Ty Watches "Party Down" Season Three

My wife and I just got caught up on "Party Down". We watched the series when it first premiered and loved it. When they announced this reboot or remake or re imagining or whatever you call it, I was a little skeptical. The main characters on the show have all gone on to have pretty solid careers. They are all working in show business in some form, mostly acting. But when the crew gets back together, good things usually happen. That was what happened with "The Simpsons Movie", and while "Party Down" is no "Simpsons", it is not a bad idea to have the original cast and crew come together.

What I liked so much about the original run of the show was the slow burn comedy style they put forth. Some episodes would go almost all the way to the end before revealing the biggest joke, and it always hit. The writers of this show have an incredible hit rate when it comes to joke writing. But they did not have to hit you over the head with joke after joke after joke. Sometimes that works, "30 Rock", but sometimes I like to wait for it and be stoked when it happens. That is where "Party Down" succeeds.

Luckily they have done the same with the first three episodes of the new season so far. There are jokes, but you really have to wait. The third episode has a great joke that ends the episode, and the wait totally paid off. I was cackling when it landed. And the actors are still doing a bang up job here in the revival, or whatever. Adam Scott is perfect in his role. I cannot picture anyone else playing this character. He is so good at it and crushes when on screen. Ken Marino may be even better, returning as Ron Donald. He is so put upon and pathetic and plays it to perfection. He is the clear comic star here and he is crushing it. Megan Mullaly and Jane Lynch have been on here and there, but when they are on they are great. They have both moved on from the catering company for different reasons, but the writers have found a wonderful way to include them here. Ryan Hansen is still crushing it as the wannabe star who is a little more dopey than he realizes. His journey so far this season has been a joy to watch. Martin Starr hasn't done too much yet, but you can tell it is coming, and the stuff he has had to work with so far he has nailed. Lizzy Caplan didn't come back for this, but the people they got to replace her have been doing very good work. Tyrel Jackson Williams is great as the person trying to be the next viral video star. He is a very funny actor and is doing great work here. And Zoe Chao is excellent as the pretentious chef who makes the craziest food I have ever heard of in my life. We also have Jennifer Garner who is superb and doing some of the best work in her career in my opinion. She is excellent in this role.

The show still has the overall feel of the original, it is just updated to modern times. They have touched on the pandemic and proud boys and superhero movies, among other things, and it has all worked to this point. After we finished the third episode last night I told my wife that I was thrilled it was back on and not much has changed. She agreed and we both said that the third episode made us even excited for what is to come.

"Party Down" was a great, underrated show when it first aired. Now it is back and as good as it was before. I'm stoked and I recommend this show for anyone. It is as well written and acted as any show on TV right now. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Watches "Silicon Valley" Series Finale

“Silicon Valley" ended its six year run on HBO last night. I have been a fan of the show since it started. I like Mike Judge, and I was on board right away with the casting of young, improvisers being put in major roles. I knew of Kumail Nanjiani from his standup only before this. Thomas Middleditch was a regular on podcasts and did improv shows that I would see on YouTube. I knew Martin Starr because he has had some roles in hit TV shows and movies. I, unfortunately, wrote a whole thing talking about how good TJ Miller was on the show, and it turns out, he is a scumbag. I wish I could take that one back. Zach Woods was familiar to me because of "The Office", but I had never seen him in such a big role. So, to see all these actors getting a real shot at something was great.

The beginning of the show did not disappoint. It was funny and active and well written and very well acted. They added the right people, told good stories and seemed like they were having so much fun making the show. I continued to watch because I am a loyalist, some may say OCD, but some of the stories started to feel stale and already done. But, it was still funny and still had the cast that I just talked about in glowing terms. So, I stuck with it. It was announced that this sixth season would be the last, and it felt like a fitting time to close all these stories. And this final season was a perfect send off for this show.

All of the people had made it to where they thought they wanted to be, but there was also that similar trouble that they ran into every season. Each episode portrayed that very well. I liked the new story lines and the added actors for this final season. And the finale was a great, great sendoff. I like how they did the flash forward and flash back. I liked how they showed them realize their dream from the first season, only to see that it wasn't what they expected, or even wanted, in the end. I like how they tied the main characters stories up. Each person, where they were 10 years in the future, made sense. To see Dinesh and Gilfoyle still working together, and still fighting one another was great. To see that Jared was working with old folks, and treating them like parental figures, was so very right for him. Seeing Big Head as the president of Stanford, it was fitting for the idiot that always failed upward throughout the series. Jian Yang taking over as Erhlich Bachman made me so very happy. I thought they were going to bring him back, and when they didn't, I was stoked. And making Richard a professor in "tethics" made me so happy and it made me laugh very hard as well. Oh, and Gavin Belson becoming a philanthropist and author was so fitting. He never really worked for anything after starting Hooli, yet he still was super rich because the super rich stay rich, somehow, The final scene with Richard was great as well because it showed that he never really grew out of his anxieties, or his absent mindedness. I also loved when they went back to the house they all started in and Jared took out the blue and yellow ball and they shouted "ALWAYS BLUE! ALWAYS BLUE!", until it was yellow. That is a throwback to the very early days of the show.

This was the perfect ending to a show that was very, very good. Mike Judge created a very cool world, made me interested in the tech world and got a great cast of people to put in his show. I will forever be a fan of his, and "Silicon Valley" is another feather in his cap. I cannot wait to see what he does next.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Ty’s tv OCD is so bad that he feels the need to complete the entire arc of the “Saved By the Bell” universe. The new class is up next.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

" Silicon Valley" is Thriving Without TJ Miller.

Two episodes into "Silicon Valley" season 4, and I have got to say, the show does not miss TJ Miller one bit.

I have gone to bat for Miller on this website, but due to recent allegations, and his recent actions, I have lost a ton of respect for him. He was accused of harassment, and his choice to attack the lady that accused him was so bizarre and distasteful. Then, I have read story after story about how hard he was to work with during the last season of "Silicon Valley". He comes off as holier than thou, like a diva and someone that was just brutal to be round while filming. So, with all this, I was not sad to see him leave the show. Also, most of the stuff he has chosen to do since announcing his departure from "Silicon Valley" has been pretty rough (cough "The Emoji Movie cough). But, I was very curious to see how the show went on without his character, Ehrlich. He was one of the main guys after all. I'd say he was probably second in line to only Thomas Middleditch on the show. He was also very, very funny on the show. I enjoyed his portrayal of Ehrlich. I'm sure he was just being himself, a real asshole, but he was good at doing that.

Well, spoiler alert people, when Gavin Belson left him in that opium den at the end of the third season, I did not know how they would handle it this season. And, like I said at the top, 2 episodes in, they have done it very well. Jian Yang, the young Asian gentleman that lived in his house, the incubator they call it, has taken over control of the place. He hated Ehrlich, for many, many good reasons, and now, he is a younger, more heartless version. He has stopped at nothing so far to take over the house. He wants the place, and he wants it badly. His story line has been, quite possibly, my favorite part of this season so far. He has gone so far as to cremate an enormous pig just to prove that Ehrlich Bachmann is dead. His choice to continue to try and destroy him at the end of the second episode was epic. Changing the locks on the guys that used to live there at the end was cold blooded and awesome. Jian Yang has been amazing so far on the show.

As for the other characters, and their story lines, it has been seamless. Richard is still trying to create his new internet. He is solely focused on that and nothing else. Not seeing Midleditch and Miller in scenes together hasn't been nearly as weird as I thought it would be. Hendrix has his own things to do, and watching him code this past Sunday was pretty awesome. As far as Gilfoyle and Dinesh, Martin Starr and Kumail Nanjiani, go, they never really needed Ehrlich around. There whole thing since this show started was one upping each other, yet remaining friends. They are clearly best friends that just happen to hate one another. The chemistry between Nanjiani and Starr is pretty awesome. They work off one another so well and, next to Jian Yang, they are the absolute best part of this awesome show. Zach Woods is still all twitchy and weird and will stop at nothing to help Richard get Pied Piper, their company, off the ground and running. Woods' transformation as someone that worked for the bad guys first, Hooli, which is essentially Google, to where he is now just proves how great of a comic actor and improviser he is. He is just as good as every other main character on this show. Even the expanded role of Belson is totally worth not having TJ Miller on the show anymore. He has gone through tons of changes, is still super competitive and evil, and I cannot wait to see him and Richard come to the inevitable blows that this season is leading to. In last Sunday's episode, when Belson fires Banksy, that was comedic gold.

What this all boils down to is the genius of Mike Judge. To lose such an important character and not miss a beat speaks volumes to his talent as a writer and director. Some may have ended the show if they lost such an important piece, but Judge realized he still had a ton of talent, and now he is working in newer, younger talent that is probably not such a headache. I was more intrigued than skeptical how they approach the loss of Miller. But, they have handled it perfect and I still look forward to watching this show every week.

Losing TJ Miller has not made "Silicon Valley" worse. Quite the opposite has happened. New actors are getting more time to shine, and guys like Thomas Middleditch, Kumail Nanjiani, Zach Woods and Martin Starr are still crushing it. Everyone should still be watching "Silicon Valley" because it is so great. Well done Mr. Judge.

Ty

The Greatest Television Ever: "Undeclared"

Getting back to our debate about great TV shows, TV moments and seasons of certain shows, I'm going to talk about one of my favorite shows that only got one short, 17 episode season, but it was a phenomenal season and very memorable. The show I'm going to talk about today is "Undeclared".

"Undeclared" is one of the best, most underrated shows of all time. It was so far ahead of it's time and anyone that watched the show, and spent at least one semester in college, could relate to it 100 percent. "Undeclared" is the best representation of everyone's freshman year in college. Every topic they covered in their lone season, every college student went through one way or another. It was that relatable.

Take their pilot episode. Steven(Jay Baruchel), meets his roommates, Ron(Seth Rogen), Lloyd(Charlie Hunnam) and Marshall(Tim Sharpp) and they are stand offish at first because that's how 18 year olds act when they first meet. It doesn't help that Steven's dad, played by Loudon Wainwright, won't leave his side because he's depressed about his divorce and the fact that his son his going away to college. Steven also meets Lizzie(Carla Gallo) and he's immediately smitten. He was a nerdy high school kid that never really had any girlfriends, so he figures college is the perfect chance to change his image. He wants to be a cool guy now and he tries this on Lizzie, and it works. She sleeps with him that night, but we come to find out later that she has an older boyfriend, played by Jason Segel, that lives back home. Lizzie only slept with Steven because she was fighting with her boyfriend, and she wanted to get revenge. Steven thinks that they are now a couple, but after many conversations with his roommates, he comes to realize that he was just a pawn and that Lizzie wasn't going to leave her boyfriend. This is a great representation of all the things that could go wrong on your first day of college. Crazy stuff can happen that will forever alter your life.

We also meet Lizzie's roommate in the pilot, Rachel(Monica Keena), and she's one of the first characters I'd ever seen on TV that showed the same type of anxiety that I had when I went away to college. She was frightened, lonely and missed her high school friends and her family. I personally related to all of that. Now, Monica found ways to deal with her anxiety and her character only grew from there. I wimped out and left college after one semester.

That first episode had it all. It one hundred percent got the first day of college correct. I was hooked. Look at some of those names I mentioned too. People like Jay Baruchel, Seth Rogen, Charlie Hunnam and Jason Segel were all still relative unknowns while on this show. Now, most of them have had very successful careers, especially Rogen and Segel.

Back to some of the themes in the episodes that epitomize freshman year of college. There's an episode where Steven decides he wants to join a fraternity and he is put through hell, only to get his revenge on the president of the frat, played by Samm Levine. This episode was great. They made Steven do some stupid, childish things that no person should be made to so, but that's what dumbass fraternity guys do. Steven gets fed up, and with the constant urging from his roommates to not even join the frat, Steven and his roommates come up with a plan to make the president of the frat do the same stupid stuff. And, after they catch him and try to force him to eat an entire jar of pickles, he relents and says that all the frat stuff is stupid and lets Steven walk with no consequences. Or, there's the episode centered around Marshall's crush on Monica. Monica is so sweet and nice, but she is oblivious to Marshall's feelings and after she finally realizes this, it's too late to tell him she just wants to be friends, Marshall is in too deep and he will always love Monica. She doesn't reciprocate the feelings, but they stay friends throughout the show's run. We could talk about any episode with Lloyd and how he is a total ladies man and the envy of his roommates, but how not every girl is receptive to his moves. He has the smooth English accent, and while it works on most ladies, there is an episode where it totally backfires and he has to lick his wounds and realize that he may not be the ladies man he has made himself out to be. The character of Lloyd is a perfect portrayal of the student that comes from overseas and thinks they are the coolest guy, but they are just like every one else in college, just trying to find their way. They also have run ins with RA's, they go to a live Adam Sandler show and then get to hang out with him and his crew afterward, they have dorm parties and they talk and deal with the good and the bad like any real life college student would.

"Undeclared" is excellent. This show also had some huge guest stars. Some were recurring, others may have been on only once or twice. I just mentioned Adam Sandler, but some other guests were Jenna Fischer as a badass sorority girl, Amy Poehler as an over sexualized RA obsessed with Lloyd, Fred Willard as a professor that's lost his love for teaching, Will Ferrell as a Ritalin dealer that also has answer keys to finals and Martin Starr as Steven's super nerdy high school best friend. This was another Judd Apatow show that Fox gave up on way too early, much like "Freaks and Geeks". Apatow had a knack for grabbing these certain moments in young kids lives and portraying them perfectly for the TV viewing public. He hasn't made many great movies lately, but I will always be thankful to him for creating "Freaks and Geeks" and, more importantly for me, "Undeclared".

If you haven't watched "Undeclared", go back and check it out. I believe it may be streaming on Netflix (ed note: It unfortunately left Netflix late last year). and it is well worth your time. You'll thank me after you watch it, I promise you that, especially if you spent at least one semester in college. It is very, very relatable and extremely well made.

I will always have a spot in my heart for the great "Undeclared".

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man podcast. He left college because they had no major for podcasting, since the term and technology was yet to be invented. You must absolutely follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.