# Party of Five (1994)

> Five orphaned siblings in San Francisco fight to keep their family together after losing their parents.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/4053

## Facts

- Seasons: 6
- Episodes: 142
- Episode runtime: 42 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama
- Created by: Christopher Keyser, Amy Lippman
- Network: FOX
- Cast: Matthew Fox, Neve Campbell, Lacey Chabert, Scott Wolf, Paula Devicq, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jeremy London, Jennifer Aspen
- TMDB rating: 6.9/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108894/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: none
- Tone: heart-rending, emotional, earnest, melodramatic

## What critics say

Audiences broadly praise the strong performances and emotionally charged family drama, though opinion is mixed with the earliest season rated lowest.

## Synopsis

Party of Five (1994-2000) is an American network family drama created by Christopher Keyser and Amy Lippman for FOX. Charlie Salinger (Matthew Fox) is the eldest of five siblings who, after the sudden loss of their parents, struggle to keep the household together in San Francisco. Julia Salinger (Neve Campbell) and Claudia Salinger (Lacey Chabert) share the tensions of growing up without guidance, while Bailey Salinger (Scott Wolf) and Kirsten Bennett (Paula Devicq) add romance and friction to the mix. Each episode is built from the everyday pressures of money, school, jobs, and new relationships, with the siblings' fierce loyalty pushing against the strain of adulthood arriving too early. The six-season run is a continuing story in which the family's bonds are tested again and again. The mood is earnest and heart-rending, with a melodramatic emotional register that keeps viewers invested in every character. Set in 1990s San Francisco, it plays like a teen drama with deep roots in family melodrama. Fans of Beverly Hills, 90210, Brothers & Sisters, and Everwood will find resonance in its portrait of young people holding a family together when the adults are gone.

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