Parks and Reckoning: the final season
- Thread starter the G-man
- Start date
I LOVED the finale. From the little kid dressed as Star-Lord at Halloween to Christie Brinkley mysteriously not aging at Garry's funeral, it was packed with great moments. Everyone gets a happy ending -- even the Ralphio (sic) siblings.
Anyone catch Seth Meyer's show with the Parks and Rec cast last night? A sweet goodbye to the cast and the creator. The reciprocal tributes between Jim O'Heir and Chris Pratt were remarkably touching.
As I was watching the finale, I couldn't help but wonder if the man that notified them about the broken swing at the park was meant to represent NBC or an unnamed network executive.
Leslie: "Well, here's that swing -- good as new. Fixed for you by your local Parks & Rec department --"
Man: "Oh, okay." (Pauses) "Well, bye." (Walks away)
Leslie: "Yeah, that seems about right."
Maybe I'm reading my own frustration with NBC into this scene. I appreciate all of the renewals that this show's gotten from the network through the years (especially after so many close calls) and they did give this show the opportunity to wrap things up with this final season, but how they delivered the final season was pretty lousy.
One of the biggest movies of the summer (GotG) starred Chris Pratt and NBC could have capitalized on his new notoriety by launching Parks & Rec's final season in September, preferably with one episode a week so their storyline didn't feel so rushed. Instead we get double shots of episodes on Tuesday nights(
) in February, with the series finale airing at 10pm().
I realize the higher ups at NBC probably have their reasons for these decisions, but as an audience member, the entire scheduling plan felt dismissive and disrespectful. Like the man at the park in the final episode, would it've killed them just to say "thank you"?
Oh, well. "Work hard at work worth doing." A fitting epitaph for this underrated but brilliant show. It will be missed.
Anyone catch Seth Meyer's show with the Parks and Rec cast last night? A sweet goodbye to the cast and the creator. The reciprocal tributes between Jim O'Heir and Chris Pratt were remarkably touching.
As I was watching the finale, I couldn't help but wonder if the man that notified them about the broken swing at the park was meant to represent NBC or an unnamed network executive.
Leslie: "Well, here's that swing -- good as new. Fixed for you by your local Parks & Rec department --"
Man: "Oh, okay." (Pauses) "Well, bye." (Walks away)
Leslie: "Yeah, that seems about right."
Maybe I'm reading my own frustration with NBC into this scene. I appreciate all of the renewals that this show's gotten from the network through the years (especially after so many close calls) and they did give this show the opportunity to wrap things up with this final season, but how they delivered the final season was pretty lousy.
One of the biggest movies of the summer (GotG) starred Chris Pratt and NBC could have capitalized on his new notoriety by launching Parks & Rec's final season in September, preferably with one episode a week so their storyline didn't feel so rushed. Instead we get double shots of episodes on Tuesday nights(
) in February, with the series finale airing at 10pm(). I realize the higher ups at NBC probably have their reasons for these decisions, but as an audience member, the entire scheduling plan felt dismissive and disrespectful. Like the man at the park in the final episode, would it've killed them just to say "thank you"?
Oh, well. "Work hard at work worth doing." A fitting epitaph for this underrated but brilliant show. It will be missed.
I read an article recently about how Michael Shur and others working on the show looked at other finales to draw inspiration. They mentioned they liked how The West Wing took the time to devote time to each character, so they got development before the end, and didn't end up only getting a fraction of time on the finale. I feel that Parks and Recreation did that by setting up each character and then allowing the finale to wrap up their story fully.
I loved Craig and Typhoon, especially Ron as best man.
At Jerry's funeral, did anyone else get the impression either Ben or Lesley were President? Perhaps the security guard/secret service who told them they needed to get going were from the Governor's office, but I thought it indicated that one of them (most likely Leslie, given Ben's sacrifice during their Governor decision) was President. It would make sense, since that was one of Leslie's goals from the very beginning.
I loved Craig and Typhoon, especially Ron as best man.
At Jerry's funeral, did anyone else get the impression either Ben or Lesley were President? Perhaps the security guard/secret service who told them they needed to get going were from the Governor's office, but I thought it indicated that one of them (most likely Leslie, given Ben's sacrifice during their Governor decision) was President. It would make sense, since that was one of Leslie's goals from the very beginning.
Allow me to blow your freakin' mind.
That man was the drunk person in the slide from the pilot episode of Parks and Rec.
Okay, you got me. Mind officially blown.
In an interview with TVLine.com, the creator of the show said that he left it intentionally ambiguous as to whom was president since the secret service agent addressed both of them at the funeral.
My inference is that both of them served as president, which (depending on how 2016 plays out) may have a precedence in the real world.
Agreed, one or both of them became president.
I love the little callback jokes here and there -- i.e. several decades in the future, Ben is still lusting after Mrs. Gergich, or Leslie being supremely annoyed that a library was dedicated to her.
Ron's story probably touched me the most. Seeing that goofy grin while he was in the middle of the lake made me think that, outside of Ben and Leslie, he probably got the most satisfying of all the endings. Indeed, the writers seemed to get Ron the most over the years, so it would make sense that they know him inside-out.
I love that Craig got his own flash-forward. When he first came to the show, I was convinced that I'd hate the character and his schtick, but I grew to appreciate his dedication and the fact that he stayed by becoming a recurring character. He's the last person to work with that particular crew, after all. I wish he was in more scenes, especially in the end with the party, but his own epilogue is itself rewarding. I'm a sucker for secondary characters who work their way up. (I'm also glad to see that Billy Eichner's making a good name for himself, too. He essentially brought his man on the street routine to the show, but now he's doing skits with Conan O'Brien and Michelle Obama.)
Speaking of which, I'm sure Jean Ralphio's flash forward was put in there simply for the sake of a gag, and not meant to be a true exploration like all the other characters.
Also, one of my favorite moments was the actual Ann/Leslie hug, while Leslie tears up and tries to mutter, "Youguysit'sAnn"
I love the little callback jokes here and there -- i.e. several decades in the future, Ben is still lusting after Mrs. Gergich, or Leslie being supremely annoyed that a library was dedicated to her.
Ron's story probably touched me the most. Seeing that goofy grin while he was in the middle of the lake made me think that, outside of Ben and Leslie, he probably got the most satisfying of all the endings. Indeed, the writers seemed to get Ron the most over the years, so it would make sense that they know him inside-out.
I love that Craig got his own flash-forward. When he first came to the show, I was convinced that I'd hate the character and his schtick, but I grew to appreciate his dedication and the fact that he stayed by becoming a recurring character. He's the last person to work with that particular crew, after all. I wish he was in more scenes, especially in the end with the party, but his own epilogue is itself rewarding. I'm a sucker for secondary characters who work their way up. (I'm also glad to see that Billy Eichner's making a good name for himself, too. He essentially brought his man on the street routine to the show, but now he's doing skits with Conan O'Brien and Michelle Obama.)
Speaking of which, I'm sure Jean Ralphio's flash forward was put in there simply for the sake of a gag, and not meant to be a true exploration like all the other characters.
Also, one of my favorite moments was the actual Ann/Leslie hug, while Leslie tears up and tries to mutter, "Youguysit'sAnn"
I don't think it was intended that way. I took it as just a reminder of one of the show's root concepts, that the local government could and should help people, not needing or expecting any recognition, because that was their job.
Which seemed to me like lip-service to an original vision that was lost along the way. When the show started, Leslie directly referred to people needing government "again," in the early days of the Great Recession, and she believed she could make a difference right there in the Parks Department. It was an implicit rejection of Ronald Reagan's "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government, and I'm here to help.'" To that end, Leslie was shown tackling the nuts and bolts of municipal zoning and ordinances, holding thankless public meetings and bridging the far-flung eccentricities of city government. She didn't know exactly how, but she believed she could get things done. Whereas Mark knew how to get things done, but was jaded and cynical about what could be accomplished, and Ron was emphatic that nothing should be done.
That practical-level stuff was all chucked out in the last three or so seasons. Everyone became fantasy, wish-fulfillment characters. The earlier message, that there could be a nobility in making a small difference in a small town, was abandoned completely. In the end, things had to be bigger, characters had to have a TV show, own a chain of restaurants, run a national non-profit, be a governor, congressman or (gag) president. But how they got there is largely a mystery. Leslie is the greatest boss and administrator because we are told she is, and apparently it fits her for higher officer, but we no longer see her earning it with real work. Everybody gets what they want because they are obviously just such great people, I guess.
The finale was OK, par for the course of a fairly disappointing season. I thought Paul Schneider or at least Pamela Reed might make an appearance, but oh well.
He was doing recorded pieces for Conan before he was on P&R. The guy is so much funnier that the shtick they gave him as Craig.
Right, I forgot about all his previous Conan work, it's just that he popped up in a very recent segment and that's what came to mind. I'm well aware that his career was already in full swing before Parks & Rec, but I'm just happy that his star is getting brighter.
I liked the finale though I think the futures were just a little too perfect. It's like, they take a show that started out showing the work as thankless, inertial and frustrating, and Leslie as the only optimistic person in the entire government constantly running into realpolitik and red tape, then end it by giving every character their perfect dream future.
It did seem to me that Leslie was the one who was president because of her speech about her 'New job'. Also between the two Leslie would want it more than Ben, which is the exact reason Ben backed down when they were both brought up to run for governor.
You know how some people have the theory about Breaking Bad that the last episode was Walter's fantasy? This makes you think that the entire last season was like Leslie dreaming when she fell asleep at her desk.
It did seem to me that Leslie was the one who was president because of her speech about her 'New job'. Also between the two Leslie would want it more than Ben, which is the exact reason Ben backed down when they were both brought up to run for governor.
You know how some people have the theory about Breaking Bad that the last episode was Walter's fantasy? This makes you think that the entire last season was like Leslie dreaming when she fell asleep at her desk.
It was pretty unabashedly shameless on providing everyone with their dream future, but I quite like how it was subverted in a way -- the past season, everyone had to really identify what that dream future would be in the first place, asking the question, "What *is* fulfillment, anyway?" The show could have easily given everyone millions of dollars and a nice beach home, but it would be harder to determine what each individual's true -- maybe unrealized, but natural -- goals were.
I think Tom and Ron's stories perfectly encapsulated that point. He had his empire destroyed, but his future needed the ability to bounce back. It wasn't enough for Tom to remain his shallow, egotistical self. Ron had a Very Good business free from the government, but that wasn't enough for him -- he needed solitude and nature, even if it was working for the very thing he's against deep down, because he didn't know what else to do or where he belonged.
Jamm's ending also fits the bill, in a twisted way. So we learn that he gives up government and his dental practice to become a Benihana cook. It's a natural extension of his gross Japanese cultural appropriation lifestyle, but it's also totally in line with the character and his desire for attention, and he's happier for it.
I liked the touch that Brandi Maxx was on the council.
I finally got around to finishing the series. The finale had some nice moments but, in the end, it (and the whole last season) felt like an unnecessary sequel to a perfect movie or one of those made-for-TV reunion shows that doesn't quite recapture the magic.
Last season's finale was perfect and should've been the series finale.
Last season's finale was perfect and should've been the series finale.
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