Party of Five

But this outstanding drama...takes the most horrible of situations and turns it into an intelligent, entertaining, strongly pro-family series.

A socially responsible, heartwarming, beautifully made, written and acted series. [8 Sep 1994]

In less capable hands, the show might have turned into a far-fetched teen fantasy about life without parental restrictions...Here, it is a touching and finely crafted exploration of what it means to grow up without either the rules or the loving guidance of parents. [10 Sept 1994]

For one thing, the cast was stellar. To play the four oldest siblings, Keyser and Lippman found Matthew Fox, Scott Wolf, Neve Campbell, and Lacey Chabert, all of whom would go on to have significant careers elsewhere and all of whom almost immediately started acting like a semi-functioning family unit.

Chris Keyser and Amy Lippman, former writers and executive producers on NBC's "Sisters," manage to transcend an off-putting concept by making their young characters quite credible and likable as they encounter the obstacles of growing up...The cast is exceptionally attractive; the characters are unusually affecting.

The best, warmest, most immediately satisfying contemporary family drama since ABC's Life Goes On. May this one have as long a run. It will certainly have as steep an uphill battle. [12 Sept 1994, p.8D]

It's promising television drama that arrives as youthful relief from TV's hormonal gulch.

A generally pleasing drama series that draws you in with capable acting and likable, intelligent characters.

Party of Five takes a serious and absorbing approach.

The orphans-hang-together story is hokey in places, but it also addresses important issues that rarely come up in usual network fare, like handling money and responsibility for and to each other. [12 Sept 1994]

Party of Five is easily Fox's best new series this season...The young actors, especially Wolf, give heartfelt performances, and when they talk about their departed parents, the pain comes through. There are some Fox touches -- the knockout new nanny, for one -- but Party of Five is far from being a life-without-parents fantasy. [12 Sept 1994, p.C1]

Party of Five is a sort of fantasy-what would it be like to live on your own, without parents barking orders? But it's a fantasy that brings you thudding back to reality: As it turns out, your older brother barks the same orders.

Critics keep saying that this doesn't look like a Fox show, and they mean that as a compliment. Sure, the cast is attractive enough to guest star on Beverly Hills, 90210, but with a subject ripe for overwrought treatment, Party of Five holds back just enough. [11 Sept 1994, p.11C]

This melancholy premise results in a rather uncomfortable mix for a coming-of-age show. There's the comedic, with "humor" arising from the family's slobbery dog and the baby's poopy diapers. Then there's the maudlin, with scenes that are summed up by 11-year-old Claudia (Lacey Chabert) early on. [12 Sept 1994, p.27]

In the solemn pilot the youngsters were all incredibly mature, incredibly patient, incredibly understanding and incredibly dull. But the characters seem to be growing more selfish, randy and funky.

"Death to the parents" in prime time is an interesting notion for a cultural essay. But it makes for a fairly uninspired drama tonight on Fox when all that seems to matter is money, money, money. [12 Sept 1994]