I have watched Parks and Rec since the night it premiered. I liked The Office and Amy Poehler, so it seemed like a safe bet at the time. Little did I know that by the mid-point of its second season, it would end up being one of my favorite shows; that by the time season three's "Ron and Tammy: Part Two" ended, it would be the show I looked forward to most every week. I am hooked on this show, and I can't sing its praises enough.
Of course, that doesn't mean I won't take a stab at it. Here we go!
5 Reasons Why Parks and Rec Is My Favorite Show
1. It Makes Me Happy
Watching Parks and Recreation is like experiencing all of my favorite comforts in one half hour block of television. It's like being all wrapped up in my coziest sweater and eating warm brownies while snow is falling outside. I never have any doubt in my mind that I'm going to be just a little bit happier after watching this show than I was before, and I honestly can't say that about any other show I've ever watched.
2. It's Hilarious
Another credit that I can give to Parks and Rec that I can't give to other shows is that it always makes me laugh. I'm talking about really laughing--not a smile; not a chuckle; not a thought of, "Oh, that's kind of funny." I belly laugh at this show at least once a week, and I'm hard pressed to remember an episode that hasn't elicited that response at least once. Two weeks ago it was at the picture of Sam Waterston that Leslie posted as a picture of an ideal man (I laughed so hard at that that I had to rewind to hear what I missed); in the same episode, Andy's antics alone made me laugh out loud at least two other times. Best of all, those things continue to be funny no matter how many times I view them. I've watched the "Bobby Newport evil voice" scene in "Campaign Ad" at least a dozen times now, and I still crack up every single time. The comedy in this show is always spot on, from sight gags to one-liners to the character's reactions. And what makes this truly remarkable is...
3. It Gets Better with Age
I could--and have--made the argument that most shows jump the shark after season four. At the very least, I can pinpoint the downward turn in a lot of shows to right around that time. Now, granted, Parks and Rec is only in its fourth season now, and two of its seasons were significantly abbreviated. However, each season has gotten progressively better, building on the previous year while managing to keep things fresh and interesting. And most importantly...
4. The Characters Have Room to Grow
I really can't praise the show enough for this. The problem I think a lot of shows run into, particularly comedies, is that they latch on to one funny aspect of the character and then turn that trait into the dominating force. Suddenly the character becomes all about that one idea with no room for growth or development because that would eliminate the "funny." Unfortunately, that often also kills the thing that was funny in the first place (ie: Barney on How I Met Your Mother). Parks and Rec kills it on this front.
Just look at Leslie. From the start, that overwhelming funny trait is how intense she is (about everything). However, the writers have allowed her to progress from a character whose intensity was quite often to her detriment (see "Canvassing" or "Boys' Club") into one whose passion allows her to bloom (see "Harvest Festival" or "Li'l Sebastian"). What is great is that every so often we still get to see "steamroller" Leslie (as Ann so kindly called her) while also seeing Leslie acknowledge that as something she needs to work on. The character has really blossomed over four years of the show, striking a perfect balance in the extremity of her defining personality trait.
I guess what this boils down to is that Parks and Rec doesn't turn its characters into caricatures (which, let's face it, is all too easy to do). They can be zany, but then pull back into reality in a moment's notice; they're hilarious, but at the same time heartbreaking. I am constantly impressed by the fact that the writers walk this line so well, and I hope they continue to do so in the future.
5. The Continuity Kicks Ass
Let's face it: my dream job would be getting to track continuity for television shows. I could sit there and watch and rewatch and note character quirks and timelines until my brain melted, and I would be the happiest person on earth. It drives me crazy when shows can't seem to keep track of what they say week to week (Desperate Housewives, I'm looking at you). So the fact that Parks and Rec kicks ass at continuity is a dream come true for me. Last week alone, we had a callback to the fact that Ben is pretending to "get" the Li'l Sebastian thing, he bought Leslie a waffle necklace for Valentine's Day (which she later wore in the episode), and they referenced Ron's birthday and hatred of surprises from season three. I swear, someone must actually be paying attention on this show. Multiple people, perhaps. In fact, it's like the writers actually like their show and their characters, and that they respect the audience (who would have guessed that would be all it takes?).
Bonus: 6. It's Not Afraid to Let Its Characters Be Happy
Yeah, TV, there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, it's refreshing, and it's a lot of what contributes to number one. Every once in awhile, it's just really nice to see people being happy, pursuing their dreams, and not getting caught up in needless drama or conflict. So thank you, Parks and Recreation, for bringing that into my life once a week. Please don't ever stop.
