Party Of Five - The Complete Second Season - Jan Eliasberg

During the Party of Five's second season, the Salinger family face new challenges and choices. Charlie and Kirsten struggle with their wedding plans while dealing with family and relationship problems. Bailey prepares for the SATs and college, while Julia finds out she's pregnant and must make a life altering decision. The second season also featured guest appearances by Kate Hudson (The Skeleton Key, Almost Famous), Carroll O'Connor (All in the Family, In the Heat of the Night), Brenda Strong (Desperate Housewives, Red Dragon), Danny Masterson (That '70s Show), and Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond).

Featuring all 22 episodes, now digitally enhanced, the DVD includes a new featurette with all new interviews with cast member Jennifer Love Hewitt, as well as cast and crew commentaries on select episodes. ...
Party of Five: The Complete Second Season is the absorbing follow-up to the first season's introduction of the Salinger children and their initial trauma following the death of their parents at the hands of a drunk driver. After a year of seemingly endless individual sacrifices, as the older kids did what they had to do to keep their family together at the expense of schoolwork, jobs, and relationships, year 2 finds everyone a little wiser about how to balance priorities. Oldest son Charlie (Matthew Fox) and his fiancee Kirsten (Paula Devicq) have wedding plans, though there are a number of obstacles that will get in the way of reaching the altar, including doubts between them and, eventually, other lovers. Bailey (Scott Wolf) has regained some footing at school, but his relationship with Sarah (Jennifer Love Hewitt) will prove complex, including Bailey's wrongheaded involvement in Sarah's search for a very important person in her life. Julia (Neve Campbell) has settled down a bit from her partying ways, but she is now involved in a love triangle and will face serious personal issues this season that will affect her future, one way or another. Young Claudia (Lacey Chabert) will keep company with a bad influence--another girl who is trying to grow up too fast (at least, faster than Claudia) with boys, smoking, drinking, etc. Moreover, Claudia is no longer sure about the things that seemed important to her last season, such as playing violin.

Carroll O'Connor signs on as the Salingers' long-lost grandfather, and Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond) and Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle) turn up in supporting roles. In a different way, the things that were important last season--such as holding on to what really matters, against all odds--are just as important in the second season. The fate of the restaurant, the outlook for the next generation of Salingers, college--all of this and more will continue to be a part of the family's future, or not. --Tom Keogh ...