Daniel Carlson, who penned The Hollywood Reporter’s TV review of Parks and Recreation, thinks the sitcom is a “solid comedy from Amy Poehler and ensemble”:
It’s unfair to compare Parks and Recreation to The Office just because they share writers and producers. Office didn’t any more invent the mockumentary than its British predecessor, and to act as if Parks has to be measured against that show’s standard gives short shrift to a genuinely funny and engaging comedy that bears stylistic similarities to Office but has a heart and mind all its own.
Carlson adds:
It’s Poehler who owns the show, and she proves instantly she’s got the comic intelligence to carry a series like this one, which draws its energy from character interactions instead of the broad punch lines you’d get on, say, a Chuck Lorre show. She’s awkward but not alienating, and she’s eager without being repelling. Most of all, there’s a genuine heart to her that gives the comedy a balance and lets it be mocking without resorting to cruelty. It’s funny, smart and fast. I hope it sticks around.
Link: TV Review: Parks and Recreation
To read other Parks and Recreation reviews posted here on Knope Knows, please visit the Reviews page.
