Recently, it seems as though every show or movie is getting a remake or a reboot. Honestly, it’s difficult to keep up with them all. But if there is one remake that you absolutely need to watch this year, it’s Party of Five.
The original series was a very popular, but typical, 90’s family drama. It told the story of how the five Salinger siblings were left on their own after the death of their parents. The siblings must adjust to their new family dynamic and learn to manage their family’s restaurant, all while grieving the parents’ death. Needless to say, over the show’s six seasons, a lot of drama ensued.
As someone who has seen numerous episodes of the original Party of Five, I can assure you that it was an awesome show. However, there are several reasons why I think the remake is not only better than the first version, but easily the best remake of 2020. Freeform’s new version of Party of Five tells essentially the same basic tale, five siblings left alone to raise each other and look after the family business. The major twist is that the all-white main cast of the original show has been updated to a more diverse group. The Saligner family has been replaced by the Acosta family, whose parents don’t die, but are instead deported back to Mexico. The parents actually play a large role in the show, despite only being able to communicate with their kids via skype, phone calls, and text.
This show has found an entertaining and understandable way to talk about one of the most important and complicated political issues in America. The creators of this show have managed to display the effects of deportation on families, homelessness, and the varying views on DACA status by creating a compelling narrative that features problems many immigrant families are currently facing. The best thing about the show is that watching it is enjoyable; I never feel like I’m having a political agenda shoved down my throat, it simply opens the eyes of viewers to current political issues through quality entertainment.
Believe it or not, the amazing improvements to an already wonderful show don’t stop with just immigration and Latinx representation. The show, which seems to be targeting high-school and college-aged audiences, focuses on other equally as important topics, such as safe sex. It’s racially diverse cast also includes LGBTQ+ characters. Yet, even with all of these changes, the creators still manage to give audiences the same feeling that the original show inspired.
Freeform’s new version of Party of Five is easily the best remake of 2020. Recreating this drama was more than just turning cartoons into live-action films; it reconstructed a familiar and lovable to include, discuss, and represent our evolving society . Still, the story never lost its family-centered origin and it continues to entertain audiences with high school drama, relationship dilemmas, and other typically television clichés. If you want to put Party of Five on your binge-list, Freeform airs new episodes every wednesday at 9:00pm!