‘Party of Five’ creator Lippman finds reboot a ‘better idea than original’, wishes it was more ‘extraordinary’

In what came as a groundbreaker, the American teen and family drama series ‘Party of Five’ which originally aired from 1994 to 2000, revitalized the realm of television by exploring several themes, including domestic abuse, parental loss and substance abuse. 

The creators of the show were heaped with praise by fans and critics alike, for brilliantly presenting a television series that offered wholesome entertainment and much more. 

Nearly twenty-five years later, the mind behind the original series, Amy Lippman announced a reboot for the hit series, leaving the fans ‘Party of Five’ as puzzled and anxious. 

Nevertheless, the ‘Party of Five’ reboot series, which premieres on Freeform, has emerged as one of the best coming-of-age series despite the characters of the original being translated to the reboot. 

Lippman, who was recently present at the Freeform Winter 2020 TCA Press Tour along with the rest of cast, in an exclusive interview with MEA WorldWide (MEAWW), talked at length about creating the reboot series and what distinguishes it from the original. 

Unlike the original series that witnessed the death of the Salingers, the reboot has retained the presence of Gloria and Javier in the lives of the Acosta siblings even after the deportation. Explaining this Lippman stated,  “One of the interesting tensions of the show is that the parents are present and absent simultaneously. So you saw in that little clip the scene where they have conversations with their parents and the show is sort of interested in exploring what does it mean to be close and far away simultaneously.”

According to her the biggest difference with this version of 'Party of Five' is that the parents do have a presence in their life.

While the 90s show saw the Salingers have an experience that was unique and a lot of people could relate to, the go-round is “an experience that is not unique to them. It’s happening across the country. So there is the sense that they are not alone in their experience of having to raise themselves,” Lippman said. 

The reboot series also focuses on intersectionality within the Latinx community. Lippman says it was a conscious decision from their end to show that not all Latinos are the same. 

“There are people who are here of Latinx backgrounds who also have issues, have concerns about what it means to welcome a community of people who haven't gotten to the country the same way they did. So we're looking at it from lots of points of view.”

Meanwhile, Gabriel Llanas, Co-executive Producer and writer, seconded Lippman stating, “It was like talking about what the different experiences are like for people of different Latinx backgrounds and also finding where the common ground is.”

Although the ‘Party of Five’ reboot series is being lauded for its effortless representation of the struggles of the immigrants, it has also garnered the criticism of fans of the original series who miss the old show. 

Responding to this Lippman told MEAWW, "I've said this before, this (reboot series) is a much better idea than the original.”

“I wish it were slightly more extraordinary. But I think I'm not interested in people who say, "I can't find the original in this show." I didn’t reboot the show to give them the exact same thing,” she added. 

Although it’s a story told by the same people comprising qualities of the original, Lippman says, the reboot series has a new family and a new story, which guarantees the viewers something to watch.