Party of Five
By Melissa Camacho,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Soapy but heartfelt classic series has teen angst, some sex.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Party of Five
Community Reviews
Based on 4 parent reviews
Report this review
Not bad
Report this review
What's the Story?
The popular classic series PARTY OF FIVE (1994-2000) tells the story of a close family of siblings forced to make it on their own. When the Salinger parents die in a car accident, their 24-year-old son, Charlie (Matthew Fox), is given guardianship of his brothers and sisters, including teenagers Bailey (Scott Wolf) and Julia (Neve Campbell), precocious preteen Claudia (Lacey Chabert), and infant brother Owen (Andrew and Steven Cavarno, and played later by Jacob Smith). Now living by themselves in their San Francisco family home, they have to work together and manage a very adult life in order to avoid getting split up.
Is It Any Good?
This Golden Globe-winning teen drama offers lots of angsty moments as the cast struggles to grow up under difficult circumstances. The show's stories frequently contain life lessons about things like sex, drinking, and other teen-oriented issues. However, it distinguishes itself by featuring young people having to proactively negotiate some extraordinarily difficult circumstances, and shows how working as a family allows them to do so in ways that are both positive and meaningful.
Party of Five has a very '90s vibe to it, which will potentially make it feel sappy and dated to a new generation of viewers. But viewers old and new may find the younger versions of some popular actors, including folks who appeared in later seasons, like Jennifer Love Hewitt and Scott Grimes, kind of fun. Nonetheless, if you were a fan of the show when it originally aired, watching it again offers a nostalgic experience that will probably make you smile.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the Salingers exemplify teamwork and communication in Party of Five. Why do you think these are important character strengths?
Do you think making shows like Party of Five and other '90s classics available to watch online will lead to new fans? Or is the purpose to reignite former viewers' interest in them?
TV Details
- Premiere date: September 12, 1994
- Cast: Matthew Fox, Neve Campbell, Scott Wolf
- Networks: Hulu, Netflix
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters, High School
- Character Strengths: Communication, Compassion, Gratitude, Teamwork
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Award: Golden Globe
- Last updated: June 3, 2023
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Shows for Teens That Start Important Conversations
Drama TV for Teens
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate