Oh, we’re not talking about Better Off Ted anymore.
Yeah, Parks was like The Office. It’s the same format. If Karen Filipelli’s mother had twins, and gave one up for adoption who became Ann Perkins, the two shows could exist in the same universe. This was going to be the possible “spin-off” people were talking about. I have a feeling, (and hope), that Parks can distinguish itself from The Office over time. I’m sure they have plans for how P&R will evolve as time goes on, which is why I’ll watch it for a while. To be honest, I’m not really anticipating a phenomenal second episode either. If you watch the Office, you know that the writers often let their character evolve over time. MOST of the time it doesn’t have the regular ‘sitcom’ formula, where most the conflicts are resolved before the end.
Not saying it will be good. I also don’t care if it’s by the writers of “The Office”, (that’s why I’m glad it isn’t a spin off, I don’t feel as if I’m not endorsing one unless I watch both), but I WILL be a little more patient than some of you.
I can’t wait to see what the writers of The Office do with Ghostbusters III.
I really wish they wouldn’t have made it a “mockumentary”. To me, it felt like a carbon copy of the Office through and through, at least production wise (but sort of character wise too). If they had shot it straight, at least the show would’ve had that.
The UK Office came out in 2001. That’s almost ten years ago! “Mockumentary” is just not a fresh concept anymore.
I say this more in defense of the mockumentary as genre, than I do for Parks and/or The Office, but although the genre’s actually pretty old, I can’t think of anything I’ve seen on TV other that The Office using it, (if anyone knows of any, please inform). I wouldn’t mind seeing it pop up more, perhaps docudramas as well… there are possibly different avenues that have yet to be explored with that style of writing for television series. Perhaps not with this show.
Watched it. Not a knee-slapping grabber like 30 Rock, but there’s potential. The supporting cast needs to be fleshed out more which takes time. Amy Pohler is a real talent, so I’ll give this a few more episodes before making my verdict.
I think my issue with it, now that I give it some more thought, is that the core of the UK Office is that it’s outrageous yet still always alludes to reality and making the viewer uncomfortable. The mockumentary style makes a lot of sense in that context since it makes the characters even more “real”, as it were. This is a fine point that is lost for a big part in the US Office, though I guess it’s there somewhat.
In P&R, it just seems like the style is ‘passed down’ from its predecessor. Which is why I’m questioning it. Note for example that the followup to the UK Office, “Extras”, was not shot in the faux reality show fashion – evidently Gervais and Merchant felt that style had its place and purpose.
I can see what you’re saying I think. It can seem like the US version is like a *copy *of the original, and ‘Parks’ could end up seeming like a copy of a copy. You’re right about The UK version The Office.
I really hate comparing the US and UK shows even though I love both. The UK version just had a handfull of episodes compered to it’s US counterpart. I can see one person likeing one version over the other, (which is a matter of oppinion of course), but some people hold too much bias towards one because their expectations are ‘set’ on the other show.
I have a friend that refuses to watch the UK version because the “Ryan” character, (I know that’s not that guys name in the UK show), is tall and has blonde hair. He’s missing out I guess.
See, I thought it was worth giving a chance, and I hate The Office. I got a couple of good chuckles out of the premiere. The best was just the guy remembering that hey! he did sleep with her that one time. For some reason, that just busted me up.
I watched the premiere prepared to hate it, and didn’t. It was good for a couple of chuckles. But I didn’t exactly love it either. If a character is going to be as openly sleazy as the “Libyan,” he really needs to have some kind of charm or wit or something to balance it out. Maybe that will come later. And I think the pseudo-documentary style encourages lazy writing and viewing. Instead of revealing characters through actions and dialogue, you can have them explain themselves directly to the camera.
I liked it. It cracked me up. I do think that Better off Ted is better (and I compare the two as well- I’m not generally a big sitcom person and have started watching both in the past couple weeks, so they both fit in the category of “new sitcoms I like”), and of course The Office is better, but I like this one.
I’m really a fan of the whole no-more-laughtrack thing. I know that’s not new and certainly not unique, but I still appreciate it.
I thought the tone was too hostile, too often. If the shtick is that the P&R people act like idiots, then it doesn’t strike me as funny to have ordinary people lining up at a microphone to call them idiots.
Also, Amy Poehler doesn’t disappear into the role like Steve Carell does. She still has a bit of her sketch-comedy approach, where she telegraphs to the audience, “I’m being funny now, and you’re supposed to laugh.” It’s at odds with the mockumentary atmosphere.
I like this one better than the first. I just need to watch more to see if I would like to invest the time into watching in regularly. I did the same thing when The Office started up. EVERYONE I turned on to The Office DID NOT like it at first. My Brother in particular. Now he watches all the time. His wife then use to complain about it being on, now she’s a fan. It’s weird.
Pamela Reed, probably best known as Arnold’s partner in Kindergarten Cop, but also recently seen as the mother on Jericho (mostly in the first season).