The Party only runs for five episodes, but from the off, you can feel it’s being incredibly dragged out.
Firstly, it goes back to 1997, when the young Martin Gilmour (Jonathan Houlston) was accepted to University, and got involved with the wrong type of friends, with the opening taking forever when it comes to the introductions, such as the lads heading out to shooting pheasants.
As it comes to the present day, Martin Gilmour (Luke Evans – The Pembrokeshire Murders) and lots of ohter posh toffs are doing not very much at the titular party that’s dressed up like a big-top circus, looking like an extended version of the weird festivities in Desireless’ Voyage Voyage music video.
For whatever reason, Gilmour’s accused of a crime for which his only answer is…. No comment. But the trailers for this were one of the most annoying of the year, barely showing anything, whilst chanting, “Can he ever tell the truth?” – How should we care when we’ve been told nothing?
Without giving spoilers, The Party takes a couple of episodes to show its hand, as it jumps back and forth in time between 1997 and the present day, but even when it does and you see where it’s going, it’s a road we’ve travelled so many times before. And since everyone is a posh toff who needs a good slap, you don’t care whether they’re telling the truth, in the clink, in the clear or anything inbetween.
The Party begins tomorrow night at 9pm, and airs Sunday/Monday/Tuesday this week, and Sunday and Monday next week. From day one, the whole series will be available to watch on ITVX.
It’s not yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD, but when it is, it will be listed on the New DVD, Blu-ray, 3D and 4K releases UK page.
Director: Viviane Andereggen
Producer: Richard Burrell
Writer/Creator: Sarah Solemani
Music: Johnny Klimek
Cast:
Martin Gilmour: Luke Evans
Lucy Farni: Sarah Solemani
Ben Fitzmaurice: Tom Cullen
Sylvia Gilmour: Joanna Scanlan
Lord George Fitzmaurice: Douglas Hodge
Lady Katherine Fitzmaurice: Lindsay Duncan
Serena Fitzmaurice: Lydia Leonard
Barnaby Fitzmaurice: Phoenix Laroche
Young Martin Gilmour: Jonathan Houlston
Young Ben Fitzmaurice: Lucas Ely
Young Jarvis Conrad: Rudi Goodman
Phoebe Fitzmaurice: Isabella Brownson
Heidi Thompson: Sinead Matthews
Jarvis Conrad: Sam Troughton
Cosima Fitzmaurice: Tilly Walker
Cressida Fitzmaurice: Trixie Walker
DC Janet Protheroe: Kath Hughes
DS Sam Hughes: Rhian Blythe
Elinor Winner: Rakie Ayola
Ian Morgan: Lee Mengo
Dominic Choudhry: Bally Gill
Clarissa Conrad: Sally Scott
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.