As viewers and reviewers all know, some shows are good, others bad and many "interesting" — often in ways their makers had not intended. The "new" "Party of Five" (9 p.m. and 10 p.m., Freeform, TV-14) debuting tonight is pretty interesting. That doesn’t make it very good.
The original series ran for six seasons on Fox and made stars of its young cast, which included Scott Wolf, Matthew Fox, Neve Campbell, Lacey Chabert and Jennifer Love Hewitt. As we all know, it concerned the four young Salinger siblings forced to care for their infant brother and each other after the death of their parents.
It’s easy to understand why it was a milestone 1990s series. While "Seinfeld" and "Friends" showed characters in their 20s and 30s enjoying an extended childhood, "Party" asked much more of its young characters. Suddenly without parents, they were free of rules and rule-makers. And at the same time, they were ultimately responsible for themselves and those around them. Heady stuff for young viewers, and easy on the eyes as well.
Like many series on Freeform, the new "Party" shoehorns topicality into the already loaded mix. The parents vanish, not via death, but deportation, leaving four photogenic Acosta children to take care of a house, a Mexican restaurant, a baby and each other.
Heartthrob Emilio (Brandon Larracuente) is first seen as a selfish would-be rock star, unable to man up to the situation. Good girl Lucia (Emily Tosta) goes from straight-A student to surly rebel, at least for the duration of the pilot. Her twin, Beto (Niko Guardado), is a dim bulb at first glance, but the quickest to rise to the occasion. Precocious Valentina (Elle Paris Legaspi) is forced to become the family and business accountant. She’s in seventh grade.
"Party" was clearly intended to put a human face on the government’s policy of family separation and deportation. And in that sense, it gets its message across.
At the same time, this is television. And in order to get viewers to relate to Mexican-American immigrants, the series made them "whiter." Even the choice to make Emilio the lead of a guitar-based rock band seems peculiar. He sings over the pilot’s concluding musical montage, performing a ballad that sounds very much like British folk music.
It’s a curious family that speaks no Spanish, has no extended network of relatives and lives in a strange insular world. This doesn’t reflect a normal or "immigrant" experience. This is a TV family.
Maybe the makers of "Party of Five" are right. Many seem indifferent to the human toll of our immigration policy. Perhaps people would care more if we put "The Brady Bunch" in cages.
— Nineties nostalgia is not limited to "Party of Five." Cable viewers have their choice of "Reservoir Dogs" (7:15 p.m., Starz Encore, TV-14); "The Hunt For Red October" (7 p.m., Showcase); "The Fugitive" (9:15 p.m., Showcase); "Bad Boys" (10:05 p.m., USA, TV-14) and "Pretty Woman" (7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., WE, TV-14).
TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
— A weak link in a restaurant chain on the ninth season opener of "Undercover Boss" (8 p.m., CBS, TV-PG).
— A blast from the past on "Chicago Med" (8 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
— Four-pawed talent on the new competition series "America’s Top Dog" (9 p.m., A&E).
— Copycat killers on the 15th season premiere of "Criminal Minds" (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14).
— A change in assignments on "Chicago Fire" (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
— Spin control on "Almost Family" (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
— An arms dealer strikes back on "Chicago P.D." (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
— Dex takes a celebrity client on "Stumptown" (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14).
CULT CHOICE
A veteran sailor (Robert Redford) confronts disaster on a solo voyage in the 2013 drama "All Is Lost" (9 p.m., Starz Encore).
SERIES NOTES
Questions as answers on "Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time" (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) … One step at a time on "Flirty Dancing" (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14) … Daddy issues on "Riverdale" (8 p.m., CW, r, TV-14) … Alex’s new digs on "Modern Family" (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) … A familiar kidnapping on "Nancy Drew" (9 p.m., CW, r, TV-PG) … Misconceptions on "Single Parents" (9:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
LATE NIGHT
Matt Damon is booked on "Conan" (11 p.m., TBS, r) … Expect Larry David on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" (11:35 p.m., CBS) … Jimmy Fallon welcomes Quentin Tarantino, Jodie Whittaker and Nathaniel Rateliff on "The Tonight Show" (11:35 p.m., NBC) … Hailee Steinfeld, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Mallrat appear on "The Late Late Show With James Corden" (12:35 a.m., CBS, r).
