Parks and Recreation is iconic as we speak to followers who keep in mind it for the kumbaya tour of the later seasons.
It’s a present about friendships, individuals attaining their goals, and falling in love.
The present is undeniably optimistic, however a lot in order that its followers appeared to present it a curious move.
Anne’s friendship with Leslie was surprisingly set in stone regardless of the very fact these two ladies met late in life when individuals’s good friend circles are typically already comparatively set. Did Leslie have a single good friend earlier than this?
Moreover, Leslie wins the respect of everybody, and each single character finds love that leads to a cheerful marriage. Is that reasonable of any random pattern of workplace mates and each marriage?
Everybody will get a tremendous profession. Once more, why would one subdepartment of presidency produce so many success tales?
Much more disappointing is simply HOW the characters are shipped. The characters are sometimes designed as if a romantic collision is inevitable, and nowhere is that this extra obvious than Anne.
A sure subset of TV viewers (okay, perhaps nearly all of TV viewers) love seeing characters fall in love, however how does it match into accountable character growth. Anne’s relationships, specifically with Tom and Mark, are extraordinarily problematic.
For such a wise lady, there’s one thing unrealistic about the best way she is drawn to the unsuitable characters again and again. She even dates a personality performed by Nick Kroll named “The Douche.”
Tom’s first actions in direction of Anne on Parks and Recreation Season 1 Episode 1 (hitting on her in the course of a public assembly) are just about the definition of inappropriate, and he hardly ever lets up.
Tom isn’t an entire creep or an terrible character, however that he finally ends up with Anne is unquestionably a tacit rewarding of harassing conduct within the office: For those who don’t succeed when a lady says no, then maintain at it for 3 and a half extra seasons?
Mark’s relationship with Anne isn’t problematic, however it’s fairly jarring to have Anne publicly state her disdain for him on Parks and Recreation Season 1 Episode 6, solely to see them get paired up one episode later.
To refresh your reminiscence, Mark confirmed an entire lack of sophistication in direction of everybody’s favourite beat reporter, Shauna Malware-Tweep, after sleeping together with her, and this incident occurred IN FRONT of Anne.
Shauna: OK, effectively, since we’re, you recognize romantically concerned, I will not print any of it
Anne: That is nice, thanks a lot
Mark: Effectively, you recognize I would not say romantically concerned… going ahead
Anne: (rolling her eyes) Oh my god!
These character arcs got here from showrunner Michael Schur, who launched ethics and philosophy into mainstream tv via The Good Place to encourage self-betterment.
Though Parks and Recreation got here first, it’s extremely disappointing that Schur appeared to be OK with the sequence relying a lot on the oldest trope within the e book for an inexpensive relationship pairing.
The present’s six-episode first season is extensively acknowledged to have been a tough one, by which the present hadn’t but established its footing.
Leslie Knope is overly awkward in a way just like Michael Scott, so oversimplified comparisons have been inevitably made.
The present additionally did not have an expanded forged but, so numerous the load leaned on a smaller group with much less chemistry. Mark wass a little bit of a buzz kill.
Having lately watched the primary season, I discovered this stuff to be true, however that doesn’t essentially imply they’re negatives.
Leslie Knope was a bit awkward, and she or he might have positively used tweaking (like numerous sitcom characters of their first seasons), however that produced extra battle than a later-season Leslie Knope, who had all her teammates behind her.
The best way that her colleagues reacted with much less enthusiasm appeared like probably the most pure plan of action for individuals coping with authorities drudgery.
I’ve to admit that actor Paul Schneider alienated me when he gave an interview within the early 2010s trashing Parks and Recreation for altering the present to one thing that he didn’t initially signal on for.
Upon rewatch, although, I do admire how Schneider was positively a jagged edge within the feel-good ambiance of the present.
Ron Swanson was, after all, anti-government, however he’s pro-social in his personal manner.
Ben Wyatt was fiscally conservative and socially awkward, however he wished to be included.
Mark Brendanewicz, although, was not somebody you might think about ever being mates with Leslie Knope nor probably the remainder of the gang (at the least the Season 1 model of him).
And that’s actual life.
Not everybody will get married, not everybody finds their bliss, and never everybody at work turns into your lifelong good friend.
However you continue to have your little work victories, your enjoyable nights out, occasional nice friendships, and, most significantly, some unforgettable reminiscences from each job you might have.
Ron: We are going to get alongside simply advantageous, although hopefully not too advantageous, as a result of I’m not searching for any new mates. Finish speech.
Leslie: Effectively mentioned.
As a substitute, Leslie Knope’s social awkwardness was regularly refined by the writing room right into a pro-social mantra.
Characters have been shipped collectively and bonded to inordinate levels. That is typically the fan model that has been embraced by followers, even because it falls into the realm of fantasy.
Far be it from me to counter widespread opinion, however I’m wondering what might have been if they’d saved issues a bit of extra in step with the primary season.
If in case you have ideas on Parks and Recreation and the distinction between the primary and last seasons, please share your ideas beneath.
Let’s get a dialog began.
Orrin Konheim is a workers author for TV Fanatic. Observe him on Twitter and his private weblog at Sophomore Critic.