NBC’s hit mockumentary-style comedies Parks and Recreation and The Office are very similar shows, featuring talented ensemble casts and great writing teams behind the scenes.
The Office, starting in 2005, centers around the forays of incompetent manager Michael Scott, who works at the Scranton branch of a mid-size paper company. It has won numerous awards and lives on as a major hit in the streaming world.
However, one problem that some may see with The Office’s humor is that, well, it is not funny.
Kody Hannah, who has fully watched both programs, gave some of his input on Parks and Recreation. “Parks and Rec is a lot funnier of a show that I just recently began to watch,” Hannah said.
Parks and Recreation, however, is a great show that started in the year 2009. They currently are not making anymore seasons sadly, but that does not mean it will ever be forgotten. For those that think The Office is the best show, they have not given Parks and Recreation a try. It contains more comedy, better plot/character development, and features A-Lister Chris Pratt.
Plot Development
Both shows were roughly the same length. The Office lasted 9 seasons, and Parks and Recreation lasted seven.
My interest in The Office never really took off. Watching paint dry may have been more interesting.
Parks and Recreation was much different though, sustaining momentum until it was over. It was easy to stay attached to this show because it continuously got better.
Parks and Recreation does a great job of getting more and more interesting. “The show always has something new each episode,” Hannah added. The Office peaks within the first season or so and only goes downhill from there. The Office just has a cringe feel to it throughout the whole show.
Parks and Recreation has a very realistic feel to it. A young woman, Leslie Knope, advocates for change in her little town of Pawnee, but she faces many obstacles along the way. With all of the new characters, more interesting plots are created throughout the entire series. It did not hold on to running gags for too long, which kept things fresh. Also, the conflicts within the show continuously changed, which kept viewers engaged.
Character Development
Parks and Recreation does a great job of introducing its characters. Viewers are able to get to know them and their story really easily, and this quickly helps the viewers decide if they are likeable or not.
The Office, on the other hand, does not do a good job of going in depth with their characters. One thing that is important with character development is making each character have a unique personality throughout the show.
The Office does a very poor job at giving characters personality. They all seem so bland and boring.
Now, if you have not seen Parks and Recreation, do it. If you have, you would know how awesome the characters are, particularly Ron Swanson. However, all of the characters from Parks and Recreation could be classified as intricate and interesting. They expand throughout the course of the show, growing over time. The Office has such “normal” office working characters. That is no fun and does not grab viewers’ attention.
Overall
Parks and Recreation does a great job of developing characters, creating and filling plot holes, and continually growing throughout the series. It did a great job of ending on the season that it did so that it did not drag out boring seasons. For this reason, it stayed a strong show from beginning to end. From trendy Tom Haverford to relaxed Ron Swanson, Parks and Recreation is simply superior not only to The Office, but any show out there.
Media by Parker Grob.
