‘DOWN’ TO ‘PARTY’
Starz revives fan favorite catering comedy after a 13-year hiatus
‘PARTY DOWN” has returned to Starz — 13 years after it last aired. The cult catering comedy, canceled in 2010, is back for a third season with most of the original cast (save for Lizzy Caplan and Jennifer Coolidge) returning for the revival.
“For many years, we were always talking about it,” series star Ken Marino, 54, told The Post. “There were rumblings of maybe doing a movie, or trying to get the series back in some way. I was always the person who was like, ‘I don’t want to jinx it, but fingers crossed!’ Years passed, and nothing happened. Then finally, when I gave up and said, ‘It’s not gonna happen’ and made peace with that, I got a call that we were going to do it.
“So, the moral to that story is to give up on life!”
The new season of “Party Down,” premiering Feb. 24 (9 p.m.), follows perpetually frazzled Ron (Marino) and his motley crew of aspiring actors and showbiz types who cater various parties and events around the Hollywood area. There’s Henry (Adam Scott), who is now doing the catering gig as a second job while also teaching; narcissistic actor/ model Kyle Bradway (Ryan Hansen); surly sci-fi writer Roman (Martin Starr, “Silicon Valley”); and the various friends and associates on the periphery of the group, including kooky Constance (Jane Lynch) and stage-mom Lydia (Megan Mullally). Season 3 has also added misunderstood artsy chef Lucy (Zoe Chao) and influencer Sackson (Tyrel Jackhappened.
son Williams). Guest stars this season include Jennifer Garner, James Marsden, Mullallay’s husband, Nick Offerman and Bobby Moynihan.
“Everybody who worked on that show recognized how special it was,” said Marino, who also directed an episode this season. “We all became very close, and all enjoyed working with each other for those first 20 [episodes]. So, to get to do that again and have that sort of reunion with those people was exciting. We’ve been wanting to do it for so long. I’m thrilled that it Once we got on set, it was as if we never left after the last episode. There’s an ease and a comfort level and a love between this group of people that you don’t always get on a show.”
In the decade-plus since the show’s first iteration,” Marino has gone on to co-star in many other projects including “The Other Two” “Black Monday,” “Eastbound & Dow,” and “Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later.” He’s also currently working on what he calls a “bucket list” item — appearing in an upcoming movie with Eddie Murphy.
But even after all that, he said it wasn’t challenging to step back into Ron’s shoes and return to “Party Down.”
“I want to say … it was difficult to find him again. But the truth is that Ron is very close to my heart and comes pretty easily when called upon,” he said. “He’s somebody I enjoy playing. Once I knew we were doing this, I locked back into Ron pretty quickly. I love his eagerness to please and his need for success. He’s so sweaty in his wants and needs. I enjoy that because I know ultimately where that’s always going to land — which is in a pile of s–t.”