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By Desmond Ho, Staff Writer
NBC’s Thursday-night lineup is marked by hit shows like 30 Rock and The Office, but the show that gets the least attention is Parks and Recreation, which is now entering its fifth season. The show revolves around the local government of the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana, where the optimistic head of the Parks Department, Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), attempts to better the town. She is joined by an ensemble including her anti-government libertarian boss Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), underachieving partygoer Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari) and straight (wo)man Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones).
The political satire sitcom returned in full force on September 20 with the episode “Ms. Knope Goes to Washington,” in which the titular character begins her new job as a city councilwoman following the events of Season Four. The premiere, which involved Knope and co.’s exposure to the real world of politics, was consistently funny while balancing humor with lighthearted character drama quite well, which is a strong suit of the series as a whole. Admittedly, the show is much more rewarding for those who have followed it from the get-go. It is not an easy show to just jump into and appreciate right away, and considering the mediocrity of Season One, it is a hard sell.
With a slight change in direction, it feels as though the show doesn’t focus on the ensemble as much. Some supporting characters, such as the clumsy government worker Jerry and the promiscuous and lively Donna, have gotten very little screen time, which is a bit disappointing since they supply most of the strength in the earlier seasons. I’m hoping this lack of attention is rectified later in the season, as only three episodes have aired so far.
Parks and Recreation is one of the most criminally underrated shows on television right now, which is a shame because it’s also one of the most clever and heartfelt.
Courtesy of www.criticspeak.com