"Parks and Recreation," much improved

[Smasher_Sloan]

This show was a huge disappointment last year, given the history of the people who were in it and creating it.

I almost gave up on it, but I've been rewarded this season. It's still not at "Office" level, but most episodes have multiple laugh out loud moments. I don't know if they've changed writers or just gotten a better focus, but it's a much better show this season.

 

[Big Circus]

Agreed. This season has been fantastic (except for the episode with the delegation from Venezuela, which fell way flat). Andy cracks me up, as does Ron, aka "Duke Silver".

Also, Rashida Jones is muh guhfriend.

 

[Bob Cook]

Brilliant scene in Parks and Rec last night, with an homage to not just one, but TWO infamous Bob Knight meltdowns. Ron Swanson, coaching a youth basketball team in his Knight sweater, tosses a chair after getting frustrated with the incompetence of referee Tom Haverford. But for the hard core, Swanson then follows, after Tom ejects him, in ordering his team to the locker room before the game's end, a la Knight's take-my-ball-and-go-home incident after he was thrown out while his team was losing an exhibition to the Russians.

I think Swanson punching a press table hard enough to send a phone flying must have been a deleted scene.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I became a fan of the show last season largely because of this place and the fact that I'm a huge fan of Aziz Ansari, dating back to Human Giant, the last show I ever watched regularly on MTV.

 

[Big Circus]

I liked that Aziz/Tom wound up reffing the game because he already had the shirt.

And Rob Lowe - "Ann Perkins!" - is really well used.

 

[Bob Cook]

Also, all hail the Ron Swanson Pyramid of Greatness.

 

[schiezainc]

Just want to chime in and say this may be my favorite television show currently on TV.

I'm watching the two most recent episodes right now and it's just killing me.

Ron: "I'm going to type every word I know. Rectangle. America. Megaphone. Monday. Butthole."

 

[CentralIllinoisan]

Great show.

Seemingly every episode, the eight minutes before the first commercial is filled with funny and fantastic things. Nearly every time I watch via my DVR, once I get to the first commercial, I say to myself 'That was only the first eight minutes?' ... So, so good.

 

[SeanKennedy]

I'd say it's behind 30 Rock, but definitely one of the funniest shows in TV.

The first season was not good.

 

[Big Circus]

Tommytinis all around!

 

[Brian]

Sounds like I need to re-try it. I watched the first three or four episodes last year and was bored out of my mind.

 

[Big Circus]

Sounds like I need to re-try it. I watched the first three or four episodes last year and was bored out of my mind.

You absolutely should. It's barely even the same show. It started picking up steam midway through last season and has been on an absolute tear since it started back up this year. I'd put it up against any show on TV right now.

I'm going to be very unhappy if they write Rob Lowe out of the show. His character is fantastic. I'm holding out hope since he's in the credits.

 

[Quakes]

I never felt it was a bad show -- I thought it was a promising little show during the first season -- but it definitely took a big jump up during the second season. There isn't a bad or boring character in the bunch. My only concern is that they might be starting to rely too much on Ron Swanson's eccentricities. I hope they don't drive his character into the ground.

I agree that Rob Lowe has been great. I also think the fact that he's in the credits means he's going to be sticking around, even though his character has moved to Indianapolis. I wasn't so fond of his colleague -- played by Adam Scott -- at first, but I've started to enjoy his character in the last few episodes.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I love ensemble shows like this one. I was not a big Poehler fan on SNL. I thought she was way over the top and I never saw the appeal. I think she's tremendous on this show.

 

[Big Circus]

I never felt it was a bad show -- I thought it was a promising little show during the first season -- but it definitely took a big jump up during the second season. There isn't a bad or boring character in the bunch. My only concern is that they might be starting to rely too much on Ron Swanson's eccentricities. I hope they don't drive his character into the ground.

I agree that Rob Lowe has been great. I also think the fact that he's in the credits means he's going to be sticking around, even though his character has moved to Indianapolis. I wasn't so fond of his colleague -- played by Adam Scott -- at first, but I've started to enjoy his character in the last few episodes.

And the thing is, Lowe's probably the fourth-funniest character on the show, behind Ron, Andy and Tom, in whatever order you prefer.

I do hope they dial it back a bit with Ron, though.

 

[Webster]

We started watching this year after giving up pretty early in season 1. I have to say, easily the funniest show on TV right now. In a way, it combines the best elements of Modern Family, 30 Rock and Community. The Media Blitz show which was on a couple of weeks ago did not have 15 seconds go by without a huge laugh.

 

[lantaur]

RE: Rob Lowe. The last episode was a "season 2" show. They filmed a bunch of shows, then found out they were going to be a midseason replacement (Amy Poehler is actually pregnant in many of these episodes). When it resumes, it will be "season 3." At the time, they weren't sure if Lowe was going to be back so they had him break up with Ann (Rashida Jones) and move back to Indy. I read he actually is not in the first episode back, but will be the rest of the season after that.

 

[Webster]

Watched the Harvest Festival episode this morning. Fantastic -- the whole thing with Lil Sebastian was gold.

 

[93Devil]

Swanson is the funniest character on TV right now.

I'm sure everyone noticed the Bob Knight reference, but hopefully people picked up on another Indiana native reference.

 

[Webster]

And I just read that the chief of the tribe was played by the actor who voiced John Redcorn in King of the Hill. He was great.