Parks and Recreation

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domino harvey
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#151 Post by domino harvey » Sun Jan 27, 2013 6:22 pm

It's remarkable how Parks and Recreation expresses such deep-running and universal humanism while remaining one of the funniest shows on TV. I can't really think of any half-hour comedy past or present that delivers the consistent level of smart, observant character-based humor this show manages without sacrificing humor for emotion or coming off as cloying or manipulative in the process of exhibiting emotions. The series has more heart than most dramas, and allows its characters to grow and change and eventually do the right thing, subtly reaffirming the show's sly optimism

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Professor Wagstaff
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#152 Post by Professor Wagstaff » Sun Jan 27, 2013 8:36 pm

domino harvey wrote:I can't really think of any half-hour comedy past or present that delivers the consistent level of smart, observant character-based humor this show manages without sacrificing humor for emotion or coming off as cloying or manipulative in the process of exhibiting emotions.
I think Greg Daniels similarly brought that kind of humanity to King of the Hill while he worked on that show for its first six seasons. Several episodes during his run are true tearjerkers, compassionate and heartfelt while still bringing great laughs (the episode "Won't You Pimai Neighbor" from season 4 makes me cry each time I watch it).

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domino harvey
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#153 Post by domino harvey » Sun Jan 27, 2013 8:58 pm

King of the Hill certainly is up there, sure, but nowhere near the level of this show. I do think King of the Hill is a superb example of character-based comedy that excelled at taking characters and situations that initially appear hackneyed and cliche and moving them towards moments of well-observed truth, but King of the Hill is fundamentally much broader than even Parks at its wildest (not that I fault it too much for that-- it's a cartoon, after all!). And Daniels hits many of the same notes in the earlier Office episodes as well.

But it's really stunning how Parks and Recreation has been operating on all cylinders so consistently for so long, and the last handful of episodes in particular have really struck me for their willingness to let the central characters grow and change within the comedic framework provided. This is the rare comedy where the moments of sentiment can justly stick out on equal footing with the comedic setpieces-- "End of the World," I think, still stands unmatched for the series for earned emotional content, and the entire Bucketlist storyline is simultaneously one of the funniest and most moving of this or any series.

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Shrew
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#154 Post by Shrew » Mon Jan 28, 2013 10:13 pm

The recent bachelor party episode really encapsulates what make Parks great. Any other series would either have the men forcing Ben to do the stereotypical Bachelor thing and making him miserable or endless complaining about how his geeky party sucks. Instead we got something happy, hilarious, and true to the characters, winding up with what should be Chris Pratt's Emmy acceptance speech.

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Gregor Samsa
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#155 Post by Gregor Samsa » Tue Apr 09, 2013 2:38 pm

So like some of the other posters here (and yes, I'm still a little behind), I got around to watching Season 1 after finishing Season 3, and the difference in tone and quality is pretty startling. Watching the show repeatedly humiliate Leslie (even Jerry, who somehow escapes the remorseless teasing that soon develops) feels off-putting, and though its usual for comedies to be slower paced in their opening seasons, this one is just glacial at times. Its like parallel-universe Parks or something. I'm just glad it improved so dramatically afterwards.

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Alan Smithee
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#156 Post by Alan Smithee » Tue Apr 09, 2013 10:35 pm

I watched the show from the beginning and was really unimpressed with the first season. Stuck it through and I think it's the best comedy on tv today. So I watched the whole series again recently and indeed the first season was hard to take. I skipped the last few episodes and went to season 2. The thing that sets parks apart is it has a really nice spirit and doesn't go for crude laughs but is always funny without being lame. The first season is more mean spirited sometimes and Ron Swanson isn't really the same character at all.

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Gregory
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#157 Post by Gregory » Tue Apr 09, 2013 10:59 pm

The political swing I've noticed over the course of the series vis-a-vis Ron's role was, roughly: having his explcit politics in the foreground of the character, in most episodes; then in the past couple of seasons having Ron become only briefly and occasionally politcally vocal, and generally "likeable" to all viewers; then in the last few episodes, Ron's politics are placed front-and-center again but only as the series pokes more fun at government spending: the video store plot line and then the return of "Ice Town."

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Andre Jurieu
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#158 Post by Andre Jurieu » Wed Apr 10, 2013 11:19 am

Gregory wrote:... then in the last few episodes, Ron's politics are placed front-and-center again but only as the series pokes more fun at government spending: the video store plot line and then the return of "Ice Town."
I didn't really think the Ice Town stuff had much to do with Ron's political views, since he was relegated to the B-story involving Councilman Jamm suing him.

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Gregory
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#159 Post by Gregory » Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:02 pm

Not directly, no, but I can't help but link his political views to the Ice Town stuff as its such a caricature of reckless spending on things like publicly financed sports arenas.

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Gregor Samsa
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#160 Post by Gregor Samsa » Fri May 10, 2013 4:32 am


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mfunk9786
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#161 Post by mfunk9786 » Wed Jul 31, 2013 6:43 pm


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domino harvey
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#162 Post by domino harvey » Wed Jul 31, 2013 6:44 pm

Blaming Jerry for this

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swo17
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#163 Post by swo17 » Wed Jul 31, 2013 6:48 pm

I blame New Jerry.

Also, this from the comments section is pretty great:
It's not easy being white
It's not easy being brown
All this pressure to be bright
I've got children in Eagleton

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Murdoch
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#164 Post by Murdoch » Wed Jul 31, 2013 6:49 pm

So in Lowe's mind doing a Bill O'Reilly scripted TV movie is a step up from Parks and Rec?

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knives
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#165 Post by knives » Wed Jul 31, 2013 6:56 pm

I suspect that was largely a joke by the writer.

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Murdoch
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#166 Post by Murdoch » Wed Jul 31, 2013 6:59 pm


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domino harvey
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#167 Post by domino harvey » Wed Jul 31, 2013 7:02 pm

Don't forget Lowe left the West Wing while it was still running at peak performance. Maybe this means Parks and Rec will cast Joshua Malina too

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mfunk9786
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#168 Post by mfunk9786 » Wed Jul 31, 2013 7:23 pm

Don't try to console me right now. I'm mourning the loss of Ann Perkins in a very real way

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domino harvey
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#169 Post by domino harvey » Wed Jul 31, 2013 7:25 pm

Gross

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willoneill
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#170 Post by willoneill » Wed Jul 31, 2013 8:15 pm

domino harvey wrote:Don't forget Lowe left the West Wing while it was still running at peak performance. Maybe this means Parks and Rec will cast Joshua Malina too
He's way ahead of you

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domino harvey
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#171 Post by domino harvey » Wed Jul 31, 2013 8:17 pm

Haha I love that man

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Professor Wagstaff
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#172 Post by Professor Wagstaff » Wed Jul 31, 2013 9:24 pm

I can't wait for the episode when Joshua Malina bemoans the act of hunting deer to Ron Swanson.

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Gregor Samsa
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#173 Post by Gregor Samsa » Fri Aug 02, 2013 2:52 am



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mfunk9786
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Re: Parks and Recreation

#175 Post by mfunk9786 » Mon Oct 21, 2013 3:31 pm

Uggg. I can't blame NBC for wanting the ratings that something like The Voice brings for a little while, especially going up against football on Thursday nights (along with two world series games [including the possible Game 7]), but to delay a Halloween episode into November, and kill all momentum coming off of your best episode in a couple of years? So stupid.
Last edited by mfunk9786 on Mon Oct 21, 2013 3:43 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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