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Season 1 – Parks and Recreation

Play trailer Poster for Season 1 – Parks and Recreation Apr 2009 Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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68% Tomatometer 37 Reviews 71% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Leslie Knope, a midlevel bureaucrat in an Indiana Parks and Recreation Department, hopes to beautify her town (and boost her own career) by helping local nurse Ann Perkins turn an abandoned construction site into a community park, but what should be a fairly simple project is stymied at every turn by oafish bureaucrats, selfish neighbors, governmental red tape and a myriad of other challenges. Leslie's colleague Tom Haverford, who delights in exploiting his position for personal gain, is as likely to undermine her efforts as to help her, while her boss, Ron Swanson, is adamantly opposed to government in any form, even though he's a bureaucrat himself.
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Parks and Recreation — Season 1

Parks and Recreation — Season 1

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Critics Consensus

While it has yet to develop its own identity, Parks and Recreation's awkward and absurd humor hints at its potential to become a great comedy, thanks largely to the talents of Amy Poehler.

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Critics Reviews

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Caitlin Moran The Times (UK) 10/11/2019
Parks and Recreation is a show that is impossible not to befriend. Go to Full Review Nate Jones New York Magazine/Vulture 10/11/2019
Like a lot of early comedy episodes, the jokes are fine, but the series' worldview is hard to pin down, and, true to myth, the tone never really coalesces until the finale. Go to Full Review Emily Nussbaum New York Magazine/Vulture 10/10/2019
Parks has begun to kick free for me, mainly because the writers are onto something timely and resonant with Leslie, a fool who is also a budding heroine. Go to Full Review Alan Pergament Buffalo News 02/14/2020
2.5/4
It is hard to fall head over heels over the pilot of "P&R" because it doesn't tickle the funny bone that often and seems so much like an "Office" rerun. Go to Full Review Jason Zingale Bullz-Eye.com 10/11/2019
4/5
Okay, so maybe the show isn't quite as quotable as The Office, but with only six episodes to impress, Parks and Recreation does a far better job convincing its audience to tune in for a second season than its counterpart did in its freshman year. Go to Full Review Tom Gliatto People Magazine 10/10/2019
Poehler has the skills to pull off the role -- Leslie is sweetly, credibly dumb -- but this kind of sitcom needs to build slowly. For now the biggest laughs go to Nick Offerman as her boss. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Olivia W. @MoviesForFlying09 Jun 1 ALL TIME COMFORT AND NEED A GOOD LAUGH SHOW 🥹❤️ See more Musa A @doodleflame Mar 11 Solid entry to a brilliant series!! See more Stephen C @bob25009 Feb 8 6 funny NBC episodes. See more Ed R @JustcallmeER Feb 4 While it has yet to develop its own identity, Parks and Recreation's awkward and absurd humor hints at its potential to become a great comedy, thanks largely to the talents of Amy Poehler. See more Clare S. @clare.s. Feb 3 Good first season with potential, but some character relationships feel un developed and plot points fall flat. See more Max W @MaxthorWoo Sep 1 Initially developed as a spin-off of The Office, Parks and Recreation cleverly preserves the mockumentary style of its predecessor, while establishing an engaging backdrop in just six episodes. See more Read all reviews
Parks and Recreation — Season 1

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Cast & Crew

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Amy Poehler

Leslie Knope

Rashida Jones

Ann Perkins

Aziz Ansari

Tom Haverford

Aubrey Plaza

April Ludgate

Nick Offerman

Ron Swanson

Paul Schneider

Mark Brendanawicz

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Apr 9, 2009 Pilot Leslie Knope tries to beautify her town by helping a local nurse turn a construction pit into a community park. Details Episode 2 Aired Apr 16, 2009 Canvassing Leslie and her committee try to build support for her park project; Tom uses questionable recruiting tactics. Details Episode 3 Aired Apr 23, 2009 The Reporter Leslie asks a reporter to do a story on her project; Tom tries to kiss up to his boss. Details Episode 4 Aired Apr 30, 2009 Boys' Club Leslie faces a tough ethical choice at a casual get-together; Andy has a surprise for Ann. Details Episode 5 Aired May 7, 2009 The Banquet Leslie makes an impression at a banquet honoring her mother; Mark and Tom go to a bar to pick up women. Details Episode 6 Aired May 14, 2009 Rock Show Leslie goes to a meeting with a local bigwig while her subcommittee members go to Andy's first concert since breaking both his legs. Details

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Parks and Recreation — Season 1

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Season Info

Executive Producer
Greg Daniels, Mike Schur, Howard Klein
Network
NBC
Rating
TV-PG (L)
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date
Apr 9, 2009