by Julia Robins ‘20

What would you do if your parents suddenly were deported to Mexico? That’s what the five Acosta siblings, Emilio, Beto, Lucia, Valentina, and baby Rafa, must figure out in Freeform’s reboot of “Party of Five” that premiered on January 8. Fox’s hit teen drama that originally debuted in 1994 has been brought into the 21st century by the same creators with a new spin. Contrary to the kids’ parents dying in a car accident from a drunk driver in the original series, the “Party of Five” reboot has the parents deported– still alive and with some level of communication.

The show explores relevant issues such as immigration, dating, financial struggles, and family relationships. The show is also breaking boundaries for having the majority of the cast Hispanic. “Party of Five” could not be timelier with some DACA children experiencing the same hardships as these characters. Each character mirrors the original characters from the Fox series, yet is distinctively different in personality traits, resulting in highly emotional and relatable characters for teens and young adults. 

24-year-old Emillo, played by Brandon Larracuente (best known for “Bloodline” and “13 Reasons Why”), is my favorite. Larracunte does an amazing job displaying Emillo’s inner turmoil. He has a giant burden on his shoulder and must learn how to become a parent and manage the family restaurant. He must give up his dream of being a musician. I enjoy how he is a relatable character with plenty of emotional, intense scenes, yet is still able to be tough and a role model for these kids when he needs to be. 

Lucia, played by Emily Tosta, is the most inspiring character on the show by far. She is willing to do whatever it takes, legal or not, to help her family, friends and even random strangers. The kindness in her heart is extraordinary. Lucia fights for justice for immigrants and fair treatment racially. Tosta is the driving teenage powerhouse of this show, and I love her scenes of advocacy. It is important to note that the show does not take sides politically, but rather focuses on telling stories. 

By far the biggest difference between this and the original is the fact that the parents are still alive and occasional recurring characters via Skype. However, that only makes the emotional difficulties even harder, especially for Valentina (Val). As a preteen, Val, played by Elle Paris Legaspi, has a strong attachment to her mother, and many episodes’ focus has been on getting her to manage without her. Many of those scenes are particularly tear-jerking. It is also interesting to see the parents’ distress and depression as they adjust to a life without their children. 

Teens will enjoy watching the romantic experiences of Beto, a high schooler, and his new girlfriend. It is impressive to see how Beto cares for his preteen younger sister, Val. The midseason episode with baby Rafa’s health scare is a critical turning point for the family, and I am excited to witness how this event changes them.

The original “Party of Five” was removed from Netflix last March. The “Party of Five” reboot airs Wednesdays at 9pm on Freeform and is streaming on Freeform and Hulu. 

Grade: A-