So true lol it really was the weakest episodes lol I think season 1 was weak all around after Donna was a real character it was good to me lol it was weird she was just chilling in the back
whenever I pitch the show to friends, I show them "Hunting Trip" as a pilot. It shows off all the characters without making you feel like you're missing anything while also just being a REALLY funny episode. If they enjoy it (which they always do), I tell them to start in the beginning. I think season 1 (and the pilot) are still worth the watch because they're still really REALLY funny episodes, they just don't have the same heart that season 2 on has.
I do this same thing with the IT Crowd! Start with ep2, all you need to know is that there are two IT geeks and their manager who doesn't know anything about computers. The first episode actively turns viewers away, but the second episode is the best one in the entire series.
Season 1 is such a slog to get through, but the rest of the show is SO worth it. If you were turned off by the pilot or the rest of season 1, know the show becomes amazing from season 3 onwards
It started to improve by Season 2. They did mention that the first season was also crammed into a limited shooting timeline since Amy was pregnant. Unlike other sitcoms, filming had a breather wherein the creative team could check the audience pulse and make changes along the way. Thank god, it picked up in season 2. I'm a big P&R fan so I still watch the first season but for non-fans, I would sometimes recommend to skip it.
this isn't quite accurate - the production was delayed because of her pregnancy and they didn't start shooting until after she'd given birth. i think what you're referring to is the fact that they had a straight to season order of six episodes rather than airing a pilot and then ordering the rest of the season - the production timeline of shooting six episodes like that just means that by the time the first one airs you've already shot all of them, so as you said they didn't have a chance to get a sense of how the public would receive it
I am glad they did because Michael Scott is one of the most despicable (pun not intended) characters ever written. How anyone rooted for Michael is beyond me.
@@caitlinwheeler7915 I think the main reason I hate him is that I had this boss who prided on being a Michael Scott type, only without any of the positive qualities. She used to be whiny and clingy, constantly demanded the respect AND friendship of her subordinates (which if you ask me if having your cake and eating it too) and just like Michael, she acted like a vengeful b*tch if she didn't get it. Worst manager I've ever had.
On rewatches, I always start at season 3. There are some good episodes prior to then, but I love the additions of Ben and Chris and the subtraction of Mark.
I'm actually glad I watched Parks and Rec _before_ the Office, mostly for this reason. Though I do still consider Parks and Rec a better show overall, so maybe I should have started with the Office.
What i love about Parks and Rec is it actually gets better as the series goes on. The Office bad down points and finished awful, Friends had down seasons in the middle and other sit coms. The first season was awful, 2nd was a lot better and as soon as Mark left and Chris and Ben joined it really started to rise.
It was still enjoyable to watch on some level and it was the cast that caused me to stick with the story. As weak as the pilot for Parks and Rec was, the office was painful throughout the entire first season due to Michael, but his character growth was the most satisfying thing to watch.
I adore Parks & Rec, too! I had a good feeling about the show & also stuck it out, and it’s one of my favorite shows. It will also age well, which says a lot! But fun fact: if you look back at The Office, Michael’s character doesn’t really grow or change all that much at all. Instead, he is given a physical makeover (looks less skeezy with nicer hair, better suits, etc.) and it was the *supporting characters’ treatment* of him that changed. His humor remains dumb and inappropriate all the way through, but the characters respond with more patience and acceptance after season 1. His love with Holly rounds out his likability. But she def likes him as he is, and I don’t think she expects him to grow/change much. This was needed because the show’s 1st season humor/overall feel was too dark, its protagonist too obnoxious, for the US audience. But I didn’t realize this until like, my 5th re-watch and an in-depth analysis by another YT creator where this was distinctly pointed out!
@@Liolia22 the reason why the copycat season 1 of the Office didn't resonate with the US audience is because the UK version has characters that are very realistic, we Brits loved it cause it just seemed like a pretty accurate portrayal of ridiculous situations and people we have to deal with, but the US version presented the show as a sitcom but with these very dry characters.. btw not comparing the two, absolutely love the US and UK versions, would not compare them in quality as they are totally different!
@@Vivi_9 oh yeah, makes sense! I’m Ukrainian American and I really enjoy British wit and humor personally, and find some US humor to be a bit too simplistic/slap-stick-y, and themes to be a bit too peppy at times. Not always, but sometimes. So I actually enjoyed season 1 of The Office US for being kinda dark (though the filter on the cameras made it literally look gray, which added to the realism but I was happy when they switched to nicer filters/a better camera in S2+!), but I could see why the general audience didn’t lean into it like that. To each their own, of course, and I ended up enjoying seasons 2-5 of The office. I did feel they overdid it & the show fell off after Michael left. That’s an issue US shows struggle with that UK programs do way better: knowing when to end things without dragging them out! But there is a heavy focus on raking in the extended $$ with US shows. 😬 But I agree, both versions were great for their own reasons.
@@Liolia22 I heard somewhere that the note after season one was "Michael needs to be 10% better, and the staff needs to like him 10% more." I don't think that season one Michael would _ever_ have done the pitch at Chili's or handled both the interpersonal skills and managerial skills he did in "Business School."
@@wvu05 true! Perfect examples of his subtle but essential character redesign. I think he needed to have some redeemable qualities or moments to make it logical for the staff to like him/respect him a bit more, and make the show watchable for so many seasons.
I think you hit the nail on the head when you talked about cynicism - I think what's wrong with the first season is the *tone*. Parks & Rec is funny and absurd but at its core, it's wholesome and hopeful. That's when it's at its best.
The show basically became iconic and beloved because the writers systematically pivoted away from all the problems season one had. They listened to the audience without pandering to them, and as a result, threads like the Andy-April romance felt sincere and earned. The show earned its 'heart' because of how sorely that heart was lacking in s1.
I remember watching it and not finding it funny and not watching anymore. Years later I gave the show another shot after hearing amazing things. Thank god I did because Parks is now my all time favorite sitcom. Season stumbles. But season two finds it’s feet and 3 onward it spread its wings and fly (spread your wings and fly)
@@HHH-ye1ro totally agree - a pilot’s only purpose is getting the series picked up. I love seasons 1-5, but I slightly lose interest once Ben returns from DC with April. That’s usually where my binge ends when I rewatch it.
7:55 - With how the first season of The Office was, I almost wonder if it's less about losing sight of what made the show great, and more about having a hard time with first seasons
For the office I thino it was more about not knowing what was wanted by the target audience, and not finding its own style. That first season of the office US is very similar to the office UK, most of the humour is awkward, in a way that is supposed to make us sympathise with some of the characters (Jim, Pam, Ryan). Its clear this style was not as effective with an American audience and the writers of the show (who were different to that of the Office UK) didnt fully understand its kinks. Its kinda funny because the office UK and parks and rec are nothing alike, and yet there is a connection to all of them that had to be scrapped.
How can people not find this show funny, after you get into it, there are tons of good jokes. So many classic moments that are hilarious, tons of great characters.
I feel kind of bad for the actor who plays Mark. Imagine being a part of one of the world's most beloved shows, only it didnt BECOME beloved untill you got fired and replaced 😬
It felt like they were all just learning their own characters for the first season or two. I’ve always liked how happy and upbeat the series felt overall.
Honestly, the pilot is so bad that you can skip the 1st season entirely and not miss a thing. If you haven't watched yet, start from the 2nd season. You will save time and be able to enjoy the show.
My wife and I stick mainly to season 3-7 because Ben and Chris being introduced really helped the show feel completed. Also all the characters seemed to settle into their roles more definitively during 3.
i saw parks and rec before the office and honestly on my first watch i didnt really notice any of the flaws. i rewatched it during the first lockdown after binging the office for the first time and yeah it became really obvious what the problems with those first few episodes were... im really glad they fixed them ! its such a comfort show of mine and id be lying if i said it didnt play a small part in me becoming a local government employee ahah
I can't imagine who would be in Guardians of the galaxy. This is the show that made him, glad he wasn't type cast though, he wouldn't be good any where else like this
The pilot was underwhelming for most of the episode, but absolutely amazing at the final scene. It introduced one of the greatest TV show characters, and his hatred for government. By the end of the episode I decided not to continue watching parks and rec, but then Ron said he wants to privatize the parks department. I was sold right there on the spot. I will watch this show just to see more of this man. That was it. It's a great show.
My siblings are OBSESSED with Parks & Rec and The Office. One year, I came home for Christmas and my siblings were on the couch, kicking off a holiday binge of all of Parks & Rec up until that point. I watched the pilot episode with them and peaced out because digging out my long-buried childhood N64 was a way more intriguing venture than sitting through that episode again.
After watching season 1 of Parks and Rec I stopped watching for years thinking it could never be anything close to what The Office created. Coming back to it literally years later, I can say it is possibly my favourite show with possibly my favourite tv character Ronald Ulysses Swanson.
I think the problem is the exact same thing that happened with the office. The started out trying to make a show about a bunch of government workers that hated their jobs and acted like government workers who hated their job, but like the office they quickly realized that that makes for shitty tv. Nobody wants to watch an office of people who are just mean, and snarky, and disinterested all the time. Like the office you start out looking at all the characters thinking "I hate all these people". They are all lacking in personality and are even dressed in a way that evokes a black government office environment. To me this is exactly on par with the Office pilot. I know lots of people who just bailed on the office because of how it starts. I've even had people try to go back and watch it on Netflix but they give up after a couple episodes.
absolutely agree. I was one of the people whose first attempt at watching this show failed only to try again years later and fall in love with it. I know multiple people who love the Office, but refuse to listen when I tell them how good this show is, simply because they hated the pilot. It's a darn shame
It's one of the only shows that ever got better with time, season 1 I always skip, season 2 is good, and then when Ben and Chris are written in the show sky rockets, and it never comes back down again, I mean the top 2 highest rated episodes on IMDB are both season 7 episodes, and 3 of the top 10 episodes are from season 6
Yeah, Honestly I watched that 1st episode when it first aired and checked out thinking it was a bad office knock off. It wasn't until years later when it was on Netflix and hearing how great it was I gave it another shot and once I got past that first episode by the time I got to season 2 I was a solid fan. Ron made the show for me. Depending on what day you ask me I'll give you a different answer but I might like it more than the office... they're really neck and neck, especially if you pretend the last 2 seasons of the Office never happened (except the finale).
I liked how uncomfortable the Pilot can be, it reminds me of the phase of awkwardness when first meeting new people, once you get used to them they'll open up and become your friends and that's exactly what the first seasons were for me.
I mean, it's hardly a surprise. They did the same exact thing with the introduction to The Office (US). They just copy and pasted the old UK formula, then back-paddled and fixed what didn't fit. Seems like they knew exactly what they were doing.
I'm so glad they turned it around after season 1.. Parks & Rec is probably my favorite series ever and it almost didn't happen because of this pilot and season
I feel like nothing changed, season 1 was the same as the middle and end with very small changes. Each time they made it more and more like the office, because by itself, no one liked it
This is why so people don’t continue on with it. They watch the pilot and think it sucks so they don’t give it a try. Understandable. But I would encourage anyone to push through or to just start at season 2! Season 2 is good and by season 3 it’s all a home run Also I notice that people who have only seen season one or have barely watched the show assume it’s just an office rip off and don’t want to watch it. When honestly by season 3 it’s really nothing like the office. The only similarities they end up sharing at the talking heads, fast zooms, and looks to the camera. But the looks to the camera are used way less and there’s barely any acknowledgements to the camera crew or why they are there. The Office was more meta in that way. And like this video said, Parks focuses more on warmth and heart while a lot of the humor of The Office comes from shock value/second hand embarrassment/offensive behavior
They were feeling out their characters and had the disadvantage of using the office as a template. I call the first season the “Xanax season” since they were all trying to play it straight and when Chris appeared with his zaniness, it opened up everyone else’s characters.
It took me (and most people I know) two tries to get through the first season, but the good thing is it goes by quickly with only 6 20-minute episodes, and if you're binging it that's basically an evening. However, in hindsight the first season is so endearing to me, I really like watching how all the characters started out. I feel the same way about season 1 of the office; I guess it's mostly because we know what's coming.
Trying to think of another show that had MORE legitimately hilarious characters that were often laugh out loud funny. 30 Rock had a lot but not more than Parks. Be easier to name the characters that weren’t that funny. Rob Lowes most hilarious character. I don’t even remember if Rashida was funny or not because can only focus on how GD beautiful she is.
Not surprising this is being labeled the worst episode in the show’s runtime. I remember watching season 1 and feeling like it was a different kind of show trying so desperately to be another “The Office.” So glad it became what it did, cause I love Parks & Rec
This so succinctly reflects my feelings when I first watch the pilot episode. I remember looking at my wife and saying did they seriously just cast a person from the office in a show that's a blatant and bad rip off of the office. It ended up being one of my favorite shows ever.
well even the office was a rip off of the british version...these guys just recycle the same stuff. If you didn't like it in the office, then you will have to in P&R, slightly different character and slightly different approach, same jokes...Leslie is michael and Ann is Karen. Very little has actually changed
I have to agree with you. The show didn't hook me until the end of Season 1 and the start of Season 2. The moment Chris Pratt said "The Pit works in mysterious ways," I fell in love with the series.
I hated the first episode. I remember looking forward to it then commenting to my friends about how much I disliked it. Took a few years to even give it a chance again. Glad I did. Became one of my favorite shows ever.
After watching the show a few times, the first season isn't really that bad, because I know what is coming. But it felt like work the first time I watched it though haha
100% agree! I've rewatched the show a few times now, and Season 1 is pretty entertaining by itself on rewatches. But this is entirely due to knowing how the show grows over time. My first time through I almost considered dropping the show, but stuck with it because it was just 6 episodes lol.
Parks and Rec first season was such a pain to go through, but so worth it, after that the series became one of my favorites, i love the characters, the story, everything
I remember Hulu's description of the show as being a "droll workplace comedy". If whoever wrote that only watched the first episode they'd be correct. I'd tell my friends they didn't have to watch the first season because I wanted them to stick with it. My S1 summary would be a pit, Ann and Andy dated and broke up. S2 was the soft reboot.
I recall the writers saying that the major change in the first season was the ways in which the cast perceived and interacted with Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler). She is cut from the same cloth as those Liberal Democratic public figures, but without the actual power to do anything meaningful in Pawnee, but still conducts herself with the familiar self-assuredness and ego that those women have. The dialogue first reads her as self-centered and condescending, while the rest of the cast are irritated by her and her high-minded ideas and relentless desire to claim any success. By season two, they found a way of softening Leslie's character without getting rid of the reasons she is driven to succeed in a small town government - they made the characters realize that she's not some bossy bureaucrat who's out for herself, but someone who is an optimist and ideologue who sees the best in people and wants them to achieve their potential. That's why she pushes April to become a civil servant, that's why she wants Anne to become the head of the city's health department, and why she admires Tom for his entrepreneurial spirit. She is partnered with Ron Swanson who is the libertarian antithesis to her centralized government structure, yet he can see her passion for upholding civic duties and does nothing to obstruct or sabotage her work in the department; not because he's some closeted progressive, far from it, but because she recognizes his value system and manages to work with it, representing a seat at the table for all political views (and she also provides him cover for refusing to do anything productive or that costs the city money while he's the head of their department.) That's mostly where the humor changed, was admiring people's shortcomings or foibles, instead of mocking or ridiculing them for them. Even if the ideas were hairbrained and possibly ill-advised, they were still supportive of one another, as friends, colleagues, and ultimately citizens.
Michael Schur mentions in his new book about how P&R was basically given a freebie for season 1 and how he was still a very green writer coming off his work on the office. Characters were struggling to find their spot and a lot of the characters grew by working alongside actors strengths. It makes sense then the criticisms as they are exactly what even the showrunners were thinking at the time.
It's a good thing that this shows weakest episode is the pilot, because there was only one way for this show to go and that was up. For me, this show is way vetter than the office itself.
See, that issue of sitcoms or any TV program faces. Treating their audience like adults instead of children is why Better Call Saul, my favourite TV show, works so well. We don't need Mike in season 3 to tell the guys at the dump "I think someone bugged my car, so I'm gonna look for it." We just need to see Mike rip his vehicle to shreds, looking for a LoJack. Another recent example for me is Arcane, now, I've never seen/done anything League of Legends related but, I heard pristine reviews of the first season. Treating the audience like adults is one of the things Arcane does best for sure. There's a scene early on where Vi points out a stuffed bunny on a powerline to Powder, Vi says, as a child, she accidentally threw it up there and every night she'd try and get it down because, it's implied, she doesn't quit. So, when one episode later Vi walks into Powder's room carrying that stuffed bunny, says she loves Powder, and determined, walks out the door, we understand what's happening.
I hear the “Season 1 is the worst” “Wait till Ben and Chris are introduced, then it’s worth it” stuff a lot. But I have to say, I disagree. I usually have little patience for Pilots and if I’m not hooked pretty much instantly I won’t touch it. P&R immediately hooked me, immediately got my laughs and my interest in the story it was about to tell. If anything, the show started to decline in quality the longer it went on - mainly just due to Flanderization. Characters got boiled down to one character trait, stuck to one type of joke etc. That being said, there are still fantastic moments within that make it a fantastic series. I have restarted the series immediately after I had got done watching it lol. The caveat to all this though is that I haven’t seen The Office, so the criticisms that they were too similar is probably valid, I just had no reference for it and enjoyed it all the same
For some reason, I just never got into Parks and Rec. I loved The office, 30 rock, AD, Seinfeld and everything but Parks and Rec I watched all seasons just to get through with them
Despite it’s similarities to the Office, I love how Parks and Rec is just completely enjoyable, apart from the pilot, and there’s never any moments that are genuinely painful or uncomfortable to watch which tends to happen in the office due to Michael and his ability to make us hate him in a moment.
Oh yeah definitely agree the first episode kinda put me off on the show cus my first exposure from this show were clips of the later seasons So I dropped parks and recs thinking it was very lackluster until someone told me "yeah just watch season 2 episode 1 you won't lose much context but you can start actually enjoying the show" and thanks to that I fell in love the show
Parks and rec replaced my name is Earl which was really hitting it's stride in terms of character growth. So to see something so derivative of the office (which I've never been 100%) on i didn't give it a chance. HOWEVER, binging this on Netflix was a fantastic idea. It really grew into a wonderful show. I loved it
The intro synopsis is correct as I remember NBC's advertising was mostly "If you like The Office..." Parks & Rec was setup in the same faux-documentary format so they could use the "confessionals" for quick jokes. Fortunately, the evolving cast and good writing eventually helped it stand on its own.
Maybe I'm crazy but I enjoyed the pilot. I always go in to new shows knowing that the first couple of episodes can sometimes be a little rough and I thought this one was worth watching a few more episodes
The pilot was the very reason I didn't watch the show. I don't even think I finished the episode at the time. It wasn't until the show's last season that my girlfriend at the time (now my wife) convinced me to give the show a shot. It was a little difficult to get through the first season but by the second season, I was HOOKED! It finally picked up and now I LOVE going back and rewatching.
Agree. If it wasn't because of April and Andy's relationship's creen grabas and memes (that motivated me to start watching when the series was on Netflix) I wouldn't have passed the first episode. The entire first season is rough, but it got better to the point that it is one of my favorite tv shows of all time. But I have never rewatched season 1.
Parks and Rec is to the Office what American Auto is to Superstore. The biggest difference being that American Auto started god awful and will remain as such
A lot of your criticisms(which I agree with) are also true of the office. Which was obviously hugely popular. And a lot of those elements of poor writing you point out, weren’t just true of the pilot in the office. They were true in the whole show. It is essentially a showcase for jokes housed in a show that pretends it’s about people in a relatable environment. The problem is the Office is quite cynical even if people don’t think about it that way. Maybe people watch it the way they watch family guy and don’t really think about how they’re spending so much time laughing at a quirky group of mentally unstable narcissists. It’s dumb fun entertainment(which I occasionally will kill some time with, not judging or anything) but it’s certainly not great tv like parks and rec(after the first season).
Honestly, I thought the whole first season of Parks and Rec was very average - I also thought as much of the Office. Thankfully, they're short seasons, and they vastly improve from the second seasons onwards.
02:15 "reassembled the creators of The Office." I honestly had no idea that Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant were the masterminds behind Parks and Rec.
I always skip to the second episode of Parks and Recreation when introducing the show to everyone. Still not the best, but it usually gets people interested into watching more episodes. Then I just skip right into the Stakeout episode in season 2. Again not ideal but it has worked for me.
While a show like The Office has a rocky start and then gets good for a few seasons, then dips in quality towards the end, from what I remember, Parks and Rec had that rocky start, and then just kept getting better and better. Definitely the "Pam and Jim" dilemma was fixed. Pam and Jim's relationship was why people watched the first few seasons of the office, but after they got together... well that's not really much you can do. With Leslie and Benji Wyatt, so much grew from them being together, especially since Ben was brought in so much later.
I feel like “The Pit” was the tipping point for the show. It endears Andy Dwyer, it portrays Leslie as having both logical and emotional intelligence, and does a great job of getting the rest of the cast in their starting positions for the future.
I actually argue that the worst episode is episode 4, Boy's Club. The only thing I could tell you about that off the top of my head is "a 19-year-old April gets drunk and the funniest part is when teenagers literally throw shit at Leslie". The b-plot is probably the only time Andy is a good boyfriend to Ann, yet I totally forgot it existed until I looked at the Wikipedia page. I think an unfunny, unmemorable first-season episode is much worse than a dull pilot. At least the pilot got me to watch the rest of the series bc they set up a story I really wanted to see the conclusion to. Ultimately, I think that's why we keep watching Parks and Recreation- the story is really simple yet strong, it becomes really compelling as it adds complexities.
I agree completely about this lacklustre pilot. I had to convince my husband to give the show several episodes before it picked up steam. To be fair, I said the same thing about The Office. Both shows had the same rocky start.
I love how at the beginning of the episode, you said that the Parks and Rec characters were just altered versions of characters from the Office in the beginning and Rashida Jones's characters in both were essentially the same person. I'm glad they moved in a different direction for Ann, but they really just saw Rashida and had one character in mind when casting both shows, huh?
Tbh, Parks and Rec is far better than the Office. I don't know why would they ever want to be anything like the office. It surely is in my Top 3 list for sitcoms. Modern family and community being the other two. ❤
To be fair the Ron Swanson ending is fantastic. The Bobby knight stuff and him asking the documentary crew if they got a grant to film them is so funny
I never had to think of "writer earning my trust", or "dragging me on where and why" when watching a show to enjoy it, or not but not due to those reasons
The best thing that happened to parks and recs was the writers strike. It allowed the writers to step back and take a look at what they wanted from the show and change direction of the show. That's why the second season of the show is so much better then the first.
I feel writers strikes are dumb. Just like any other buisness in the world. If one group refuses you hire another one. The writers clearly only care about themselves. And hollywood and the TV industry is one of the most guarded monopolies that exist. By law, its illegal to say you have to be in the actors guild to be in a movie. Definition of discrimination and almost Racketeering. Which we know is illegal.. Either you're good enough to get pay raises, or you're barely good enough to keep the fat Americans entertained. But in all honesty, that is probably a good thing. Without Movies, we would have the Gladitorial arena and we would be fighting to the death. Americans are blood thirsty. Without the movies and games to sate that thirst, they will kill, because most of us are insane. but writers, who do nothing, deserve nothing. They don't feed us, they don't grow our produce. They keep us fat and lazy, that is it. They shouldn't be paid more than someone working at a steel mill to put their kids through college, while they live in a run down mobile home. Today society values the worst things. They deserve pay raises while those same people say everyone else doesn't....it's why the Mcdonalds guy gets paid $20.....
It literally took me FOUR tries to make it thru the first season so this makes complete sense to me. Ended up LOVING the show by the way. Definitely glad I pushed thru!
For me, I watched a bit of Parks and Rec (Right before Ben and Chris) then dropped it cause I didn't feel any spark. A few months later, my friend was over and suggested we watch Parks and Rec as he's never seen it, but I said it wasn't great, but we should watch it anyway since there wasn't anything else to binge. Then as we're binging, the show comes onto the Ben and Chris part and I tell him, "Yo, I think I was wrong, this show is actually pretty funny."
Fantastic Analysis! I may be a total television nerd... but you my friend, are Nerdstalgic! You hit on every point with precision accuracy! Parks and Recreation got better and better. Unfortunately, it was kind of the opposite with The Office. Season One was odd and awkward, but I still enjoy it. Season 2 and 3 were incredible. But by the end of season 4, the show seemed to have been running out of great ideas and character development (unless Kevin becoming a total incompetent was character development). Thanks for yet another, great video.
Mark and Ron had far too much overlap in character traits. When Mark left, it truly let Ron become an all time great character. Also, Andy being a lovable goof, instead of a manipulative a h*le truly helped too.
I've noticed that of the four Michael Shur network shows, his first two took a while to get off the ground because they were trying to be something else ( _The Office_ was a note for note recreation of the UK version, and _Parks and Recreation_ was an _Office_ clone), but the two shows that did their own thing, _Brooklyn Nine-Nine_ and _The Good Place,_ both hit the ground running.
As an insomniac I love this show. Put on episode and I'll be asleep with in 10 minutes. I have suggested to my doctor that she recommends this show for all insomniacs. Turns out was right, and she thanked me for the suggestion. She told me many of patients use this show to sleep now! If you trouble sleeping watch this show.
When it comes to Season 1, I at least watch the finale because some of the stuff that is built up to kinda starts there (most notably Ron name dropping Tammy, Ann breaking up with Andy, April showing a slight interest in Andy’s music).
Part of the reason I love this show so much was them breaking the mold this first pilot episode puts them in. The writers wanted The Office 3, and it wasn't really working.
To be fair, if your worst episode is your pilot, then you’re an amazing show.
So true lol it really was the weakest episodes lol I think season 1 was weak all around after Donna was a real character it was good to me lol it was weird she was just chilling in the back
Truuu-uuuth
Facts💯💯
Not really
Also, it was produced by the exact same people and a lot of the same writers.
For me the series really hit its stride when Ben and Chris were introduced.
Agreed!
yesss istg everything just gets better once they both join the cast
hey mae
littraly
If Mark hadn't been around for the first 2 seasons, it probably would've been much more watchable before Ben and Chris are introduced.
whenever I pitch the show to friends, I show them "Hunting Trip" as a pilot. It shows off all the characters without making you feel like you're missing anything while also just being a REALLY funny episode. If they enjoy it (which they always do), I tell them to start in the beginning. I think season 1 (and the pilot) are still worth the watch because they're still really REALLY funny episodes, they just don't have the same heart that season 2 on has.
That's smart, I just recommend to skip season 1 and watch a summary of it instead
I always picture Donna's screaming for her Mercedes
I do this same thing with the IT Crowd! Start with ep2, all you need to know is that there are two IT geeks and their manager who doesn't know anything about computers. The first episode actively turns viewers away, but the second episode is the best one in the entire series.
its the "Stress relief" (the one where dwight starts the fire to test preparedness) episode of parks and rec...
With dr who I start them with the episode blink
Season 1 is such a slog to get through, but the rest of the show is SO worth it. If you were turned off by the pilot or the rest of season 1, know the show becomes amazing from season 3 onwards
Completely agree! Stopped watching a few times because of season 1, but a friend was adamant that I continue. Ended up being one of my favorite shows
I tell them to start watching when Rob Lowe shows up
*season 2 onwards
I think season 2 has enough great moments to warrant it being included as well. Season one is rough though.
I'd just start watching at season 2 and go back later if you feel like it
It started to improve by Season 2. They did mention that the first season was also crammed into a limited shooting timeline since Amy was pregnant. Unlike other sitcoms, filming had a breather wherein the creative team could check the audience pulse and make changes along the way.
Thank god, it picked up in season 2.
I'm a big P&R fan so I still watch the first season but for non-fans, I would sometimes recommend to skip it.
Did they have her fall in the pit while pregnant?! That's nuts lol
this isn't quite accurate - the production was delayed because of her pregnancy and they didn't start shooting until after she'd given birth. i think what you're referring to is the fact that they had a straight to season order of six episodes rather than airing a pilot and then ordering the rest of the season - the production timeline of shooting six episodes like that just means that by the time the first one airs you've already shot all of them, so as you said they didn't have a chance to get a sense of how the public would receive it
I'm glad they pivoted away from "leslie is michael scott but with boobs". The show really grew and became wonderful.
False, Michael Scott with boobs would not be able to stop laughing about the fact that he had boobs.
I am glad they did because Michael Scott is one of the most despicable (pun not intended) characters ever written. How anyone rooted for Michael is beyond me.
Im glad they pivoted from Michael being season one Michael LMAO
@@hittingyouoverthehead literally cannot stand him he just pisses me offff
@@caitlinwheeler7915 I think the main reason I hate him is that I had this boss who prided on being a Michael Scott type, only without any of the positive qualities. She used to be whiny and clingy, constantly demanded the respect AND friendship of her subordinates (which if you ask me if having your cake and eating it too) and just like Michael, she acted like a vengeful b*tch if she didn't get it. Worst manager I've ever had.
On rewatches, I always start at season 3. There are some good episodes prior to then, but I love the additions of Ben and Chris and the subtraction of Mark.
Same
They are introduced in season 2 tho
@@NicaremE yes, that is true. The penultimate episode of season 2 is where I actually start.
Season 1 almost turned me off the entire show because it just seemed like a worse version of The Office. I'm glad I continued watching into Season 2
I'm actually glad I watched Parks and Rec _before_ the Office, mostly for this reason.
Though I do still consider Parks and Rec a better show overall, so maybe I should have started with the Office.
I stopped watching 2 episodes in. I gave it another shot years later when someone told me to skip the 1st season. I'm glad I did!
I'm just glad that Season 1 is as short as it is.
To be fair season 1 of the office did tun me off the entire show because it's a worse version of the office too XD
What i love about Parks and Rec is it actually gets better as the series goes on. The Office bad down points and finished awful, Friends had down seasons in the middle and other sit coms. The first season was awful, 2nd was a lot better and as soon as Mark left and Chris and Ben joined it really started to rise.
It was still enjoyable to watch on some level and it was the cast that caused me to stick with the story. As weak as the pilot for Parks and Rec was, the office was painful throughout the entire first season due to Michael, but his character growth was the most satisfying thing to watch.
I adore Parks & Rec, too! I had a good feeling about the show & also stuck it out, and it’s one of my favorite shows. It will also age well, which says a lot!
But fun fact: if you look back at The Office, Michael’s character doesn’t really grow or change all that much at all. Instead, he is given a physical makeover (looks less skeezy with nicer hair, better suits, etc.) and it was the *supporting characters’ treatment* of him that changed. His humor remains dumb and inappropriate all the way through, but the characters respond with more patience and acceptance after season 1. His love with Holly rounds out his likability. But she def likes him as he is, and I don’t think she expects him to grow/change much.
This was needed because the show’s 1st season humor/overall feel was too dark, its protagonist too obnoxious, for the US audience. But I didn’t realize this until like, my 5th re-watch and an in-depth analysis by another YT creator where this was distinctly pointed out!
@@Liolia22 the reason why the copycat season 1 of the Office didn't resonate with the US audience is because the UK version has characters that are very realistic, we Brits loved it cause it just seemed like a pretty accurate portrayal of ridiculous situations and people we have to deal with, but the US version presented the show as a sitcom but with these very dry characters.. btw not comparing the two, absolutely love the US and UK versions, would not compare them in quality as they are totally different!
@@Vivi_9 oh yeah, makes sense! I’m Ukrainian American and I really enjoy British wit and humor personally, and find some US humor to be a bit too simplistic/slap-stick-y, and themes to be a bit too peppy at times. Not always, but sometimes.
So I actually enjoyed season 1 of The Office US for being kinda dark (though the filter on the cameras made it literally look gray, which added to the realism but I was happy when they switched to nicer filters/a better camera in S2+!), but I could see why the general audience didn’t lean into it like that.
To each their own, of course, and I ended up enjoying seasons 2-5 of The office. I did feel they overdid it & the show fell off after Michael left. That’s an issue US shows struggle with that UK programs do way better: knowing when to end things without dragging them out! But there is a heavy focus on raking in the extended $$ with US shows. 😬 But I agree, both versions were great for their own reasons.
@@Liolia22 I heard somewhere that the note after season one was "Michael needs to be 10% better, and the staff needs to like him 10% more." I don't think that season one Michael would _ever_ have done the pitch at Chili's or handled both the interpersonal skills and managerial skills he did in "Business School."
@@wvu05 true! Perfect examples of his subtle but essential character redesign. I think he needed to have some redeemable qualities or moments to make it logical for the staff to like him/respect him a bit more, and make the show watchable for so many seasons.
I think you hit the nail on the head when you talked about cynicism - I think what's wrong with the first season is the *tone*. Parks & Rec is funny and absurd but at its core, it's wholesome and hopeful. That's when it's at its best.
The show basically became iconic and beloved because the writers systematically pivoted away from all the problems season one had. They listened to the audience without pandering to them, and as a result, threads like the Andy-April romance felt sincere and earned. The show earned its 'heart' because of how sorely that heart was lacking in s1.
I remember watching it and not finding it funny and not watching anymore. Years later I gave the show another shot after hearing amazing things. Thank god I did because Parks is now my all time favorite sitcom. Season stumbles. But season two finds it’s feet and 3 onward it spread its wings and fly (spread your wings and fly)
I just wrote that same comment!
Same.
Only Rashida Jones can replace Rashida Jones
I know people largely didn't like the first two seasons, but I still find them just as funny as the rest of the series -- just in a different way.
you look handsome
Exactly. This was not a bad pilot. It was a pilot. And solid. Funny. And the show got picked up. Hence, this is incorrect.
@@HHH-ye1ro totally agree - a pilot’s only purpose is getting the series picked up. I love seasons 1-5, but I slightly lose interest once Ben returns from DC with April. That’s usually where my binge ends when I rewatch it.
The 2nd season was where it got funny. Then they got rid of Mark. Then the show became amazing.
Agree 100%
7:55 - With how the first season of The Office was, I almost wonder if it's less about losing sight of what made the show great, and more about having a hard time with first seasons
For the office I thino it was more about not knowing what was wanted by the target audience, and not finding its own style. That first season of the office US is very similar to the office UK, most of the humour is awkward, in a way that is supposed to make us sympathise with some of the characters (Jim, Pam, Ryan). Its clear this style was not as effective with an American audience and the writers of the show (who were different to that of the Office UK) didnt fully understand its kinks.
Its kinda funny because the office UK and parks and rec are nothing alike, and yet there is a connection to all of them that had to be scrapped.
How can people not find this show funny, after you get into it, there are tons of good jokes. So many classic moments that are hilarious, tons of great characters.
the final season
they probably give up after season 1... little do they know
Greatest comeback story in history
@@suicidalfetusx cavs warriors?
GET ONNN YOUR FEET!!
I feel kind of bad for the actor who plays Mark. Imagine being a part of one of the world's most beloved shows, only it didnt BECOME beloved untill you got fired and replaced 😬
It felt like they were all just learning their own characters for the first season or two. I’ve always liked how happy and upbeat the series felt overall.
Honestly, the pilot is so bad that you can skip the 1st season entirely and not miss a thing. If you haven't watched yet, start from the 2nd season. You will save time and be able to enjoy the show.
My wife and I stick mainly to season 3-7 because Ben and Chris being introduced really helped the show feel completed. Also all the characters seemed to settle into their roles more definitively during 3.
i saw parks and rec before the office and honestly on my first watch i didnt really notice any of the flaws. i rewatched it during the first lockdown after binging the office for the first time and yeah it became really obvious what the problems with those first few episodes were... im really glad they fixed them ! its such a comfort show of mine and id be lying if i said it didnt play a small part in me becoming a local government employee ahah
honestly i’m just glad chris pratt stayed on after s1 - i cannot imagine the show without him
I can't imagine who would be in Guardians of the galaxy. This is the show that made him, glad he wasn't type cast though, he wouldn't be good any where else like this
The pilot was underwhelming for most of the episode, but absolutely amazing at the final scene. It introduced one of the greatest TV show characters, and his hatred for government. By the end of the episode I decided not to continue watching parks and rec, but then Ron said he wants to privatize the parks department. I was sold right there on the spot. I will watch this show just to see more of this man. That was it. It's a great show.
My siblings are OBSESSED with Parks & Rec and The Office. One year, I came home for Christmas and my siblings were on the couch, kicking off a holiday binge of all of Parks & Rec up until that point. I watched the pilot episode with them and peaced out because digging out my long-buried childhood N64 was a way more intriguing venture than sitting through that episode again.
After watching season 1 of Parks and Rec I stopped watching for years thinking it could never be anything close to what The Office created. Coming back to it literally years later, I can say it is possibly my favourite show with possibly my favourite tv character Ronald Ulysses Swanson.
Until Adam Scott cane along, the show was a snooze. The worst after that was the Christmas show with Christie Brinkley.
I think the problem is the exact same thing that happened with the office. The started out trying to make a show about a bunch of government workers that hated their jobs and acted like government workers who hated their job, but like the office they quickly realized that that makes for shitty tv. Nobody wants to watch an office of people who are just mean, and snarky, and disinterested all the time. Like the office you start out looking at all the characters thinking "I hate all these people". They are all lacking in personality and are even dressed in a way that evokes a black government office environment. To me this is exactly on par with the Office pilot. I know lots of people who just bailed on the office because of how it starts. I've even had people try to go back and watch it on Netflix but they give up after a couple episodes.
absolutely agree. I was one of the people whose first attempt at watching this show failed only to try again years later and fall in love with it. I know multiple people who love the Office, but refuse to listen when I tell them how good this show is, simply because they hated the pilot. It's a darn shame
It's one of the only shows that ever got better with time, season 1 I always skip, season 2 is good, and then when Ben and Chris are written in the show sky rockets, and it never comes back down again, I mean the top 2 highest rated episodes on IMDB are both season 7 episodes, and 3 of the top 10 episodes are from season 6
Yeah, Honestly I watched that 1st episode when it first aired and checked out thinking it was a bad office knock off. It wasn't until years later when it was on Netflix and hearing how great it was I gave it another shot and once I got past that first episode by the time I got to season 2 I was a solid fan. Ron made the show for me. Depending on what day you ask me I'll give you a different answer but I might like it more than the office... they're really neck and neck, especially if you pretend the last 2 seasons of the Office never happened (except the finale).
I liked how uncomfortable the Pilot can be, it reminds me of the phase of awkwardness when first meeting new people, once you get used to them they'll open up and become your friends and that's exactly what the first seasons were for me.
I mean, it's hardly a surprise. They did the same exact thing with the introduction to The Office (US). They just copy and pasted the old UK formula, then back-paddled and fixed what didn't fit. Seems like they knew exactly what they were doing.
I'm so glad they turned it around after season 1.. Parks & Rec is probably my favorite series ever and it almost didn't happen because of this pilot and season
I feel like nothing changed, season 1 was the same as the middle and end with very small changes. Each time they made it more and more like the office, because by itself, no one liked it
This is why so people don’t continue on with it. They watch the pilot and think it sucks so they don’t give it a try. Understandable. But I would encourage anyone to push through or to just start at season 2! Season 2 is good and by season 3 it’s all a home run
Also I notice that people who have only seen season one or have barely watched the show assume it’s just an office rip off and don’t want to watch it. When honestly by season 3 it’s really nothing like the office. The only similarities they end up sharing at the talking heads, fast zooms, and looks to the camera. But the looks to the camera are used way less and there’s barely any acknowledgements to the camera crew or why they are there. The Office was more meta in that way. And like this video said, Parks focuses more on warmth and heart while a lot of the humor of The Office comes from shock value/second hand embarrassment/offensive behavior
They were feeling out their characters and had the disadvantage of using the office as a template. I call the first season the “Xanax season” since they were all trying to play it straight and when Chris appeared with his zaniness, it opened up everyone else’s characters.
The saving grace for season 1 is its only 6 episodes and watching it leads to better jokes and call backs later on
It took me (and most people I know) two tries to get through the first season, but the good thing is it goes by quickly with only 6 20-minute episodes, and if you're binging it that's basically an evening. However, in hindsight the first season is so endearing to me, I really like watching how all the characters started out. I feel the same way about season 1 of the office; I guess it's mostly because we know what's coming.
Trying to think of another show that had MORE legitimately hilarious characters that were often laugh out loud funny. 30 Rock had a lot but not more than Parks. Be easier to name the characters that weren’t that funny. Rob Lowes most hilarious character. I don’t even remember if Rashida was funny or not because can only focus on how GD beautiful she is.
Not surprising this is being labeled the worst episode in the show’s runtime. I remember watching season 1 and feeling like it was a different kind of show trying so desperately to be another “The Office.” So glad it became what it did, cause I love Parks & Rec
This so succinctly reflects my feelings when I first watch the pilot episode. I remember looking at my wife and saying did they seriously just cast a person from the office in a show that's a blatant and bad rip off of the office. It ended up being one of my favorite shows ever.
well even the office was a rip off of the british version...these guys just recycle the same stuff. If you didn't like it in the office, then you will have to in P&R, slightly different character and slightly different approach, same jokes...Leslie is michael and Ann is Karen. Very little has actually changed
I have to agree with you. The show didn't hook me until the end of Season 1 and the start of Season 2.
The moment Chris Pratt said "The Pit works in mysterious ways," I fell in love with the series.
I hated the first episode. I remember looking forward to it then commenting to my friends about how much I disliked it. Took a few years to even give it a chance again. Glad I did. Became one of my favorite shows ever.
After watching the show a few times, the first season isn't really that bad, because I know what is coming. But it felt like work the first time I watched it though haha
100% agree! I've rewatched the show a few times now, and Season 1 is pretty entertaining by itself on rewatches. But this is entirely due to knowing how the show grows over time. My first time through I almost considered dropping the show, but stuck with it because it was just 6 episodes lol.
@@waspywasp451 Yeah that is exactly what happened to me too haha
I think Parks & Rec is the poster child for shows that had a rough start, but became incredible later on.
Parks and Rec first season was such a pain to go through, but so worth it, after that the series became one of my favorites, i love the characters, the story, everything
I remember Hulu's description of the show as being a "droll workplace comedy". If whoever wrote that only watched the first episode they'd be correct.
I'd tell my friends they didn't have to watch the first season because I wanted them to stick with it. My S1 summary would be a pit, Ann and Andy dated and broke up. S2 was the soft reboot.
I recall the writers saying that the major change in the first season was the ways in which the cast perceived and interacted with Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler). She is cut from the same cloth as those Liberal Democratic public figures, but without the actual power to do anything meaningful in Pawnee, but still conducts herself with the familiar self-assuredness and ego that those women have. The dialogue first reads her as self-centered and condescending, while the rest of the cast are irritated by her and her high-minded ideas and relentless desire to claim any success. By season two, they found a way of softening Leslie's character without getting rid of the reasons she is driven to succeed in a small town government - they made the characters realize that she's not some bossy bureaucrat who's out for herself, but someone who is an optimist and ideologue who sees the best in people and wants them to achieve their potential.
That's why she pushes April to become a civil servant, that's why she wants Anne to become the head of the city's health department, and why she admires Tom for his entrepreneurial spirit. She is partnered with Ron Swanson who is the libertarian antithesis to her centralized government structure, yet he can see her passion for upholding civic duties and does nothing to obstruct or sabotage her work in the department; not because he's some closeted progressive, far from it, but because she recognizes his value system and manages to work with it, representing a seat at the table for all political views (and she also provides him cover for refusing to do anything productive or that costs the city money while he's the head of their department.) That's mostly where the humor changed, was admiring people's shortcomings or foibles, instead of mocking or ridiculing them for them. Even if the ideas were hairbrained and possibly ill-advised, they were still supportive of one another, as friends, colleagues, and ultimately citizens.
Michael Schur mentions in his new book about how P&R was basically given a freebie for season 1 and how he was still a very green writer coming off his work on the office. Characters were struggling to find their spot and a lot of the characters grew by working alongside actors strengths. It makes sense then the criticisms as they are exactly what even the showrunners were thinking at the time.
It's a good thing that this shows weakest episode is the pilot, because there was only one way for this show to go and that was up. For me, this show is way vetter than the office itself.
My least favorite episode is when the Venezuelans come and visit
Yea that episode was trying to be funny when it was just cringe
See, that issue of sitcoms or any TV program faces. Treating their audience like adults instead of children is why Better Call Saul, my favourite TV show, works so well. We don't need Mike in season 3 to tell the guys at the dump "I think someone bugged my car, so I'm gonna look for it." We just need to see Mike rip his vehicle to shreds, looking for a LoJack.
Another recent example for me is Arcane, now, I've never seen/done anything League of Legends related but, I heard pristine reviews of the first season. Treating the audience like adults is one of the things Arcane does best for sure. There's a scene early on where Vi points out a stuffed bunny on a powerline to Powder, Vi says, as a child, she accidentally threw it up there and every night she'd try and get it down because, it's implied, she doesn't quit. So, when one episode later Vi walks into Powder's room carrying that stuffed bunny, says she loves Powder, and determined, walks out the door, we understand what's happening.
My least favorite episode is the one where Leslie is set up on a date with Ann’s coworker played by Will Arnett.
I hear the “Season 1 is the worst” “Wait till Ben and Chris are introduced, then it’s worth it” stuff a lot. But I have to say, I disagree. I usually have little patience for Pilots and if I’m not hooked pretty much instantly I won’t touch it. P&R immediately hooked me, immediately got my laughs and my interest in the story it was about to tell. If anything, the show started to decline in quality the longer it went on - mainly just due to Flanderization. Characters got boiled down to one character trait, stuck to one type of joke etc. That being said, there are still fantastic moments within that make it a fantastic series. I have restarted the series immediately after I had got done watching it lol. The caveat to all this though is that I haven’t seen The Office, so the criticisms that they were too similar is probably valid, I just had no reference for it and enjoyed it all the same
Deberías ver el piloto de Big Bang theory
The show is VERY different in the first season but I honestly have always enjoyed season 1 (but I always agree it’s the weakest)
For some reason, I just never got into Parks and Rec. I loved The office, 30 rock, AD, Seinfeld and everything but Parks and Rec I watched all seasons just to get through with them
"Leslie I just searched your symptoms and it says you may have network connectivity issues."
Despite it’s similarities to the Office, I love how Parks and Rec is just completely enjoyable, apart from the pilot, and there’s never any moments that are genuinely painful or uncomfortable to watch which tends to happen in the office due to Michael and his ability to make us hate him in a moment.
Oh yeah definitely agree the first episode kinda put me off on the show cus my first exposure from this show were clips of the later seasons
So I dropped parks and recs thinking it was very lackluster until someone told me "yeah just watch season 2 episode 1 you won't lose much context but you can start actually enjoying the show" and thanks to that I fell in love the show
Parks and rec replaced my name is Earl which was really hitting it's stride in terms of character growth. So to see something so derivative of the office (which I've never been 100%) on i didn't give it a chance. HOWEVER, binging this on Netflix was a fantastic idea. It really grew into a wonderful show. I loved it
The intro synopsis is correct as I remember NBC's advertising was mostly "If you like The Office..." Parks & Rec was setup in the same faux-documentary format so they could use the "confessionals" for quick jokes. Fortunately, the evolving cast and good writing eventually helped it stand on its own.
Maybe I'm crazy but I enjoyed the pilot. I always go in to new shows knowing that the first couple of episodes can sometimes be a little rough and I thought this one was worth watching a few more episodes
0:23 “slightly modified characters from the office”
*literaly the same person”
when i'm telling people to watch this show i also tell them to skip the first season lmao
the last season has all the worst episodes...
The pilot was the very reason I didn't watch the show. I don't even think I finished the episode at the time. It wasn't until the show's last season that my girlfriend at the time (now my wife) convinced me to give the show a shot. It was a little difficult to get through the first season but by the second season, I was HOOKED! It finally picked up and now I LOVE going back and rewatching.
Agree. If it wasn't because of April and Andy's relationship's creen grabas and memes (that motivated me to start watching when the series was on Netflix) I wouldn't have passed the first episode.
The entire first season is rough, but it got better to the point that it is one of my favorite tv shows of all time. But I have never rewatched season 1.
Parks and Rec is to the Office what American Auto is to Superstore. The biggest difference being that American Auto started god awful and will remain as such
Ryan WISHES he was Tom Haverford. Doesnt even come close, Tom is an absolute hero
A lot of your criticisms(which I agree with) are also true of the office. Which was obviously hugely popular. And a lot of those elements of poor writing you point out, weren’t just true of the pilot in the office. They were true in the whole show. It is essentially a showcase for jokes housed in a show that pretends it’s about people in a relatable environment. The problem is the Office is quite cynical even if people don’t think about it that way. Maybe people watch it the way they watch family guy and don’t really think about how they’re spending so much time laughing at a quirky group of mentally unstable narcissists. It’s dumb fun entertainment(which I occasionally will kill some time with, not judging or anything) but it’s certainly not great tv like parks and rec(after the first season).
Honestly, I thought the whole first season of Parks and Rec was very average - I also thought as much of the Office. Thankfully, they're short seasons, and they vastly improve from the second seasons onwards.
02:15 "reassembled the creators of The Office." I honestly had no idea that Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant were the masterminds behind Parks and Rec.
I always got to skip through the first episodes of the first season on my rewatches, they're such a drag to get through imo
I would love to see a video about Psych if you ever watched that show
I always skip to the second episode of Parks and Recreation when introducing the show to everyone. Still not the best, but it usually gets people interested into watching more episodes. Then I just skip right into the Stakeout episode in season 2. Again not ideal but it has worked for me.
While a show like The Office has a rocky start and then gets good for a few seasons, then dips in quality towards the end, from what I remember, Parks and Rec had that rocky start, and then just kept getting better and better.
Definitely the "Pam and Jim" dilemma was fixed. Pam and Jim's relationship was why people watched the first few seasons of the office, but after they got together... well that's not really much you can do. With Leslie and Benji Wyatt, so much grew from them being together, especially since Ben was brought in so much later.
Im pretty sure the Entire final season of Parks and Rec is the worst episode
I feel like “The Pit” was the tipping point for the show. It endears Andy Dwyer, it portrays Leslie as having both logical and emotional intelligence, and does a great job of getting the rest of the cast in their starting positions for the future.
I actually argue that the worst episode is episode 4, Boy's Club. The only thing I could tell you about that off the top of my head is "a 19-year-old April gets drunk and the funniest part is when teenagers literally throw shit at Leslie". The b-plot is probably the only time Andy is a good boyfriend to Ann, yet I totally forgot it existed until I looked at the Wikipedia page. I think an unfunny, unmemorable first-season episode is much worse than a dull pilot. At least the pilot got me to watch the rest of the series bc they set up a story I really wanted to see the conclusion to. Ultimately, I think that's why we keep watching Parks and Recreation- the story is really simple yet strong, it becomes really compelling as it adds complexities.
I agree completely about this lacklustre pilot. I had to convince my husband to give the show several episodes before it picked up steam. To be fair, I said the same thing about The Office. Both shows had the same rocky start.
I love how at the beginning of the episode, you said that the Parks and Rec characters were just altered versions of characters from the Office in the beginning and Rashida Jones's characters in both were essentially the same person. I'm glad they moved in a different direction for Ann, but they really just saw Rashida and had one character in mind when casting both shows, huh?
Tbh, Parks and Rec is far better than the Office. I don't know why would they ever want to be anything like the office.
It surely is in my Top 3 list for sitcoms. Modern family and community being the other two. ❤
To be fair the Ron Swanson ending is fantastic. The Bobby knight stuff and him asking the documentary crew if they got a grant to film them is so funny
I never had to think of "writer earning my trust", or "dragging me on where and why" when watching a show to enjoy it, or not but not due to those reasons
The best thing that happened to parks and recs was the writers strike. It allowed the writers to step back and take a look at what they wanted from the show and change direction of the show. That's why the second season of the show is so much better then the first.
I feel writers strikes are dumb. Just like any other buisness in the world. If one group refuses you hire another one. The writers clearly only care about themselves. And hollywood and the TV industry is one of the most guarded monopolies that exist. By law, its illegal to say you have to be in the actors guild to be in a movie. Definition of discrimination and almost Racketeering. Which we know is illegal..
Either you're good enough to get pay raises, or you're barely good enough to keep the fat Americans entertained. But in all honesty, that is probably a good thing. Without Movies, we would have the Gladitorial arena and we would be fighting to the death. Americans are blood thirsty. Without the movies and games to sate that thirst, they will kill, because most of us are insane.
but writers, who do nothing, deserve nothing. They don't feed us, they don't grow our produce. They keep us fat and lazy, that is it. They shouldn't be paid more than someone working at a steel mill to put their kids through college, while they live in a run down mobile home. Today society values the worst things. They deserve pay raises while those same people say everyone else doesn't....it's why the Mcdonalds guy gets paid $20.....
It literally took me FOUR tries to make it thru the first season so this makes complete sense to me. Ended up LOVING the show by the way. Definitely glad I pushed thru!
As previously stated, that first season was kinda rough.
It's truly remarkable that Parks and Rec got the chance to become as great as it did, considering how terrible it was at first
For me, I watched a bit of Parks and Rec (Right before Ben and Chris) then dropped it cause I didn't feel any spark. A few months later, my friend was over and suggested we watch Parks and Rec as he's never seen it, but I said it wasn't great, but we should watch it anyway since there wasn't anything else to binge. Then as we're binging, the show comes onto the Ben and Chris part and I tell him, "Yo, I think I was wrong, this show is actually pretty funny."
for me the show only really starts when andy and april get together, and it really gets going when ben and chris are introduced
Fantastic Analysis! I may be a total television nerd... but you my friend, are Nerdstalgic! You hit on every point with precision accuracy! Parks and Recreation got better and better. Unfortunately, it was kind of the opposite with The Office. Season One was odd and awkward, but I still enjoy it. Season 2 and 3 were incredible. But by the end of season 4, the show seemed to have been running out of great ideas and character development (unless Kevin becoming a total incompetent was character development). Thanks for yet another, great video.
Mark and Ron had far too much overlap in character traits. When Mark left, it truly let Ron become an all time great character. Also, Andy being a lovable goof, instead of a manipulative a h*le truly helped too.
I've noticed that of the four Michael Shur network shows, his first two took a while to get off the ground because they were trying to be something else ( _The Office_ was a note for note recreation of the UK version, and _Parks and Recreation_ was an _Office_ clone), but the two shows that did their own thing, _Brooklyn Nine-Nine_ and _The Good Place,_ both hit the ground running.
As an insomniac I love this show. Put on episode and I'll be asleep with in 10 minutes. I have suggested to my doctor that she recommends this show for all insomniacs. Turns out was right, and she thanked me for the suggestion. She told me many of patients use this show to sleep now! If you trouble sleeping watch this show.
That first season was rough tbh
0:23 that went by so quickly i was like "why is ann there twice" and i had to pause to realize that was actually karen
We all know Ron April and Andy ended up the favorites but faith in Amy Poehlers SNL reputation is why we got an episode 2,3, etc
I remember watching part of the pilot and not wanting to continue but I came back years later and loved it. Really doesn’t set the stage well
When it comes to Season 1, I at least watch the finale because some of the stuff that is built up to kinda starts there (most notably Ron name dropping Tammy, Ann breaking up with Andy, April showing a slight interest in Andy’s music).
Part of the reason I love this show so much was them breaking the mold this first pilot episode puts them in. The writers wanted The Office 3, and it wasn't really working.