Party of Five: Season 3
Season 3 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of Party of Five Season 2.
- Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
- Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
- Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
Episode Guide
Season 3 Progress Shield
Summer Fun, Summer Not
Aug 21, 1996
Bailey and Will plan a trip to Mexico, and the girls want to go too. The car breaks down in the middle of nowhere and later the car is stolen. Bailey and Will end up having a fight
Going, Going, Gone
Aug 28, 1996
Will is leaving for college and his new roommate comes from Seattle so they can go together. He's a freak, but Will has to be nice to him - after all they're spending a year togeth
Short Cuts
Sep 4, 1996
Bailey meets a guy at his first day of college. This guy convinces Bailey to take easy classes so he can take good grades and have time to have fun. Bailey faces a very difficult c
Deal With It
Sep 11, 1996
Kristen is getting more and more depressed, and not even a job as Salinger's hostess makes her feel better. Charlie tries to help her as much as he can, but nothing seems to work.
Mixed Signals
Sep 18, 1996
Julia moves into the attic now that Bailey is living with Callie. Cooper wants to sleep with Julia, but she's not ready yet, so he threats to break up. She decides to sleep with hi
Going Home
Sep 25, 1996
Kristen's parents arrive and Charlie gets furious with Claudia for calling them. Gene keeps blaming Charlie for her condition and threats to sue him. Ellie can't interfere because
Personal Demons
Oct 30, 1996
Charlie is angry because Kristen is gone. Grace comes into the restaurant looking for support in her homeless program. She wants the leftovers from Salinger's, but Charlie kicks he
Not So Fast
Nov 6, 1996
Julia meets a Stansford teacher who is also a writer. They become friends and she gets inspired to write. She asks for his opinion and he tells her that she's not good. She is deva
Gimme Shelter
Nov 13, 1996
Charlie has a slogan contest at Salinger's and the winner wants to bring homeless people to have dinner at the restaurant. Charlie has to kick them out so his clients won't leave a
Close to You
Nov 20, 1996
Bailey saves Callie from being raped. She is scared of going out of the house and Sarah tries to be her friend and wonders why she doesn't have many female friends. Charlie is help
I Do
Nov 27, 1996
Joe is getting married, which reminds Charlie of his own wedding. If he and Kristen got married, they would be celebrating their first anniversary. Charlie asks Grace to the weddin
Desperate Measures
Dec 11, 1996
Charlie decides to go to Chicago to see Kristen and leaves Julia in charge. Kristen is very happy to see him, although Ellie is not. She tells him that she wants to run away to San
Christmas
Dec 18, 1996
It's Christmas. Jake comes back. Charlie decides to get rid of all Kristen's stuff left so he can finally move on with his life. He tries to help a homeless man at the restaurant.
Life's Too Short
Jan 8, 1997
Libby, Julia's old friend, killed herself. Justin and Julia feel like if they paid more attention to her she would be alive. Her death makes everybody wonder what they are doing wi
Significant Others
Jan 15, 1997
Bailey is very excited with wrestling and wants to tryout for All Stars. Although Coach Petrocelli doesn't think he is able, Bailey gets obsessed to win. He wants someone to be the
I Declare
Jan 22, 1997
Bailey is not doing so well in school. Callie throws a big party at their place and the landlord threats to kick them out. He is trying to stay sober, but it's hard. Unable to keep
Misery Loves Company
Jan 29, 1997
Will surprises Bailey showing up at his place. Will thinks Bailey drinks too much, and asks Sarah what's going on, but she doesn't want to talk about Bailey. He tries to advice Bai
MYOB
Feb 5, 1997
Bailey is spending so much money on drinking that he can't even afford rent. Julia wants to get Bailey and Sarah back together, but she's still very mad at him. She warns Julia abo
Point of No Return
Feb 12, 1997
Grace's parents are spending time with them, and Grace doesn't like it, but Charlie does. Claudia is spending time with Avery, which makes his son jealous of her. Bailey spends all
Intervention
Feb 19, 1997
The Salinger family tries to solve Bailey's drinking problem. Claudia calls him and tells a story about Owen falling down the stairs. Bailey rushes to the house, when Charlie, Juli
Hitting Bottom
Feb 26, 1997
Bailey is alone. The Salingers strategy to not speak to him doesn't seem to be working. Bailey keeps drinking and drinking, and he misses his game. Coach Petrocelli gets really dis
Leap of Faith
Mar 5, 1997
Bailey starts to go to AA meetings, and on his first meeting he bumps into Walter Alcott, the man that killed his parents. Bailey has second thoughts about going to the meetings, a
Promises, Promises
Mar 19, 1997
Bailey is sober for a week. Callie gets jealous because Bailey is spending much more time with Sarah than with her, so she tries to help Bailey, but she can't. She goes to Sarah an
A Little Faith
Mar 26, 1997
Claudia is invited to play in L.A., and nobody can take her there, but Bailey. They go and Claudia kicks him out of the rehearsals because he is distracting her. In the hotel room,
You Win Some, You Lose Some
Apr 2, 1997
Sarah dumped her boyfriend. Her mom tells Bailey that she got into Brown, and Bailey gets mad at her because she is moving away, but she is going to Berkeley instead. They kiss, bu