Mark Brendanawicz: Gone and forgotten

[Inquisitionist]

I've been rewatching season 2 recently (season 1 doesn't exist, AFAIC), and I find myself asking "Whatever were the writers thinking when they wrote Mark Brendanawicz"?  He's kinda douche-y but without Tom Haverford's quirky charm.  Ultimately, he's bland and uninteresting, and I can't see why Leslie would have been with him (back story to S1, I believe) or why Ann was with him in season 2.  Good riddance, Mark!  We don't miss you at all!  LOL

[Inquisitionist]

Different strokes! :-)

 

What did you "kind of like" about Mark?

[April Bloodgate]

I never really liked Mark either. And I am SO on board with Ben. He's just lovely.

[Inquisitionist]

I'm forcing myself to rewatch S1, and surprisingly, I'm not finding it (or Mark B) as bad as I had remembered.  Maybe it's because I later developed such affection for the show.  It certainly did improve.  :-)

[hoosiergirl]

I loved the Mark character, but I also love the actor. He is going to be on the shoe The Divide on WeTV this July. I read somewhere that PS never gelled with the rest of the Parks cast and wanted to be written off the show. I feel like maybe Mark was supposed to be the straight-man in a wacky office guy, like a Jim Halpert character. I never got his attraction to Ann, but I thought her character was kind of bland anyway. Then their breakup just comes out of nowhere. My favorite episode is the one where Leslie and Ann do a practice date before her date with Dave. I love the part where Jerry says that Mark has one unpaid parking ticket and then Mark says that Jerry's adopted mother was cited for marijuana possession. Then Jerry gets upset because he didn't know he was adopted, mark tries to apologize, and Tom says to Mark, he totally baited you with that unpaid parking ticket. I don't mind the Ben character but thought Dave was a better match for her. Dave and Mark just seemed more real to me than Chris, Ben, and the current state of Andy.

[AllAboutMBTV]

I like Paul Schneider, too, but the show never seemed to quite figure out what to do with Mark. But it was nice to have a character who wasn't a "character" (i.e., someone 'normal,' at least for a sitcom) around for the others to bounce off of. Here's hoping they figure out a way to give him a cameo or a little story arc in the final season.

[Kip Hackman]

Here's hoping they figure out a way to give him a cameo or a little story arc in the final season.

 

From Paul Schneider himself, a couple of months ago:

 

 

“I’m not interested in going back,” Schneider continued. “I’ve never been contacted about that nor have I any interest in going back.”

 

http://popwatch.ew.com/2014/04/22/paul-schneider-parks-and-rec/

[swimmyfish]

I rewatched Season 2 a couple of months ago, and was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked Mark Brendanawicz, as well as Season 2 in general. I do love the loopy turn the show took in later seasons, with everybody having a billion jobs and all of their daffiness turned up to 11. But Season 2 was still attempting to stay grounded in the real world, and Mark was a good straight man to the occasional excesses the other characters would run to back then.

 

I am a little disappointed to read that he won't be back in the final season; it would've been great if he popped up at a town hall meeting, or had a reservation at Tom's restaurant (which is maybe still a thing 3 years in the future?), or picking up his kid from the pre-school where the Knope-Wyatt kids are.

[hoosiergirl]

I would like to know that Mark got his happy ending too, even if we just saw a sign for Brendanawicz Construction somewhere or in the final episode they did an epilogue of where side characters ended up, like Shawna Malway-Tweep, Kyle, Jamm, etc. kind of like how How I Met Your Mother did with their recurring side characters.

[Setlist]

That doesn't sound like he had a good time on the show.

 

Yeah! I wonder what went down. I remember when they wrote Mark out, and I could have sworn something was mentioned about him possibly showing up for a cameo down the road. Granted, I could be wrong - but I'm curious as to something happened between then and now with Paul and the show. Especially since he said  "I’ve never been contacted about that." Yes, I'm aware that I'm probably reading way too much into this. 

 

Even though his character kind of had an unhappy ending, I thought his last scene with Leslie was really sweet. 

[Brandi Maxxxx]

I remember when season 4 was airing, someone (possibly Schur) said they were planning on having Mark appear by the end of the season if Paul Schneider was available.

[Petunia13]

There were moments I liked him but many whee he was a tool bag. I don't get why everyone thought he was so hot.

[Azaelia]

I can't see why Leslie would have been with him (back story to S1, I believe) or why Ann was with him in season 2.  

While I realize season one's been retconned and shouldn't be taken too much into account, I do think Leslie's character matured a lot even in the second season, so I can see why she would have been into him once. . As she had to deal with bigger issues than annoying town hall meetings, she lost a lot of that initial Pollyanna-ness, and with that the side of her who would fall for a guy like Mark. Ann, though, I'm not sure - it never seemed like she was really that into him. She only technically went on that first date with Mark because Leslie set it up for her, and while I realize Ann's main concern was hurting Leslie, it just never seemed like Ann was as into Mark as Mark was into her. 

 

I would have loved for Mark to have shown up at some point. At the very least, it's too bad there haven't even been references made to him. I did like his character, and aside from logistics it's hard for me to believe he wouldn't have been there when Leslie was going through all the recall stuff. In my headcanon, he moved away from Pawnee, finding it all too frustrating. 

Edited August 30, 2014 by Azaelia

[amensisterfriend]

Even after rewatching S2 and loving it a lot more than I did the first time around, I still don't feel like I ever had a firm grip on Mark's character. I guess he was kind of the sane 'straight man' like Ann, only a bit more jaded and cynical about the government like Ron and April...? And a semi-reformed ladies man who was trying to be a better person and believe in things like love again or...something?! I don't know, I guess I just never had a strong grasp on who he was supposed to be and how we were supposed to perceive him. I think maybe it was a mistake (for me!) to put Mark and Ann together since IMO they're both so low key, bordering on insipid unless interacting with dynamic personalities and not as well defined as other characters. I've actually seen him described as "charismatic" several times, which makes me realize I'm missing something about how we're supposed to perceive the character, as I found him pretty flat and bland. 

Edited January 21, 2015 by amensisterfriend

[Brandi Maxxxx]

I agree that putting the two "straight man" characters together was a mistake. I don't think their scenes together were entirely unfunny, it just felt out of place for this particular show.

[RustbeltWriter]

Thinking back, the only time I really enjoyed his character was when he was giving Ron a hard time about his workshop.

[Brandi Maxxxx]

Thinking back, the only time I really enjoyed his character was when he was giving Ron a hard time about his workshop.

If I recall correctly, that episode aired shortly after they announced he was leaving. Several people (myself included) found it ironic that they chose that week to finally give him some good material.

[godonlyknows]

I always liked Mark. By the show's standards he was a nondescript character but I thought both he and Ann were good at grounding the show and keeping it somewhat grounded while everyone else went over the top crazy. He was also pretty good at calming Leslie down before she went completely insane and I preferred Leslie using the two of them as sounding boards and for advise rather than Ron and Ben. Couldn't care less about their relationship with each other though.

[HoodlumSheep]

My favorite scene of his (from what I remember; I haven't watched season 2 in ages) will always be his and Leslie's goodbye scene. It was sweet. I always wish they'd bring back the park plans he made for her, which I don't recall they ever did and probably never will.

Edited January 22, 2015 by HoodlumSheep

[wingster55]

A bit OT but imo it's interesting that many are down on s2..to me that was the show's best season (I didn't care much for s3...that seemed to be very little more than Leslie and Ben getting together)  

[amensisterfriend]

wingster, I was just saying on another thread how much more I liked S2 than I thought I did---despite my meh-ness on Mark :) After rewatching it this past week, it definitely moved up higher on my list of favorites. Speaking just for myself, I think part of the problem was that I first started watching Parks a few episodes into S3, so that current incarnation of the show---Ben and Chris as main characters, Andy as linked only with April, etc.---was what I knew the show to be, and S2 felt like a weird deviation from it. Had I started watching from the beginning of the series, I'm thinking I would have liked S2 a whole lot more. I'm happily surprised by how much I loved a lot of the episodes this time around. (And I'm with you on not loving S3 as much as most!)  

[kennyab]

S2 has some really standout episodes ("Greg Pikitis", "Ron and Tammy", and "Hunting Trip" are all favorites), but S3 for me is when they really kicked it up a notch in terms of storytelling. With the Harvest Festival arc, they started delving into the long-form. Plus, that's Leslie's first big win.

I was sad when I heard that they were writing Mark off the show, but it's turned out better than I could have hoped. They didn't need two straight men with both him and Ann, and he was the more disposable of the two. I wouldn't trade Leslie and Ann's friendship for anything. The show took on a more optimistic tone starting in S3, which I think was needed on TV, and Mark would have just dragged that down.

[wingster55]

I wouldn't trade Leslie and Ann's friendship for anything.

 

Another reason I love s2...I felt afterwards the friendship wasn't shown as much..and I don't hate him but I do blame Ben..

[Brandi Maxxxx]

Another reason I love s2...I felt afterwards the friendship wasn't shown as much..and I don't hate him but I do blame Ben..

Ovaries before brovaries.

[VCRTracking]

I think there was still a lot of friendship moments between Leslie and Ann after season 2 between the romance with Ben. I don't I just think Adam Scott was a better straight man and reactor to craziness, while also being funny himself, so you saw a little less from Rashida on that department.

 

My favorite Mark moment is when Ron wants him as a friend to inspect his woodshop and say it's up to code so he can expand it but it had all these ridiculously unsafe zoning standard violations(oily gloves placed above a wood-burning fireplace and a long-outdated fire extinguisher). He gives Ron 24 hours to fix him and a thick book of building codes, which Ron promptly cuts in half with a buzzsaw after he leaves. Then Mark spends a half day helping Ron get his shop up to code and Ron pays him back by building a canoe.

[hoosiergirl]

My favorite Mark moment is when he gives Ann all the Valentine cliche gifts. Someone upthread posted about seeing him described as charismatic. I think that's really the only time I might consider him "charismatic". I also liked the moment in the episode where he sleeps with Shawna Malway-Tweep when he calls out Leslie and tells her she's being a huge dork.

[Falafel]

This character is one of my least favorite ever.

 

On one hand, I think he was very poorly written. He just sort of a scum bag and arrogant and he was super condescending to Leslie. What was the end game there? I read that the writers originally had him help Leslie with the park to try to hook up with Ann, and they re-wrote that -- but how much difference does it really make?

 

On the other hand, I thought the actor was horrible. He wasn't a bad actor in that I didn't believe him, but he no comedic timing or delivery, no charisma, and he was just boring. Although Jim from the Office was written as a much more relatable guy, I do think Jim was pretty smarmy and douchey at first -- but the actor who played Jim did it well. Sometimes I'd look at Mark's lines or scenes and think they would be so much better with another actor. Even as "the straight man," Mark just didn't work with this actor. No one could play off him and he had chemistry with no one.

 

I read that the Mark character was supposed to leave government for private sector work and later come back to the show, but I was very glad he stayed gone. I think the writers realized the show was better without him. Ben and Chris were a little zany, but had much better stories and better actors.

[Tetraneutron]

I thought it was pretty clear in season 1 that he was being set up as a love interest for Leslie. They put such emphasis on the two of them together and his love life in particular, plus he was the most traditionally attractive guy in the cast and the only one with what could be considered a cool job. Relatively speaking. And he was set up as the only decent romantic prospect when compared to a fratty douche, a man child, and a cranky libertarian whose entire life's work makes him a hypocrite. (In season 1). And when the show retooled in season 2, there was no need for the arc of loser Leslie pining after some guy, so he was put with Ann as something to give both characters to do. I mean, I'm not the first to notice that the show struggled to find a use for Ann as well. And from there they could have paired those two off or set up a triangle situation or something. Season 2 loved its stupid love triangles, before the writers realized they were so much better than that. (Ron/Wendy/Tom, Ann/Andy/April)

 

I don't miss him at all. Even as early as season 2 he was pretty extraneous. Probably a vestige of him needing to be cool, while the show trusted the other characters to be a mess and still likeable and rootable. In the original conception of the whow, the world was cynical with everyone being terrible in some way. But you have to give the main character redemption, which means a love interest - especially when the main character's a woman. So enter the guy whose only purpose is to be endgame for Leslie.

[amensisterfriend]

I don't think Mark was a remotely well-defined or even especially well acted character, as I've said, but in some warped way I actually miss when the show had a character for whom everything didn't always work out so perfectly, gloriously, fairy tale-ish well. (I realize that April is not exactly a Pollyanna, but her actual life is pretty awesome: she always gets amazing opportunities that she barely even tries for or appreciates, she has a wonderful marriage with a gorgeous and loving husband, she has tons of friends and support despite being a fairly terrible human being, etc. ) Maybe if they had made him a more interesting and amusing 'hard luck' cynic, he would have worked out better. Of course, if he were on the show now he'd probably have the world's best and most fulfilling job, relationship, family, hobbies etc., because that's kind of the way the show rolls now :)  

Edited February 4, 2015 by amensisterfriend

[Tetraneutron]

But isn't that true of every character? They were all losers in season 1, ordinary schlubs with flashes of happiness and awesome in season two, and everything's perfect starting around season 3 and accelerating after that. In season 2, Ron was a guy in a job he hated, ex-wives he hated who were still in his life, and he did woodworking as a hobby. In later seasons he's a master craftsman and meets the love of his life. Or Tom: his business ideas are ridiculous, he has no luck with women because he's a tool. Even Ben - he goes from Ice Clown who can't speak to media to someone who can run a successful Congressional campaign. But by season 5 or 6, everyone has this great job where they are challenged, get to express themselves, make an impact in the community, work with great people who respect them, and never worry about money. The entire show shifted focus.

 

All the other actors in the initial cast were people with a comic background or a history with Michael Schur. Paul Schneider was neither of those things. Mark was the generic guy who falls in love with Leslie even though she's horrible. If that's not the show any more there's no need for the love interest.

Edited February 5, 2015 by Obviously

[hoosiergirl]

It never crossed my mind that Mark was supposed to be Leslie's love interest. She was such a dweeb in the first season and Mark had that aloof, cool guy persona going on. I never thought they'd be a good match and Leslie had already slept with him so I thought part of the progression of her character was to be less dorky and get over their one night stand. I thought Mark was always supposed to be Ann's love interest since they started breaking down Andy kind of early on and that the triangle was supposed to be Ann/Andy/Mark. I read somewhere that Paul Schneider asked to be written off and that he never really gelled with the rest of the cast. I watched the season 1 and 2 blooper reels and he's not featured in any of the outtakes, which may or may not mean anything. I just think he's hot!

[Falafel]

I did think that Mark and Leslie were supposed to have a long-game love interest, like there would be chemistry and we'd see her make him become a better person and they'd date other people and eventually he'd come around and they'd end up together. I guess that's a good point that the tone of the show changed in season 2. Leslie was a character I think we were supposed to pity a little but be endeared by her naive enthusiasm. One they made her into the character she became, we'd have to question why she'd even let herself pine pine over a guy that was such a jerk to her. It simply wouldn't fit with who Leslie became.

 

I have a hard time believe Schneider left the show by choice. I know he hasn't spoken positively of his experience and has expressed no desire to return, but I think that's what happens when a) you get fired b) it's plain to see it wasn't working out and they wouldn't want you back anyway. I just think the actor was a bad choice for a sitcom and the casting was poor.

[Falafel]

I remember when season 4 was airing, someone (possibly Schur) said they were planning on having Mark appear by the end of the season if Paul Schneider was available.

 

I think Schur even specifically said that he wanted to bring Paul Schneider back shortly after his last episode aired, but I guess not.

 

Wait, really? I find that surprising because it has always seemed like the show tried to pretend Mark never existed. Aside from obviously never mentioning him once he left, Michael Schur in an episode of the Writer's Room was talking about Jerry being told his mother was adopted, and Schur referred to Mark simply as "a character." Has anyone heard Mark would've done in season 4?

Edited March 31, 2015 by Falafel

[hoosiergirl]

I was watching a season two episode yesterday and tried to imagine them recasting Mark and bringing the character back in season three or four, or even the last season. Who could they have cast instead of PS?

[Sweet Dee]

I agree, Mark was the least interesting and the least funny. I always look forward to watching the telethon episode specifically for the fact that Ann wants to break it off with Mark. That, and Ron's sleep-fighting.

[TyranAmiros]

I'm only at the Valentine's Day episode of Season 2, but it's interesting to read all your thoughts on Mark.

While the Mark/Ann romance is lacking, I do appreciate how they use his character to deconstruct power. I actually find the contrast between his direct style and Leslie's inability to address problems funny, especially when she builds something up as incredibly hard and flash to Mark doing it in seconds.

The way some are talking about Season 3 has me a little nervous. "Hunting Trip" was probably my least favorite episode so far and I hope Season 3 doesn't start having characters acting stupid for plot. I get too much of that on Arrow.

[Spicymustard]

I never minded mark. Yeah he wasn't the funniest character but they had enough other funny characters where it wasn't a big deal to me. But once he was gone I didn't miss him either like I thought I would. Sort of like the thread title.

[Kip Hackman]

"Hunting Trip" was probably my least favorite episode so far

 

[BoogieBurns]

"Hunting Trip" was probably my least favorite episode so far and I hope Season 3 doesn't start having characters acting stupid for plot.

 

I think the only thing you will see about "Hunting Trip" that bleeds into the future seasons is how much of an ensemble it becomes. It's more of the "Leslie (and Ann) Show" until Hunting Trip. From there on out, its the whole family.

[FozzyBear]

I like PS as an actor, but watching the first 2 seasons it's pretty obvious he never really gelled with the tone of the show. He's just not a comic. And while I don't think his timing or instincts are that bad, he's obviously an actor not a comic. He lacks the silly go for broke edge everyone else on the cast always had. I think he could probably be funny in show that's more clever then goofy. Something along the lines of an HBO sitcom like Girls. He was so out of place on Parks & Recreation. 

[pau]

Funny..i did not know this actor and i liked his character..to me he was really not a douche, just more subtle and no nonsense but always helping in an underrated way..in the pilot he is the one who save the day in a pretty subtle way..he could have been a great partner for Leslie..i loved their last scene.

And i find him more appealing than Rob Lowe's Chris (very OTT in a forced way to me, not funny to me except for some rare times..i liked his obsession with healthy/bio food..because i am like that too..ha) and Adam Scott's Ben character..who is cute but not much more..and i loved the last one on Party Down.

Edited September 13, 2017 by pau

[CherithCutestory]

It's funny because I was actually a supporter of Mark when the first two seasons aired. But I'm rewatching the show now and his scenes with Ann are just brutal to get through. It's like fun show fun show fun show torture fun show fun show.

It's just like he's on a completely different show from everyone else. Like if you told me they shot his scenes on a green screen away from everyone else I'd be like "yeah that makes sense." And maybe it makes sense that he's less in tune with the more wacky characters but it was like that with down to earth Ann too. He just was like a block of wood.

Ann doesn't always have a lot to do and she doesn't always add very much but she's in the same show.

Quote

I have a hard time believe Schneider left the show by choice. I know he hasn't spoken positively of his experience and has expressed no desire to return, but I think that's what happens when a) you get fired b) it's plain to see it wasn't working out and they wouldn't want you back anyway. I just think the actor was a bad choice for a sitcom and the casting was poor.

I definitely think that's the case. The much later episode where Ann has boxes from all her exes (including Tom, Andy, and Chris) but couldn't even bother putting in a box labelled Mark sealed it for me. This show is so into little Easter eggs and continuity (the accountant who wants Ben so badly is in the diabetes fundraiser in season 2 talking about tax prep) that that was a conscious choice. They wanted to rewrite history so Mark never existed.

[BlindMan94]

He wasn't the best character, but worth it at least for Jerry baiting him with those unpaid parking tickets into revealing the fact he's adopted.

[taragel]

I'm watching for the first time, near the end of S2 and Schneider always felt like the wrong guy to play that part. Maybe Paul Rudd would have worked? He just doesn't have the hint of slyness almost all the other characters have (maybe except Jerry) at one point or another. 

[BoogieBurns]

On 2/5/2018 at 9:54 AM, taragel said:

I'm watching for the first time, near the end of S2 and Schneider always felt like the wrong guy to play that part. Maybe Paul Rudd would have worked? He just doesn't have the hint of slyness almost all the other characters have (maybe except Jerry) at one point or another. 

Right, he never seemed like a ladies man. They shouldn't have tried to cast another Jim Halpert (disagree if you want, but they literally play brothers in Away We Go) who just SCREAMS monogamy, and then also made him the one who sleeps around or has all fake boobed facebook friends. A ton of other people would be better in that role (Ben Schwartz, even!). They just changed his character after casting and it stopped making sense.