Freeform

Freeform is premiering a new show this week, but it’s actually a reboot of a popular ’90s drama of the same name — Party of Five. The reboot once again follows the trials and tribulations of a group of five siblings who suddenly find themselves without their parents, though the reboot has made some key changes. Here’s what you need to know about the time, channel, plot and more.

Party of Five Reboot Date & Time: This new dramedy premieres Wednesday, January 8 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. It will air back-to-back episodes on its premiere night, then air just one episode over the next eight Wednesdays. The first season is 10 episodes in total.

Party of Five Reboot Channel: Freeform is airing the Party of Five reboot. The original series ran from 1994 to 2000 on FOX.

Party of Five Reboot Cast: The four older Acosta siblings are played by some relative unknowns. The eldest is Brandon Larracuente as Emilio Acosta and he’s probably the biggest name of the kids; he previously appeared on Bloodline and 13 Reasons Why.

The next three siblings are played by Niko Guardado (Beto), Emily Tosta (Lucia), and Elle Paris Legaspi (Valentina). Guardado previously appeared on The Goldbergs and Tosta previously appeared on Mayans M.C.

The Acosta children’s parents are played by veteran actors Bruno Bachir (The Bridge, Narcos) and Fernanda Urrejola (Narcos: Mexico).

Party of Five Reboot Plot: The big change from the original show is that in the 1990s version, the parents were killed by a drunk driver and the children were left to be raised by their oldest sibling, Charlie (Matthew Fox). In the reboot, the parents are deported by ICE, placing it firmly in the present day in terms of what is currently going on in the U.S.

This changes the family dynamic a bit because the children are alone and scared, but they’re not grieving in the same way the Salinger kids were in the original. On the other hand, they are also operating under the knowledge that their parents aren’t dead and yet they still might never see them again, which isn’t something the kids can necessarily work through the way people process and eventually move on from loss via death.

Freeform and its executives say they are trying to put something on TV that shows what it means to be a family during the most trying of times but also something that shows the resilience of young adults.

“Party of Five embodies the heart and soul of what it means to be a family in the most trying of times. We’re so lucky that Freeform gets to be the home for this reimagined story, as we continue to represent the resilience of young adults and the importance of fighting for your voice in times of doubt,” said Freeform president Tom Ascheim in a statement. “We are thrilled to be able to share the groundbreaking storytelling from Amy and Chris with a new audience, and are excited for our viewers to discover the beauty of this series.”

Party of Five premieres Wednesday, January 8 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Freeform with back-to-back episodes; the other eight episodes of the first season will air one at a time on subsequent Wednesday nights.