Chicago Party Aunt is an adult animated series created by Chris Witaske, Jon Barinholtz, and Katie Rich. The show was inspired by Chris Witaske's Twitter story of the same name, which has caught the attention of Netflix, turning the Twitter story into an animated adult series, with 8 episodes for the first season, released on September 17, 2021. The second season was released on December 30, 2022.
Chicago Party Aunt is about the life of Diane Dunbrowski, a woman who loves to party instead of upholding the responsibilities of an adult. After her husband leaves her, and many changes at her job, she feels that her whole world is falling apart. But things start to change for the better, when her nephew, Daniel, has decided to take a year off before he heads off to college and decides to stay with Diane in the meantime, therefore getting them into many unusual adventures.
Chicago Party Aunt provides examples of:
- Amazingly Embarrassing Parents: Bonnie and Mark, when meeting Daniel's boyfriend, Jason, proceed to continue their fertility treatments in front of them since they're in the middle of trying for a second child.
- As You Know: Diane talking about the Beefy Awards to Tina. Lampshaded when Tina says she was the one who told Diane about it in the first place.
- Book Ends: The first and last episode of season 1 (split into two parts, by the way) involves Diane throwing a party; the former due to Diane being threatened with eviction since the apartment belonged to her sister Bonnie, and the latter celebrating her lotion company being bought by Borough and using the money she made to officially purchase the apartment.
- Brick Joke:
- Diane's tendency to go commando when wearing a miniskirt. It's referenced in episode 2 at both the beginning and end, and referenced at the last episode of season 2 when she tries to do the lift from Dirty Dancing with Gideon.
- Fucks Loud Sophie is mentioned in the beginning of season 2, and in the last episode of the same season, we finally hear why she's known as such.
- Chicago: Obviously. The culture of the city is a huge part of the show and the three main creators are all from the Windy City.
- Christmas Episode: Everyone she knows has plans for Christmas Eve, even Daniel, who is spending time with his parents, so Diane was all alone until she got a call from the hospital about her first ex-husband. But when she was telling Daniel on the phone, due to the poor reception in the hospital elevator, he thought she was in trouble and gathered everyone to find her to make sure she was safe.
- Cringe Comedy: In episode 5, Daniel tries to flirt with a customer during his shift by complimenting the customer's order. It's as awkward as it sounds.
- Exactly What It Says on the Tin
- Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: While Diane likes to party almost all the time, her sister and Daniel's mother, Bonnie is a more practical woman, and in the real estate business.
- Halloween Episode: Gideon, Diane's new boss, along with Diane and Daniel, celebrate Halloween at a nightclub. Diane nearly ruins her and Gideon's time when, while drunk, answers Gideon's phone when his mother calls and tells her that Gideon was gay, which Gideon didn't even tell his mother about.
- Identical Stranger: Downplayed with Amanda in the first episode of season 2. She and Diane have similar behaviors, but that's far as their similarities go. Amanda's also more willing to sell out her integrity when push comes to shove, which is in conflict with Diane's core personality.
- Immediate Self-Contradiction: In episode 15, Diane insists that she's a reliable person, then proceeds to accidentally spill talcum powder on a blow dryer which suddenly turns on, making a mess of things in a matter of seconds.
- The Immodest Orgasm: Diane has a neighbor who's apparently known as "Fucks Loud Sophie" who lives above her and her aggressive moaning could be heard through the ceiling.
- Intergenerational Friendship: Diane and her nephew Daniel, after the latter moved to the former's apartment while taking a gap year from college.Daniel: You're not just my aunt, you're also, sadly, my best friend.
Diane: (to Bonnie) Did you hear that? Best friend!
Bonnie: He did say "sadly". - Law of Inverse Fertility: Bonnie's arc in season 2 involves her attempts to get pregnant again after suffering from Empty Nest syndrome. A later episode reveals that due to her age, her body can't allow for a natural pregnancy anymore.
- Moment Killer: From the trailer:Bonnie: I have always looked up to you because you never change for anyone, and you shouldn't start now. You're beautiful.
Diane: (Beat) Did you just get laid?
Bonnie: (annoyed) Why do you ruin everything?
Diane: (kisses Bonnie on the cheek) Tits up, tits out. What are ya gonna do? - Nephewism: Daniel has moved in with Diane for the next year while taking time off before going to college.
- Newscaster Cameo: One episode features a cameo of WGN-TV meteorologist Tom
Freakin' Skilling. - Polyamory: Since separating from Diane, Kurt explains to Daniel, who saw his girlfriend making out with his art teacher and thought she was cheating, that he and Heidi are in an open relationship.
- Right Behind Me: Whenever Diane vents her frustrations about Gideon, he's listening to her not too far. Unlike most situations, she doesn't bother to take back what she said.
- Slap-Slap-Kiss: A rare hookup variant. In episode 3, Diane slaps a man for mistaking her for a hooker but kisses him afterwards for the same reason because it shows that she's still hot enough to pass for one.
- St. Patrick's Day Episode: It deals with Diane having to wear a sobriety bracelet in order to avoid jail time, which meant she has to deal with the effects of alcohol withdrawal while also actively resisting to drink alcohol during said holiday.
- Totally Radical:
- One of Borough's corporate training involves Diane and her friends being forced to watch a video telling them about the company's slogan via rapping by Jerry Ferrara backed by a cheesy generic 90s hip-hop beat complete with cowbells.
- Parodied with Diane in episode 9, where she misuses the word "zaddy" (an alteration of "daddy" which refers to a handsome older man) to refer to her female friends. When Amanda sells her apartment rooftop behind her back, she calls her a "ghosting zaddy".
- Two Decades Behind: Diane’s hairstyle and clothing are stuck somewhere in the mid-2000s. She still uses a flip phone, at least until the last episode when she gets Daniel’s old smartphone (she has no idea how to use it.) Her taste in music goes back to the 60s. She still tries to meet people at bars instead of using dating sites. Uses taxis instead of ride-sharing. All of her sports memorabilia is from the ‘85 Bears, the Jordan-Pippen era Bulls, and the Blackhawks of the early 2010s. Oddly enough though she is stated to be a Cubs fan, nothing is ever mentioned about the 2016 team that finally broke the curse and won the World Series.
- What the Hell Is That Accent?: Zuzana's accent sounds more like stereotypical Russian than anything resembling Slavic. Same goes for the Polish Mob who talk more like The Mafiya.
- Will They or Won't They?: Diane and Mark have broken up many times over the years. Much of the first eight episodes focus on whether or not they’ll get back together.
