I’ve really gotten excited about the fact that so many TV shows are finally making their way onto DVD. It seems every week there is yet another set, or two, or three. Some of them I can take or leave, while some are extremely pleasant surprises, and others I liked so much that I couldn’t wait for the DVD. “Party of Five” was just such a show. One of the few nighttime dramas I actually watched during a part of its initial run, the series was a cut above the rest. I still remember being blown away by the main storyline that set the stage for the next 6 seasons I lost my Father when I was 15, and that was so devastating that the thought of losing both of my parents was almost unimaginable. Unfortunately, this exactly what happens to the Salinger family. All in all, five ‘kids’ are left to fend for themselves. Well, one isn’t so much a kid. 24 year old Charlie (Mathew Fox) is left to care for his siblings, with some help from high school age Julia (Neve Campbell) and Bailey (Scott Wolf). Between them, they watch out for 11-year old Claudia (Lacey Chabert) and baby Owen.

What really drew me into this show, beyond the tragic storyline that was a little too close to home, were the actors. Fox, Wolf and Campbell consistently turned in really strong performances, at least throughout the first three seasons that I caught on the air. Chabert occasionally got on my nerves, but never as badly as she did in the film remake of “Lost in Space.” More than anything, I’m excited about the DVD release of the 1st season because I can re-visit the show, but more so because it bodes the possibility of releasing the whole series so I can see what I missed.

So popular was the series (and deservedly so), that it ran for 6 full seasons, beginning in 1994 and finishing up in 2000. The first season doesn’t pull any punches, and the Salinger family goes through a series of almost soap opera like situations, with people cheating on each other and the like. But in spite of the problems they face, there is never really any sense of hopelessness. It was always rather uplifting to see the family working together to overcome obstacles, even though it is sometimes begrudgingly.

It’s hard to pick out any particular episodes that stand out, but I will point you in the direction of “Thanksgiving”, where the family comes face to face with the drunk driver responsible for their parent’s deaths. It’s a heartbreakingly emotional episode, that I guarantee will leave you teary eyed. Then in the final episode of the season “The Ides of March”, the family once again faces another tragedy. It is almost expected, but no less shocking.

The new DVD from Sony / Columbia Tristar, offers up all 22 episodes of the 1st season, spread out over 5 discs. They are housed in a foldout disc holder (similar to the ones used for Buffy, the Vampire Slayer), that fits into a handsome slipcase. This is becoming my least favorite way to package DVDs, but it is still quite functional. There is also a foldout included that gives you a brief synopsis of each episode. However, I recommend watching the series without reading it, as it gives a little too much away in a few cases.

There are also quite a few more extras available on this set than you usually find on a Sony / Columbia Tristar release. Three of the episodes, “Pilot”, “Thanksgiving” and “The Ides of March” have not just one, but two commentaries each. First you’ll find cast members Scott Wolf, Matthew Fox and Lacey Chabert, sharing their experiences and thoughts on the show. It’s really kind of funs listening to them reminisce, you’d almost swear they really were siblings. The secondary track features the show’s creators Amy Lippman and Christopher Keyser. The commentaries are all very well done, and they picked some of the best episodes to include them on.

You’ll also find an hour long documentary that is broken up into 9 parts that looks back on the history of the series. It’s very well put together, and includes quite a bit of interesting material. After this, you can check out an additional featurette that focuses heavily on the cast that includes a look at some early screen tests and stories about what it was like to work on the show. Good stuff.

“Party of Five”, at least from what I saw of the first couple of seasons is a series well worth re-visiting. If you never had the opportunity to see the show, now is your chance. And what better way to acquaint or reacquaint than with this 1st season DVD set.

Episodes:
Pilot
Homework
Good Sports
Worth Waiting For
All's Fair
Fathers and Sons
Much Ado
Kiss Me Kate
Something Out Of Nothing
Thanksgiving
Private Lies
Games People Play
Grownups
Not Fade Away
It's Not Easy Being Green
Aftershocks
In Loco Parentis
Who Cares?
Brother's Keeper
The Trouble with Charlie
All-Nighters
The Ides of March

Starring: Scott Wolf, Matthew Fox, Neve Campbell, Lacey Chabert
Extras: Cast Commentaries, Creator’s Commentaries, Party of Five – A Family Album, Party of Five – A Look Back
Specifications: Full Screen (1.33:1), English Dolby Surround
Studio: Sony / Columbia Tristar
Release Date: 5/4/2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give Party of Five: Season 1 an A.