What: Parks and Recreation, a smart and character-driven comedy, has been my favorite television show this year.* This (sadly abbreviated) season opened with the now-internet-infamous Ron Swanson Pyramid of Greatness, but for me things really gelled with episode 2, "Flu Season." There's nothing like illness to reveal character, and all the characters in this episode are perfect concentrated versions of themselves. Leslie overachieves, Ron eats a meat tornado, Tom schmoozes and smarms, April is bitter and sullen, Chris is unhealthily health-obsessed, Ann is rational in a slightly frazzled way, and Andy is genially incompetent.
As for the cast changes . . . I was sorry to see Mark (Paul Schneider) go last season, but wow, welcome to Ben (Adam Scott) and Chris (Rob Lowe)! (There are few things funnier in life than watching a glassy-eyed Rob Lowe stare in the mirror while sternly telling himself, "Stop. Pooping.")
Representative quote: "Skywriting isn't always positive."
You might not like it if: To steal a line from a recent episode, "I guess some people object to powerful depictions of awesome ladies." [in reference to a centaur painting, of course]
How to get it: It airs on Thursday nights, and you can watch the five most recent episodes on Hulu. The season finale is May 19, so you have two full weeks to catch up.
*Sorry, all the shows that don't center on the amazing Leslie Knope. You are working from a distinct disadvantage. I cannot overemphasize how great it is to see a female character who's good at her job, is respected for being good at her job, and isn't regarded as soulless/conniving/trying to fill a baby-shaped hole in her life. It's also pretty great that she identifies as a feminist without it being portrayed as an aggressive fringe position.
No comments:
Post a Comment