Parks and Recreation - Season 3 Discussion Thread

[tomalak301]

Anyone watch last night or give the show a chance. I thought this was the comeback series of the year for Season 2 and it looks like Season 3 has not lost any momentum. I was cracking up almost throughout the entire thing last night, and it was nice to reintroduce the characters. Ron Swanson with the Piramyd of Greatness and going all Bobby Knight was hilarious, but Tom Stole that entire basketball scene.

Also like the additions of Lowe and Scott to the cast. They seemed to fit right in as if they've been there since day one. Really looking forward to the season and I say they got off to a fantastic start.

 

[RoJoHen]

I saw some episodes in the first season and thought it was one of the most awkward, unfunny things I had ever seen (like every terrible SNL skit forced into a single TV show), and I am shocked that it has made it to Season 3.

 

[tomalak301]

I saw some episodes in the first season and thought it was one of the most awkward, unfunny things I had ever seen (like every terrible SNL skit forced into a single TV show), and I am shocked that it has made it to Season 3.

Watch season 2 and see if you're still shocked. The first season only had 6 episodes. Once you hit Season 2, things get so much better.

 

[Cyke101]

I saw some episodes in the first season and thought it was one of the most awkward, unfunny things I had ever seen (like every terrible SNL skit forced into a single TV show), and I am shocked that it has made it to Season 3.

Watch season 2 and see if you're still shocked. The first season only had 6 episodes. Once you hit Season 2, things get so much better.

I was of the same opinion. Season 1 would virtually turn me off the show forever had I not been trapped in the living room with friends tuning into a random episode of Season 2. After watching it, I decided to give the show another shot, and another, and another, and here I am laughing my butt off at the Season 3 opener. Talk about getting through your rough patches!

 

[jep316]

I love Parks and Recreation and I'm so glad it's back,yes it had a rough start but so did The Office which is why I decided to stick with it.

I was a late comer to The Office and when I finally started watching it and lovin it I then started seeing the early episodes in syndication and was shocked on how bad some of the first ones were,so knowing this I gave P&R a go knowing the first short season was not going to be as good as the next first full season where they have more time to fleshout the characters,and I was right the next season was much better and they seem to be right on track into the 3rd,I was worried that with Lowe coming on board that he was going to take the spotlight away from Amy Poehler but that hasn't happen so all is good.

 

[Jono]

I'll be the odd one out and say I really enjoyed season 1, thought it was far superior to season 1 of The Office.

I haven't caught any of season 3 yet and I'm still unsure of the two new guys. Can't say I was terribly impressed by them in the last two episodes of season 2, but I'm hoping they'll grow on me.

 

[Mr Light]

I agree that Season 2 was vastly better than Season 1. I'd pretty much forgotten about the show after all this time and wasn't particularly excited about its return; maybe that's why I wasn't so jazzed about the premiere.

 

[the G-man]

As other have pointed out, Parks didn't really hit its stride until the second season (though the latter half of the first season was pretty good).

Interestingly enough, I thought Amy Poehler was overused and kind of annoying on SNL. But on Parks I find her utterly charming.

And Ron Swanson is one of the best supporting characters on television.

 

[Mr Light]

Yeah I love Ron. I met saw this guy on some single season Comedy Central show about an auto shop. He played this weird creepy car mechanic who had a homoerotic obsession with the Hispanic guy who didn't speak English. He was hilarious in that too; the quiet seriousness of everything he said and his look. Kinda like Zach Galifinakas.

 

[sbk1234]

I liked season 1, too. Although I believe season 2 was vastly superior. I'm glad it came back. It has a great style of humor that I missed.

 

[tomalak301]

Another Amazing Episode. So many one liners and such great plot lines tonight. Loved the Ron/Andy dynamic and Rob Lowe's character is hilarious. The stuff with him and the flu was hysterical. Some other great quotes:

"I looked up your symptoms and it said you could have 'network connectivity issues.'" - Andy

"I haven't had lunch since Yesterday" - Ron

Really happy to see Anne in more of a nurse role too. Haven't seen much of that in the series.

 

[Mr Light]

The one thing that kept bothering me; does a nurse in the middle of a flu epidemic really wear THAT much makeup all the time?

 

[I Grok Spock]

The one thing that kept bothering me; does a nurse in the middle of a flu epidemic really wear THAT much makeup all the time?

If you're Rashida Jones, you do, dammit. It would speed my way to a full recovery.

 

[tomalak301]

Tonight's episode was good, but it was a bit of a down night for Parks and Rec. Maybe last week's was just so purely awesome that tonight had a lot to live up to and almost got there but not quite. The Pawnee Logos were the best part of the episode though. "When the Nazi's took over, the Mayor panicked."

 

[Derishton]

I thought the impromptu Twilight book group in Lesley's office was pretty funny.

I've liked this show from the start, and thought season 2 had a couple of roguh patches, mostly centring around bringing Andy in full time. He seemed temporary in Season 1, and I'm still not convinced the show really needs him: although his continuing confusion concerning who he actually works for is pretty funny.

I'm not sold on Lowe's character yet, either, but Ben is a good addition: the wunderkind who flopped early and permanently.

 

[Campe]

I'm not sold on Lowe's character yet, either, but Ben is a good addition: the wunderkind who flopped early and permanently.

Well, knowing Lowe's propensity to quit a show after a few years, you won't have to deal with him that long on Parks & Rec.

Haven't watched last night's yet, but have enjoyed season 3 so far. Actually, I hated the show during season 1, gave up on it and when I saw that Lowe was joining the cast, I caught up on season 2 on Netflix during a few days I was home with the flu. It definitely got better the second year.

 

[tomalak301]

Loved this last week's episode, and Mahully being back was great. Ron with the pearls was awesome, but really, everything about this episode was hysterical. Kind of figured that being the case given the last time we had Ron and Tammy.

 

[tomalak301]

I love Ron Swanson. He was great in this episode, but that is pretty obvious lately. What I did like though is how ensamble this episode was. Everyone except for maybe Jerry and the black girl (I forgot her name already) had a bit role, and I'm really starting to like Ben a lot. The stuff with April and Andy was funny, and so was Ann and Chris and the awkward break up.

 

[shivkala]

Over the past three weeks I caught up on this show. Luckily for me, I spotted the first two seasons on Netflix and finished it last week in time to catch the first five episodes of this season on Hulu.

I guess I'm in the minority, because I think Chris, Rob Lowe's character is awesome. I love how he was able to break up with Ann without her even knowing it. Seeing him and Ron interact was great and made me wonder why we didn't see it sooner.

I do agree with how awesome Ron is. I originally thought he was going to be pretty one-note, in terms of characterization. Season 1 seemed to try to cast him as "the bad guy" of the show Not the best of terms, but his opposition to everything Leslie stands for, as well as his need to have Tom lose to him in Scrabble, so he can publically boast about it seemed to cast him in that light. I was glad to see season 2 add some depth to his character and make him a more likable character. Seeing him all giddy when Chris and Ben showed up to cut the budget was a great moment for him. Highlights were his "acceptance" of the Woman's Award, his relationship with Tammy, and this week's lament over the closing of his favorite steak house.

I also really like Ben. Seeing him help Tom through the whole Tommy Fresh debacle was great, as was his idea of retaliation against the cologne guy. I'm really hoping to see Ben and Leslie get closer, they seem perfect for each other.

 

[Mr Light]

I really like the Rob Lowe character. I love how unrelentingly upbeat he is. The other new character I could lose.

Ron Swanson was always awesome I remember seeing that guy for the first time on this one season Comedy Central show about an auto body shop and he just as hilarious and insane and deadly serious as he is on Parks.