Jump to content

Parks and Recreation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Parks & Recreation)

Parks and Recreation
Also known asParks and Rec
Genre
Created by
ShowrunnerMichael Schur
Starring
Theme music composer
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons7
No. of episodes126 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
ProducerAmy Poehler
Camera setupSingle camera
Running time22–42 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseApril 9, 2009 (2009-04-09) –
February 24, 2015 (2015-02-24)
ReleaseApril 30, 2020 (2020-04-30) (special)

Parks and Recreation (also known as Parks and Rec) is an American political satire mockumentary television sitcom created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur. The series aired on NBC from April 9, 2009, to February 24, 2015, for 125 episodes, over seven seasons. A special reunion episode aired on April 30, 2020. The series stars Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope, a perky, mid-level bureaucrat in the Parks Department of the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana. The ensemble and supporting cast features Rashida Jones as Ann Perkins, Aziz Ansari as Tom Haverford, Nick Offerman as Ron Swanson, Aubrey Plaza as April Ludgate, Chris Pratt as Andy Dwyer, Adam Scott as Ben Wyatt, Paul Schneider as Mark Brendanawicz, Rob Lowe as Chris Traeger, Jim O'Heir as Garry "Jerry" Gergich, Retta as Donna Meagle, and Billy Eichner as Craig Middlebrooks.

The writers researched local California politics for the series and consulted with urban planners and elected officials. Leslie Knope underwent major changes after the first season, in response to audience feedback that the character seemed unintelligent and "ditzy". The writing staff incorporated current events into the episodes, such as a government shutdown in Pawnee inspired by the real-life global financial crisis of 2007–08. Real-life political figures, including John McCain, Michelle Obama, and Joe Biden, have cameos in later episodes.

Parks and Recreation was part of NBC's "Comedy Night Done Right" programming during its Thursday night prime-time block. The series received mixed reviews during its first season (including comparisons to The Office, a sitcom also produced by Daniels and Schur), but, after a re-approach to its tone and format, the second and subsequent seasons were widely acclaimed. Throughout its run, Parks and Recreation received several awards and nominations, including 14 Primetime Emmy Award nominations (two for Outstanding Comedy Series), a Golden Globe Award win for Poehler's performance and a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy, and a Peabody Award. In Time's 2012 year-end lists issue, Parks and Recreation was named the number one television series of that year.[2] In 2013, after receiving four consecutive nominations in the category, Parks and Recreation won the Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy.

Plot

[edit]

The first season focuses on Leslie Knope, the deputy director of the Parks and Recreation Department in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana. Local nurse Ann Perkins demands the construction pit beside her house created by an abandoned condo development be filled in after her boyfriend, Andy Dwyer, fell in and broke both legs. Leslie promises to turn the pit into a park, despite resistance from the parks director Ron Swanson, an anti-government libertarian.[3] City planner Mark Brendanawicz – for whom Leslie harbors romantic feelings – pragmatically insists the project is unrealistic due to government red tape,[4] but nevertheless secretly convinces Ron to approve the project.[3] Leslie and her staff, including her assistant Tom Haverford and intern April Ludgate, try encouraging community interest in the pit project, but meet resistance.

In the second season, the pit is eventually filled in because Leslie takes it upon herself to fill in the pit without permission, not realizing Andy was in the pit. Andy became injured and works with Leslie to threaten to sue the city of Pawnee unless the pit was filled.[5] Mark leaves his city hall career for a private sector job and is never seen, heard from, or even referred to on the show again. Meanwhile, a crippling budget deficit leads state auditors Chris Traeger and Ben Wyatt to shut down the Pawnee government temporarily.

The third season opens with the Pawnee government reopened, but with budget cuts frustrating Leslie's attempts to provide services. Leslie makes a deal with Chris and Ben to bring back the Pawnee Harvest Festival, but if the festival fails the Parks Department will be eliminated.[6] After weeks of planning, the festival becomes a tremendous success through Leslie's efforts.[7] Later, Chris returns from Indianapolis to become Pawnee's acting city manager,[8] while Ben also takes a job in Pawnee.[9] April and Andy start dating and, only a few weeks later, marry in a surprise ceremony.[9][10] Tom quits his city hall job to form an entertainment company called Entertainment 720 with his friend, Jean-Ralphio. The business cannot maintain its lavish spending and quickly runs out of money, leaving Tom to return to the Parks Department. Leslie and Ben show romantic interest in each other; however, Chris has implemented a rule that would prevent a superior (Ben) from dating his employee (Leslie). In spite of this rule, Leslie and Ben begin secretly dating.

The fourth season deals with Leslie's campaign to run for city council. As Leslie begins preparing a campaign, she realizes she must break up with Ben to avoid scandal. Ben and Leslie restart their relationship and Ben sacrifices his job to save Leslie from losing hers, due to Chris' policy against romantic relationships in the workplace. The Parks Department volunteers to become her campaign staff, with Ben as Leslie's campaign manager. Leslie's campaign faces myriad setbacks against her main opponent, Bobby Newport, and his famous campaign manager Jennifer Barkley.

In the fifth season, Leslie begins working as a City Councillor but finds opposition from angry locals and her fellow councilmen. Ben is at his new job on a congressional campaign in Washington DC, alongside April whom he brought along as an intern. Ron begins a romantic relationship with a woman named Diane. Ben returns to Pawnee and proposes to Leslie. They get married midway through the season. Tom starts a successful business named Rent-A-Swag that rents high-end clothing to teenagers. Leslie and Ben plan a fundraising event for the park, now called the Pawnee Commons, and decide to have an impromptu wedding that night in City Hall. Later, Leslie's changes to Pawnee lead to several locals petitioning for her to be recalled from office.

The sixth season begins with the absorption of Eagleton by Pawnee after the former town declares bankruptcy. As the governments merge, Leslie loses the recall vote and returns to the Parks Department full-time, while Ben is voted in as the next City Manager. Tom sells Rent-A-Swag to Jean-Ralphio's father, Dr. Saperstein, in a cash settlement and opens a restaurant called "Tom's Bistro". Ann and Chris, now in a relationship and expecting a baby, leave Pawnee for Michigan. As a way to garner public support for the unpopular merger, the Parks Department hold a Unity Concert. Later, Leslie reveals she is pregnant with triplets. Leslie takes the job as Regional Director for the National Park Service in Chicago, immediately submitting a proposal to bring the job to Pawnee.

The seventh season, though it aired in 2015, takes place in 2017. Ron and Leslie are shown to be enemies due to Ron's company having torn down Ann's old house in order to build an apartment building. Ben convinces a technology company, Gryzzl, to bring free Wi-Fi to the city of Pawnee. Gryzzl engages in intense data mining, inducing Ron, whose new construction company, Very Good Building and Development Company, has been handling their construction needs, to reconnect with Leslie to correct the issue.

Cast and characters

[edit]
A group of people stand in an office-style room in front of a table with documents and booklets. From left to right stand a man with arms crossed wearing a black shirt, a man wearing a gray suit and green tie with his arms behind his back, a woman in a gray suitcoat and red shirt, a woman with a gray jacket and purple shirt, a man with arms crossed wearing a tan suit, a young girl wearing a blue blouse and gray shirt and a seated man wearing a white T-shirt with red sleeves.
The cast of the first and second seasons of Parks and Recreation included (from left to right), Paul Schneider, Aziz Ansari, Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, and Chris Pratt.

The principal cast starting in season one included:[11]

Rob Lowe (left) and Adam Scott (right) joined the cast of Parks and Recreation during the last two episodes of the second season.

Several cast members were introduced or developed after the first season:

Numerous actors have made recurring guest appearances throughout the series, including Pamela Reed as Leslie's mother and fellow politician Marlene Griggs-Knope,[22] Ben Schwartz as Tom's fast-talking friend Jean-Ralphio and Jenny Slate as his twin sister Mona-Lisa,[23] Jama Williamson as Tom's ex-wife Wendy,[24] Mo Collins as morning talk show host Joan Callamezzo, Jay Jackson as television broadcaster Perd Hapley,[25] Alison Becker as newspaper reporter Shauna Malwae-Tweep,[26] Darlene Hunt as conservative activist Marcia Langman,[27] and Andy Forrest as Andy's frequent shoeshine customer Kyle.[28] Megan Mullally, the real-life wife of Nick Offerman, portrayed Ron's ex-wife Tammy in the second season's "Ron and Tammy", a role she reprised in later episodes.[29][30] Lucy Lawless and Jon Glaser have recurring roles in the fifth and sixth seasons. Lucy Lawless plays Ron's love interest and later wife Diane Lewis. Jon Glaser plays Leslie's arch enemy on the city council Jeremy Jamm.

Mullally's performance was well received, which made the Parks and Recreation producers feel more comfortable about using celebrity guest actors in later episodes.[31][32] Other such celebrity guests included: Blake Anderson,[33] Fred Armisen,[34] Will Arnett,[35] Kristen Bell,[36] H. Jon Benjamin,[37] Matt Besser,[38] Chris Bosh,[39] Louis C.K.,[40] The Decemberists,[33] Sam Elliott,[41] Will Forte,[42] Ginuwine,[33] Michael Gross,[43] Jon Hamm,[33] Nick Kroll,[38] John Larroquette,[44] Andrew Luck,[45] Letters to Cleo,[33] Natalie Morales,[46] Parker Posey,[47] Kathryn Hahn, Andy Samberg,[31] J. K. Simmons, Roy Hibbert,[48] Detlef Schrempf,[49] Justin Theroux,[44] Wilco,[33] Henry Winkler,[50] Peter Serafinowicz, and Yo La Tengo.[51] Paul Rudd appeared in several season four episodes as Bobby Newport, Leslie's opponent in the City Council race, and returned for two episodes in the final season.[52]

The series has had cameos by several real-life political figures, including then Vice President Joe Biden,[53] Senator Barbara Boxer,[54] former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich,[55] Senator John McCain,[54] Michelle Obama,[56] former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright,[57] and Senators Olympia Snowe,[54] Cory Booker, and Orrin Hatch.

Episodes

[edit]
Seasons of Parks and Recreation
SeasonEpisodesOriginally airedRankViewers
(millions)
First airedLast aired
16April 9, 2009 (2009-04-09)May 14, 2009 (2009-05-14)966.00[58]
224September 17, 2009 (2009-09-17)May 20, 2010 (2010-05-20)1084.60[59]
316January 20, 2011 (2011-01-20)May 19, 2011 (2011-05-19)1165.10[60]
422September 22, 2011 (2011-09-22)May 10, 2012 (2012-05-10)1344.40[61]
522September 20, 2012 (2012-09-20)May 2, 2013 (2013-05-02)1114.06[62]
622September 26, 2013 (2013-09-26)April 24, 2014 (2014-04-24)1153.76[63]
713January 13, 2015 (2015-01-13)February 24, 2015 (2015-02-24)1194.57[64]
SpecialApril 30, 2020 (2020-04-30)3.64[65]

Production

[edit]

Development and casting

[edit]
A shot of a blond woman wearing a red dress, smiling into the camera.
The concept for Parks and Recreation came together only after producers learned Amy Poehler (pictured) would be available to play the protagonist.

Immediately after Ben Silverman was named co-chairman of NBC's entertainment division in 2007, he asked Greg Daniels to create a spin-off of The Office.[66][67] Daniels co-created Parks and Recreation with Michael Schur, who had been a writer on The Office. The two spent months considering ideas for the new series and debating whether to make it a stand-alone rather than a spin-off.[66] According to Daniels, they eventually abandoned the original spin-off plan because they "couldn't find the right fit".[67] They considered a series about a local government official trying to rebuild a political career following a humiliating public spectacle. They eventually abandoned the idea, though it did end up being incorporated into the backstory for Ben Wyatt late in the second season.[68][69] After Amy Poehler agreed to play the lead, they decided the series would revolve around an optimistic bureaucrat in small-town government.[66] Production was delayed to accommodate Poehler's pregnancy.[70]

The idea was partly inspired by the portrayal of local politics on the HBO drama series The Wire, as well as the renewed interest in and optimism about politics stemming from the 2008 United States presidential election.[70][71] The staff was also drawn to the idea of building a show around a female relationship, namely Leslie Knope and Ann Perkins.[20] Reports that Daniels and Schur were developing a show together led to press speculation it would, in fact, be a spin-off of The Office.[4][72] The producers insisted their new series would be entirely independent. Nevertheless, their concept for it shared several elements with The Office, particularly the mockumentary approach and the encouragement of improvisation among the cast, even though the episodes were scripted.[66] The series was scheduled as a mid-season replacement,[70] and was rushed to meet the premiere date of April 9, 2009.[4] Before the title Parks and Recreation was chosen, the name Public Service was considered, but ultimately rejected because network officials did not want to be accused of mocking the idea.[73]

Schur said at PaleyFest that he and Daniels approached casting with the idea of finding "the funniest people and we'll tailor the roles to them".[74] Poehler departed from the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live, where she was a cast member for nearly seven years, to star in Parks and Recreation as Leslie Knope.[75][76] It was only after she was cast that Daniels and Schur established the series' general concept and the script for the pilot was written.[66] Rashida Jones was among the first to be cast by Daniels and Schur in 2008, when the series was still being considered as a spin-off to The Office, where Jones had played Jim Halpert's girlfriend Karen Filippelli, who formerly worked at the Stamford Branch but was soon transferred to the Scranton Branch in the third season.[66][77] She departed in the middle of season six, and returned for a guest appearance later in the season.[78] Jones returned in the series finale, along with the COVID-19 pandemic special.[79]

Paul Schneider was cast as Mark Brendanawicz.[13] He said early in the series he was insecure in the role because he was still trying to figure out the character's motivations.[80] Schneider left the cast after the second season and the character is not referenced at any point during the remainder of the series' run.[81][82] Similarly with Jones, Daniels and Schur had intended to cast Aziz Ansari from the earliest stages of the development of Parks and Recreation.[66][77]

While Aubrey Plaza was in Los Angeles for a film, casting director Allison Jones, who cast the film Plaza was working on, asked her if she wanted to attend a meeting with a showrunner of The Office who was developing a pilot. A fan of The Office, Plaza agreed. According to Schur, Jones said to him, "I just met the weirdest, funniest girl I've ever met in my life, you should meet with her."[74][20] At the meeting, Daniels asked Plaza about life and what she thought happens when people died and the two had a discussion on the topic. Plaza said that Schur likely found the conversation odd. They told her the idea for the show's pilot and that they were considering giving Poehler's character an assistant that was a doltish blonde. Plaza pitched them instead the character of a smart intern who is at the department only for college credit and does not care about the job, which Plaza thought would be an interesting, comedic contrast with Poehler's character. They liked the concept for the character and created April Ludgate.[83][84][85][86]

Chris Pratt was originally intended to be a guest star, with his character Andy Dwyer initially meant to appear only in the first season, but the producers liked Pratt so much that, almost immediately after casting him, they decided to make him a regular cast member starting with season two.[87] Adam Scott left his starring role on the Starz comedy series Party Down to join the series as Ben Wyatt, starting with the penultimate second-season episode, "The Master Plan".[88] Nick Offerman previously auditioned for the role of Michael Scott in The Office, which eventually went to Steve Carell. Offerman was originally considered for another role, but NBC felt that he wouldn't fit for a character who would later kiss Jones at some point in the series; he was cast instead as Ron Swanson.[89][90] Rob Lowe was introduced as Chris Traeger alongside Scott and was originally expected to depart after a string of guest appearances,[91][42] but later signed a multi-year contract to become a regular cast member.[42][92][93] He departed from the series in the season six episode, "Ann and Chris",[78] returning in the series finale and the 2020 special.[79]

Jim O'Heir and Retta made regular appearances respectively as Garry "Jerry" Gergich and Donna Meagle since the first season, but their personalities did not become developed until the second season. Schur said the Parks and Recreation staff liked the actors so he decided to include them in the show and "figured we'd work it out later". A throwaway joke at Jerry's expense in the episode "Practice Date" led him to be established as the inept co-worker the rest of the department callously picks on.[20] Donna was developed as a sassy hedonist whose mysterious life is occasionally hinted at. It was not until the third season they became considered regular cast members,[94] and were added to the opening credits during the sixth season.[95] Billy Eichner was a recurring cast member as Craig Middlebrooks during season 6, and began being billed as a member of the regular cast in the fourth episode of season seven.

Crew

[edit]

Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios produced Parks and Recreation starting with the first season;[11] the production companies Fremulon and 3 Arts Entertainment also became involved with the show starting with the second season.[96] The series was created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, who served as executive producers along with Howard Klein. Klein previously worked with Daniels and Schur on The Office, a half-hour NBC comedy Daniels adapted from the British comedy of the same name, created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. Schur served as the showrunner of Parks and Recreation,[20] while Amy Poehler and Morgan Sackett worked as producers.[11] Dean Holland, an editor on The Office, also worked as an editor on Parks and Recreation.[97] Mike Scully, a former executive producer and showrunner for The Simpsons, joined Parks and Recreation as a consulting producer starting in the middle of the first season.[98] Allison Jones, who worked as a casting director for The Office, served in the same capacity at the start of Parks and Recreation,[99] along with Nancy Perkins, for whom the character Ann Perkins was named.[100] Dorian Frankel became the casting director starting with the second season. Alan Yang, Harris Wittels, and Katie Dippold, all of whom were Parks and Recreation screenwriters, also worked as executive story editors.[101]

The pilot episode was written by Daniels and Schur, and directed by Daniels.[102] Daniels also directed the second-season episode "Hunting Trip", while Schur made his directorial debut with the first-season finale "Rock Show", and wrote or directed several other episodes including "Sister City",[103] "The Master Plan",[68] and "Time Capsule".[104]

Poehler wrote three episodes: "Telethon" in season 2, "The Fight" in season 3, and "The Debate" in season 4 (for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series). She also co-wrote "Second Chunce" in season 6, the series' 100th episode, and "One Last Ride", the series finale, with Schur.[105] Poehler also directed three episodes, "The Debate" in season 4, "Article Two" in season 5, and "Gryzzlbox" in season 7. Other cast members that wrote or directed episodes include Nick Offerman, who wrote "Lucky" in season 4, and directed season 5's "Correspondents' Lunch" and season 6's "Flu Season 2"; while Adam Scott directed season 6's "Farmers Market".

Holland also directed about thirty episodes of the series.[106] Norm Hiscock, a consulting producer,[101] wrote a number of episodes, including the first-season finale "Rock Show" and second-season premiere "Pawnee Zoo".[107] Other regular screenwriters included Katie Dippold, Dan Goor, Aisha Muharrar, Harris Wittels, and Alan Yang.[108] Frequent Parks and Recreation directors include Dean Holland, Randall Einhorn,[109] Troy Miller,[110] and Jason Woliner,[111] with several others guest-directing one or two episodes such as Jeffrey Blitz,[26] Paul Feig,[112] Tucker Gates,[113] Seth Gordon,[22] Nicole Holofcener,[114] Beth McCarthy-Miller,[115] Michael McCullers,[116] and Charles McDougall.[117]

Writing

[edit]

When we were talking about this, we were in the middle of the election. The economy hadn't collapsed yet, but we got the general sense that the government was going to be playing a more significant role in years to come. We had no idea how right we were.

Michael Schur[67]

The writers spent time researching local California politics and attending Los Angeles City Council meetings.[70] Schur said they observed many community hearings were attended only by those opposed, often angrily, to the proposals under consideration. This fact became a major component of town hall scenes and was the basis for the "Canvassing" episode.[22][99] The writers consulted with real-life government officials such as urban planners and elected officials.[67][70] Scott Albright, a California city planner, provided direct feedback for the Mark Brendanawicz character,[13] and the inspiration for Ron Swanson's anti-government convictions came from a real-life encounter Schur had in Burbank with a libertarian government official who admitted, "I don't really believe in the mission of my job."[70] The concept of turning a construction pit into a park was seen as a device to bring all the characters together working toward a common goal. The writers originally envisioned the pit becoming a park only in the series finale, although those plans were later changed and the pit was filled in during the second season.[20] While researching whether such a project could realistically last several months or longer, Schur spoke to urban planners in Claremont, California who said it was entirely plausible because they had recently broken ground on a park that had been in various planning stages for 18 years.[67]

Daniels and Schur wrote the script for the pilot episode in mid-2008.[66] The original script portrayed Leslie and Mark as slightly less likable than they appeared in the final draft, and they were changed to be more appealing in response to feedback the episode received from focus groups and press tour screenings.[118] For example, while an early draft of the pilot script had Mark saying he didn't care about Leslie or the pit but would support her plan because he liked Ann Perkins and wanted an excuse to spend more time with her, the finished pilot had Mark backing Leslie because he admired her passion and drive. Schur said the writing staff strove to avoid the type of cynical humor prevalent in most television comedies at the time and wanted the characters to have a genuine appreciation for each other. Schur said of this, "I've never liked mean-spirited comedy. The characters on our show make fun of each other, but not in a biting, angry way. And there's no shortage of conflict in the world of government."[20] The first-season episodes were written and developed relatively quickly after each other, and Schur said the staff was treating the entire six-episode season as if it were a single television pilot.[20] Daniels felt due to pre-expectations from viewers familiar with The Office, the first-season episodes were "just about trying to tell people what we weren't", and that the writers had a better understanding of the characters by season two and could better write to their strengths.[70][119]

During the first season, the writing staff received audience feedback that Leslie Knope seemed unintelligent and "ditzy". Schur said the writers did not intend for Leslie to be stupid, but rather an overeager woman who "takes her job too seriously," so a particular effort was made to present that character as more intelligent and capable at her job starting in the second season.[87] As critic Alan Sepinwall observed, three other significant changes for the second season were to build more of the show around the relationship between Leslie Knope and Ron Swanson; transforming Chris Pratt's Andy from the villain of the show to a lovable man-child; and "letting Tom and April be intimidated by Leslie rather than scornful of her."[120] The staff also decided to move on from the construction pit story arc, having the pit filled in the second-season episode "Kaboom".[5][71] Although it was originally conceived the pit would only become a park in the series finale, Schur said the plotline was accelerated because early episodes were too focused on the pit and had led viewers to believe the entire show was about filling it in, which was not the writers' intention.[20] Also starting with the second season, the writers made an effort to be more topical and incorporate current events into their scripts.[87][40] For example, the episode "Pawnee Zoo" included social commentary about same-sex marriage.[71][121] "The Stakeout" included a parody of the controversial arrest of Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates,[40] and a sex scandal involving a Pawnee councilman in "Practice Date" mirrored the real-life 2009 scandal of South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford.[122]

Starting in the middle of the second season, the writing staff began to draw inspiration from the premise of The Contender (2000). Schur explained The Contender was about a female politician trying to succeed amid intense scrutiny in a political arena dominated by men, which is similar to challenges Leslie Knope occasionally encounters.[123] The financial difficulties Pawnee experiences during the late second-season and third-season episodes were reflective of the financial crisis facing the nation and much of the world when the episodes were produced.[16] The introduction of Chris Traeger and Ben Wyatt as state auditors visiting Pawnee, and the subsequent government shutdown, were inspired by news reports at a time when a number of states considered a shutdown of schools, parks, and other services due to the global recession.[81][124] The third season included a seven-episode story arc about the characters organizing a harvest festival and staking the financial future of their department on its success.[7][125] The festival served as a device to unite the characters, much like the construction pit had earlier in the show. Schur said this was done because the first six episodes were written and filmed early, and the writing staff felt having one concise storyline to tie them together kept the writers focused and, in Schur's words, helped "organize our tired, end-of-the-year brains".[10][20] For the romance arc between Leslie and Ben in seasons three and four, The Remains of the Day was used as an inspiration, as a story about two people who are forced not to convey their romantic feelings for each other due to a repressive social system, which Schur compared to modern-day government.[123]

Filming

[edit]

Like The Office, Parks and Recreation was filmed with a single-camera setup in a cinéma vérité style simulating the look of an actual documentary, with no studio audience or laugh track. Within the context of the show, the characters are being filmed by a documentary crew, the members of which are never seen or heard from on-screen. The actors occasionally look at and directly address the cameras, and in some scenes directly engage the cameras in one-on-one interviews with the documentary crew members.[66] The episodes were scripted, but the production encouraged the cast to improvise, and dialogue or performances the actors made up during filming often made the final cut of the episodes.[99][66] Schur said he believes the mockumentary style is particularly fitting for a show about city government because "It's a device for showing the ways people act and behave differently when they're in public and private [and] the difference between what goes on behind closed doors and what people present to the public is a huge issue."[20]

The Parks and Recreation producers approached each episode as if filming a real documentary. They typically shot enough for a 35 or 40-minute episode, then cut it down to 22 minutes, using the best material.[26] Due to the improvisational acting and hand-held camerawork, a great deal of extra footage was shot that had to be discarded for the final cut;[99][126] for example, the original cut of the 22-minute pilot was 48 minutes long.[99] The producers filmed about nine pages of the script each day, a large amount by U.S. television standards.[126]

Despite the similarities in the mockumentary style with The Office, Daniels and Schur sought to establish a slightly different tone in the camerawork of the pilot episode. The one-on-one interviews, for example, sometimes feature two separate camera angles on the same person; the footage is intercut to create the final version of the scene. This technique was inspired by The Five Obstructions, a 2003 experimental documentary directed by Lars von Trier and Jørgen Leth, which Daniels watched at the suggestion of actor Paul Schneider.[102] Another distinction from The Office is while almost all footage from that show is filmed in a workplace setting, the documentary crew on Parks and Recreation regularly follows the characters into more intimate, non-work settings, such as on dates or at their homes.[127] Parks and Recreation also makes frequent use of the jump cut technique. For instance, one scene in the pilot episode repeatedly jump cuts between brief clips in which Leslie seeks permission from Ron to pursue the pit project.[102] Early in the season, editor Dean Holland developed a technique that would be used throughout the series. During a scene in "The Reporter" in which Leslie reacts to quotes read to her by the journalist, Poehler improvised several jokes, many of which were ultimately going to be cut from the episode. Holland thought they were all funny, so he created a brief montage intercutting several of the lines.[26]

The exterior of the Pawnee government building, and several of the hallway scenes, were shot at Pasadena City Hall.

Principal photography began on February 18, 2009, less than two months before the show premiered.[128] The show faced early production delays because Poehler was pregnant when she signed on, and filming had to be postponed until she gave birth.[87][70] The show was filmed in Southern California.[102] The exterior of the Pawnee government building, and several of the hallway scenes, were shot at Pasadena City Hall.[102] The parks and recreation department interiors, as well as the City Hall courtyard, were filmed on a large studio set sound stage. The set's windows were outfitted with water systems to simulate falling rain, and the windowsills included fake pigeons.[99][116] The set also includes four hallways that make up the hospital setting where Ann Perkins works as a nurse.[127] The construction pit featured throughout the first and second seasons was dug by the episode's producers at an undeveloped property in Van Nuys, a district of Los Angeles. The producers went door-to-door in the neighborhood, seeking residents' permission for the dig.[102] The pit was guarded 24 hours a day.[129] Scenes set in playgrounds and elsewhere outdoors were filmed on location in Los Angeles.[22][102] Most scenes set in locations outside the usual Parks and Recreation settings were also filmed in Los Angeles-area locations. For example, public forum scenes in the pilot episode were filmed in one of the city's middle schools,[102] and a town meeting scene in the episode "Eagleton" was shot at the Toluca Lake Sports Center in the Toluca Lake district of Los Angeles.[47] Other Eagleton scenes were also shot at the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens, located in San Marino. Elaborate festival setting and corn maze sets featured in "Harvest Festival" was filmed at a real-life festival setting at Los Angeles Pierce College, a community college in the Woodland Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles.[130][131][132] Schur said an aerial shot of the harvest festival at the end of the episode was the most expensive shot in the entire series.[130]

Toward the end of production on the second season, Poehler became pregnant again and the producers of the show were forced to go into production on season three early and film an additional six episodes to accommodate not only Poehler's pregnancy, but also a projected September 2010 air date.[105][133] After the episodes were already filmed, NBC opted not to put the show on the fall schedule and instead delayed the premiere of the third season until the beginning of 2011.[16][133] This allowed for the network to run its new comedy, Outsourced, in two-hour comedy schedule block rather than Parks and Recreation.[134][135] The schedule change meant that all sixteen episodes from the third season were filmed before any of them were shown;[133] the rest of the episodes, starting with the seventh, were filmed in the fall of 2010.[136][137] NBC chief executive officer Jeff Gaspin said this move was not a reflection on Parks and Recreation, and suggested the extended hiatus would not only have no negative effect on the show, but could actually build anticipation for its return.[134] The move proved frustrating for the cast and crew of Parks and Recreation,[6][138] although Poehler also pointed out it gave them additional time to go back and re-edit episodes or shoot and add new material.[131][136]

Music

[edit]

The producers hired BMI as music consultants to find a theme song. With less than three weeks until the show first aired, BMI sent out a mass e-mail to a slew of composers, giving them five days to submit an entry. According to the terms of the submission request, the only compensated composer would be the winner, who would receive $7,500 in exchange for the release of all rights to NBC.[139] The winning entry was written by Gaby Moreno and Vincent Jones.[102] Michael Schur said this theme song was chosen because producers wanted something that would immediately make the viewer associate the music with the series and the characters.[140] He said Moreno and Jones' song "does a really good job of explaining what the town is like. (The) credits do a really good job of establishing it's just sort of a normal, every-day town in the middle of the country."[99] Due to its realistic mockumentary-style cinematography technique, Parks and Recreation does not use composed background music.[102]

Several songs were written for the show to be performed by Chris Pratt's character, Andy Dwyer, and his band within the show, Mouse Rat. Pratt sings and plays guitar in the band himself, while the drums are played by Mark Rivers, the guitar by Andrew Burlinson, and the bass guitar by Alan Yang, a screenwriter with the show.[13] Rivers also wrote most of the music performed by Mouse Rat.[141]

Pratt and the other band members played live during filming of the episode, rather than being pre-recorded and dubbed later.[142] One song featured in "Rock Show", called "The Pit", chronicles Andy's experience falling into a construction pit and breaking his legs.[13] Pratt wrote "Ann", a ballad about Ann Perkins, featured in the episode "Boys' Club".[142] Schur wrote the lyrics to "November", a song featured in "The Master Plan" about April Ludgate.[68] In the episode "Woman of the Year", Andy claims every song he writes includes either the lyrics, "Spread your wings and fly", or "You deserve to be a champion." As a result of that joke, every Mouse Rat song featured in the series since then has included one of those two lyrics.[68] In the episode "Telethon", Andy plays the song "Sex Hair", about how one can tell whether someone has had sex because their hair is matted.[143][144] In "Li'l Sebastian", Andy performs a tribute song called "5,000 Candles in the Wind", so-called because Leslie asks him to write a song like "Candle in the Wind" by Elton John, only 5,000 times better.[145] The song was performed by the show's cast in the 2020 reunion special.[141][146]

The Awesome Album

[edit]

A Mouse Rat album, The Awesome Album, was released by Dualtone Records and Entertainment 720 (a fictional company within the show, created by Tom Haverford) on vinyl, CD, cassette, and digital download on August 27, 2021.[147] The album was announced with the release of two singles: "The Pit" (from the season 1 finale, "Rock Show") and "Two Birds Holding Hands" (from the season 3 episode, "Andy and April's Fancy Party").[148] The album features guest vocals from Nick Offerman as Ron Swanson and Jeff Tweedy as Scott Tanner.[147][149] Pratt stated on Rob Lowe's podcast Parks and Recollection that he was not involved with the project or its promotion.[150] On the weekly Billboard charts, The Awesome Album debuted at number 2 on Comedy Albums, number 11 on Heatseekers Albums, and number 17 on Top Album Sales.[151]

The Awesome Album[149]
No.TitleArtistLength
1."5,000 Candles in the Wind (Bye, Bye Lil Sebastian)"  
2."The Pit"  
3."Sex Hair"  
4."Catch Your Dream" (feat. Duke Silver)  
5."Two Birds Holding Hands"  
6."Ann Song"  
7."The Way You Look Tonight"  
8."Menace Ball"  
9."Remember"  
10."I Get A Kick Out Of You"  
11."Lovely Tonight"  
12."I've Got You Under My Skin"  
13."I Only Have Eyes For You"  
14."Pickled Ginger"Land Ho! 
15."Cold Water"Scott Tanner feat. Duke Silver 

Broadcast

[edit]

Parks and Recreation was broadcast in the 8:30 pm timeslot Thursdays on NBC, in the United States, during its first two seasons, as part of the network's Comedy Night Done Right line-up.[152][153][154] It was moved to a 9:30 pm timeslot during its third season, where it premiered as a mid-season replacement.[153] In September 2011, the show returned to its original 8:30 pm timeslot for the fourth season.[155] In 2012, the fifth season moved back to 9:30 pm on Thursdays.[156]

International

[edit]

In Australia, Parks and Recreation aired on Channel Seven's digital channel, 7mate.[157] In Canada, the series was simsubbed in most areas on City.[158] In India, it airs on Zee Café.[159] In the Philippines, it airs on Jack TV.[160] In South Africa, the show airs on Pay-TV operator M-Net.[161] In the UK, the show began airing on BBC Four in 2013. The first three seasons aired on this channel[162] before moving to Dave in the summer of 2015, starting with season 4.[163]

Syndication

[edit]

In March 2011, Universal Media Studios announced its intentions to sell the syndication rights to Parks and Recreation. Comedy Central, FX, and Spike were all described as possible contenders to buy the syndication rights.[164]

Syndicated episodes have aired on multiple cable networks including NBCUniversal owned Esquire Network (after relaunching from Style) and WGN America.[165][166] The pilot episode also served as the first official broadcast of FX sister network, FXX, when it launched on September 2, 2013, followed by an all-day marathon, marking the first time the NBC comedy appeared off-network.[167] The series debuted on Comedy Central in the United States on January 21, 2019, and select episodes were available to stream on their website and app.[168] Comedy Central has the rights to air Parks and Recreation through 2024.[169] In June 2020, the show also began airing on IFC in the United States, which they had the rights to until 2024.[170]

Streaming

[edit]

By 2018, Parks and Recreation was available for streaming on Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video.[171] Viewership on Hulu increased by 32% in 2017 over the previous year.[172] According to Nielsen data, Parks and Recreation was one of the ten most-streamed shows on Netflix in 2018 based on time spent watching.[173] Analytics from Jumpshot measured Parks and Recreation as the show with the third most views for 2018.[174]

In September 2019, it was announced that Parks and Recreation would leave those services for Peacock, NBCUniversal's then-forthcoming streaming service, in October 2020.[175] Variety reported the streaming deal was worth nine figures.[169] A limited number of rotating episodes were also available through the Comedy Central app and website.

2020 special episode

[edit]

In April 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, NBC announced they would air a new, special episode of the series, centered on Leslie trying to stay connected with the other current and former residents of Pawnee during social distancing. The series' cast returned for the special, which benefited Feeding America's COVID-19 response. The special episode aired on April 30, 2020.[176]

According to Schur, the special took about three weeks to complete. Morgan Sackett, who previously directed episodes of the series, was asked to direct, and many of the original writers on the series (including Megan Amram, Dave King, Joe Mande, Aisha Muharrar, Matt Murray, and Jen Statsky) created the script in three days. The cast members were sent camera rigs and iPhones to record their parts, taking four days to do so. The visual effects team from the series The Good Place (also created by Schur) provided visual effects on the special to help "make it look like not everyone was just sitting alone in their houses staring at their computers".[79][177]

Reception

[edit]

Critical response

[edit]
Critical response of Parks and Recreation
SeasonRotten TomatoesMetacritic
168% (37 reviews)[178]58 (25 reviews)[179]
296% (23 reviews)[180]71 (7 reviews)[181]
3100% (23 reviews)[182]83 (7 reviews)[183]
4100% (20 reviews)[184]
596% (24 reviews)[185]
696% (23 reviews)[186]
789% (27 reviews)[187]
Special100% (26 reviews)[188]89 (14 reviews)[189]

The first season of Parks and Recreation started to receive criticism before the premiere episode aired. According to a March 18, 2009 report that was leaked to writer Nikki Finke, focus groups responded poorly to a rough-cut version of the pilot.[70][190] Many focus group members felt the show was a "carbon copy" of The Office. Some found it predictable, slow-paced, and lacking in character development; others said the show lacked strong male characters, particularly a "datable" lead.[190] Schur insisted the pilot had been completely re-edited at least four times since the focus groups described in the report were held.[67] Nevertheless, the early feedback left many critics and industry observers skeptical about the show's chances of success.[75][70]

After it aired, the first season received generally mixed reviews; it holds a Metacritic score of 58 out of 100.[179][191][192] Many critics said the series was too similar to The Office,[70][4][75] and several commentators said Knope too closely resembled Michael Scott, the dimwitted protagonist of The Office. Some critics said the show's characters and overall tone were too mean-spirited in the early episodes,[71][193] and although reviewers praised various cast members in individual episodes, some said the supporting characters in general needed to be more fully developed and provided with better material.[194][195] The season finale "Rock Show" received far better reviews, with several commentators declaring that Parks and Recreation had finally found the right tone both generally and for the Leslie Knope character in particular.[87][196]

The 2009–10 season of NBC's Parks and Recreation, which followed a lukewarm six-episode run in the spring of 2009, was probably the most impressive comeback in the history of broadcast comedy. In a single season, it went from a show that was widely shrugged off as the product of talented people in the wrong project to one that made many, many lists of the best shows of the year.

Linda Holmes, NPR[197]

Season two was better received and holds a Metacritic score of 71 out 100, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[181][198][35] Several publications declared it among the best shows of 2009 including the Los Angeles Times,[199] the Chicago Tribune,[200] Time,[201][202] Entertainment Weekly,[203] GQ,[204] New York magazine,[205] The Star-Ledger,[206] the San Francisco Chronicle,[207] the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,[208] Paste magazine,[209] IGN,[210] and TV Squad.[211] Several reviewers called the second season one of the most impressive comebacks in television history.[196][197][212] Some reviewers said the supporting cast was now working with better material and that Amy Poehler's character had improved and become less over-the-top and more human than in the first season.[136][191] Others praised the decision to drop subplots from season one that risked becoming stale, like Leslie's long-standing crush on Mark,[71][192] as well as the decision to fill in the pit during the second season, which some commentators said freed the show up for more stories and better scripts.[5][71]

The critical acclaim continued into the third season, which holds a Metacritic score of 83 out of 100, indicating "universal acclaim".[183] Steve Heisler of The A.V. Club said although he considered Parks and Recreation the funniest sitcom on television during its second season, "it somehow got even better" during the third.[20] Henry Hanks of CNN called it "a near-flawless season".[213] In TIME magazine's 2012 year-end top 10 lists, Parks and Recreation was named the top TV series.[2]

Parks and Recreation featured on the February 11, 2011 cover of Entertainment Weekly, which called it, "the smartest comedy on TV." The magazine included an article called "101 Reasons to Love Parks and Recreation."[214]

Poehler said the first season struggled in part due to extremely high expectations from comparisons to The Office. After the first season ended, she said, "I think it was something we had to work through in the beginning, and I'm kind of hoping we're on the other side of that and people will start to judge the show on its own, for what it is and realize it's just a completely different world in a similar style."[215] Likewise, Schur said he believed much of the early criticism stemmed from the fact audiences were not yet familiar with the characters, and he thought viewers who revisited the episodes would enjoy them more with a better understanding of the characters.[20]

Poehler received wide praise for her performance from the beginning of the series; several reviewers, even those who did not enjoy the show, said her talent, timing and likability helped elevate the series above some of its flaws. Daniel Carlson of The Hollywood Reporter, who felt the season needed some time to mature, wrote that Poehler was its strongest element and that "she proves instantly she's got the comic intelligence to carry a series like this one".[216]

Offerman received particularly strong praise for his minimalist and understated performance as Ron Swanson, whom many considered the show's breakout character. Steve Heisler of GQ magazine wrote that Offerman's role as Ron Swanson was a major part of the show's "creative resurgence".[217] By the end of the second season, the character had taken on a cult status;[138][218] Jonah Weiner of Slate magazine declared Swanson "Parks and Recreation's secret weapon".[71]

April and Plaza's portrayal received critical praise, and April was considered a break out character.[219][220][221] The New York Times said that "All the characters were funny and well imagined, but Aubrey Plaza was particularly memorable as April".[222] On the character's cultural impact, Vanity Fair regarded April as "an avatar for millennial jadedness and skepticism".[223] The Daily Beast wrote that Plaza was "one of the greatest elements" of the series, and beyond comedic delivery she also brought "pathos" to the character.[220]

Reviewers also consistently praised the performances by supporting actors Aziz Ansari as Tom Haverford and Chris Pratt as Andy Dwyer. Jonah Weiner of Slate said he did not enjoy the first season, but that "the brightest spot was Aziz Ansari as Leslie's subordinate Tom Haverford. In Ansari's hands, Tom came wickedly alive as a faux player".[71] Scott Meslow of The Atlantic said Ansari "has somehow found a way to make Tom petulant, sexist, and materialistic without ever being unlikable."[224] New York magazine writer Steve Kandell said, along with Ron Swanson, Andy Dwyer usually steals the episodes he appears in.[225]

Cultural and political impact

[edit]

In 2019, Parks and Recreation was ranked 54th on The Guardian's list of the 100 best TV shows of the 21st century.[226] Vox and the Rolling Stone both named Parks and Recreation as the television show that "defined" the cultural zeitgeist of the Obama Presidency.[227]

Alan Sepinwall wrote in Rolling Stone:

Few series in recent memory have been as clearly tied to a moment — and, specifically, a presidential administration — as Parks and Rec. The show's belief in the power of government to make people's lives better — and, more broadly, in the obligation members of a community (be they friends, family, or, as Ron Swanson once put it, "workplace proximity associates") have to help one another in times of need — made it the standard-bearer for the hopefulness of the Obama era.[228]

The conservative political magazine National Review argues;

Even television shows that are legitimately funny, such as NBC's Parks and Recreation, are designed to flatter the sensibilities of those in charge. In Parks and Rec, self-proclaimed nerds and wonks have adopted liberal bureaucratic functionary and occasional elected official Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) as one of their own. Her overeager chirpiness and her constant ability to one-up her hyper-libertarian boss mark her as a role model for those who believe that government is a force for good rather than a necessary evil.[229]

U.S. News & World Report commented on the series finale:

Parks and Recreation never lost the Obama-like belief in government powered by goodwill and consensus. But the obstructionism of the Obama years made this vision seem fantastical, stoking a desire for hardheaded partisans who would get things done.[230]

Time magazine's television critic James Poniewozik argued:

Parks became network TV's best and brightest sitcom by embodying the slogan that all politics is local....But there's a big idea in Parks' small-scale vision. In the frame of today's politics, it might be a liberal notion, but it's one that for much of the 20th century was centrist, and even championed by Republicans like park lover Teddy Roosevelt: that we need government to do things the private sector can't or won't, like preserving public spaces.... Parks argues not only that we need our neighbors' help but that helping makes us better ourselves; it's in the small-town, populist tradition of Friday Night Lights and It's a Wonderful Life.[231]

Ratings

[edit]
Viewership and ratings per season of Parks and Recreation
Season Timeslot (ET) Episodes First aired Last aired TV season Viewership
rank
Avg. viewers
(millions)
Date Viewers
(millions)
Date Viewers
(millions)
1 Thursday 8:30 pm 6 April 9, 2009 (2009-04-09) 6.88[232] May 14, 2009 (2009-05-14) 4.29[233] 2008–09 96[234] 6.0[234]
2 24 September 17, 2009 (2009-09-17) 4.89[235] May 20, 2010 (2010-05-20) 4.57[236] 2009–10 108[237] 4.6[237]
3 Thursday 9:30 pm 16 January 20, 2011 (2011-01-20) 6.14[238] May 19, 2011 (2011-05-19) 3.72[239] 2010–11 116[240] 5.1[240]
4 Thursday 8:30 pm (1–10)
Thursday 9:30 pm (11–22)
22 September 22, 2011 (2011-09-22) 4.11[241] May 10, 2012 (2012-05-10) 3.42[242] 2011–12 134[243] 4.4[243]
5 Thursday 9:30 pm (1–9)
Thursday 8:30 pm (10–22)
22 September 20, 2012 (2012-09-20) 3.50[244] May 2, 2013 (2013-05-02) 2.99[245] 2012–13 111[246] 4.06[246]
6 Thursday 8:00 pm (1–9)
Thursday 8:30 pm (10–22)
22 September 26, 2013 (2013-09-26) 3.27[247] April 24, 2014 (2014-04-24) 2.71[248] 2013–14 115[249] 3.76[249]
7 Tuesday 8:00 pm & 8:30 pm[a] 13 January 13, 2015 (2015-01-13) 3.75[250] February 24, 2015 (2015-02-24) 4.15[251] 2014–15 119[252] 4.57[252]
  1. ^ All of season 7 (with the exception of one week) was aired in a double episode format - with two episodes airing back-to-back.

I would love it if our ratings went up and up, and we've done a pretty good job of making our show inviting and friendly, welcoming to new viewers. Other than that, I'm not sure what else we can do. It's very disconcerting.

Michael Schur[20]

Parks and Recreation struggled in the Nielsen ratings throughout its entire run on NBC.[20] The series premiere was seen by 6.88 million viewers,[232] which media outlets described as a strong opening, comparable to the average Nielsen ratings for 30 Rock, another Thursday-night show on NBC.[232][253] Viewership declined every week over the rest of the season,[70] culminating in a season low of 4.29 million viewers for the final episode.[233] Parks and Recreation ended the first season with an overall average rating of 5.97 million viewers, ranking 94th in a list of 193 network shows for the 2008–09 television season.[234] Low viewership presented a greater challenge for Parks and Recreation because NBC now trailed CBS, ABC, and Fox in the ratings, and the move of comedian Jay Leno from The Tonight Show to a variety show in NBC's 10:00 pm weeknight slot left less room on the network's primetime schedule.[66] At the end of the season, members of the cast and crew were stressed because they did not know whether the show would be renewed.[254][255]

Although Parks and Recreation achieved critical success during the second season, the show continued to suffer in the ratings.[71] By December 2009, the average episode viewership was 5.3 million viewers, which was lower than the average ratings for other Thursday-night NBC comedy shows like Community's 6.5 million viewers, 30 Rock's 7.3 million, and The Office's 10.1 million.[71] For the overall second season, Parks and Recreation had an overall average viewership of 4.6 million viewers, making it the 108th ranked network series for the 2009–10 season.[237] The poor ratings continued into the third season, which ended with an overall average rating of 5.1 million viewers, the 116th ranked network series of the 2010–11 television season.[240] Michael Schur partially attributed the continually low viewership to a decline in ratings for NBC in general, as well as changing viewer trends due to a large number of available channels.[20]

Despite the generally low ratings, Parks and Recreation was renewed for a sixth season on May 9, 2013.[256] NBC had a financial incentive to continue the series, as it owns the distribution rights via its NBCUniversal Television Distribution company: the sixth season put the series over the 100 episodes milestone, making it more viable for syndication.

Parks and Recreation : U.S. viewers per episode (millions)
SeasonEpisode numberAverage
123456789101112131415161718192021222324
16.886.025.265.074.734.295.38
24.894.094.674.754.534.924.804.914.584.554.804.904.634.364.884.984.614.554.634.474.034.034.284.574.60
36.145.834.955.034.334.594.085.155.164.884.715.064.553.544.273.725.07
44.114.334.153.993.904.003.663.683.693.644.094.253.493.603.453.433.773.663.463.173.263.423.74
53.503.273.533.463.343.463.522.993.273.923.943.763.183.072.953.002.933.153.353.342.592.993.30
63.273.273.143.233.273.033.032.812.813.433.052.983.032.522.952.723.052.672.562.392.712.712.93
73.753.253.873.303.482.973.453.062.472.942.474.154.153.26
Special3.643.64
Audience measurement performed by Nielsen Media Research[257]

Accolades

[edit]
Mike Schur accepts the Peabody for Parks and Recreation. He is joined on stage by Retta, Jim O'Heir, Aubrey Plaza, Aziz Ansari, Adam Scott, Nick Offerman and Amy Poehler at the 71st Annual Peabody Awards.

In 2010, Amy Poehler was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her work in the second season. Also that year, Parks and Recreation was nominated for the Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy and Individual Achievement in Comedy for Nick Offerman for his work in the second season.[258][259] The second-season premiere episode, "Pawnee Zoo", won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Individual Episode (in a Series without a Regular LGBT Character).[260][261] Also in 2010, Parks and Recreation received two nominations from Entertainment Weekly's EWwy Awards: Best Comedy Series and Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Offerman.[262]

In 2011, Parks and Recreation was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series and Amy Poehler received her second Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.[263][264] In June 2011, Parks and Recreation was nominated for three awards for the inaugural Critics' Choice Television Awards: Best Comedy Series, Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Poehler, and Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Nick Offerman.[265][266] Also that month, Parks and Recreation was nominated for four TCA Awards: Program of the Year, Outstanding Achievement in Comedy, and Individual Achievement in Comedy for Offerman and Poehler. Offerman hosted the TCA Awards ceremony that year.[267] In 2012, the series received a Peabody Award.[268] In January 2014, Poehler won her first Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Series Comedy.[269]

Home media

[edit]

The first season of Parks and Recreation was released on DVD in region 1 on September 8, 2009. The DVD included all six episodes, as well as an "Extended Producer's Cut" of the season finale, "Rock Show". The disc also included cast and crew commentary tracks for each episode, as well as about 30 minutes of deleted scenes.[270] The second season was released in a four-disc set in region 1 on November 30, 2010. They included extended episodes for "The Master Plan" and "Freddy Spaghetti", as well as two-and-a-half hours of deleted scenes, a third season preview, and additional video clips. Audio commentaries were recorded for the episodes "Sister City", "Ron and Tammy", "Hunting Trip", "Woman of the Year", "The Master Plan" and "Freddy Spaghetti".[271] The manufactoure-on-demand Blu-ray version of the complete series was released from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment on June 15, 2021.[272]

Potential revival

[edit]

In March 2019, during the tenth anniversary reunion at PaleyFest, the cast confirmed they would return for a revival of the series, if series creator Michael Schur "came up with an original, new idea". Schur stated, "I would never ever say never. The chance to do it again, should it arise, would be incredible, but we would only do it if we all felt like there was something compelling us to do it. If one single person said no, we wouldn't do it."[273]

Special

[edit]

In April 2020, the cast reprised their roles for a special episode that was created during the COVID-19 pandemic.[176] It first aired on NBC and raised funds for Feeding America.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Susman, Gary (May 12, 2013). "Discomfort Zone: 10 Great Cringe Comedies". Time. Archived from the original on June 2, 2022. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Poniewozik, James (December 4, 2012). "Top 10 TV Series – 1. Parks and Recreation". Time. Archived from the original on December 7, 2012. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  3. ^ a b Brown, Brigid (April 10, 2009). "TV Recap: Parks and Recreation – Pilot". Cinema Blend. Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d Sepinwall, Alan (April 9, 2009). ""Parks and Recreation" review – Sepinwall on TV". The Star-Ledger. Archived from the original on April 19, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c Fog, Henning (October 23, 2009). ""Parks and Recreation" recap: Kaboom!". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 12, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2010.
  6. ^ a b Martin, Denise (December 9, 2010). "On the Set: Parks and Recreation Plans to "Go Big or Go Home" in Season 3". TV Guide. Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  7. ^ a b Goldman, Eric (March 16, 2011). "Parks and Recreation: The Harvest Festival and Beyond". IGN. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  8. ^ Keller, Joel (March 25, 2011). "'Parks and Recreation' Season 3, Episode 8 Recap". HuffPost TV. Archived from the original on July 23, 2012. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
  9. ^ a b Busis, Hillary (April 15, 2011). "'Parks and Recreation': I now pronounce you man and ... wait, seriously?". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 1, 2022. Retrieved April 17, 2011.
  10. ^ a b c Sepinwall, Alan (May 19, 2011). "Interview: 'Parks and Recreation co-creator Mike Schur post-mortems season 3". HitFix. Archived from the original on October 19, 2017. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  11. ^ a b c Stanley, Alessandra (April 9, 2009). "Misguided, She Yearns to Guide". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 1, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
  12. ^ Dawidziak, Mark (April 7, 2009). "'Parks and Recreation': New NBC comedy is uneven but promising". The Plain Dealer. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  13. ^ a b c d e Schur, Michael (2009). Parks and Recreation: Season One: "Rock Show" (Audio commentary) (DVD). Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Archived from the original on November 12, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  14. ^ a b Tobias, Scott (April 23, 2009). "Parks and Recreation: "The Reporter"". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on June 12, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  15. ^ Snierson, Dan (May 19, 2011). "'Parks and Recreation' co-creator Mike Schur gives 10 hints about tonight's season finale". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  16. ^ a b c Snierson, Dan (January 27, 2011). "'Parks and Recreation' scoop: Amy Poehler and co-creator Mike Schur dish on Leslie's big gamble, romantic possibilities, and tonight's episode 'The Flu'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  17. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (January 15, 2010). "Parks and Recreation, "The Set Up": Will Arnett dates Leslie". The Star-Ledger. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  18. ^ Meslow, Scott (February 18, 2011). "'Parks and Recreation': (Awkward) Love Is in the Air". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2011.
  19. ^ Kandell, Steve (January 21, 2011). "Parks and Recreation Recap: Maintenance Mode". Vulture. Archived from the original on June 13, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Heisler, Steve (March 24, 2011). "Interview: Michael Schur". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  21. ^ "Parks and Recreation Season 3 Cast Photo". TV Equals. November 8, 2010. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  22. ^ a b c d Gordon, Seth (2009). Parks and Recreation: Season One: "Canvassing" (Audio commentary) (DVD). Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Archived from the original on November 12, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  23. ^ Gonzalez, Sandra (March 5, 2010). "'Parks and Recreation' recap: In time for the Oscars, wise thoughts from a mustachioed man". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  24. ^ Meslow, Scott (February 11, 2011). "'Parks and Recreation': Return of the Sex-Crazed Librarian Ex-Wife". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
  25. ^ Ryan, Maureen (February 23, 2011). "'Parks and Recreation' Co-Creator Talks Leslie, Ron, Tammy's Return and All Things Pawnee". HuffPost TV. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  26. ^ a b c d Schur, Michael (2009). Parks and Recreation: Season One: "The Reporter" (Audio commentary) (DVD). Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Archived from the original on November 12, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  27. ^ Porter, Rick (April 28, 2011). "'Parks and Recreation': Leslie Knope, warrior princess". ScreenerTV. Zap2it. Archived from the original on August 18, 2018. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  28. ^ Busis, Hillary (May 13, 2011). "'Parks and Recreation': Double your episodes, double your fun". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  29. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (November 5, 2009). "Parks and Recreation, "Ron and Tammy": Megan Mullally guests". The Star-Ledger. Archived from the original on April 19, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  30. ^ Still, Jennifer (May 19, 2011). "Nick Offerman: 'Mullally made my life amazing'". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  31. ^ a b Porter, Rick (March 18, 2010). "'Parks and Recreation': Andy Samberg and guest-star philosophy". Zap2it. Archived from the original on March 3, 2014. Retrieved March 22, 2010.
  32. ^ Monez, Mindy (February 10, 2011). "Parks & Recreation: We talk to the real Ron and Tammy Swanson". Television Without Pity. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  33. ^ a b c d e f Fowler, Matt (April 24, 2014). "Pawnee: Home of the Architect". IGN. Archived from the original on April 26, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  34. ^ Pierce, Leonard (October 15, 2009). "Parks and Recreation: "Sister City"". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on February 18, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  35. ^ a b Dos Santos, Kristin (November 17, 2009). "Will Arnett Coming to Parks and Recreation!". E! Online. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  36. ^ Snierson, Dan (July 11, 2013). "'Parks and Recreation': Kristen Bell to guest". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 2, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  37. ^ Fowler, Matt (October 23, 2009). "Parks and Recreation: "Kaboom" Review". IGN. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  38. ^ a b McGlynn, Katla (February 18, 2011). "Nick Kroll & Matt Besser Play Wacky Morning DJs On 'Parks & Recreation'". HuffPost. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  39. ^ Martin, Vanessa (October 4, 2013). "Chris Bosh Plays A 'High Schooler' On 'Parks And Recreation' (VIDEO)". HuffPost. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  40. ^ a b c Sepinwall, Alan (September 24, 2009). "Parks and Recreation, "Stakeout": Burger me!". The Star-Ledger. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  41. ^ Ausiello, Michael (July 27, 2013). "Parks and Recreation Exclusive: Sam Elliott Cast as Ron Swanson's Eagleton Doppelganger". TV Line. Archived from the original on July 30, 2013. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  42. ^ a b c Sepinwall, Alan (February 3, 2011). "Review: 'Parks and Recreation' – 'Time Capsule': Twilight time". HitFix. Uproxx. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  43. ^ Tucker, Ken (March 26, 2010). "'Parks and Recreation' recap: Chewing bacon and eyebrows". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  44. ^ a b Fowler, Matt (February 12, 2010). "Parks and Recreation: "Galentine's Day" Review". IGN. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  45. ^ Zaldivar, Gabe (November 21, 2013). "Cast of 'Parks and Recreation' Hang with Andrew Luck and Colts for NFL's Play 60". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on July 18, 2018. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  46. ^ VanDerWerff, Emily (May 14, 2010). "Parks and Recreation: "The Master Plan"". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  47. ^ a b Martin, Denise (May 4, 2011). "Parks and Recreations Parker Posey on Playing Leslie's Frenemy: "Dreams Do Come True!"". TV Guide. Archived from the original on October 19, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  48. ^ "Roy Hibbert to Appear on 'Parks and Recreation'". September 28, 2011. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  49. ^ Heisler, Steve (May 6, 2010). "Parks and Recreation: "Telethon"". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  50. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (July 24, 2013). "'Parks and Recreation' Enlists Henry Winkler as Jean-Ralphio's Father (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 25, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  51. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (April 24, 2014). "Season finale review: 'Parks and Recreation' – 'Moving Up'". HitFix. Uproxx. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  52. ^ Escobedo Shepherd, Julianne (December 30, 2014). "Parks & Rec Is Ending ... But Paul Rudd's Bobby Newport Is Back!". Jezebel. Archived from the original on January 6, 2015. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
  53. ^ Derschowitz, Jessica (November 16, 2012). "Joe Biden guest stars on "Parks and Recreation"". CBS News. Archived from the original on August 7, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  54. ^ a b c Day, Patrick Kevin (September 21, 2012). "John McCain, Barbara Boxer, Olympia Snowe cameo on 'Parks and Rec'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 20, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  55. ^ Harnick, Chris (December 4, 2012). "Newt Gingrich On 'Parks And Rec': NBC Comedy Writes In Politician". HuffPost. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  56. ^ Ng, Philiana (February 27, 2014). "Michelle Obama to Appear on 'Parks and Recreation'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 28, 2014. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  57. ^ Shepherd, Julianne Escobedo. "Madeleine Albright Loved Her Waffle Date With Leslie Knope". Jezebel. Archived from the original on January 8, 2017. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  58. ^ "ABC Medianet". ABC. May 27, 2009. Archived from the original on August 12, 2009. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
  59. ^ Gorman, Bill (June 16, 2010). "Final 2009–10 Broadcast Primetime Show Average Viewership". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
  60. ^ Gorman, Bill (June 1, 2011). "2010–11 Season Broadcast Primetime Show Viewership Averages". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on June 25, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
  61. ^ Gorman, Bill (May 24, 2012). "Complete List Of 2011–12 Season TV Show Viewership: 'Sunday Night Football' Tops, Followed By 'American Idol,' 'NCIS' & 'Dancing With The Stars'". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on May 27, 2012. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  62. ^ Patten, Dominic (May 23, 2013). "Full 2012-2013 TV Seasons Series Rankings". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
  63. ^ "Full 2013-14 Series Rankings". Deadline Hollywood. May 23, 2014. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
  64. ^ "Full 2014-15 Series Rankings". Deadline Hollywood. May 22, 2015. Archived from the original on May 23, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  65. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (May 1, 2020). "SHOWBUZZDAILY'S Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals 4.30.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on May 1, 2020. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  66. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Itzkoff, Dave (March 26, 2009). "It's Not 'The Office.' The Boss Is a Woman". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 11, 2009.
  67. ^ a b c d e f Leitch, Will (April 5, 2009). "The Poehler Effect". New York. Archived from the original on May 10, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  68. ^ a b c d Schur, Michael (2010). Parks and Recreation: Season Two: "The Master Plan" (Audio commentary) (DVD). Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Archived from the original on November 12, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  69. ^ Snierson, Dan (2011). "The 101 Reasons We Love Parks and Recreation". Entertainment Weekly. No. 1142. pp. 43–49.
  70. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Martin, Denise (November 18, 2009). "Making bureaucracy work: How NBC's "Parks and Recreation" overcame bad buzz". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  71. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Weiner, Jonah (December 2, 2009). "You really should be watching NBC's Parks and Recreation". Slate.com. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  72. ^ Lloyd, Robert (April 9, 2009). ""Parks and Recreation": The Amy Poehler vehicle "Parks and Recreation" is a charming sapling that just may take root". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved April 11, 2009.
  73. ^ Stelter, Brian (February 2, 2009). "Poehler's Sitcom: "Parks and Recreation"". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 24, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  74. ^ a b "Parks and Recreation at PaleyFest LA 2014: Full Conversation". The Paley Center for Media. April 27, 2020. Retrieved July 16, 2024 – via YouTube.
  75. ^ a b c Stasi, Linda (April 9, 2009). "Raiders of the Lost 'Park': Amy Poehler quit "SNL" for "Parks and Recreation"". New York Post. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  76. ^ Grossberg, Josh (September 16, 2008). "Amy Poehler Moves Up SNL Exit". E! Online. Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  77. ^ a b Sepinwall, Alan (July 21, 2008). "Sepinwall on TV: Leno undercover, 'Office' non-spin-off". The Star-Ledger. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  78. ^ a b "'Parks and Recreation' Cast Bids Farewell to Rashida Jones and Rob Lowe and We Cry With Them". E! Online. January 31, 2014. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  79. ^ a b c D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 28, 2020). "'Parks And Recreation': EP Mike Schur Teases COVID-19 Special, Explains Why This Is Likely A One-Off & Why Remote Isn't "Sustainable Method For Making TV"". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  80. ^ Schneider, Paul (2009). Parks and Recreation: Season One: "The Reporter" (Audio commentary) (DVD). Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Archived from the original on November 12, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  81. ^ a b Martin, Denise (March 12, 2010). "'Parks and Recreation': Mike Schur tells us why Paul Schneider is leaving the show, plus more details on Adam Scott and Rob Lowe". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 8, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  82. ^ Burger, Mark (April 11, 2012). "Talking shop with the stars and luminaries of the 2012 RiverRun Film Festival". Yes! Weekly. Archived from the original on April 27, 2014. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  83. ^ "Taking Over the 'World'". August 12, 2010. Archived from the original on July 23, 2024. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  84. ^ "Aubrey Plaza Takes Quite A Trip In". NPR. June 5, 2012. Archived from the original on June 3, 2024. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  85. ^ Conan O'Brien (August 15, 2022). "Aubrey Plaza". Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend (Podcast). Team Coco. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  86. ^ Foggatt, Tyler (February 17, 2023). "Aubrey Plaza in Real Life". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  87. ^ a b c d e Sepinwall, Alan (September 17, 2009). "Parks and Recreation: Interviewing co-creator Mike Schur". The Star-Ledger. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  88. ^ Martin, Denise (March 4, 2010). "'Party Down' star Adam Scott joins the cast of NBC's 'Parks and Recreation'; plus, more details on Rob Lowe". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 12, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  89. ^ Bland, Simon (May 14, 2019). "How we made Parks and Recreation, by Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman and Mike Schur". The Guardian. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  90. ^ Ruby, Jeff (September 25, 2013). "The Delicious Life of Nick Offerman". Chicago Magazine. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  91. ^ Dos Santos, Kristin (March 3, 2010). "Rob Lowe is Coming to Parks and Recreation, the Big Boss Confirms". E! Online. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  92. ^ Rice, Lynette (July 30, 2011). "Rob Lowe joins 'Parks and Recreation' as a series regular". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 19, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  93. ^ "'Parks And Rec' Prepares To Say Goodbye To Rashida Jones & Rob Lowe". Huffpost TV. November 13, 2013. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  94. ^ "Parks and Recreation Season 3 Cast Photo". TV Equals. November 8, 2010. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  95. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (February 27, 2014). "Review: 'Parks and Recreation' – 'Anniversaries'". Hitfix. Uproxx. Archived from the original on March 4, 2014. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  96. ^ Wagner, Curt (March 17, 2011). "NBC renews 'Community,' 'Parks & Rec,' 'The Office;' Syfy keeps 'Being Human'". RedEye. Archived from the original on July 18, 2013. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
  97. ^ Wilson, Rainn (2009). The Office: Season Five: "The Duel" (Audio commentary) (DVD). Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Archived from the original on June 7, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  98. ^ Fritz, Steve (November 9, 2009). "Mike Scully discusses "The Simpsons" and growing up in West Springfield". The Springfield Republican. Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  99. ^ a b c d e f g Schur, Michael (2009). Parks and Recreation: Season One: "Pilot" (Audio commentary) (DVD). Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Archived from the original on November 12, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  100. ^ Jones, Rashida (2009). Parks and Recreation: Season One: "Rock Show" (Audio commentary) (DVD). Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Archived from the original on November 12, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  101. ^ a b "Parks and Recreation – Credits". Universal Media Studios. 2010. Archived from the original on May 13, 2013. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
  102. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Daniels, Greg (2009). Parks and Recreation: Season One: "Pilot" (Audio commentary) (DVD). Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Archived from the original on November 12, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  103. ^ Schur, Michael (2010). Parks and Recreation: Season Two: "Sister City" (Audio commentary) (DVD). Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Archived from the original on November 12, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  104. ^ Heisler, Steve (February 3, 2011). "Parks and Recreation: "Time Capsule"". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  105. ^ a b Sepinwall, Alan (January 19, 2011). "Interview: 'Parks and Recreation' star Amy Poehler previews season three". HitFix. Uproxx. Archived from the original on July 30, 2017. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  106. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (February 19, 2015). "'Parks and Rec' history, Part 2: Bill Murray, Burt Macklin & more". UPROXX. Archived from the original on June 2, 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  107. ^ McEvoy, Colin (March 22, 2010). "'Parks and Recreation' screenwriter Norm Hiscock discusses the NBC show's comeback, gay penguin marriage". The Express-Times. p. B3. Archived from the original on August 12, 2011. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  108. ^ Rizzo, Carita (June 7, 2010). "A day in the life of "Parks and Recreation" writers". Reuters. Archived from the original on November 6, 2018. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  109. ^ LeBlanc, Will (June 4, 2010). "The Office Director Making Feature Debut With Late Bloomer". Cinema Blend. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  110. ^ Collis, Clark (February 28, 2011). "Oscars 2011: Director Troy Miller talks about making last night's opening spoof movie". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 6, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  111. ^ MacIntyre, April (February 28, 2010). "Matt Walsh and Ian Roberts are a couple of 'Players' for Spike, interview". Monsters and Critics. Archived from the original on June 28, 2012. Retrieved June 15, 2011.
  112. ^ Kit, Borys (February 17, 2010). ""Freaks and Geeks" creator wedded to Wiig comedy". Reuters. Archived from the original on September 2, 2018. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  113. ^ Vega, Tanzina (May 3, 2011). "Hertz Uses Mascot in Effort to Make Rental Cars Cool". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  114. ^ Gilbert, Megan (May 2, 2011). "Parker Posey guests on "Parks and Rec" this week; go behind the scenes!". Laughspin. Archived from the original on February 21, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  115. ^ Amy Poehler (2009). Parks and Recreation: Season One: "Boys' Club" (Audio commentary) (DVD). Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Archived from the original on November 12, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  116. ^ a b Michael Schur (2009). Parks and Recreation: Season One: "Boys' Club" (Audio commentary) (DVD). Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Archived from the original on November 12, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  117. ^ Fischer, Russ (February 24, 2011). "Charles McDougall Signs to Direct Steve Carell in 'Burt Wonderstone'". /Film. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  118. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (May 14, 2009). "Parks and Recreation, "Rock Show": Reviewing the season finale". The Star-Ledger. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  119. ^ Fowler, Matt (November 18, 2009). "Parks and Recreation's Cast Speaks Out". IGN. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  120. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (February 23, 2015). "How 'Parks and Recreation' found all-time greatness in simple goodness". Uproxx. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  121. ^ Fog, Henning (September 18, 2009). ""Parks and Recreation" recap: Change we can believe in". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  122. ^ Heisler, Steve (October 8, 2009). "Parks and Recreation: Season 2: Episode 4: "The Practice Date"". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  123. ^ a b Sepinwall, Alan (September 29, 2011). "How a 'Parks and Recreation' pitch becomes a joke, part 2: Mike Schur Q&A". HitFix. Archived from the original on February 8, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  124. ^ Hinckley, David (May 13, 2010). "'Parks and Recreation' adds Rob Lowe and Adam Scott for storyline and 'meat' effect". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on April 2, 2019. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  125. ^ Kandell, Steve (March 18, 2011). "Parks and Recreation Recap: Awesomesauce!". New York. Archived from the original on June 12, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  126. ^ a b Poehler, Amy (2009). Parks and Recreation: Season One: "The Banquet" (Audio commentary) (DVD). Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Archived from the original on November 12, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  127. ^ a b Schur, Michael (2010). Parks and Recreation: Season Two: "Freddy Spaghetti" (Audio commentary) (DVD). Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Archived from the original on November 12, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  128. ^ Dos Santos, Kristin (February 18, 2009). "Amy Poehler's New Show Starts Today". E!. Archived from the original on February 12, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  129. ^ Tan, Jennie (April 9, 2009). "Parks and Recreation set". OfficeTally. Archived from the original on December 31, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
  130. ^ a b Porter, Rick (March 18, 2011). "'Parks and Recreation': Well done, Leslie. Well done". Zap2it. Archived from the original on February 1, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  131. ^ a b Miller, Bruce R. (March 25, 2011). "'Parks and Rec' filled with more than laughs". Sioux City Journal. Archived from the original on March 20, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  132. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (March 17, 2011). "Review: 'Parks and Recreation' – 'Harvest Festival': Curses!". HitFix. Uproxx. Archived from the original on January 24, 2018. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  133. ^ a b c Masters, Megan (November 11, 2010). "Why Is Parks and Recreation Still Gone?! Show Boss Talks Delayed Return & When to Expect Season Three". E! Online. Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  134. ^ a b Sepinwall, Alan (May 16, 2010). "NBC's 2010–11 schedule: Still paying the price for 'The Jay Leno Show'". HitFix. Uproxx. Archived from the original on July 29, 2017. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  135. ^ Rice, Lynette (November 15, 2010). "NBC schedules six comedies on Thursdays; debuts 'The Cape' and 'Harry's Law', and brings back 'Parks & Recreation'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 23, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  136. ^ a b c Porter, Rick (January 19, 2011). "'Parks and Recreation': Amy Poehler on Season 3, Leslie and Ben and more". Zap2it. Archived from the original on September 19, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  137. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (January 19, 2011). "Review: NBC's 'Parks and Recreation' returns strong for season 3". HitFix. Archived from the original on December 5, 2017. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  138. ^ a b Egner, Jeremy (January 20, 2011). "Amy Poehler on the Return (Finally) of 'Parks and Recreation'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  139. ^ "State of composing for television as dictated by Neophonic and NBC". Movie Music for Dummies. Blogspot. March 18, 2009. Archived from the original on March 6, 2014. Retrieved February 22, 2013.
  140. ^ Wolk, Josh (September 1, 2011). "Parks and Recreation Showrunner Michael Schur Gives a Master Class on His Favorite Comedy, Cheers". Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  141. ^ a b Grieving, Tim (May 1, 2020). "Parks and Rec Fans Can Thank This Musician-Comedian for '5,000 Candles in the Wind'". Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  142. ^ a b Fowler, Matt (October 20, 2009). "In the Pit with Parks and Recreation's Andy". IGN. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  143. ^ Kandell, Steve (May 7, 2010). "Parks and Recreation Recap: Diabetes, Yuck!". New York. Archived from the original on June 12, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  144. ^ Heisler, Steve (February 11, 2010). "Parks and Recreation: "Galentine's Day"". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  145. ^ Fischer, Reed (May 20, 2011). "With "5,000 Candles in the Wind," Li'l Sebastian Tops Elton John's Ode to Princess Diana". New Times Broward–Palm Beach. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  146. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (May 1, 2020). "Watch 'Parks and Recreation' Cast Reunite to Perform '5,000 Candles in the Wind'". Variety. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  147. ^ a b Shanfield, Ethan (May 19, 2021). "'Parks and Recreation' Band Mouse Rat to Release 'The Awesome Album'". Variety. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
  148. ^ Blistein, Jon (June 2, 2021). "Chris Pratt's Fictional 'Parks and Recreation' Band Mouse Rat Drops Official Singles". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  149. ^ a b Moore, Sam (August 27, 2021). "'Parks and Recreation"s Mouse Rat release long-awaited 'The Awesome Album'". NME. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  150. ^ Rossignol, Derrick (October 20, 2021). "Chris Pratt Says He Wasn't Told About The Real Mouse Rat Album In Advance And Refused To Promote It". Uproxx. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  151. ^ Zellner, Xander (September 8, 2021). "'Awesome'! 'Parks and Recreation' Band Mouse Rat Makes Billboard Chart Debut". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
  152. ^ "Amy Poehler in prime time in "Parks and Recreation" is a Thursday TV pick". The Seattle Times. April 9, 2009. Archived from the original on March 27, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  153. ^ a b Sepinwall, Alan (November 15, 2010). "Why NBC made the right call in putting 'Parks and Recreation' on after 'The Office'". HitFix. Archived from the original on July 30, 2017. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  154. ^ "Shows A-Z - parks & recreation on nbc". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  155. ^ Gorman, Bill (May 15, 2011). "NBC 2011–12 Primetime Schedule Announced". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on January 31, 2016. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
  156. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (May 17, 2012). "Fall TV 2012: The Full Schedule". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  157. ^ Knox, David (August 19, 2010). "New channel coming: 7mate". 7mate. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  158. ^ Harris, Bill (July 30, 2010). "'30 Rock' to air live episode". Toronto Sun. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
  159. ^ Dutt, Tashica (June 11, 2011). "English medium". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on July 11, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  160. ^ "The Latest Seasons of 'The Office' and 'Parks and Recreation' on Jack TV". ClickTheCity.com. March 12, 2010. Archived from the original on July 29, 2012. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  161. ^ "Parks and Recreation". TVSA. June 2, 2009. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  162. ^ Clarke, Steve (November 21, 2012). "BBC4 buys 'Parks and Recreation'". Variety. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  163. ^ Sam Rigby (June 9, 2015). "Parks and Recreation seasons 4–7 are finally coming to UK screens on Dave". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  164. ^ Wallenstein, Andrew (March 16, 2011). "NBC eyes syndie pitch for 'Parks'". Variety. Archived from the original on March 7, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  165. ^ "PARKS & REC Among Esquire Network's New Programming Slate". Broadway World. April 16, 2013. Archived from the original on September 2, 2018. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  166. ^ Nordyke, Kimberly (January 23, 2013). "WGN America Nabs 'Parks and Recreation' Reruns (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 2, 2018. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  167. ^ Dionne, Zach (August 16, 2013). "FXX Will Launch With a Labor Day Parks and Recreation Marathon". Vulture. Archived from the original on September 2, 2018. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  168. ^ Albiniak, Paige (December 20, 2018). "Comedy Central Acquires 'Parks and Recreation'". Broadcasting & Cable. Archived from the original on January 2, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  169. ^ a b Otterson, Joe (November 15, 2019). "Viacom Extends 'The Office,' 'Parks and Recreation' Syndication Deals". Variety. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  170. ^ IFC (May 21, 2020). "Parks and Recreation: Coming this June". Facebook. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  171. ^ Porter, Rick (December 20, 2018). "Comedy Central Nabs 'Parks and Recreation' in Latest Acquisition". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  172. ^ Feldman, Dana (December 18, 2017). "Hulu: How America Watched Television In 2017". Forbes. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  173. ^ Sharf, Zack (April 24, 2019). "Netflix Users Are Spending More Time Streaming 'The Office' Than Any Other Show — Report". IndieWire. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  174. ^ Clark, Travis (January 15, 2019). "NBC says it may eventually pull 'The Office' off Netflix to fuel its own streaming service". MSN. Business Insider. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  175. ^ Jarvey, Natalie (September 17, 2019). "'Parks and Recreation' Moving Exclusively to NBCUniversal Streamer". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  176. ^ a b Petski, Denise (April 23, 2020). "'Parks And Recreation' Returns To NBC As Cast Reunites For Benefit Special Amid Pandemic". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  177. ^ Jones, Marcus (April 29, 2020). "Everything we know about the Parks and Recreation reunion episode". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  178. ^ "Parks and Recreation: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  179. ^ a b "Parks and Recreation: Season 1". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on December 9, 2015. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  180. ^ "Parks and Recreation: Season 2". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  181. ^ a b "Parks and Recreation: Season 2". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on October 29, 2015. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  182. ^ "Parks and Recreation: Season 3". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  183. ^ a b "Parks and Recreation: Season 3". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on October 31, 2015. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  184. ^ "Parks and Recreation: Season 4". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  185. ^ "Parks and Recreation: Season 5". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  186. ^ "Parks and Recreation: Season 6". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  187. ^ "Parks and Recreation: Season 7". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  188. ^ "Parks and Recreation: A Parks and Recreation Special". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  189. ^ "A Parks and Recreation Special". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  190. ^ a b Finke, Nikki (March 25, 2009). "NBC's Bad Sitcom, Lionsgate's Badass Battle and Iatse's Badly Handled Contract". LA Weekly. Archived from the original on March 27, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  191. ^ a b Ausiello, Michael (October 25, 2009). "Fall's best and worst: "Modern Family," "Parks and Recreation," "90210," "SNL," and more!". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 12, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  192. ^ a b Havrilesky, Heather (November 4, 2009). "When did "Parks and Recreation" get so funny?". Salon.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  193. ^ Owen, Rob (April 9, 2009). "Comedy in "Parks" gets lost in translation". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on March 27, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  194. ^ Phipps, Keith (April 16, 2009). "Parks and Recreation: "Canvassing"". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  195. ^ Fowler, Matt (April 17, 2009). "Parks and Recreation: "Canvassing" Review". IGN. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  196. ^ a b Goodman, Tim (January 19, 2011). "Parks and Recreation – TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 5, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  197. ^ a b Holmes, Linda (January 20, 2011). "The Joyous, Wondrous, Wildly Overdue Return Of 'Parks And Recreation'". NPR. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  198. ^ Poniewozik, James (December 9, 2010). "The Top 10 Everything of 2010". Time. Archived from the original on September 25, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  199. ^ "Top 10 good things about TV in 2009". Los Angeles Times. December 20, 2009. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  200. ^ "Best TV shows of 2009". Chicago Tribune. December 15, 2009. Archived from the original on February 25, 2012. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
  201. ^ Poniewozik, James (December 8, 2009). "Top 10 TV Series: 10. (Tie) The Office / Parks and Recreation". Time. Archived from the original on December 30, 2019. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  202. ^ Poniewozik, James (December 9, 2010). "Top 10 Shows of 2010: The Best and the Rest". TIME. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  203. ^ Tucker, Ken (December 21, 2009). "Top 10? No! My top 20 TV shows of 2009". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  204. ^ Fierman, Dan (December 11, 2009). "Sitcom of the Year: Parks and Recreation". GQ. Archived from the original on April 18, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  205. ^ "Killer Dads and Family Comedies: The Best TV of 2009". New York. December 20, 2009. Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  206. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (November 19, 2009). "Parks and Recreation: Amy Poehler's 10 favorite moments (and one of mine)". The Star-Ledger. Archived from the original on April 19, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  207. ^ Goodman, Tim (December 14, 2009). "Positive trend – season's top comedies". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  208. ^ Owen, Rob (December 17, 2009). "Best TV of 2009". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on November 11, 2014. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  209. ^ Jackson, Josh (December 3, 2010). "The 20 Best TV Shows of 2010". Paste. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  210. ^ "Best Comedy Series: Parks and Recreation". IGN. December 14, 2009. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2010.
  211. ^ Ryan, Maureen (December 2, 2010). "The Best TV of 2010: The Top 10 Roster". HuffPost TV. Archived from the original on December 16, 2012. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  212. ^ Pennington, Gail (January 20, 2011). "Fun time! 'Parks and Rec' returns tonight". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on December 8, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2011.
  213. ^ Hanks, Henry (May 20, 2011). "Bye-bye, Li'l Sebastian on 'Parks and Rec'". CNN. Archived from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  214. ^ Snierson, Dan (February 10, 2011). "This week's cover: 101 Reasons to Love 'Parks and Recreation'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2011.
  215. ^ Amatangelo, Amy (May 15, 2009). "Amy Poehler's humor, vision go into "Parks" service". Boston Herald. Archived from the original on March 27, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  216. ^ Carlson, Daniel (April 7, 2009). "TV Review: Parks and Recreation". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  217. ^ "Q+A with Nick Offerman: Former Altar Boy, Current Carpenter, Ron "F-ing" Swanson". GQ. December 3, 2009. Archived from the original on May 10, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  218. ^ Porter, Rick (January 19, 2011). "Ron Swanson's cult-hero status". Zap2it. Archived from the original on September 15, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  219. ^ "Aubrey Plaza On Stage". New York Theatre Guide. Archived from the original on January 8, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  220. ^ a b "Aubrey Plaza Quietly Became One of Today's Best Actors". The Daily Beast. August 17, 2022. Archived from the original on April 9, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  221. ^ "Emmy spotlight: Aubrey Plaza ('Legion') is unexpected standout with dramatic turn opposite Dan Stevens". GoldDerby. Penske Media Corporation. April 18, 2017. Archived from the original on January 4, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  222. ^ "'Parks and Recreation' Finale Ends Show's Run, Sunny as Ever". The New York Times. February 24, 2015. Archived from the original on July 10, 2016. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  223. ^ "Aubrey Plaza on The White Lotus, Social Anxiety, Latinx Diversity, and the Glories of "Morbid Shit"". Vanity Fair. May 22, 2023. Archived from the original on June 30, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  224. ^ Meslow, Scott (April 22, 2011). "'Parks and Recreation': The Emmy for Most Awkward Performance Goes To ." The Atlantic. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  225. ^ Kandell, Steve (January 28, 2011). "Parks and Recreation Recap: A Bug's Life". New York. Archived from the original on October 5, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  226. ^ "The 100 best TV shows of the 21st century". The Guardian. September 13, 2019. Archived from the original on November 1, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  227. ^ VanDerWerff, Emily (January 19, 2017). "The past 10 presidencies, explained by the TV shows that defined them". Vox. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  228. ^ Sepinwall, Alan; Portwood, Jerry (July 5, 2020). "All the Presidents' TV Shows: Series That Defined Each Era". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  229. ^ Bunch, Sonny (September 22, 2014). "And Now You May Laugh". National Review. Archived from the original on June 2, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  230. ^ Hemmer, Nicole (March 3, 2015). "Do Liberals Want 'Parks and Rec' or 'House of Cards'?". National Review. Archived from the original on December 14, 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  231. ^ Poniewozik, James (January 22, 2015). "How Parks and Recreation Bet Against Cynicism and Won". Time. Archived from the original on March 24, 2021. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  232. ^ a b c "Weekly Program Rankings (Apr. 6-12)". ABC Medianet. ABC Medianet. April 14, 2009. Archived from the original on June 12, 2012. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  233. ^ a b Seidman, Robert (May 19, 2009). "Top NBC Primetime Shows, May 11-17, 2009". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on November 18, 2009. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  234. ^ a b c "SEASON RANKINGS (THROUGH 5/24)". ABC MediaNet. ABC. May 27, 2009. Archived from the original on April 27, 2010. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
  235. ^ Seidman, Robert (September 18, 2009). "Thursday night broadcast original final numbers". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on April 20, 2011. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  236. ^ Calabria, Rosario T. (May 20, 2011). "Broadcast TV Ratings for Thursday, May 19, 2011". Your Entertainment Now. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  237. ^ a b c Gorman, Bill (June 16, 2010). "Final 2009–10 Broadcast Primetime Show Average Viewership". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on May 6, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
  238. ^ Gorman, Bill (January 21, 2011). "Thursday Final Ratings: '$#*! My Dad Says' Adjusted Up, 'Bones' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on December 21, 2019. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  239. ^ Seidman, Robert (May 20, 2011). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'American Idol,' 'Big Bang,' 'The Office,' 'Grey's,' 'Mentalist' Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on December 12, 2019. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  240. ^ a b c Gorman, Bill (June 1, 2011). "2010–11 Season Broadcast Primetime Show Viewership Averages". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on August 28, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2011.
  241. ^ Seidman, Robert (September 23, 2011). "Thursday Finals: 'Big Bang Theory,' 'The X Factor,' 'Parks & Recreation' and 'Whitney' Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on July 6, 2019. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
  242. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (May 11, 2012). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'Big Bang Theory', 'Idol', 'Vampire Diaries', 'Office', 'Secret Circle', 'Grey's' Adjusted Up; 'Touch', 'Scandal' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
  243. ^ a b Gorman, Bill (May 24, 2012). "Complete List Of 2011–12 Season TV Show Viewership: 'Sunday Night Football' Tops, Followed By 'American Idol,' 'NCIS' & 'Dancing With The Stars'". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on May 28, 2012. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  244. ^ Bibel, Sara (September 21, 2012). "Thursday Final Ratings:'The X Factor' Adjusted Up; 'Wipeout', 'The Next' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on March 13, 2013. Retrieved February 22, 2013.
  245. ^ Bibel, Sara (May 3, 2013). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'The Big Bang Theory', 'American Idol', 'The Vampire Diaries', 'Two and a Half Men', 'Grey's Anatomy', 'Glee','Parks and Recreation' & 'Hannibal' Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on May 6, 2013. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  246. ^ a b Patten, Dominic (May 23, 2013). "Full 2012-2013 TV Seasons Series Rankings". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 19, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  247. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (September 27, 2013). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'The Big Bang Theory', 'The Michael J Fox Show' & 'The X Factor' Adjusted Up; 'The Crazy Ones' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 16, 2013. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  248. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (April 25, 2014). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'The Big Bang Theory' & 'The Vampire Diaries' Adjusted Up; 'The Millers' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 12, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  249. ^ a b Deadline Team, The (May 23, 2014). "Full 2013-14 Series Rankings". Archived from the original on March 26, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
  250. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (January 15, 2015). "Tuesday Final Ratings: 'Person of Interest' & 'NCIS: New Orleans' Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on April 8, 2020. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  251. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (February 25, 2015). "Tuesday Final Ratings: 'The Voice' Adjusted Up; 'NCIS', 'NCIS: New Orleans', 'Fresh of the Boat', 'New Girl' & 'TV's Hottest Commercials' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 11, 2019. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  252. ^ a b "Full 2014–15 Series Rankings". Deadline Hollywood. May 22, 2015. Archived from the original on March 19, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  253. ^ Ryan, Joal (April 10, 2009). "Parks and Rec's Solid Approval Rating". E!. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  254. ^ Dunn, Valeree (October 14, 2009). "Performer Spotlight on ... Retta". The UIS Journal. Archived from the original on August 5, 2012. Retrieved April 24, 2011.
  255. ^ Adalian, Josef (April 21, 2011). "The Vulture Transcript: Parks and Recs Chris Pratt on the Surprise Andy-April Wedding, With Bonus Revelations About His Co-stars". New York. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  256. ^ Parks and Recreation Renewed for Season 6. Archived January 12, 2014, at the Wayback Machine ismyshowcancelled.com on May 9, 2013.
  257. ^ For the fourth season, see "Parks and Recreation: Season Four Ratings". TV Series Finale. May 12, 2012. Retrieved November 5, 2017.

    For the fifth season, see "Parks and Recreation: Season Five Ratings". TV Series Finale. May 9, 2013. Retrieved November 5, 2017.


    For the sixth season, see "Parks and Recreation: Season Six Ratings". TV Series Finale. April 25, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2017.


    For the seventh season, see "Parks and Recreation: Season Seven Ratings". TV Series Finale. February 25, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2017.

  258. ^ "The Television Critics Association Announces 2010 TCA Awards Winners". Television Critics Association. 2010. Archived from the original on January 28, 2011. Retrieved January 25, 2011.
  259. ^ MacKenzie, Carina Adly (July 30, 2010). "Television Critics Award nominations: 'Glee' and 'Modern Family' showdown". Zap2it. Archived from the original on June 11, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  260. ^ "Award Recipients for the 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards". GLAAD Media Awards. March 2010. Archived from the original on July 25, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  261. ^ Ram, Archana (March 14, 2010). "'Brothers and Sisters' and 'Parks and Recreation' among winners at GLAAD Media Awards". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  262. ^ Slezak, Michael (August 12, 2010). "Emmy Snubs in Comedy? Vote to Make 'em EWwy Winners!". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 19, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  263. ^ "2011 Primetime Emmy Award nominees". USA Today. July 14, 2011. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  264. ^ de Moraes, Lisa (July 14, 2011). "Emmy nominations: Controversial 'Kennedy' miniseries snags multiple nods". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 9, 2013. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  265. ^ "'Family' up for 6 Critics' Choice Awards". United Press International. June 6, 2011. Archived from the original on March 27, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  266. ^ O'Neal, Sean (June 6, 2011). "The Critics' Choice Television Awards liked Community, Parks And Recreation, Justified, other shows TV critics like". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  267. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (June 13, 2011). "'Thrones,' 'Parks,' 'Justified' lead Television Critics Association Awards nominations". HitFix. Archived from the original on March 27, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  268. ^ Judkis, Maura (April 4, 2012). "'Game of Thrones,' CNN, Jeopardy among Peabody winners". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 17, 2016. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  269. ^ Harrison, Lily (January 12, 2014). "Amy Poehler Takes Home a Golden Globe, Tina Fey Throws Shade at Taylor Swift—Get the Scoop!". E! Online. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  270. ^ Murray, Noel (September 8, 2009). ""Crank: High Voltage"; "Fringe"; "Homicide"; "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency"". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 27, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  271. ^ Bailey, Jason (November 30, 2010). "Parks & Recreation: Season Two". DVD Talk. Archived from the original on March 12, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  272. ^ "Parks and Recreation: The Complete Series Blu-ray". Blu-ray.com. May 11, 2021. Archived from the original on May 11, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  273. ^ Moreau, Jordan (March 22, 2019). "'Parks and Recreation' Cast Talks Possibility of a Revival at 10th Anniversary Reunion". Variety. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
[edit]