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July 1st, 2010
12:20 PM ET
'Party Down' gets the axeWhen two cast members - including the main protagonist - are leaving the show, and the ratings are low, the chances of survival are slim. So it went when the critically acclaimed comedy "Party Down," having just finished its second season, was canceled by Starz on Wednesday. The show avoided a similar situation to that which was faced by "Scrubs" recently (and will soon be faced by "The Office"), since star Adam Scott is now a cast member on "Parks and Recreation," and would only have been able to return for three episodes. Ryan Hansen, another cast member, was also unlikely to return, since he's now on the upcoming NBC series "Friends with Benefits." The cancellation of the series about a team of caterers caused a minor uproar on Twitter, with people like comedian Steve Agee tweeting, "Everyone should cancel their Starz network subscriptions now." Fellow comedian Paul Scheer, who guest starred on an episode this season, tweeted, "Here's to #partydown one of the funniest shows on TV. Let's get some hollywood dummy to give them $ to make a movie spin off." The fact that the show was on cable likely allowed it to last two seasons, one more than it would have otherwise. Still, there was a small amount of hope that the network might allow it to continue due to its passionate fanbase. Series co-creator Rob Thomas, whose "Veronica Mars" survived one season longer than "Party Down," told TV critic Alan Sepinwall, "No one on our side is particularly shocked by the news. Frankly, the waiting has been excruciating, and there's a certain amount of relief in knowing and being able to move on." Cast member Martin Starr hosted a wake of sorts for the show, re-tweeting and responding to fans who were upset at the show's untimely end. "Thank you for the support! Sorry we couldn't give you another season. In all honesty it was a pleasure working w/STARZ & the whole cast&crew," he wrote. Starr certainly knows all about cancellations, having been part of the cast of "Freaks and Geeks," the short-lived show which also launched the careers of Seth Rogen, Jason Segel and James Franco. So "Party Down" joins the pantheon of cult series like "Freaks and Geeks" which critics and fans will probably talk about for years to come, not unlike "Arrested Development," "Firefly" and, yes, "Veronica Mars." Do you think "Party Down" deserved a third season? Share your thoughts on video, or in the comments below.
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boooo! hiiisssss
t.v. suck this
Of course it was canceled too soon, but if Adam Scott AND Ryan Hansen are leaving then it is for the best.
Definitely cancelled too soon. One of, if not the top Comedy on TV right now. If it was on HBO it would be a hit.
so i guess the audition Henry went on was for a role in Parks & Recreation..hahh. i'll still follow Lizzy Caplan wherever she goes
I knew this was coming. Anytime I find an intelligent comedy worthy of all the praise I can lavish, it gets canceled. Still, I'm angry. I actually canceled my subscription, as the only reason I even had it was to watch party down.
I'm going to miss the characters and the show.
I am sad that the show is over but it did provide closure at the end with Henry going after his dreams again. It is by far one of the most real, honest shows about struggling actors just trying to break through. It pretty much didn't leave to many loose ends and because of that I have to say bravo, we will cherish these episodes forever because I can agree that no matter how many times I watch it, the jokes never get old.
This was one of my favorite shows on cable; intelligent writing, great acting, and most importantly some pretty badass movie quotes. Goodbye "Party Down", I'll miss ye. Well now off to the next best thing, "The Bachelorette" here I come haha
Thrilled to know that I live in a country where the "Flava of Love" runs longer than intelligent writing.. if you didnt think PARTY DOWN was a funny show.. get off of myspace, read a few books, and try again.
I was soooo sad to hear the news. It has been decades since I look forward to watch a show. I wouldn't miss it . Every friday one of my favorite things to do was watch Party Down. I keep thinking what am I going to look forward to. I dont subscribe to cable because its not worth it and this proves my pont, they dont show the good stuff. Like Flight of the Conocrds. WHat a shame.
I am very disappointed. After I tell all of my friends to start watching it, they axe the show. Good thing I bought the first season already. I feel like it is My So Called Life and Freaks and Geeks all over again. I feel that I have good taste in shows, so I feel that they need to give this show another chance.
Noooooooooooooooooooooo!!! That show is amazing!!! It was like finding a hidden treasure. I feel like someone crapped on my happiness:/ If the story is true, I'm more disappointed in the actors for bailing, which inevitably caused the show's demise...right?.? 🙂 This sucks................
I am so upset that this show is being canceled. It is a shock due to the amount of hype behind the show. Anyone who has ever worked in service industry must appreciate this amazing show. It was almost like a spin off of the movie "Waiting".......damn you starz, I will be canceling that channel now!
It's an amazing show but they needed Adam Scott. Wouldn't be the same without him...
Heartbroken.
Oh no! I just started watching it too. Finished Season One in a day and now I'm gonna watch Season Two. Sad sad news.
It's great to think the fans can save it, but I doubt I would watch it without all the original characters. Even though I adore Megan Mullally, I feel the show lost a little something when Jane Lynch left. It was a great show while it lasted, and it's sad to see it go. I will definitely be buying the seasons on DVD, and I will be happy to see Adam Scott as a regular cast member on Parks and Rec.
Party Down is my favorite show at the moment. i watch the episodes over and over and laugh my face off. Every single friend who I have shared this little gem with has become a religious watcher as well. The episodes get better and better– don't stop!!
That completely sucks *$%, like all the other posting before mine said. The show is amazing. These days Network TV is flooded with "Reality TV" programs. Who wants that I live in reality.(I think). The entire cast was great & funny, but man Lizzy Caplan, something about her that just does it for me.....
Lets hope the show gets picked up by someone, anyone rich enough to produce the show?
NOOO!! I love you Party Down!
Sad to see Party Down go... but thanks to Starz for giving it a shot when HBO passed on it!
all of the people cancelling their starz subscription: you can't really blame JUST starz. two of the main actors in the show signed on for different projects. starz just cancelled it instead of letting it die a slow, awkward death without it's MAIN CHARACTER. i agree that starz is worthless now, but it's not allll their fault.
that being said, i lovvvvvvvvvved this show and will miss it dearly 🙁
Well the season ended with Harry going to his tryouts...now we will never know if he makes it or just ends up in another embarrassing beer commercial.
PARTY DOWN MUST LIVE!!!!
HBO of SHOTIME should pick this up, it never stood a chance on STARZ! the network where great shows go to die. It is certainly one of the funniest shows on TV, and will be missed.
This is the first show I have truly loooooved since Arrested Development (RIP) and can't believe it's meeting the same fate. cry.
I'm just curious.... Since we're all paying a monthly premium cable bill for channels like STARZ, but they are cancelling all their shows (and replacing with lame wannabe Tudors period pieces) WHY should I be forced to pay for this channel with the rest of my cable? It's sad that both Gravity and Party Down were both knocked out... they were excellent shows.
A billion RDDs to Starz for canceling this show!!
Do you mean a "Ron Donald Do"? This is so confusing.
🙁
The only hope is that both seasons will be released on blu-ray and dvd, and the support will increase so much from new fans that they'll bring it back (e.g. Family Guy).
THat'll be a miracle, it has rarely happened recently only just in family guys favor. Let's only Hope. I'm buying my copy at amazon now, it's $14
why are all of the good shows canned????
OMG! this show was amazing and had everything going for it! well there goes another of my favorite shows gone after 2 seasons!
This sucks! I love this show! Big mistake!
Im very sad. well i guess its about time to start cutting again. party down you were the only thing that gave me hope.
WOW, UNBELIEVABLE, great script, great performances, hey STARZ pay them, meaning the actors, writers etc..
this show was hilarious!!!!! The best show to come along since Sienfeld, soprano's, lost, ... this show could have been EPIC, and some dumb a**'S decide to cancel it !, You are in the entertainment business. This entertained alot of people. Your marketing of this show sucked!!!!!! I accidently came accross it from of all media "PEOPLE" magazine, which by the way gave it very high ratings. mistake, HUGE MISTAKE !!!!!!!!!
Totally agree. Where was the marketing? I only saw the show advertised on Starz. Who is going to see that unless you are already a subscriber? Oh! And Lizzy Caplan was on Jimmy Kimmel recently (she was hilarious by the way) when it was basically too late to save the show. Such a shame!
Never have I been so disapointed and shocked.... All I've done is fantasize about season 3 since the last episode! What will I do now? Cant I get some closure?
Gloom and doom...I can't believe this fantastic show is being axed. So clever anad funny I just can't understnd why everyone wasn't watching it. I LOVED this show and I'm and old lady!
This is sad news 🙁 We were soooo looking forward to a 3rd season! BRING PARTY DOWN BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That sux! What a great show. When Ron grew his hair and started partying again, that's was hillarios! He locked himself in the coffin....they all were funny in their own way! Let's all start a catering company in LA!
I'm willing to finance another season if you'll all join me! Contact me, big fat executive guy at Starz that smokes a giant cigar, with your balding, greasy slicked back hair, we'll write up a contract.
if you are reading this STARZ! that was the DUMBEST thing you could have done. I'm canceling my subscription and telling all my friends to do so as well. BEST SHOW ON TV. Please rethink this. This will be the end of your network.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THIS SHOW WAS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT WAS AN ISLAND OF GENIUS ALONE IN A SEA OF NETWORK GARBAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WILL NOT WATCH PARKS & RECREATION NOR FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I"VE BEEN ENJOYING THE COMEDIC STYLING OF KEN MARINO SINCE THE STATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don't be silly, Parks & Recreation was the only show that came close to being as good as Party Down. Besides, it's the fault of Starz, not of Parks & Rec.
What a terrible shame!!!! Party Down is my favorite show – with or without the leads – the writing and the situations are fabulous – I have every episode on my dvr – SOMEBODY please pick it up!!!! Showtime? HBO? Comedy Central? I LOVE THIS SHOW and will miss it terribly... 🙁
Without this show, STARZ basically DOESN'T exist. It was the only thing worth watching. Such a shame. I will miss you, Party Down Dawgz! This is definitely an RDD.
I didn't even know the STARZ channel existed before this show!!! There is no way you can cancel the funniest show on tv. Please HBO, for the love of all that is good and holy and FUNNY in this ridiculous world, pllllllleeeeeease pick up Party Down!
"are we having fun yet?"
This was the BEST show ever and I am a show buff... this was one of the best written comedies ever.... I can't believe STARZ is doing this....
Easily one of the best comedy shows on TV and taken off. Starz thinks they can get something better?? this is the first show they had that people actually watched.
freaks and geeks, arrested development, veronica mars, dollhouse, and now party down. only the good die young.
that was actually a good show to watch! i mean, it's not like those other mainstream shows like the office or scrubs where everyone is watching because it's the newest fad. party down was low key and unpredictable also its just straight up funny!
it was pretty hard to get into watching it though. but i caught up on the episodes pretty quickly. i always liked the actor/actress irony in working in that business.
"ARE WE HAVING FUN YET?!??" hahahahhaha i love that line!
NOOOOO! I finally had found a show i couldn't wait to watch EVERY week. Shows like that aren't made anymore. BRING PARTY DOWN BACK!!!
This is some of the worst news I've heard in a long time. It's the best show on television, hands down. It needs to live on!
side note.. theyll give that crap spartacus another season and somehow gravity is still boring people to death. at least now i know i can cancel my starz knowing i wont be missing anything.
can't put into words how much i enjoyed watching party down, and how i will miss all these characters and their crazy mishaps. i will miss adam scott as henry ... there's no way a regular network will do him justice. nor lizzy caplan. the scenarios this show gave us were insanely hilarious – and better than any other major network could give us to watch!
very depressing news. it was the only show i would make time to watch and now theres nothing. the sad thing is i thought it was funnier than last year and even with the departure of adam scott they could have made it work.
have LOVED this show!!! never fails most of the clever sitcoms can't find a large audience!! ........and poor Megan Mullally can't catch a break... every show she's joined since 'Will & Grace" gets the axe!!
I totally think they should do a 3rd season..this show was the only thing i looked forward to watching on friday nights!
Sad day. This show was comic perfection. Why do they always dump the good ones???
this is the worst news ever. That show is so outstanding. I already miss it and I haven't even seen the entire season yet. I really thought Starz had better judgment than that.
Parks and Recreation?...lame...Friends with benefits? sounds like a crappy show to compete with Cougar Town...Party Down was amazingly written...it sucks Starz couldn't pay out to keep them on board so a show with actual integrity and creativity could stay on...tis the life of American culture though....theyre all hacks
This was the funniest show on television.. we loved it...tooo bad
The real story here is how the fans will save it. If we can just convince HBO to pick it up, they'll do a much better job with it. Who even knows what Starz is? It just looks like a typo.
uhh...wow people know about Starz...ALOT of people
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_D_Z-D2tzi14/S8TRIo4br3I/AAAAAAAACv4/Zh7_GcMlRKo/s400/ALOT.png
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_m-dk_m6L5MM/S98tmTiZA4I/AAAAAAAAAJ0/wISrV_9VE7A/s1600/ALOT2.png
Agree, on HBO it would have gotten much more publicity, simply just for being on HBO. I mean look at East Bound & Down, while not terrible it's nowhere near as good as Party Down, Party Down would still be alive and kicking if on HBO.
Party Down was a great show that like Freaks & Geeks, Dollhouse, Firefly and Veronica Mars...future fans will watch on DVD and then ask the world why there wasn't another season of such a great show!
Nooooooooo. This was the first show i have ADORED as much as LOST. And that is Ovvver! I JUST learned about Party Down a month ago... I am confident that if more people knew it existed, it would be a hitttt and a half.
NNNOOOOOOO!!!!!! i hate life right now.
Well that sucks. I really liked this show. Very original and what a great cast. RIP partydown...the show will be missed. : (
Save Party Down Facebook group! Getting it onto another network would be fantastic! http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=134850876539025&ref=ts
Ireally wanted that show to be good. I tried watching itm but just found it unfunny. The Steve Gutenburg (sp) episode was actually painful.
No, I am sorry, you must have lost your sense of humor. I for one thought the show was fantastic and hilarious, way better than network drivel! Screw you Starz!!
Really? I thought that episode was hilarious. Steve Guttenberg – uber relevant celeb – playing so cool. I thought it was really funny. I think we all just have different tastes in humor. You might like the Rick Fox episode.
Party Down was a pretty good show. Starz is terrible at advertising, and basically killed it. If you can watch it on Netflix for $7/month - you will. People just didn't know about the show.
Great Show. Figures. Maybe Starz could pick up a new show about an overweight working shlub married to a really hot girl. Guaranteed to stay on the air forever.
I agree, shows that are dumb as hell like the type you mentioned never get cancelled. Look at how long we had to suffer with Steve Urkel and also those damn Olsen twins.
True that. Some very depressing news indeed.
well....there goes the best show on television.....r.i.p.
i am upset! why do all the good shows on tv get cut! first it was dead like me, then my name is earl, now this.....i HATE TV at this point!