Search Party is wrapping up the series as a whole with season 5 and there is no way fans will ever guess what they do with it. This season is bizarre — but does it still work?
Imagine how you think Search Party will wrap up its series as a whole in Season 5. You’re wrong. You will never ever guess in a million years what this season does. It completely jumps the shark — heck, it jumps the entire ocean. But does it work? Well, for the most part it does.
Season 4 of Search Party felt like a great ending point for the series. With Dory nearly dying after that harrowing kidnapping experience, and the group realizing just how much they care about her, things were tied up nicely. So when a season 5 was announced, I was honestly a little bit shocked, trying to figure out just where they could do with this.
What they did is completely twisted and bizarre — and flat out weird. Things take a turn in episode 6 that sends this series down a path that no one could ever see coming. Viewers will find themselves starting in disbelief scene after scene, giggling to themselves and saying this is a complete shock and strange path to go down. During the final few episodes I repeatedly voiced, out loud, that I cannot believe they are going this route. However, somehow, it works.
Search Party Season 5 follows an enlightened Dory who has turned over a new leaf thanks to dying and coming back to life. She reaches out to her old friends Elliot, Portia, and Drew, when she leaves the mental institution she was placed in, trying to make up for everything that she has done to them over the years.
Dory is now truly happy and wants to share this feeling with the world. When Tunnel, played by Jeff Goldblum, comes into the picture, he decides to fund her research to find a pill that will spread enlightenment throughout the world. She takes on a handful of disciples, social media influencers who will be among the first to receive enlightenment.
Meanwhile Chantal is back with quite the side story of her own, working alongside Kathy Griffin’s character Liquorice, to better herself. She is convinced that Liquorice is being contacted by her future self — something that comes into play towards the end of the season.
In an effort to remain spoiler free, there is not a whole lot more I can cover about this season. But just trust me when I tell you, you will not believe what you are seeing. Never in a million years would anyone guess that this is how Search Party would end when they tuned into that first season.
Even though it feels like it came from left field, it is hilarious at how it all plays out. It can honestly seem like OF COURSE this is what would happen to Dory, Portia, Elliot, and Drew because… OF COURSE.
Jeff Goldblum appears in a good chunk of this season and he is a great addition to the cast. The man is extremely talented, and a little off himself at times, so he fits in perfectly. My only complaint about him is that I would have truly loved to see where he ended up in the final episode. He departs the season just a little too early for my liking, but his character, Tunnel, is something special this season.
Dory’s disciples bring a new level of fun to this season, and each and every one of them has a quirky and unique side that makes for some hilarious moments. This group of actors really bring their all — especially toward the end of the season.
In true final season fashion, Search Party brings in many characters from the past for cameo appearances. While this feels a little ridiculous and unnecessary, the way they are all added in makes for quite a few giggles. Especially considering what they are all going through in those moments.
Search Party Season 5 is unexpected, strange, and completely off the wall, but still a whole lot of fun. Relationships change and evolve, and there is even a creepy adopted child named Aspen to add into the mix of it all.
One of the best things about the final few episodes is something that cannot be talked about in this spoiler free review, but just know that as weird as it is, it somehow works. The bizarreness of it all is what will make viewers chuckle as they stare in disbelief.
Search Party was a great comedy series that somehow brought something new to each and every season. This group of friends has been though, literally everything now, and they will certainly be missed. This season pulls it together in the end, making this out of the blue turn of events just one more story for Portia, Dory, Elliot, and Drew to talk about.
With the most bizarre and unexpected twists, this final season completely jumps the shark. And yet somehow, it works as a whole because OF COURSE this happened to Dory & co.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
About Search Party Season 5
In the new season, Dory (Alia Shawkat) enters a very public business partnership with charismatic tech billionaire Tunnel Quinn (Jeff Goldblum) on the other side of her near-death experience. Dory folds her old friends Portia (Meredith Hagner), Elliott (John Early) and Drew (John Reynolds) into the venture as they embark on an altruistic but terrifying journey.
Joining the cast are recurring guest stars Kathy Griffin, John Waters, Aparna Nancherla, Angela Trimbur, Grace Kuhlenschmidt, Greta Titelman, Joe Castle Baker, Larry Owens and Michelle Badillo. Returning recurring guest stars include Jeffery Self and Clare McNulty.
All 10 episodes of Search Party Season 5 drop on HBO Max January 7th.
