Freeform’s Party of Five reboot is taking the structure of the original series and updating it for modern audiences. In addition to a new cast, the reboot will deal with themes of immigration and deportation. It premieres Wednesday, January 8 at 9/8c.
If you don’t have cable, you can watch a live stream of Freeform on your computer, phone, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV or other streaming device via one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming subscription services:
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AT&T TV Now
AT&T TV Now (formerly DirecTV Now) offers six different channel bundles. They range from 45 to 125 live TV channels, and they all include Freeform. The “Plus” and “Max” bundles come with a free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for AT&T TV Now, you can watch a live stream of the show on your computer via the AT&T TV Now website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, or other compatible streaming device via the AT&T TV app.
If you can’t watch live, AT&T TV Now — no matter what channel package you choose — comes with included cloud DVR.
Hulu With Live TV
Freeform is included with Hulu With Live TV, which comes with 60-plus live TV channels and Hulu’s extensive on-demand library of TV shows and movies:
Once signed up for Hulu With Live TV, you can watch a live stream of the show on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Echo Show, or other streaming device via the Hulu app.
If you can’t watch live, “Hulu with Live TV” comes with both its extensive on-demand library (which has most new episodes and specials available after they air) and 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to “Enhanced Cloud DVR,” which gives you 200 hours of DVR space and the ability to fast forward through commercials).
Sling TV
Freeform is included in Sling TV’s “Sling Orange” package, which comes with 32 live TV channels. It costs $20 for the first month ($30 per month after that), which makes Sling the cheapest streaming service with Freeform if you plan on keeping it long term:
Or, as part of a special deal that Sling is currently offering, you can get a free Amazon Fire TV Stick if you prepay for two months:
Once signed up for Sling TV, you can watch the show live on your computer via the Sling TV website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, or other streaming device via the Sling TV app.
If you can’t watch live, Sling TV comes included with 10 hours of cloud DVR.
‘Party of Five’ 2020 Reboot Preview
Party of Five ran from 1994 to 2000 and focused on the Salinger children, who lost their parents in a car accident and were forced to provide for themselves while living in San Francisco. The series won the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama in 1995, and helped establish the careers of actors like Neve Campbell, Lacey Chabert, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Matthew Fox.
CNN reports that the series will relocate the action to Los Angeles, and focus on the Acosta children: Emilio (Brandon Larracuente), Lucia (Emily Tosta), Beto (Niko Guardado), Valentina (Elle Paris Legaspi) and infant Rafael. They will also need to come together to fend to themselves, but the cause of their parents’ absence is deportation back to Mexico rather than death.
Amy Lippman and Christopher Keyser, the creators of the original series, told Us Weekly that they had been wanting to reboot it for some time, but were looking for a fresh take on the material. “As we began to see the political climate and stories like this on the front page of every newspaper, we began to realize that what we imagined as a family of orphan 25 years ago had transmogrified into a family of kids living without their parents,” Lippman explained.
“[The parents] are not present, but they are dealing with how do we try to parent our kids from a distance, how do the kids deal with social services, how is their footprint in the community different,” he added.
In a separate interview with UPI, Lippman said that the reboot would delve into gender roles through a Latinx lens, and that the writers team would reflect the diversity on the screen. “I knew it would be valuable to work with writers who had particular insight, not only into the immigration story that we’re telling,” Lippman explained. “They would also have insight about gender roles in a Latinx family. What are the familial expectations of girls that are different from boys?”
Some of the writers listed on the show’s IMDb profile include Michal Zebede, Gabe Llanes, Mary Molina and Mike Skerrett. The website also confirms that the season will consist of ten episodes.
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