Parks And Recreation Season Three Review

4th Jul 2013

After a shakey first season, but a relatively strong second, Parks and Recreation comes back with a cracking season three. The set-up is mostly the same, revolving around the parks and recreation department of the fictional town Pawnee. With the goal of the first couple of seasons, to build a park over a demolished site, transferring to the aim of the Harvest Festival we get more of the beloved characters as they battle their way through local government. The composition of the cast is primarily the same, with some shifted dynamics, and wisely the creators of the show decided to keep on Rob Lowe as Chris Traeger and Adam Scott as Ben Wyatt.

What becomes evident in season three is the strength of the writing in this show. Whilst there are high jinks which occur episode to episode there is an over-arching storyline and development with character’s relationships. Even though you can see aspects of stereotypes in characters they are performed and written in such a well rounded way they do feel like people rather than fillers in a comedy. April (Aubrey Plaza) and Andy (Chris Pratt) are just plain adorable as the young couple in love but without any nausea inducing moments. You can only be warmed by the sharing of chewing gum by spitting it into each other’s mouths. Leslie (Amy Poehler) has both her friendship with Ann (Rashida Jones) to play off and the emerging attraction to Ben. Not to mention the ever so wonderful in every way Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman).

Which brings me to the highlight of the season. The return of Tammy Two (Megan Mullally). With its own trailer of horror and mayhem this episode is a cacophony of one liners and terror. And although I don’t want to scare you, in seasons to come we meet Tammy One.

What appears to make Parks and Recreation such an impressive mixture is not just the writing and comedy acting but also (what can be seen via the extras) the amount of improvisation that occurs. When those bizarre reactionary moments occur in a scene they are funny because they are just that, reactionary. And the cast are actually really funny not just actors reading someone else’s comedy writing.

With season six airing in America this autumn it is good to know there is plenty more of this show to come.