Parks and Recreation

guitarman531 · 04-20-2009, 05:14 PM

Anyone watching this series?

It's made by the same people as The Office....and it shows. That's the thing I really dislike about this show, I feel like I'm watching The Office with a different cast. The same personalities are showing through [the 'boss' is basically a female Michael Scott, etc.].

I like it as just 'entertainment', but it's definitely not anything new or original...

Any thoughts?

**thesteve** · 04-20-2009, 05:26 PM

I'm watching it. I've seen the first two episodes. I haven't quite formed an opinion about it yet.

**mtlmouth** · 04-20-2009, 06:07 PM

I watched the first episode. Definitely felt like a poor man's version of The Office. I agree, it's Amy Poehler as Michael Scott. I lost interest and didn't bother tuning in last week.

guitarman531 · 04-20-2009, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtlmouth

I watched the first episode. Definitely felt like a poor man's version of The Office. I agree, it's Amy Poehler as Michael Scott. I lost interest and didn't bother tuning in last week.

They are even using some of the same gags! In the 2nd episode, they paired off and Amy's character even said "We're gonna win!!!" and one of her employees responded with the "win what? this is a race? what?". Same gag we saw in the 'sales calls' episode in The Office.

It's annoying...and yet I keep watching...maybe it's because Parks and Rec is now what The Office isn't...

**thesteve** · 04-20-2009, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitarman531

It's annoying...and yet I keep watching...maybe it's because Parks and Rec is now what The Office isn't...

I don't consider that to necessarily be a good thing...

TunerSteve · 04-20-2009, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitarman531

Anyone watching this series?

It's made by the same people as The Office....and it shows. That's the thing I really dislike about this show, I feel like I'm watching The Office with a different cast. The same personalities are showing through [the 'boss' is basically a female Michael Scott, etc.].

I like it as just 'entertainment', but it's definitely not anything new or original...

Any thoughts?

I've been watching, and still forming an opinion. The one joke I liked last week, was when the kids in the park couldn't find any Easter eggs, and then it was revealed that the underling in her office forgot to hide any.

It's such a Office look-a-like I find it distracting, but hopefully they can flesh out the characters a bit and stretch in a different direction somehow.

**SupaNova** · 04-20-2009, 09:30 PM

I saw the first episode. Meh, if I want to watch the first three seasons of The Office, well, I'll go watch my dvds.

That said, I still may watch a few more episodes when I remember too, but right now it's taking waaay too many nods from it's predecessor for its own good.

***Art*** · 04-20-2009, 10:14 PM

Wow.

I don't think its great, but I also don't think it is The Office.

I'm watching it, because it is better than most of the crap on.

conceived in fire · 04-20-2009, 11:05 PM

People should remember that the first few episodes of our US The Office were a bit too similar to the original one at first. Hopefully this show goes its own direction as well.
I haven't seen the show yet, but I want to since it has Amy Poehler (who is/was the only good thing about SNL after Fey and Fallon left).

**Epaphras** · 04-21-2009, 06:23 AM

The jury is still out for me, but I do really like Amy Poeler's boss. Dude has a claymore and a shotgun on his desk! "I hate the public; the public is stupid"

**SupaNova** · 04-21-2009, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conceived In Fire

People should remember that the first few episodes of our US The Office were a bit too similar to the original one at first. Hopefully this show goes its own direction as well.

This is why I want to keep giving this show a chance. As long as they start forming a fresh direction, then I'll forgive them sitting on their laurels for the first few episodes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Epaphras

The jury is still out for me, but I do really like Amy Poeler's boss. Dude has a claymore and a shotgun on his desk! "I hate the public; the public is stupid"

Ha, yeah. I did really like that scene where he's showing off to the camera crew and talking about why he has the barrel of a shotgun on his desk.

**Epaphras** · 04-21-2009, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SupaNova

Ha, yeah. I did really like that scene where he's showing off to the camera crew and talking about why he has the barrel of a shotgun on his desk.

It's funniest to me because I worked for three summers in city government, and I worked with a lot of people who hated the public and hated government, yet were in charge of entire departments like storm drains and had to interact with the public a lot. Someone really did their research with that character because there is one of those in every municipal government, just like there's a Dwight in every office environment.

But this show also has a lot of archetypes similar to the office: the city planner is very "Jim", Amy Poehler's assistant is very "Ryan", the college intern is the same as the punk pizza delivery kid from "Launch Party", etc.

And if you ask me, Amy Poehler's character is more of a mix between Michael Scott and Andy than just straight-up Michael. Andy has that abnoxious word-play and falsetto sing-song streak about him. Michael is just a doofus with a good heart. Amy Poehler's character is a mix of both. She also has a bit of the Dwight Schrute traditionalism and rule-following in her (the script for the neighborhood canvassing, for example).

Ax · 04-21-2009, 10:51 PM

I do not like Amy Pohler and I don't like Aziz Ansari.

I really don't like Aziz Ansari. When his character was written out of Scrubs, I clapped.

I will not watch this show.

guitarman531 · 04-22-2009, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AX

I do not like Amy Pohler and I don't like Aziz Ansari.

I really don't like Aziz Ansari. When his character was written out of Scrubs, I clapped.

hahaha! yeah....you probably won't like this show then...

Quote:

I will not watch this show.

probably a good plan :P

normajean777 · 04-23-2009, 08:12 PM

Well I saw the first episode the other day.... I don't really like it. It was ok, and I'd likely watch it if i owned a tv and was bored while it was on (lol), but I definitely do not think I will go out of my way to watch it as I have done for the Office, and in a lesser sense Arrested Development.