs into someone he knows from acting school who tries to help him get a part in Leonard Stiltskin's next movie.

Party Down 1.05

Sin Say Shun Awards Afterparty

The Party Down crew works the afterparty of a porn awards show. Casey is stressed and takes some ecstasy. It helps her to relax. She's starts feeling horny and wants Henry to take some. He spends most of the episode trying to find some.

Kyle tries to coach Roman in how to talk to talk up the women at the party. Roman doesn't get it.

Ken is approached by a producer who wants him to star in a porn film. Ron is very shy and uncertain about it.

Party Down 1.04

Investors Dinner

The Party Down crew works a meeting for investors that is hosted by Tony Carolla. He is trying to get people with money to buy into investing in a housing community in Tiajuana.

Henry and Casey are still trying to decide where they stand with one another. Ron decides to buy into Tony's investment in real estate.

Constance brings a prop gun to work. It was used on the set of Beretta which leads to lots of arguments between Constance, Kyle, and Roman about why the show was called Beretta.

Party Down 1.03

Pepper McMasters Singles Seminar

The Party Down crew works at a singles event for seniors. Ron is grossed out by seniors. Bruce, one of seniors, turns out to be someone with whom Constance once had a fling, 25-30 years earlier. Henry winds up smoking pot with Bruce and Constance in the men's room. Kyle bums a boner pill off of Bruce and puts it in Roman's drink. Casey decides she needs to get divorced and then makes out with Henry.

Thoughts

Marilu Henner plays the part of Pepper McMasters. I know her from lots of things but the first would of course be Taxi.

Ed Begley Jr. plays the part of Bruce. I know him from lots of things, most recently it would be Future Man.

This is an okay episode. I enjoyed it but it wasn't the best or the funniest. It doesn't compare to the previous one.

Party Down 1.02

California College Conservative Union Caucus

The Party Down crew caters a meeting for the CCCUC. They are expecting a visit from the governor, aka the Govern-ator, aka Arnold Schwarzenegger. Ron is doing his best to kiss up to Jeff, the club's secretary. That kind of gets derailed after he embarrasses Jeff in front of everyone. It gets worse when Roman gets barbeque sauce on an American flag that the club was planning on giving to the governor. It gets even worse when Ron tries to clean the flag. It gets even worse when...

Thoughts

Other stuff happens in this episode, involving the other members of the team, but Ron's series of screw-ups are the centerpiece and the highlight.

I remember really enjoying this episode the first time I saw it, about 10 years ago. It holds up in my opinion.

Party Down 1.01

Willow Canyon Homeowners Annual Party

The Party Down catering crew (Ron, Constance, Kyle, Roman, Casey, Henry) works a party for a local homeowners association. Ron (Ken Marino), the leader of the crew, tries a little too hard and fails spectacularly. Constance (Jane Lynch) gives Kyle (Ryan Hansen) pep talks about his acting career. Kyle hits on the daughter of the hosts of the party. Roman (Martin Starr) is sick of Kyle and tries to get back at him by impersonating a show runner. Casey (Lizzy Caplan), is worried that her husband will show up during the party and make a scene. Henry (Adam Scott) has deep regrets about his aborted acting career.

Thoughts

The husband of the party host is played by Enrico Colantoni . I know him best from Just Shoot Me and Galaxy Quest.