PARKS
AND RECREATION
At what point does a TV show become a
classic? Do you have to wait until it has finished its run so that history is
able to judge it? (Probably not, given The
Simpsons is still going and an undisputed classic.) Or do they
just have to put three or four fantastic seasons together to qualify for the
conversation? I would argue that Friends,
Seinfeld, Cheers et al were destined to be considered classics by the time
their sixth seasons rolled around, so that’s probably a better yardstick.
If that is the case, then Parks and Recreation must be considered a television
comedy classic, and if not, then history will surely judge it thus. For three going on four seasons now, Michael Schur, Greg
Daniels and Amy Poehler have been producing the finest comedy on television.
It’s a love letter and a criticism of the role of government in our society, a
tribute to those who dedicate themselves to public service and a stunningly
funny workplace comedy. I can’t lavish enough superlatives on this show. Amy
Poehler and Nick Offerman should have won every Emmy available to them by this
point, Michael Schur is pretty much the best comedy writer in the business and
the supporting cast (including Adam Scott, Rob Lowe, Aubrey Plaza and Chris
Pratt) consistently fire on all cylinders. It’s the best comedy on television.
Honourable
Mention: Happy Endings was once one of several
forgettable Friends/How I Met Your Mother clones that made their debut on
American television at the same time. All of those other shows were quickly
cancelled, but by some twist of fate, Happy
Endings survived. That was fortuitous, as Happy Endings became one of the fastest comedies on television with
a jokes-per-minute ration outstripping everything in its wake. The cast is
game, the writing is stellar and just an added complexity to their characters
would complete the picture they’re drawing: one of the best sitcoms on
television.
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