Get Cultured — January 13, 2020 at 12:41 pm

A Look Inside Freeform’s Party of Five Reboot

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Freeform launched a brand new version of Party of Five and I was invited to premiere screening of the new show. Created by the series’ original creators, Chris Keyser and Amy Lippman, Party of Five on Freeform centers around the Acosta family. The original Party of Five that first aired in 1994 told the story of the five Salinger siblings, who found their lives turned upside down after both of their parents died in a tragic car crash. The reboot has a twist that coincides with what’s been happening in today’s culture. We see the Acosta family torn apart one night when ICE picks up parents Javier (Brunco Bichir) and Gloria (Fernanda Urrejola) at their family restaurant. After a very emotional trial, they eventually get deported to Mexico, leaving their children (three of which are American citizens and one a DACA recipient) behind to deal with the realities of raising each other. 

The five Acosta siblings Emilio (Brandon Larracuente), Lucia (Emily Tosta), Beto (Niko Guardado), Valentina (Elle Paris Legaspi), and baby Rafa must learn how to manage their finances and run the family business all while attending school and trying to be normal teenagers and young adults. 

While there are basic similarities between the original, award-winning show and the reboot, the creators are determined to make this version stand on its own. The new show does, however, find ways to pay homage to the original, like in the opening scene. We are introduced to the very precocious Valentina as she’s yelling through the house if anyone had called the technician to fix the dishwasher. (In the original show, Claudia did the same, but inquiring about the broken washer and dryer.) 

Today’s Party of Family dissects the harsh realities of separating immigrant families. The creators and producers of the show wanted to accurately portray the experiences of people facing today’s immigration policies, so they consulted with DACA recipients and hired Latinx writers to tell the stories. While many of the cast members and producers say the show is not meant to hit against one particular administration, it’s not hard to see the parallels between what the Acosta family is going through and the immigartion policies under the current administration. I do, however, believe the show’s purpose is to give the audience a firsthand look at the damaging impact it can have, particularly on young people. 

As Party of Five tries to find its footing with a familiar theme but politically relevant storyline, it’s undeniably real, complex and engaging. And I’m incredibly excited to follow the show’s journey. Catch the new Party of Five on Wednesdays night on Freeform.

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