Parks and Recreation Review: A Makeover of The Office

Thursday April 9th, 8:30/7:30 -- NBC aired their premiere of a new sitcom called Parks and Recreation. This Office-style 'mockumentary' featuring Amy Poehler [Hilary Clinton from SNL] and Rashida Jones [Karen Filippelli on The Office] is painful to watch; it is exactly like The Office. It normally wouldn't bother me so much if the show were an improvement on the original, but the pilot episode was just sad. Perhaps if I had never seen The Office it might have worked, but no, this one is DOA.

Here's their official webpage: CLICK
Click here to download the first, trial episode for FREE.

Despite being directly confronted in an pre-air interview, Rashida Jones claims that Park and Rec is completely in a new universe from The Office. By the end of the interview, she conceeded that the only real difference was that this show was set in Indiana instead of Scranton, PA. The show seems to copy every aspect of The Office down to the very last detail. Do we really need or want a female Micheal Scott, an Indian Jim, a male Jan? New actors, same characters. That is except for Karen; she actually was a main character from The Office.

This show won't make it through it's first season. (The only thing that might keep it alive would be strong guest appearances from people like Will Ferrel, Meryl Streep, and the like. (Just like 30 Rock.)

Now, having said that. I'm am likely to completely change my opinion within a matter of days. I may simply be having trouble making the transition, but will soon become a loyal follower. If I were to base my angst solely on my arguement that all 'remakes' are bad, then I would have to also argue that Star Trek: TNG and the US version of The Office are also bad.

On its own, Park and Rec is very well written; maybe it will sustain the season.

The bottom line for posting this rant is that I wanted to have published proof that I had serious opinions about this show at it's inception. (I love to be on the ground floor of future pop-culture trends.)

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