# Parks and Recreation, The Office, NBC, and me **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 15, 2009, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parks-and-recreation-the-office-nbc-and-me/496488 "2009-05-15T03:27:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![SuntanTigerTamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@SuntanTigerTamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanTigerTamer)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2009, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parks-and-recreation-the-office-nbc-and-me/496488/41 "2009-05-15T22:59:37Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > For which I repeatedly apologized, but yet you continue to throw out there for me. And when did I say you made it personal? I was responding to **woodstockbirdybird** with that, not you. I don’t think anyone here deserved your apology; we were just trying to explain that if it bugged you, we didn’t care. And don’t say you admit you were wrong, because you weren’t. The Dude said it best: “Well, that’s, like, your opinion, man.” which, of course, you’re entitled to. So don’t apologize for anything, and please don’t feel like we’re piling on. I just felt that **woodstockbirdybird** had missed the entire point of what **Footz** and I and the rest were trying to say. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parks-and-recreation-the-office-nbc-and-me/496488/42 "2009-05-16T00:07:58Z")
I didn’t miss the point; I just saw the guy(? - apologies if I got the gender wrong) apologize for the perceived insult and others continuing to pile on past the point where everybody should have been drinking beers together. That’s still the way I see it, even after “re-reading the thread slower”. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parks-and-recreation-the-office-nbc-and-me/496488/43 "2009-05-16T00:16:04Z")
Well in any case, let’s chalk-it-up to misunderstandings. I didn’t want to pick a fight. 🙂 **HP** I didn’t mean to drag it out further than it should have, I just didn’t precive you were getting the point, which you have now clearly stated you did. No hard feelings on this side. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parks-and-recreation-the-office-nbc-and-me/496488/44 "2009-05-16T05:49:07Z")
Everything the OP said is true, but so what? Yes, both shows have almost the exact same ‘formula’, but that formula is a very smart, witty, semi-self-aware, ensemble, character-driven, non-studio audience or laugh track encumbered, high-brow comedy. Years ago only cable had such shows. HBO had Larry Sanders and Curb Your Enthusiasm while the networks were showing dreck like Home Improvement and Friends. P&R shares more similarities with The Office than usual because it started out as an Office spin-off (was going to be set at Rashida Jones’ branch). But again, who cares? Its a great formula. And the vast majority of typical TV sitcoms also share a similar formula with each other. The only reason they don’t seem as similar is because their formulas are ludicrously simple. Instead of taking a whole paragraph to explain (as in the OP) they can be described in one sentence. [ul] [li]Guy w/family hosts tool TV show[/li][li]Fat woman has low-class blue-collar family[/li][li]Six friends sit around and gossip about who fucked who[/li][/ul]etc. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parks-and-recreation-the-office-nbc-and-me/496488/45 "2009-05-16T11:47:48Z")
What I found funny was that this discussion seemed to be heading toward getting as heated as a GD thread. I thought I was in the wrong forum. Anyways, I just started watching the Office and P&W. and I actually find the latter to be funnier. And, yet, I also found them to be very similar. I’m actually wondering what’s so different about them that I would find one funnier than the other. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parks-and-recreation-the-office-nbc-and-me/496488/46 "2009-05-16T12:13:07Z")
OK, all you deriders of P&R have forced me to do this… I hereby announce the return of Kath & Kim. _takes a bow_ You are welcome. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parks-and-recreation-the-office-nbc-and-me/496488/47 "2009-05-16T13:02:48Z")
Yeah, they’re similar. They’re both mockumentary comedies, so that’s to be somewhat expected. That said, I think each show’s actors really differentiate them and make them unique and enjoyable. Besides, it was so successful for the Office, they’d have to be borderline foolish to stray too far from its formula. And considering P&R just got picked up for a second season, I’d say they’ve succeeded. What I don’t get are all the people that watched the first episode of Parks and Recreation and immediately gave up on it saying it was crap. Uhh, just about _every_ pilot is crap! They have to spend time setting up the situation and characters! I really do think it has improved and I thoroughly enjoyed last night’s episode. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parks-and-recreation-the-office-nbc-and-me/496488.md?page=2)