The episode was written by Gil Ozeri & Gabe Liedman and directed by Michael Engler, and aired on Fox in the United States on February 4, 2014.
The episode was seen by an estimated 3.22 million household viewers and gained a 1.4/4 ratings share among adults aged 18–49, according to Nielsen Media Research.
The episode received mostly positive reviews from critics, who praised Marc Evan Jackson's guest performance, the cast and the writing as highlights.
Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio) meets Vivian Ludley (Marilu Henner), an older woman who works as a food author.
In its original American broadcast, "The Party" was seen by an estimated 3.22 million household viewers and gained a 1.4/4 ratings share among adults aged 18–49, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Roth Cornet of IGN gave the episode a "great" 8.8 out of 10 and wrote, "'The Party' placed the Nine-Nine crew firmly outside of their collective comfort zone with hilarious results.
This episode, like so many on this series, was all about team bonding, but the fish out of waterness of it all proved that they don't need a case to find a reason to come together, act insane, and do a little detecting.
Club gave the episode a "B+" grade and wrote, "If 'The Party' does one thing, it's demonstrate how monumentally confident Brooklyn Nine-Nine is in its short run, especially when it comes to its ensemble.