‘It’s the opposite of Trump’s agenda’: Parks and Recreation’s Jim O’Heir on the show’s legacy
As the ex-president returns, the masterly comedy about local government can feel like a fantasy. But its message is more relevant than ever
It’s been nearly a decade, and three presidential administrations, since Parks and Recreation aired its final season. In that time, the sunny comedy about local government has become a modern classic. It’s also become a time capsule for a certain Obama-era mindset: its relentlessly upbeat protagonist, Amy Poehler’s Leslie Knope, wholeheartedly believes in government’s power to make people’s lives better. In 2009, its optimism was contagious.
The show concluded in 2015 after seven delightful seasons. In the intervening years, many observers – including the show’s co-creator, Michael Schur – have described Parks and Recreation as the product of a different time. America’s recent re-Maga-ning has made that assessment even more trenchant. In its time, Parks felt like a small-town sitcom; in 2024 it can feel like a fantasy.
Continue reading...-
18-year-old parks employee killed while battling New York wildfire
Top stories - NBC News - 6 days ago -
Trump’s Tax Proposals Face a Fiscal Reckoning
Business - The New York Times - November 7 -
Conservatives weigh potential show of opposition against Johnson
Politics - Politico - November 9 -
Video shows flooded Impact Plastics parking lot at 10:54 a.m. on Sept. 27
Top stories - NBC News - October 18 -
Is Biden’s legacy dependent on a Trump defeat?
World - Financial Times - November 1 -
Trump says he is 'opposite of a Nazi'
Politics - The Hill - October 29 -
Breaking down Donald Trump's deportation agenda
Politics - Politico - 5 days ago -
Republicans win House in major boost for Trump's agenda
Top stories - BBC News - 3 days ago -
What unified government means for Trump's Cabinet and agenda
Top stories - CBS News - 2 days ago
More from The Guardian
-
Middle East crisis live: Israeli strike kills Hezbollah lead spokesperson in Beirut
World - The Guardian - 49 minutes ago -
Countries must set aside differences and agree climate finance deal, says German politician
World - The Guardian - 4 hours ago -
Russia targets Ukraine’s power grid in biggest missile strike in months, officials say
World - The Guardian - 5 hours ago -
Trump’s defense pick reportedly paid sexual assault accuser but denies claims
World - The Guardian - 35 minutes ago -
England v Republic of Ireland: Nations League – live
World - The Guardian - 18 minutes ago
Latest in World
-
Biden becomes the first sitting US president to visit the Amazon rainforest
World - ABC News - 9 minutes ago -
Small plane crashes in Slovenia, killing 3 people
World - ABC News - 9 minutes ago -
Jannik Sinner v Taylor Fritz: ATP Finals final – live
World - The Guardian - 18 minutes ago -
England v Republic of Ireland: Nations League – live
World - The Guardian - 18 minutes ago -
Everton 1-0 Liverpool, Leicester 0-2 Man Utd: Women’s Super League clockwatch – live reaction
World - The Guardian - 19 minutes ago