"Parks and Recreation" Is it the best sitcom on TV right now?

Okay, I'm bored waiting for my flight, and have been thinking a lot about this after watching the last two episodes of the show...

"Parks and Recreation" could be one of the best sitcoms on TV right now. It's smart, it's funny, and the subplots usually have something to do with the characters and are totally believable, if a bit outrageous. The acting is superb from top to bottom, and the show has grown a TON from the first two seasons.

"Modern Family" has received all the accolades (Golden Globes, Emmys, etc.), but the show is kind of formulaic and relies a lot on situational humor that revolves around the various members of the family interacting with each other. P&R is a true ensemble effort, and while they do mix a few storylines, most of them stick to the point, and tangents actually develop the characters.

I'm prompted to write this after the hilarious episode that aired two weeks ago, where Leslie Knope (played perfectly by Amy Poehler) has a rally to support her run for city council. Suffice it to say, it doesn't go as planned... since the planning was haphazard to begin with.

Any thoughts on this?

Quote: Tiltpoul

Okay, I'm bored waiting for my flight, and have been thinking a lot about this after watching the last two episodes of the show...

"Parks and Recreation" could be one of the best sitcoms on TV right now. It's smart, it's funny, and the subplots usually have something to do with the characters and are totally believable, if a bit outrageous. The acting is superb from top to bottom, and the show has grown a TON from the first two seasons.

"Modern Family" has received all the accolades (Golden Globes, Emmys, etc.), but the show is kind of formulaic and relies a lot on situational humor that revolves around the various members of the family interacting with each other. P&R is a true ensemble effort, and while they do mix a few storylines, most of them stick to the point, and tangents actually develop the characters.

I'm prompted to write this after the hilarious episode that aired two weeks ago, where Leslie Knope (played perfectly by Amy Poehler) has a rally to support her run for city council. Suffice it to say, it doesn't go as planned... since the planning was haphazard to begin with.

Any thoughts on this?

The first season was too awkward, and they tried to make Leslie the "Female Michael Scott"; she's too ditzy and stupid. Season two was a remarkable turnaround, and everything else has been absolutely golden. I look forward to it more than any other comedy currently on TV. Ron Swanson is one of the best characters on television. If you've been disappointed in The Office the past three years, you need to catch up on this program if you aren't watching it.

I fear that too many people tuned out after Season 1.

Quote: cclub79

I fear that too many people tuned out after Season 1.

Yeah, I'd say I fall into that category, so maybe I'll try it again
this year. Thanks for the tip.

Quote: cclub79

I fear that too many people tuned out after Season 1.

I never tuned in.

It would help if it ran on daytime syndication on my next vacation. That's how I happened upon shows like L&O SVU, Stargate SG-1 (and thence to Atlantis and, ugh!, Universe), The Big Bang Theory, and last year Bones.

Quote: Nareed

I never tuned in.

It would help if it ran on daytime syndication on my next vacation. That's how I happened upon shows like L&O SVU, Stargate SG-1 (and thence to Atlantis and, ugh!, Universe), The Big Bang Theory, and last year Bones.

For stripping purposes, a show needs to run at least 4 seasons to be successfully syndicated. 30 Rock just began this fall. Parks and Rec is probably still a year and a half away.

From wiki:

In broadcast programming, stripping is the practice of running a television series at the same time daily (or at least on Mondays to Fridays), so that it appears as a strip straight across the weekly schedule. It is commonly restricted to describing the airing of television shows that were weekly in their first run: The West Wing could be stripped but not Jeopardy!, as Jeopardy was originally intended to be run daily. However, it can also refer to shows in prime time that run daily, such as with the failed The Jay Leno Show in 2009 and 2010.[1]

For much of the 1960s and into the early 1990s, stripping for syndication was one of, if not the primary profit component of the studio production model in American television. A show became far more profitable if it succeeded in getting three full U.S. seasons (about 75 episodes) or more, as then it was possible to strip it for fifteen weeks (15×5=75) before needing to repeat episodes. Once a series attained five seasons (which would push the show over the 100 episodes threshold), it would be a full six months before it would repeat. For Star Trek, in particular, this was relevant. Only due to an unprecedented letter-writing campaign was the show renewed for its third season, and it did not begin to attain wider popularity until appearing in syndication for a number of years. If it had failed to obtain a third season it would not have been syndicated, and its subsequent popularity and influence would likely not have occurred. Many other shows with lukewarm response in their initial runs became widely appreciated cult favorites as a result of syndication, or helped keep cultural memes associated with them far more widely known than if the shows had only been viewable during their initial timeframe.

Quote: cclub79

For stripping purposes, a show needs to run at least 4 seasons to be successfully syndicated. 30 Rock just began this fall. Parks and Rec is probably still a year and a half away.

Consider things don't work quite the same outside the US. I think the Big Bang Theory was on its third season when the cable network that carries it in prime time began stripping it.

But then the local (or regional) basic cable nets here like to repeat shows. Not that I mind. With my work schedule, a repeat of the new eps on the weekend spares me the expense of a DVR.

The new one on CBS following the Big Bang called "Rob" with Rob Schneider is hilarious so far!

Quote: thlf

The new one on CBS following the Big Bang called "Rob" with Rob Schneider is hilarious so far!

This is officially the first time this has been said about something where Sheneider plays the lead ;)

How I Met Your Mother is still my favorite show on tv right now. I've seen a few episodes of Parks & Rec and they just haven't done it for me. I'm not a huge fan of Amy Poehler so that may be affecting my judgment a bit but the episodes I've seen just werent that good IMO. i'm not sure if they were season 1 or not, so maybe that's why I'm so down on it.

For the record, I'm not a huge fan of either the office or It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I love Steve Carrell and I think he is quite funny in nearly everything he touches, but even when he was still on Office, I didn't enjoy it to the point where I would make sure to watch.

To each their own.

Quote: sunrise089

This is officially the first time this has been said about something where Sheneider plays the lead ;)

I totally agree and I also hope it is the first time it comes true. I think Cheech Marin helps the show.

Quote: Tiltpoul

Any thoughts on this?

I think you are getting an answer from these responses. P&R like 30Rock is a show that you have to watch to understand. You need to know something about the characters, and it helps to know something about the world that is shaping the plotlines.

A show like Rob you could miss 10 minutes of a 22 minute episode, and still have no trouble following what is happening.

As a result P&R will not be as popular as Rob, critical opinion notwithstanding.

I voted NO.

I know it's a cartoon sitcom, but Family Guy is the funniest.

Quote: FatGeezus

I voted NO.

I know it's a cartoon sitcom, but Family Guy American Dad is the funniest.

Love Parks n Rec. The more Ron Swanson the better.

Quote: slyther

Love Parks n Rec. The more Ron Swanson the better.

Completely agree. One of my favorite Parks and Rec moments is when he ramdomly walks into that classroom and tells that blonde that she would look better as a brunette. Then signs off "Ron Swanson" and walks out.

Having said that, Curb Your Enthusiasm is better. As for cartoons I think South Park is the best.

Parks and Rec is one of the best comedies out there. Unfortunately, its ratings sucks (it's on NBC). It's my daughter's favorite show.

Big Bang is clobbering 30 Rock (according to TV by the Numbers), which is the lead-in to Parks and Rec viewers is about 4 million of age 18-49. Big Bang averages about 15 - 16 million per episode. Having Idol on at 8pm on Thursday is also a killer.

You can claim that leadins don't matter, but the evidence is clear that people will stay on board to see a show they haven't seen before rather than pick up the remote.

Quote: boymimbo

Big Bang is clobbering 30 Rock (according to TV by the Numbers), which is the lead-in to Parks and Rec viewers is about 4 million of age 18-49.

Big Bang averages about 15 - 16 million per episode. Having Idol on at 8pm on Thursday is also a killer.

The show 30 Rock would kill to have 4 million age 18-49 viewership. That is very high for any TV show. For their last two shows they had 4.47 million and 4.05 million for all ages. The numbers for age 18-49 were 1.8 million and 1.6 million. Parks and Recreation is slightly higher than '30 Rock'.

I don't think that 6 million people (ages 18-49) watch any scripted television show. That's why they all look like commercials with so many product placement scenes. Loving shots of high end features of cars with their brand name prominently displayed, or extended viewing of fast food meals or people munching on snack food gushing about how they love twizzlers.

Voted no. My current favorite live sitcom is Community. For animated comedies it's The Venture Brothers. Unfortunately only the latter will get to 'six seasons and a movie' (that's a Community reference). They're going to eventually play off the remaining third season Community episodes but I don't have hope for a fourth, which would be the natural ending place for the show. Venture Brothers is a cult hit on Adult Swim and is already bought for two more seasons, where the show will experience a planned ending.

Ratings for the younger demographics are very skewed in my opinion. Younger people often will 'acquire' a digital copy of the new episode of show X rather than watch it on TV, or even on DVR (especially for premium cable shows, of course). CBS does well by targeting older people and the computer illiterate of the young generation. That's where the ratings are...but not the quality in my opinion.

P&R is funny though. It's definitely in the 'sweet spot' that The Office had in its seasons 2-4.

Quote: progrocker

Ratings for the younger demographics are very skewed in my opinion. Younger people often will 'acquire' a digital copy of the new episode of show X rather than watch it on TV, or even on DVR (especially for premium cable shows, of course).

Great point. I refuse to pay for cable. Netflix sends me Curb. South Park and any NBC I watch online. The only show I miss watching is Conan. I sometimes wonder if web-watchers and DVD rentals/sales are considered in ratings.

I think the 2 best right now are......

The Big Bang Theory

and

How I met your Mother

Okay, I hate to revive a thread that died a long time ago, especially one I started and may not be able to tend to... but...

Parks and Recreation not getting nominated for an Emmy for best sitcom this year could be one of the bigger snubs in the history of Emmys. By far and away, P&R was the smartest and funniest show on TV. I know the supporting actor category is dominated by the four male leads of Modern Family, but Nick Offerman, Rob Lowe and Adam Scott all deserve recognition for their work on the show. Aubrey Plaza should be considered for supporting actress as well.

I read some articles online predicting Kathryn Hahn would likely be overlooked for her guest starring role, but she shouldn't have been. Her scenes proved to be some of the most telling of a political campaign manager who is only after her own goals of cashing a paycheck.

Of course, Amy Poehler deserves to be nominated (and got two, one for acting, one for writing). However, Michael Schur also got a writing nomination. I know the show isn't for everybody, and I'm fine with that. But for the talent on the show and how realistic and funny it is, this just angers me that it didn't get recognized.

As always the best thing on TV is the "OFF" switch.

Quote: FatGeezus

I voted NO.

I know it's a cartoon sitcom, but Family Guy is the funniest.

I love Family Guy. Favorite show by far. Seth McFarlane and company decided to bring Brian back from the dead. Probably the plan along. Show is not the same without Brian. Martini drinkin' dog.

Quote: treetopbuddy

I love Family Guy. Favorite show by far. Seth McFarlane and company decided to bring Brian back from the dead. Probably the plan along. Family Guy is not the same without Brian. Martini drinkin' dog.

I couldn't imagine that the fans would stand for Brian's demise and they didn't. As a viewer who didn't watch all that much, even I could see the error of Seth's ways.

I was one of the people who got turned off by P&R in its first season; had not realized it improved that much. Not watching all that much TV anyways, but I do watch Big Bang Theory, so that's my fav. But will go back and look at P&R, thanks for the recommend.

"Modern Family" followed by "The Big Bang Theory."

I love Big Bang Theory. Sheldon is awesome, but IMO Amy (Blossom!) steals just about every show. She is an incredibly talented actress and she plays her role very well.

I only watched one episode of Modern Family and I hated it. The acting was pretty bad, and the show seemed to wander too much. Nothing funny happened. Bad writing + bad acting = bad show.

I also don't like How I Met Your Mother. The writing is decent but the acting is atrocious and the dialogue is forced. NPH is not believable in that role. He is way too effeminate to be a womanizer, and he is not a good enough actor to come across as anything else.

As much as I love big Bang Theory, I think that the best sitcom on TV is It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. So hilarious, so wrong, and equally offensive to everyone (no preachy message). There is a reason it's been on for, what, 10 seasons now? I would say that the show got significantly better in season 2 when Danny DeVito joined -- he is an incredible actor.

Only show I regularly watch since the office ended. I like the political premise and Ron Swanson is god tier

I saw the first Parks & Recreation, and didn't watch it again. Then yesterday I caught an episode while flipping stations, and it was really funny. I'll try to watch some more of them on Netflix.

I may have said this before but I get more of a kick out of Community than anything else on TV.

I also like It's Always Sunny and Workaholics. The slacker trope is easy to relate to :).

Quote: teddys

I may have said this before but I get more of a kick out of Community than anything else on TV.

I also like It's Always Sunny and Workaholics. The slacker trope is easy to relate to :).

Oh yeah I forgot about Community! Hilarious.

I watched Workaholics (at least the seasons that were free on Amazon Prime. I thought it was ok but not that great.

The great thing about Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia is that it actually seems to be getting funnier as time goes on. Usually they eventually start to run out of material and the show gets boring, but not in this case...