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Dinner for Five

TV·2001–2008·5 seasons, 50 episodes·IFC·Comedy, Talk·30m·Created by Jon Favreau

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Dinner for Five is a television program in which actor/filmmaker Jon Favreau and a revolving guest list of celebrities eat, drink and talk about life on and off the set and swap stories about projects past and present. The program seats screen legends next to a variety of personalities from film, television, music and comedy, resulting in an unpredictable free-for-all. The program aired on the Independent Film Channel with Favreau the co-Executive Producer with Peter Billingsley. The show format is a spontaneous, open forum for people in the entertainment community. The idea, originally conceived by Favreau, originated from a time when he went out to dinner with colleagues on a film location and exchanged filming anecdotes. Favreau said, "I thought it would be interesting to show people that side of the business". He did not want to present them in a "sensationalized way [that] they're presented in the press, but as normal people". The format featured Favreau and four guests from the entertainment industry in a restaurant with no other diners. They ordered actual food from real menus and were served by authentic waiters. There were no cue cards or previous research on the participants that would have allowed him to orchestrate the conversation and the guests were allowed to talk about whatever they wanted. The show used five cameras with the operators using long lenses so that they could be at least ten feet away from the table and not intrude on the conversation or make the guests self-conscious. The conversations lasted until the film ran out. A 25-minutes episode would be edited from the two-hour dinner.

Cast

Jon FavreauJon FavreauVince VaughnVince Vaughn

Episodes by season

Season0110Episodes2001–02Aired—Season avg
  1. S01E01Joey Lauren Adams, Peter Berg, Kevin James, Jeanne TripplehornJuly 6, 2001—This episode was taped at the Atlantic in Los Angeles on March 19, 2001. Jon's guests are: Joey Lauren Adams, actress, Dazed and Confused
  2. S01E02Vince Vaughn, Garry Shandling, Cheri Oteri, Peter FalkNovember 22, 2001—This episode was taped at Musso & Frank Grill in Hollywood on October 10, 2001. Jon's guests are: Peter Falk, actor, TV's Columbo, Prince
  3. S01E03Christian Slater, Illeana Douglas, Jeff Goldblum, Fred WillardApril 22, 2002—This episode was taped at the Pinot Hollywood on November 18, 2001. Jon's guests are: Illeana Douglas, actress, Ghost World, To Die ForJe
  4. S01E04Ron Livingston, Kevin Pollack, Sarah Silverman, Rod SteigerApril 29, 2002—This episode was taped at the Saddle Peak Lodge, Calabasas on November 19, 2001. Jon's guests are: Ron Livingston, actor, Swingers, Offic
  5. S01E05Andy Dick, Daryl Hannah, Marilyn MansonMay 6, 2002—This episode was taped at the Pinot Hollywood restaurant, on January 13, 2002. Jon's guests are: Andy Dick, actor, NewsRadio, Road TripDa
  6. S01E06Sean Astin, Bonnie Hunt, Kevin James, Ray RomanoMay 13, 2002—
  7. S01E07Saffron Burrows, Faizon Love, Michael Rapaport, Sarah SilvermanMay 27, 2002—
  8. S01E08Jennifer Beals, Adam Goldberg, Seth Green, Dwight YoakumJune 3, 2002—
  9. S01E09David Cross, Famke Janssen, Denis Leary, Martha PlimptonSeptember 30, 2002—
  10. S01E10Sean Combs, John Leguizamo, Juliette Lewis, Vincent PastoreOctober 7, 2002—This episode was taped at Dylan Prime restaurant in New York City on April 7, 2002. Jon's guests are: Sean "Puffy" Combs, musician/actor, M

Season 1 ranked & reviewed

Season0213Episodes2003Aired—Season avg
  1. S02E01Ben Affleck, Colin Farrell, Jennifer Garner, Kevin SmithJanuary 20, 2003—
  2. S02E02Dom Deluise, Peter Falk, John Herzfeld, Richard LewisJanuary 27, 2003—
  3. S02E03Peter Bogdanovich, Larry Miller, Penelope Ann Miller, Liev SchreiberFebruary 3, 2003—
  4. S02E04Ed Asner, Ed Begley, Jr., Carrie Fisher, Blair UnderwoodFebruary 10, 2003—
  5. S02E05David Byrne, Dave Eggers, Janeane Garofalo, Joe PantolianoFebruary 17, 2003—
  6. S02E06Louis C.K., Illeana Douglas, Will Ferrell, Eddie IzzardFebruary 24, 2003—
  7. S02E07Vince Vaughn, Cole Hauser, Rory Cochrane, Brian CoxMarch 3, 2003—
  8. S02E08John Landis, David Alan Grier, Leland Orser, Fran DrescherSeptember 22, 2003—
  9. S02E09Beverly D'Angelo, Rosie Perez, Cathy Moriarty, Catherine KellnerSeptember 29, 2003—
  10. S02E10James Caan, Will Ferrell, Mary Steenburgen, Zooey DeschanelOctober 6, 2003—
  11. S02E11Sean Hayes, Katie Holmes, Patricia Clarkson, Oliver PlattOctober 13, 2003—
  12. S02E12Peter Berg, Judd Apatow, Famke Janssen, Paul RuddOctober 20, 2003—
  13. S02E13Lili Taylor, Maggie Gyllenhaal, John Sayles, Vanessa MartinezOctober 27, 2003—

Season 2 ranked & reviewed

Season0316Episodes2004Aired—Season avg
  1. S03E01Gina Gershon, Dennis Farina, Ron Livingston, Faizon LoveApril 9, 2004—
  2. S03E02Dinner for Five S03E02Kevin James, Tony Shalhoub, Richard Lewis, Burt ReynoldsApril 16, 2004—
  3. S03E03Kevin Smith, George Carlin, Jason Biggs, Stephen RootApril 23, 2004—
  4. S03E04Joe Mantegna, Bob Odenkirk, Michael McKean, Jeff GarlinApril 30, 2004—
  5. S03E05Dinner for Five S03E05Jeff Ross, Hector Elizando, Kevin Pollak, Laura KightlingerMay 7, 2004—
  6. S03E06Laura Dern, Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, Ernie HudsonMay 14, 2004—
  7. S03E07Jennifer Esposito, Barry Pepper, Luis Guzman, Stephen DorffMay 21, 2004—
  8. S03E08Alec Baldwin, Peter Dinklage, Carrie Fisher, Tracey UllmanMay 28, 2004—
  9. S03E09Dom DeLuise, Burt Reynolds, Charles Durning, Charles Nelson ReillyJune 4, 2004—
  10. S03E10John Waters, Colin Quinn, Danny Aiello, Delroy LindoJune 11, 2004—
  11. S03E11Isaac Mizrahi, Alan Cumming, Faizon Love, Amy IrvingJune 18, 2004—
  12. S03E12David Cross, Molly Shannon, George Hickenlooper, Phillip Baker HallJune 25, 2004—
  13. S03E13Michael Madsen, Richard Donner, Ray Romano, Ron EldardJuly 2, 2004—
  14. S03E14Neve Campbell, Henry Winkler, Dave Foley, Jeff GarlinSeptember 10, 2004—
  15. S03E15Peter Berg, Billy Bob Thornton, Brian Grazer, H.G (Buzz) BissingerOctober 8, 2004—
  16. S03E16Martin ScorseseDecember 10, 2004—Host Jon Favreau devotes the entire program this week to a conversation with famed director Martin Scorsese.

Season 3 ranked & reviewed

Season0410Episodes2005Aired—Season avg
  1. S04E01David Milch, Tim Olyphant, Michael Rapaport, Jay MohrApril 1, 2005—This episode was taped at Le Meridien, Beverly Hills. Jon's guests are: David Milch, writer/producer, Deadwood, NYPD BlueJay Mohr, actor, A
  2. S04E02Tracy Morgan, Jeffrey Tambor, Bonnie Hunt, Jason BatemanApril 8, 2005—This week Jon's guests are: * Jason Bateman, actor, Arrested Development, Dodgeball * Bonnie Hunt, actress/Director, Jerry Maguire, Retur
  3. S04E03Rob Zombie, Bruce Campbell, Roger Corman, Faizon LoveApril 15, 2005—This episode was taped at La Cachette restaurant in Santa Monica.Jon's guests are: * Bruce Campbell, actor, Evil Dead, Bubba Ho-tep
  4. S04E04Michael De Luca, Luis Guzman, Michael Chiklis, Henry RollinsApril 22, 2005—Jon's guests are:Michael De Luca, producer, New Line Studios Luis Guzman, actor, Boogie Nights, Carlito's Way Michael Chiklis, actor, Fant
  5. S04E05David Duchovny, Dax Shepard, Tim Blake Nelson, Stephen RootApril 29, 2005—This episode was taped at Le Meridien, Beverly Hills.Jon's guests are:* David Duchovny, actor/director, X-Files, Kalifornia * Tim Blake Nel
  6. S04E06Bill Maher, Alanis Morissette, Rosanna Arquette, Bob OdenkirkMay 6, 2005—This episode was taped at Le Meridien, Beverly Hills. Jon's guests are: * Rosanna Arquette, actress, New York Stories, Pulp Fiction
  7. S04E07Frank Darabont, Alan Cumming, Harry Shearer, Fred WillardMay 20, 2005—This episode was taped at the Pinot in Hollywood. Jon's guests are: Frank Darabont, writer/director, The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mi
  8. S04E08Tony Hawk, Stacy Peralta, Seth MacFarlane, Jon HederJune 2, 2005—
  9. S04E09Kevin Smith, Jason Lee, Stan Lee, Mark Hamill, J.J. AbramsJune 17, 2005—Kevin Smith is the guest host of this episode, replacing Jon Favreau.
  10. S04E10Adam Goldberg, Christina Ricci, Giovanni Ribisi, Steven DrozdJune 24, 2005—

Season 4 ranked & reviewed

Season051Episodes2008Aired—Season avg
  1. S05E01Peter Billingsley, Justin Long, Keir O'Donnell, Vince VaughnFebruary 1, 2008—This episode was taped at the Atlantic in Los Angeles on March 19, 2001. Jon's guests are: * Vince Vaughn, actor, Wedding Crashers, Dodgeb

Season 5 ranked & reviewed

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