When NBC announced it would air a spin-off of their popular comedy The Office, the prospect of another well-crafted show made me giddy. The Office has been pitch-perfect since the first episode, and the cast of talented actors who convincingly portray their eccentric characters is essential to that success. Imagine my disappointment, then, when NBC aired the pilot episode of Parks and Recreation and the episode held none of the spark of its predecessor.
It's easy in hindsight to say that show formulas don't always work repeatedly. But The Office was the first American adaptation of a British show I really enjoyed, especially after the bungling of Coupling, and I was eager for more. As the spin-off became Parks and Recreation and shifted its aim to the frustrations and inefficacy of local government, I still retained my initial excitement. After all, the show would be helmed by the producers of The Office and filmed in the same documentary style. What could go wrong? Everything.
For starters, I never imagined a show's premise could be as boring as a parks department. Judging by the plot of the pilot, which is about a large pit that lead character Leslie Knope wants to turn into a park, it's hard to believe there will be enough material for even one season. Then there's the writing. I tried to count the number of annoying analogies Leslie spouted off in the episode, but had to take an aspirin break. Try as they might, the actors just can't sell the awkward script, and I don't mean awkward in the artsy good way. In general, the writers fall flat in their attempts to set up the characters for laughs.
Which brings me to the acting. The Office really spoiled me in this regard. Poor Amy Poehler, as lead character Leslie, has this pained expression of faux surprise and/or excitement on her face the entire episode. Rashida Jones, who played Karen on The Office and here plays a nurse named Ann, regularly seems uncomfortable and lost, and Leslie's coworkers don't fare much better. Also, there doesn't seem to be any chemistry between comrades-in-arms Leslie and Ann, or between Leslie and her love interest, city planner Mark. Since NBC has put all their eggs in this basket looking for another hit, let me put it this way: it's going to be a long first season.
3 Culture
Stephanie Hummel
