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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

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

Blaming Jerry for this

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

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

I suspect that was largely a joke by the writer.

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

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

Gross

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

Haha I love that man

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

Mike Schur on the departures.

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.