(S01E01) While at its heart, and based on its creators (Michael Schur and Greg Daniels of The Office), you can't help but compare Parks & Recreation to The Office. They both film in that mockumentary style, they both feature clueless leads, and they have some of the same comic sensibilities. But how many multi-camera family sitcoms were on the air back in the '80s? Seinfeld and Friends clones in the '90s? Crime procedurals in the '00s?
It doesn't matter if a show shares similar traits with another if it has a voice all its own. And as I indicated in my "Early Look" of Parks & Recreation, they even use the documentary-style camera work differently. But the real difference for me is in the work of Amy Poehler.
While Michael Scott (Steve Carell) is a clueless jackass, Poehler's Leslie Knope is sweet. She's also kind of clueless, yes, and would like to see herself as something greather than she is, but she really tries to do the right thing and genuinely cares about others. I wasn't completely sold on the idea that Poehler could carry a series, but at least in this role she proves that she can.
But when you have a lead who's "doofy but sweet" as Rashida Jones' Ann Perkins describes her, then you need to surround her with a supporting cast that has a clue. Even My Name Is Earl, which is peopled with the biggest dingbats on television since The Beverly Hillbillies, has "Crab-Man" Darnell. In this case, it looks like everyone around Leslie has a better grasp on reality that she does. And far less "sweet" demeanors.
A lot of the humor comes with subtlety on this show, which I like. Things like Leslie being pleased with the turnout at a town meeting, only when they pan out to the theater seats there's maybe 30 people there. Then, to pile it on, the lights are turned out in the auditorium as if there's no one there. Those "Michael Scott overconfident" moments can be seen throughout with Leslie, as when she was confronted at this meeting about a giant pit that's been left unattended for a year, she just impulsively declared that she would not only get the pit filled but would put a park on it. She has no reason to believe she'll be able to pull this off, but she believes she can. And so we root for her.
Aziz Ansari is masterful at playing the slacker dick. When the highlight of his day is when Leslie fell into a pit and he and the intern April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza) got pictures, it's pretty clear what kind of a person he is. He has no respect for Leslie, lies to make himself look better, and thinks he's all that with the ladies, too.
He even goes so far as to hit on Ann during that town hall meeting when she first brings up the pit that her boyfriend fell into it and broke both legs. Upon learning of the boyfriend, Tom says that she's probably ready to move on from him then because he's weak now. When asked if he was hitting on her, he denied it saying he was married, but then wanted to go away with her for the weekend to discuss the pit some more, as if oblivious to the fact that married people don't do that sort of thing. Or more likely, just not caring if its taboo. It's a slimy character, and Ansari just oozes it to perfection.
We didn't get much from the rest of the cast yet. Only Leslie's boss Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), who wants to privatize the department and worships at the feet of Coach Bobby Knight, had enough background presented to make him memorable. Should the show pick up a second season, it's going to need to find a more general focus beyond the pit, and figure out how to rope the Ann Perkins character more intimately into the ongoing plots, but for now they've got my attention.
I love shows that have a unique voice. Amy Poehler and Aziz Ansari have great chemistry on-screen, and Rashida Jones plays the perfect "straight man" to their antics. I trust the creators on this one to flesh out those other characters and keep the funny coming.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-10-2009 @ 6:07AM
Rohanv said...
The original office was great because that Cringe Comedy coupled with Gervais' mockumentary style was entirely innovative at the time. The characters, including Tim, were really not that likeable, and it was sometimes difficult to imagine being in the same room with them, and yet at the same time you recognized traits of them in people you knew, including yourself.
The American version channeled that, but just strove to make the characters a little less cringe worthy and a little more likeable, especially Pam and Jim, but also Kevin, Stanley, Creed and so on, in their own ways. And that original style slowly got weathered away to the show we have today that's either decent sitcom humour or attempts at cringe comedy that don't work anymore because we know the characters so well.
I went through the entire episode of P&R with only one real chuckle ("I'm what they call a redneck") because the characters felt the same as the American Office, just thinly disguised. More importantly, so did the comedy. I'm not sure how you identified the 'subtlety' on the show, but I didn't get that, in fact, it was a little blatant to me.
Maybe you're coming from having seen more episodes, where the show really sets itself apart, or I'm just being a silly curmudgeon, but you can't help having high expectations with a cast like this, and yet be worried about comparing it with the Office (not only in quality, but in actual content and form also).
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4-10-2009 @ 6:50AM
B said...
"A lot of the humor comes with subtlety on this show, which I like. Things like Leslie being pleased with the turnout at a town meeting, only when they pan out to the theater seats there's maybe 30 people there. Then, to pile it on, the lights are turned out in the auditorium as if there's no one there."
This is subtle? Really?
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4-10-2009 @ 12:36PM
Toby O'B said...
The only thing I really liked was seeing Loudon Wainwright at the forum as Barry, who only wanted to talk about Laura Linney.
That came out of left field and made me laugh out loud. Otherwise I kept checking the DVR to see how much longer it would last.....
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4-10-2009 @ 7:39AM
Aaron said...
The show was good, but not great. I'll watch a few more times before I make a final decision. Definately DVR worthy to watch on nights when nothing is on.
As 'My Name is Earl' slips further and further away from anything remotely humorous, I'm looking for some good comedy. P&R may not be it, but at least it's new and hasn't let me down like 'Earl' has over the last two seasons.
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4-10-2009 @ 7:17PM
Denny said...
I liked it, i definitely saw some similarities with The Office, but that took time to develop as a standalone too. Not sure if i like Tom yet, but Leslie is a good character.
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4-10-2009 @ 8:28AM
Jon said...
Wow its Exactly the office setup but about parks .. they should not have them back to back ..
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4-10-2009 @ 8:43AM
Paul said...
Besides the documentary style (and as Jason says, it's a different style of documentary, for sure), I don't see much similarity to "The Office".
The humour is subtle, even if Jason's example wasn't. Little things like throwaway lines from Chris Pratt's boyfriend character were what really had me liking this episode. There weren't any laugh-out-loud funny moments, but then again, I don't just a show (even a comedy) by that, because to me it's more a matter of how well the show itself works and makes me feel. I was *enjoying* the comedy, even if I wasn't in hysterics over it.
Considering all the negative comments to the "teaser" videos we'd seen prior to the premiere, and how most people thought it wouldn't be very good, I was pleasantly surprised. I'm sure it'll get better with each episode, but then, so did "The Office" (at least through Season 3 -- I still think it's really good, but it stopped getting *better* after Season 3).
Even more so than "The Office", I'd compare the style of "Parks and Recreation", its characters, and its humour, to the sadly short-lived "Andy Parker, P.I.".
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4-10-2009 @ 9:22AM
Lisa said...
I love The Office and this was too much like The Office for me to like it - poor imitation IMO.
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4-10-2009 @ 9:42AM
Miles said...
I agree with you. This show is being a lot more subtle than the US Office was after its first season. I think its funny that a few people have commented that this show is "too much" like The Office, when The Office that they're watching was already done in the UK. I like both versions of those shows, and I'm willing to let this one pick up. Even though I laughed enough during this episode to want to see more.
My one complaint is, I think giving it an hour long pilot would've probably been better. Or at least two episodes back to back.
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4-10-2009 @ 10:23AM
Adam said...
Sadly, this show just didn't hook me. Having worked with government-types before, I know their operating procedures and how they feel about their job (most of the time, it's surprisingly good). I thought this show might successfully parody the "stereotypes" of government work. It did, but to a degree that was just a little too much. But, that might just be me.
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4-10-2009 @ 10:41AM
J-Lai said...
"The Office" lite. That is all.
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4-10-2009 @ 10:54AM
Jake said...
I wanted to like the show, and I don't even really have a problem with its similarity to the office... but one thing P&R is not is funny... not even the subtle humor was that funny. The only time I laughed was when Aziz Ansari hit on Rashida Jones. IMO, the big problem is Poehler... her character is not funny... and I am not sure why they had to make her a naive ass. That's where P&R gets too close to the Office. I think the show could work if they let Peohler be funny instead of doing schtick.
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4-10-2009 @ 1:14PM
Frank said...
Aziz Ansari was pretty funny (just the fact that he is an Indian dude named Tom Haverford is worth a chuckle).
But otherwise it seemed bland...
I know I shouldn't judge a show on it's pilot, but I don't have high hopes for this one. From a critical or popular perspective.
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4-10-2009 @ 2:07PM
Jojee said...
I thought any scene with Aziz Ansari was funny. I think he makes the show. I think the show may work if they put it in a different time slot. It is too similar to The Office.
4-10-2009 @ 1:56PM
DJ said...
great louden wainright cameo
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4-10-2009 @ 7:02PM
Eludium-Q36 said...
Poehler is pudgy, guess she's embracing her anti-milf, yuk. But I like the premiere ep, looks like Rashida Jones is cast as the guy magnet.
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4-11-2009 @ 1:34PM
Frank Wrench said...
There were actually a few good lines:
"When I'm getting yelled at, what I hear is people caring loudly at me."
"Committees cover our democracy with blood."
"Door."
"I heard it."
"DOOR!"
"I heard it!"
While some moments were annoying (Leslie climbing backwards into the pit reminded me too much of Michael driving his car into a lake), I have to say that this was far better than I expected.
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4-16-2009 @ 3:31AM
superrrguy said...
Worst show or worst show ever?
There were some really lever lines that might be worth repeating around the office but I remember watching TV back in the day and laughing.
Does Amy Poehler have cankles? Scary. She can finally play Hillary Clinton.
I don't really get the whole mockumentary style thing, but if they're going to do The Office and Parks on the same night, they should just make Earl and 30 Rock mockumentaries.
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