PARKS & RECREATION: Pawnee Zoo
September 19, 2009 by Erik Wilkinson
Though its sophomore campaign launched with considerably less fanfare than Jay Leno’s new 10pm experiment, the creative forces behind Parks & Recreation scored a huge win last night. In a time slot surrounded by comedic heavyweights, the Pawnee crew produced the funniest half hour of NBC’s Thursday premiere lineup.
During its abbreviated run last Spring, P&R produced a solid, if unspectacular, collection of episodes that focused on Leslie Knope’s daunting struggle to fill a gigantic pit. Many of the show’s early scripts were predicated on that plot point, and each cast member’s ability to flex their comedic muscles were limited. Most importantly, Amy Poehler’s gifts for killer one-liners and infectious silliness were given second billing, just behind a vast hole in the middle of Pawnee, Indiana.
The writers of P&R clearly spent their hiatus mapping out a tighter, funnier program that would consistently deliver the funny. “Pawnee Zoo” was loaded with pithy one-liners, ready to be Tweeted and Retweeted in the days to come.
Season Two’s maiden voyage began with a stroke of genius. Capitalizing on the lead-in audience watching Amy Poehler co-anchor “Weekend Update: Thursday Edition,” the cold open featured Leslie’s impromptu rendition of DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” a not-so-subtle reminder of Poehler’s frenzied Sarah Palin rap during the 2008 Presidential Campaign. If fans of P&R needed a sign that this season would be focused on laughs, we were immediately hit with a dose of giggles and guffaws.
The Deputy Director’s team bolstered their boss’ efforts this week, as both Tom & April chose to support Leslie, rather than adopt Season One’s theme of condescension and insubordination.
Aniz Asnari has carved out a special niche, serving as Leslie’s hype man and roast master, sometimes all in the same breath. I could not contain my excitement as Leslie one-upped Tom in their pastel shirt debate, a victory which took far too long to achieve. Later, no one at The Bulge was more excited to see Ms. Knope let her hair down, and get her “Poker Face” on than Tom, and Asnari played those moments perfectly.
After spending P&R’s first six episodes in a listless daze of detachment, Aubrey Plaza was front and center to the penguin plot. Young April opened her boss’ eyes to a constituency that appreciated her bold stance, even if Leslie never intended to actually take such a position. My eyes were watering as Poehler navigated the intersection between April, her boyfriend, and his boyfriend. This episode is worth a second viewing for that scene alone, and for the brief look of enthusiasm on April’s face during the party sequence.
In addition to a litany of quips and sight gags, the P&R crew planted seeds for a number of long-term storylines. Leslie’s matchmaking will send Rashida Jones and Paul Schneider into the romance zone. I am a big fan of both actors from other projects, but I admit to being skeptical about their onscreen chemistry. More importantly, Leslie Knope will be hitting the dating scene, hopefully encountering men who are more promising than last season’s eager senior suitor.
Last but not least, Andy is a permanent resident at the bottom of the Pit, and I cannot wait to see where the writers are going with that juicy twist. Can a woman be courted from a rat-infested dwelling? Inquiring minds will find out.
Today is a wonderful time to be a Parks & Recreation fan, and the cast & crew should be satisfied that they brought their “A” game to kick off their sophomore year.
It’s time to turn things over to you, and I cannot wait to read your feedback!
What was your favorite scene from P&R’s premiere? Were you singing along with Leslie in the cold open? Was there too little Ron Swanson for your taste, or is he best enjoyed in smaller doses? Is anyone else having trouble getting the Poehler-ized version of “Poker Face” out of their heads? Comment early and comment often!
Erik’s summer was wasted with marathons of The Next Food Network Star and MTV’s 16 & Pregnant. After weeks of comparing risotto dishes and dishonest baby daddies, he is thrilled to be writing about House and Parks & Recreation for GMMR again.
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I was just able to watch the Parks and Rec season premiere today and I loved it! I really like the tweaks they made with Leslie. LOVED her attitude on the talk show. She’s definitely still a people pleaser, but now with a bit more edge.
The cold opening was hilarious! The song (of which I knew every word) would have been fantastic enough, but the pay off with the person on fire was brills!
I LOVE me some ‘shida Jones, but I need to know what they are going to do with her character this season. Seems like they’ve moved a bit away from the pit and seem to be making it more about her personal friendship with Leslie. I can get that. As long as we get Rashida in the mix I’m ok.
So glad Chris Pratt is back, but this time as a series regular. But like Ann, I’m not sure what they’re going to do with Andy.
Great recap, Erik! Can’t wait until next week’s episode.
I really loved this new Episode. I think Leslie Knope is really begingin to let her personality show. and I love that we are getting to know April and some of the other supposrting cast better.. And April’s boyfriend is really cute and funny too. And so is HIS BF lol i hope to see more of April and Derek.
Not sure what you use to categorize “huge hit”, but in the entertainment business, Parks scored a miserable 2.1 share in adults 18-49 (same day + DVR). If that drops any lower, Parks will lose to a mid-season replacement for certain. That’s just too low for a scripted prime time show.
BTW: Did any of those “Chuck” questions get asked/answered? Or weren’t you able to make on set?
I wasn’t sure if i was going to give this show another chance; my Thursdays are already packed. But, based on your review, I just might!
I gave up on Parks and Recreation (even though I LOVE Amy Poehler) after the first 3 eps last season, but after hearing great things about the season premiere, I went back and watched the last 3 eps of the first season in preparation for this week’s premiere. I’m definitely glad I did! I thought this week’s outing was definitely the best P&R ep yet. It was really funny and the supporting characters were used well. It was a great set-up to have a cute zoo-promoting penguin marriage ceremony snowball into a huge gay marriage debate. And Pawnee must be larger than I thought it was to have at least two gay bars!
I like that they’ve gotten away from Leslie purely being a female Michael Scott. I’m pleased she held her own on the talk show instead of just appeasing everyone. Now I just hope that they give Ann a little more to do than be Leslie’s friend and deal with Andy.
And speaking of Andy, am I the only one that didn’t know that Chris Pratt and Anna Faris are married? I didn’t even know they were an item until I saw Anna on Ellen this week.
I was not a huge fan last year, but this ep was genius…unbelievable that a penguin wedding could start up such a fire storm but sadly not. The Shepard Fairey-esque Obamisizing her portrait with ‘knope’ instead of ‘hope’ was hilarious!
Kath: I am delighted that you enjoyed the episode, and I wholeheartedly agree with your take on Leslie’s new approach. After a batch of Season 1 episodes where she was mocked by subordinates and pitied by contemporaries, this year has revealed an assertive and confident Leslie Knope. This will serve the overall narrative of the show well, particularly as we see her deal with the Ann/Mark dynamic.
Nick: Thanks for your comments! One of the challenges that shows like P&R face this year is building a number of storylines that bring viewers back for more. Last season’s mini-block of six episodes essentially played out as one giant episode about the Pit, with only minor details revealed about the supporting cast. Aubrey Plaza is a big time talent, and I share your enthusiasm for more screen time for Pawnee’s most progressive teenager.
Jenna: I confess to being genuinely surprised by the harsh tone of your comment. There are dozens of web sites that deal with the day-to-day machinations of the entertainment business, such as tvbythenumbers.com. In my experience, the GMMR community has been built on a celebration of the onscreen product we sample each week, rather than the “horse race” discussions of who’s up and who’s down.
I have often joked that my loyalty for a show is a kiss of death for its future prospects, with favorites like Sports Night, The Nine, and Ed having left the airwaves long before my enthusiasm for them wained. If P&R suffers the same fate, I will not regret spending time with Leslie Knope & company. For me, that’s a greater reward than joining the others in my age group who watch Two and a Half Men or CSI: Fill in the Metropolitan Area.
What are your favorite shows? Which ones would you like to see covered at GMMR and other sites? I’m eager to read your thoughts.
Jenna, I just posted a reply to your comment on the Bones recap, so if you pass back through here, please go check that out. To reiterate a few points made there, I think that you’re under the mistaken impression that GMMR is all written by one person. It isn’t–there are several recappers (including Erik) who write for the site, which is run by Kath, who is the one that was visiting the Chuck set. She is extremely busy both with this site and a full-time career, so the details of her set visit will be ready when they’re ready.
Comments and opinions about the show, including negative ones, are both welcomed and encouraged. Insulting recappers, however (i.e. “not sure what you use to characterize a ‘huge hit'”), is both rude and inappropriate. Please don’t.
Erik & SB… harsh & rude?
I did nothing more or less than state a fact regarding this particular scripted prime time show in relation to how the entertainment industry (read NBC suits) interpret what is or isn’t a hit.
I’m sorry if either of you think it is in any way harsh or rude. But being offended by the posting of mere facts (no personal opinion was offered by me) seems a tad thin-skinned for people utilizing a Blog and encouraging comments from the general public.
I can see your ire if I’d insulted or denigrated the author based on his opinion of the show’s content. However, when someone reviewing a program uses the terms “huge win”, I admit that I immediately figured it was in relation to what the rest of the entertainment industry considers a “hit” or “miss”. I did not realize it was a huge win for Erik personally. For that, I do apologize.
In regards to Kath’s multi-day requisite for possibly posting any Chuck questions from her article: I can understand, and do NOT envy what must certainly be long hours dedicated to this website, outside of her primary occupation. However, with countless thousands of Blog sites online, each one scratching to be noticed by the general public, perhaps it would behoove Kath to include a single line of text at the end of such articles which indicate a followup article. That line could read, “Due to time constraints the followup to this article may not appear for several days or longer.” A tad too much on the disclaimer side, I know. But the gist is there. At least that way it’s less likely to turn off potential repeat visitors to this website. Just a suggestion. I’m not throwing down some online gauntlet. hehe
As for shows I like. Well, GMMR seems to cover most all of them from time to time. Angela Bromstad (NBC’s chief programmer of dramas and comedies) has her first test after taking over for Silverman with her two pics of “Parks & Recreation”, as well as “Southland”. Silverman left NBC (forced out) shortly after “Chuck” got a shortened season 3 for the summer of 2010. “Chuck” was/is Silverman’s last chance at having at least one scripted hit show during his tenure.
“Chuck” producers almost immediately began releasing info which polarized its fan base (promised more will they / won’t they garbage). Angela has stated repeatedly that ratings are going to be more important during her new reign.
So, now we have Parks picking up almost exactly where it left off last season, in a dismal return on ratings. Parks & Southland are Angela’s first picks at NBC. The question is… how tolerant will Angela (or by extent new Chairman Jeff Gaspin) be of Parks’ lower than desired ratings? What if the ratings fall to 1.8 or lower?
I know this is probably more TVBTN stuff. But since Erik apparently loves the show, it may all be relevant. Especially since the option to bring Chuck back as a mid-season replacement for a failing fall show has never been pulled completely (though mostly) off the table. In other words. Parks may yet be replaced by Chuck (though more likely some other show) before the Winter Olympics begins on NBC.
Anyways, “huge win” to Erik personally in terms of his enjoyment of the show, I can understand completely. “Huge win” in terms of the odds of whether or not Parks will still be on the air past mid-season, unfortunately, not.
For whatever it’s worth, I believe that Steve Carell stated at last night’s Emmys that the folks at “The Office” would love to have Amy Poehler back on their show. If Parks doesn’t start doing better, he may get his wish.
Yikes.
Let’s all take a breather. It’s just TV…not a big deal.
Jenna, in direct response to your CHUCK questions. I never promised that I would do a minute by minute recap of the day. I was on the set soliciting questions for various CHUCK pieces that will inevitably roll out over time. I’m sorry if you thought I needed to include a disclaimer on the original post asking for questions. I’ll take that into consideration next time.
Since I have been slammed for my apparent lack of common courtesy, that is where the disclaimer idea came in. If you’re going to ask the fans of your website to submit questions, it seems courteous to also include if the follow up may not appear for some time afterward. Then again, maybe I’m just being a total idiot and such things have never been noticed by anyone other than myself.
/shrug
Ok, time to bring the conversation back to PARKS AND RECREATION. how about that Amy Poehler?!
…okay, so moving right along to Parks & Recreation, I loved this episode! Erik, I was watching along with you last season when a lot of people were grumbling about the fact that the show was too similar to The Office and Leslie was to similar to Michael Scott. I saw some validity in those comments, but I still really liked the show on its own accord, and was really glad that you were championing it. I was so happy to see with the premiere that things have gotten 1000 times better over the summer – they really hit a groove!
I appreciate that they are exploring stories that don’t directly involve the pit (although surely it will still be featured as long at it remains Andy’s temporary home, which can’t be very long, given that they are in Indiana, I suppose). It’s important that the show not hinge on that particular issue, or it could get old really quick.
More importantly, I really loved that Leslie demonstrated both competence and an unwillingness to compromise herself; that interview/firing squad scene was fantastic! I also loved her scene with April, her boyfriend, and his boyfriend. Leslie’s comment not getting the youth of today had me rolling. The peach t-shirt moment was also amazing, and another example of the fact that Leslie is a lot more aware than she may have come across in the initial episodes.
I’m so glad that FINALLY the NBC Thursday lineup is almost perfect. If Leno was replaced with Chuck at 10pm, I wouldn’t need to change the channel once. Since I seem to have the same curse as you (falling for shows that get canceled far too soon), I hope that this show is given a chance to follow in The Office’s footsteps and build a bigger fanbase over the course of its second season.
Kelly: The playful dialogue surrounding the town’s gay-friendly establishments and Leslie’s performance on “Pawnee Today” crystallized the enhancements that have been made to Parks & Rec, Version 2.0.
Last season’s scripts involved too much of what C.J. Craig used to call “process stories” from the West Wing’s podium for the Press Secretary. Bureaucratic minutiae was emphasized over tried and true jokes, and the pace of the show suffered, particularly in the first three episodes.
The first 22 minutes of this premiere delivered consistent laughs and gave Aniz Asnari juicy targets that weren’t named Leslie Knope. If there is anything on my wish list for this year, it is to see Amy Poehler get material that strengthens her character, rather than take a back seat to her subordinates. That will be the key ingredient in “de-Scrantoning” the show’s point of view.
Lisa: Thanks for giving P&R another shot. We seem to be on our way to a solid season, with both Aniz Asnari and Rainn Wilson tweeting about the strength of upcoming stories. The “Knope” posters were an unforgettable image, weren’t they? I am looking forward to seeing what a newly emboldened Deputy Director will do with her new constituency. They may have lost this battle, but they will always have The Bulge!
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