By: Sammie Hill
Throughout winter break, most students likely had more time on their hands than they knew what to do with. As one of those students, I turned to Netflix in my moments of boredom and ended up discovering one of the most hilarious shows I have ever watched.
I had low expectations when I started watching “Parks and Recreation,” as I had heard that it was a less funny version of “The Office,” and Amy Poehler was simply a blonde Tina Fey. However, after I watched a few episodes, I found myself laughing out loud and unable to stop watching.
Amy Poehler does a terrific job at portraying bureaucrat Leslie Knope, an enthusiastic leader of the Parks and Recreation department in fictional Pawnee, Indiana. However, the rest of the show’s characters are really what makes this show exceptional.
Aziz Ansari as aspiring mogul Tom Haverford and Nick Offerman as meat-loving Libertarian Ron Swanson give strong performances as Knope’s co-workers and friends. Furthermore, the introduction of Adam Scott and Rob Lowe at the end of the second season gave the show an additional comic boost. Lowe plays cheerful, upbeat, health-obsessed Chris Traeger, and Adam Scott portrays nerdy, humorously dull Ben Wyatt.
Aubrey Plaza as apathetic April Ludgate nails the role of a strange, slightly scary but still likable college intern. Chris Pratt depicts Andy Dwyer, a singer/songwriter who eventually gets involved with the Parks Department. Andy is one of the most lovable characters on the show, despite his less than stellar intelligence. Mouse Rat rules.
The other supporting characters like Ann Perkins, Jerry Gergich and Donna Meagle add to the strength of the show. Recurring characters also appear throughout the series, like Tom’s annoying friend Jean Ralphio and Andy’s alter-ego Bert Macklin, FBI.
The actors’ timing and the wit of the show’s content makes “Parks and Recreation” a series worth watching more than once. The characters grow and change over time but the show always retains its humor and incorporates inside jokes that reward dedicated viewers.
So, treat yo-self and check out “Parks and Recreation” on Netflix. My only complaint with is that they’ve only made 6 seasons so far. Dammit, Jerry.
Photo Courtesy of Google Images
