‘Party Down’ Recap: ‘Sepulveda Basin High School Spring Play Opening Night’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Season Three Finale of ‘Party Down’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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There is a fascinating perception that surrounds the pursuit of one’s dream. In that, once a person has locked onto the dream in question… one must obtain that dream or be seen as an utter failure. And oddly enough, there is logic behind that perception. For modern society is all about success being the endgame, and chasing a dream is a noble cause that inspires others. So, to go for it and not grab hold of it, doesn’t jibe with that. But while that is a logical understanding as to why we hold someone who didn’t get their dream in low regard, that doesn’t make it right. Because in reality, not everyone gets the dream they want. Because life is wild and chaotic and takes us down all kinds of incredible paths. The kind that sometimes inform us that failure is what we needed… to find our true passion and calling.
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If anything, that honest and critical lesson, one we don’t discuss often, is top of mind today, simply because it served as the focus of the season three finale of Party Down on STARZ. A feat that ‘Sepulveda Basin High School Spring Play Opening Night’ accomplished, by immersing us within quite the special event. For this was a story, that saw Henry enjoy the wonder of opening night of his school play. Which went off without a hitch and which the audience loved. And to properly celebrate the momentous evening that Henry put forth, Evie hired Party Down to cater one epic party on school grounds. Which went belly up quick. Because the Vice Principal, a hardass by nature, shut the whole thing down. But Henry really wanted to enjoy this moment and enjoy the night so… everyone quietly moved the party to the library in the hopes that the Veep wouldn’t notice, since he was oddly… still lurking about, and sneaking about… brought forth the exploration in question. 

Because as the party continued along, and while Ron ran interference with the ol’ iron butt VP, Henry found himself in an oddly reflective place. Wherein he began to question whether or not returning to acting was right for him. After all, he had built a life here, and was inspiring students to get into the arts and nourish that part of their soul. Leaving him to wonder if walking away would lead to regret and a sense of emptiness and well… he eventually received the answer to that question when the Veep’s decision to join the party (thanks to Ron cooling him down), led to disaster. Because the kids got into the champagne, and one of his students figured out that he was leaving, and the ruckus brought the principal to the school in the middle of the night. Where she was ready to fire Henry without giving it a second thought, and that gave Henry the focus and clarity he desperately needed and what he came to realize was quite powerful.

In that, he didn’t want to act at this point in his life. For he’d done the hard pursuit, he’d taken his lumps and he failed in getting what he wanted when he wanted it. But had he not failed, he would not have become a teacher and would not have experienced life the way he had since initially leaving Party Down. But above all, he wouldn’t have touched lives and ignited a dream in his students. So, with a little blackmail assist from the Veep… he kept his job, and he turned down the dream one and well, that made for a powerful finale, one filled with lessons about how it is okay to chase a dream and fail. Because we might learn it really isn’t for us and failure brings clarity, the kind that pushes us in the right direction and gets us where we need to be. Plus… failure can also potentially bring forth second chances. Since an old flame returned in this tale, one that might be near Henry once again since Casey Klein spoke of leaving the business, and had he not failed and found focus… he would not have been there to see her again and feel that spark.

But what was amazing is that this episode had more to say and explore regarding failure. Since it put Ron in a reflective place about his own journey where he used his own lessons on failure to inspire others. And Roman came to realize the failure he endured with his deal, could finally motivate him to start over and start fresh and maybe find the right idea to write about, and even Kyle found a new angle to his career by failing to land the role he wanted, all of which just spoke to a positive side to failure. Something we don’t associate with such a concept, but it does have its upside and well, that was a powerful way to wrap up a fresh season of storytelling about a show that reflects life often and well in the end, this was just an amazing season of storytelling. One that left us in stitches and left us with plenty to ponder upon and hopefully STARZ greenlights a new season soon, so we can continue this bold new chapter in the lives of everyday people… that are trying to find their way in their world. Until next time.

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