From 1994 to 2000, a show called Party of Five was on TV, starring Matthew Fox, Scott Wolf, Neve Campbell, and Lacey Chabert. The story focused on siblings who lost their parents in a car accident.
Next year, a reboot of this television series will be released. This updated version will also feature siblings who are without their parents, but it is a whole new story with a whole new angle and brand-new stars. Here is what we know so far about it all, as well as what we hope to see with this show that is coming in 2020.
Know: It Will Premiere On January 8
Quickly after the start of the new year, the rebooted Party of Five will air on Freeform. Specifically, it is set to premiere on January 8, 2020, with 10 episodes in its first season. Mark those calendars!
Freeform, which used to be called ABC Family, is owned by Walt Disney Television, and it is known for family-friendly shows and movies that deal with a wide range of relatable topics and that feature families of all shapes, sizes, and styles. So this seems like a good fit for this series.
Hope: It Starts Off Strong
The pilot of any new show is so important. It helps set the tone for what is to come. It has to capture everyone’s attention without giving everything away. And it can make or break a series.
Sure, there are some stories that take a while to get into, but we hope that this reboot starts off strong. We are not asking for the best opening in the entire world and of all time... just hoping for success!
Know: It Focuses On Five Siblings
Like the old show, this one will have five siblings. There is Brandon Larracuente playing the oldest, Emilio Acosta, who is an aspiring musician. There is Emily Tosta playing the studious Lucia Acosta. There is Niko Guardado playing Beto Acosta. There is Elle Paris Legaspi playing Valentina Acosta, who is mature and clever. And there is baby Rafael.
Supporting characters will include a babysitter, an activist who Lucia meets and, of course, the parents.
Hope: They Are As Lovable As The Original Siblings
As mentioned, the original show had a star-studded cast: Matthew Fox portrayed Charlie Salinger, Scott Wolf played Bailey Salinger, Neve Campbell played Julia Salinger, and Lacey Chabert played Claudia Salinger. There were also guest stars like Scott Grimes, Jeremy London, Andrew Keegan, Adam Scott, and Jennifer Love Hewitt.
While this is a different story, we still hope that these characters are as lovable as the ones we already know. It will be hard not to compare, but ideally, fans will learn to love these newbies as much as the Salingers!
Know: There Is A Deportation Angle
The main difference with the reboot is how the parents are absent. In the original, they lost their lives in a car accident, but in this one, the parents are deported back to Mexico. This is a very relevant issue, and just as the Salingers struggled to survive on their own, the Acosta must learn to get by without their parents around, too.
Some of the episode titles, such as "Margin of Error", "Long Distance" and "Authentic Mexican", further show how this real-life problem can cause strain on loved ones.
Hope: There Is A Good Balance Of Politics & Entertainment
This is a relevant issue. This is a real problem. And it will be interesting to see how deportation is addressed in a series like this.
However, there is such a thing as being too political. So we hope this reboot is able to send a message and shed light on something that families are actually going through (like Jane the Virgin did), while still being a normal, entertaining TV show.
Know: It’s From The Original Team
Back in 2017, news came out that Christopher Keyser and Amy Lippman were working on this reboot. These two met while Keyser was in law school, and they became real power duo in this industry; they went on to write for shows like L.A. Law, Equal Justice, and Eddie Dodd.
Their most notable work, though, is Party of Five, which they created, wrote and served as the executive producers on back in the day. And now, they are back!
Hope: There Are Easter Eggs
Since the original duo is going to be in charge of this new series, can fans expect some Easter eggs? Will there be references to the old show? What nods to the past will be present, if any?
This is not a requirement, of course, but it would be neat to have the Salingers and their story honored just a bit. At the very least, it is nice that Party of Five will have the same feel and flow as always, thanks to Christopher Keyser and Amy Lippman.
Know: It Will Be A Drama
Obviously, this reboot will be a drama, as it focuses on a pretty heavy issue. Being without a parent, in any way, can be hard for a child, and deportation itself is a huge and serious topic. Plus, there will be everyday things to face, like school and romances and fights over who gets to use the bathroom first.
The story of how the parents are sent back to Mexico, watching this family adjust, seeing how everyone learns to survive… It will be dramatic for sure, so maybe have a box of tissues ready on the premiere day.
Hope: It Tackles As Many Relevant Issues As The Old Show Did
The Party of Five from back in the day was also a drama, and it covered so many relatable things. There was alcohol use, there was a girlfriend who took her own life, there were hard tests at school, there were crushes, there was a canceled wedding, there was a missing child…
But there were also family dinners, there were first kisses, there were graduations, there were new babies, there were celebrations… And we hope the reboot covers the good, the bad and the real in a beautiful way, just like the original show did.