So Long Pawnee

In most cases I tend to root for the underdog. I like to believe that most people do. So when this week's series finale of Parks and Recreation was moved to ten o'clock to make room for The Voice, I was a little perplexed. For one of the best comedies in recent years that lived in the eight o'clock hour for seven seasons, I viewed it as a sign of disrespect from NBC. I can understand that America needs its fix of singing competition shows, but the ten o'clock hour is reserved for crime dramas and comedies on cable networks that have a TV-MA rating (think It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia). For another smart and heartwarming comedy that had a history of fighting for ratings (30 Rock, anyone), Parks and Rec deserved a better send off.

The bottom line is that it's sad to see Parks and Rec have to end. I remember tuning in to the first episode and immediately thinking it was a poor rip off of The Office. Mind you that the show's creator Greg Daniels also developed The Office, so I understood that it was supposed to be another mockumentary and satirical comedy. Amy Poehler’s ambitious Leslie Knope took over for Steve Carell’s Michael Scott, but instead of a paper company she was the Deputy Director of the Parks and Recreation Department in Pawnee, Indiana, attempting to both further her career towards being the first female president and aggravating her likeable staff to find ways improve her town. At the time I felt The Office couldn't be duplicated, and for that I wrote off Parks and Rec and initially never gave it a chance. After several recommendations from friends and family that eventually resulted in some binge watching on Netflix, I quickly changed my tune.

In many ways, Parks and Rec is better than its predecessor. Both shows have distinguishable casts, and an argument can be made of which has the better ensemble. But I have to give the edge to Parks and Rec for its setting and supporting characters. The fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana, provided more presence and definition than Scranton, Pennsylvania ever did for The Office. Pawnee was the butt of more jokes that it could have been considered an actual physical character. The town even has its own website. As for secondary characters, maybe besides Todd Packer and Cousin Mose, The Office didn’t have many that stood out. What would Parks and Rec be without Jean-Ralphio, his twin sister Mona Lisa Saperstien, Ethel Beavers, Brandi Maxxxx, The Douche, Joan Callamezzo, Perd Hapley, Tammy 2, Councilman Jeremy Jamm or even Li’l Sebastian? Additionally where The Office might have gone on for a tad too long, Parks and Rec ended on the right note. The Office pushed on for two more lackluster seasons after Steve Carell left at the end of the seventh season. Parks and Rec wasn’t going stale and probably could have continued, but it would have been close to impossible due to the growing notoriety of the cast. Even though his season was cut short, it was satisfying to see the cast able to bring the show to an end.

The final thirteen episodes of Parks and Rec take place in the year 1917. The series finale went further into the future, providing glimpses of where the main characters end up after one last farewell at the parks department. We find out Garry continues as Mayor of Pawnee and lives until his 100^th birthday, Donna starts a non-profit, Teach Yo’Self, in Seattle, April and Andy begin their family in Washington D.C., Tom is broke after attempting to expand Tom’s Bistro, leading him to write the best-seller “Failure: An American Success Story,” Ron becomes head of Pawnee’s National Park, and Leslie becomes governor of Indiana. Even Chris and Ann make one last appearance. There were no surprises or shock effect, and it was a safe and happy ending that provided closure to its fans. Though like many other quality shows, the finale did not reflect the creativity of the entire series. What we have to remember and fall back on is the town of Pawnee and its beloved inhabitants. Regardless of the finale, Parks and Rec discarded its underdog status a long time ago, while winning the hearts of many and earning the respect it deserves.