Parks, We Want To Love You, But Enough With the Gryzzl Already

[Primetimer]

A fervent prayer for changes to the final season of Parks & Recreation, from a BASICALLY optimistic Mark Blankenship.

Read the story

[swimmyfish]

What's interesting to me is that, while I agree that the final season seems off - rushed, lurching and awkward are all great ways to describe it - I actually like a lot of the things you cite as problems. I mean, I know I'm easy comedy-wise, but I definitely laughed at the suggestion of a Morgan Freeman/Shailene Woodley feud. I also really liked Lucy in her first turn on the show, so I can forgive the completely nonsensical way she's been shoe-horned into the finale.

Although, while I do love Perd Hapley, I didn't really care for The Perdples Court. Mostly because it felt like someone in the writer's room was giving me a lecture on the dangers of large-scale data harvesting. Which is a legitimate issue, and one that I am actually fairly concerned about. But that's not why I watch P&R - they didn't bring anything new - or comedic, frankly - to the topic. Just reiterating that it's bad.

[pennben]

So many questions about things written about the show.   From the linked piece for this thread:

 

 

Motherhood always seemed like an awkward fit for someone as pathologically career-oriented as Leslie Knope,

Really?  What about the "pathologically career-oriented" Ben?  Or is he just focused?  Pathological.....to describe a woman with career goals.  I don't even know what to say to that.

 

 

It's like the kids were only added because some NBC executive insisted that the "woman demographic" wouldn't be happy unless there were tots around to make Leslie seem "well rounded."

 

I'm not quoting all you said here, but...What?  It's bad it the kids aren't around, worse if they are?  How about a workplace show that, oh, you know, leaves the kids in the background to only show up occasionally (like most workplace shows starring men)?   How about she just had kids and it's not about demographics, but that she just had kids. I don't think any NBC executive has watched this show since season 1 or 2, so I find the thought that it was about the suits worried about the demographic to be completely off-base.  Seems like a preconceived complaint that doesn't fit the show. At all.

 

 

But my boy Tom Haverford is getting the rawest deal. This last-minute romantic subplot is PHONY, y'all, partly because Aziz Ansari doesn't have any chemistry with his onscreen girlfriend and partly because it was shoehorned into the show so clumsily.

 

Tom and Lucy are great!  Granted, it is a surprise to see her back this season (so I get the wrap-up point), but they were wonderful in the few episodes early on where Tom was still hung up on his "wife" which led to their breakup.  I'm happy to see her back because they worked then and they work now.  I understand that this is subjective.

 

The main Gryzzl storyline wrapped up last week, so these fears seem unfounded.

 

As for the "future" storylines, they are not my favorites, but they have amusing points, because now 2 shows have confirmed that the Cubs will win in 2015....woohoo!  And the rest seems somewhat fanciful, yet grounded to something that could happen soon.

 

So, in sum, I guess I disagree with lots of your points but mostly disagree with the portion of the title of your piece that says "We Want to Love You.....".  Who is your "we"?  It's not me, because beyond the first episode of this season which concerned me, which was mostly spent on setup for the future, I have no doubts about my love of this show.  I don't want to love it, I do.

 

Did you mean to say "I want to love you..." 

Edited February 4, 2015 by pennben

[Bretley]

I wanted to comment on this yesterday but decided I would wait until last night's episode to do so. Now that it's aired my position hasn't changed - I disagree with 85% of the "problems" listed by the author with this final season of the show. Basically, pennben says everything I wanted to say (and has written it much better than I would have).

Edited February 4, 2015 by Bretley

[dinopontino]

I can't believe how prophetic this show is. Here in Palm Beach county, the Briger tract of pristine forest just sold for $125 Million and Kolter homes sent in the bulldozers to clear cut it 2 weeks ago, an absolute abomination. Dennis Feinstein actually resembles the owner of Kolter homes. Palm Beach Gardens needs a Leslie Knope.

[Kip Hackman]

 

the final run of episodes has been awkwardly paced

 

I put that on the scheduling, nothing more.

[paramitch]

I'm with Pennben, and disagree with most of the problems listed here, despite my usual love for Blankenship snark.

For me, this final season has been compelling, funny, nuanced and moving. It's been bumpy occasionally and I wasn't a huge fan of the time jump, but otherwise, everything's good with me.

Specifically, I don't agree on:

1. Tom & Lucy (if anyone is 'the one' for Tom, she's the closest thing we've seen)
2. The pop culture jokes (Bourne, etc.) -- they're stupid, goofy and funny, so I'm fine with them
3. The Parenthood aspect (Triplets/lack of triplets) -- To me, the show has been incredibly smart about this, as parenthood isn't why I'm watching. I adore Jen's reactions (they'd be mine) and am still interested in where they go from here.

I think the final season is stronger than the way you present it here, but YMMV.

Edited February 25, 2015 by paramitch

[Zacharee1]

I thought Season 7 was unplanned. The end of 6 was pretty conclusive.