YMMV / Party Down

• Crack Pairing: Veronica Mars fans were a little perturbed by the actors who played Logan and Meg playing a married couple.
• Harsher in Hindsight: One episode features a non-alcoholic cocktail that they dub a "Rudy Giuliani". Fast-forward to his drunken spiraling-out in 2021 and the scene becomes pitch-Black Comedy at best.
• Hilarious in Hindsight: In the sixth episode, Henry's old acting buddy Michael talks about playing Edgar Allan Poe in an adaptation of a graphic novel where Poe and Lincoln deal with mystical amulets and vampires. Considering an adaptation of both Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and a fictionalized crime thriller movie involving Poe entitled The Raven eventually came out, this isn't quite as farfetched as it once seemed.
• Retroactive Recognition: Several examples from the original run:
  • Josh Gad in "California College Conservative Union Caucus."
  • As of 2023, it's safe to say her role in "Sin Say Shun Awards Afterparty" is probably not what Stormy Daniels is going to be most remembered for...
  • Kevin Hart as Dro Grizzle in "Taylor Stiltskin Sweet Sixteen."
  • Kaitlyn Dever as Escapade in "Party Down Company Picnic."
• Too Good to Last: The show was a critical darling with a devoted fanbase, but its Friday Night Death Slot limited its viewership, ultimately resulting in a run of only two seasons.
• Unintentional Period Piece: The show debuted in 2009 and that first season features several references that date it, including "the Governator" and the 2008 mortgage crisis, not to mention the use of flip phones.