Watching Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock last night, I was struck anew by the ways these once-and-future SNL stars, Tiny Fey and Amy Poehler, have crafted sitcoms that could not be more different in tone and philosophy from each other.
30 Rock is, like its title, very “New York,” granite-tough. Even when Fey isn’t onscreen, her comic tone — cutting; ruthlessness wearing the mask of whimsy — slices through most scenes, particularly anything involving Alec Baldwin’s Jack and his business dealings. It’s kind of amazing to me that Fey gets away with making such fierce fun of NBC corporate masters like GE and now Comcast/Xfinity, aka, Kabletown. Last night’s brutal assertion that Com… er, Kabletown is a cynical purveyor of on-demand porn incapable of (to Jack’s old-capitalist way of thinking) creating anything new was, well, magnificent. (It also helps explain why, when I just went to my home “Kabletown” DVR to record the 1971 Paddy Chayefsky-written movie The Hospital, the screen menu was offering stuff like Hot Nasty Girls just a few listings down the screen.)
By contrast, Parks and Recreation is frequently as sunny as Leslie Knope’s smile, and, increasingly in its sterling second season, the majority of the laughs are not at the expense of Leslie’s boundless optimism. On another show, a character like Leslie would be ridiculed as uncool, and made the object of TV’s fallback attitude — pseudo-hip cynicism. Instead, Leslie has managed to warm up characters that were initially cold fish, such as the increasingly lovable Ron Swanson (man, what a great job Nick Offerman is doing this season) and the surprisingly vulnerable Tom Haverford (for someone known primarily as a comic, Aziz Ansari is a terrific actor). And I could watch a whole spin-off that’s just about Andy’s shoeshine stand, that’s how much I enjoy Chris Pratt.
Where 30 Rock is deeply skeptical about any kind of organized power-structure, whether it’s private industry or public policy, Parks and Recreation‘s fundamental message is that pride, hard work, and engagement in civic affairs can be effective and humane.
What’s great is that Poehler and Fey have made these wildly different approaches to comedy work. If they were scheduled back-to-back (not that I’m advocating that; I still enjoy The Office right where it is), they’d be a sweet-and-sour, salt-and-pepper treat.
Do you agree that Rock and Parks are very much opposites, yet completely successful in their very different ways? Or do you prefer one to the other?
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For me, it’s Parks and Rec all the way. I used to enjoy 30 Rock, but for some reason its worn so thin I rarely watch it anymore. Which is another contrast, at least for me. I used to really enjoy 30 Rock, now I don’t even watch. Whereas Parks and Rec just kind of grew on me to such an extent, from where I just kind of watched to pass the time but could live without it, to where now I won’t miss it if I can help it. Sometimes I like it better than the Office. Aubrey Plaza I would love to see sometime in a serious role, I bet that girl could really act if given the opportunity.
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To answer Ken’s question, I don’t think you can say that one show’s attitude is preferable to another. 30 Rock mocks the Big TV Networks and New York City living in a bit of a whiny New York way, while Parks mocks small town life and especially the bloated bureaucracy of city government, but in a more goofy way. It’s an impossible question, Ken!
I am a big fan of both. 30 Rock’s quality seems to have been down recently, but last nights episode was easily the best of the season. Parks and Rec was bad early on but lately has been great. More of Tom/Ron/Andy and the show will be great. Get rid of Ann (contributes nothing) and please don’t get Rob Lowe – he is not Alec Baldwin. In terms of tone, 30 Rock is definitely more interested in sharp commentary on various aspects of the world while Parks and Rec seems content with telling stories and weaving humor along the way.
So, I prefer Parks & Recreation, and sometimes I watch them both with the feeling that maybe I don’t really have that New England/Northeast attitude and have more that Indiana attitude that is in Parks & Rec that maybe Massachusetts is not where I should be living. I was hysterical last night at Parks and Rec and just kind of okay with 30 Rock (which I only am able to watch a little of before I get, well, bored).
I love Parks and Recreation, but I’ll be the first to say (as a Hoosier) that it does not display an “Indiana attitude”. That’s just kind of silly.
Love love love 30 Rock, but thanks to this I’m going to give Parks and Rec a try, it looks pretty funny.s
Leslie Knope ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK BABY!!!!
She is funny
I thought both shows last night were absolutely hilarious, much better than The Office. Yes, they are polar opposites, but that’s what works and I’m glad.
30 Rock is a hilarious but pretty cynical skewering of Big Network TV while Parks is a much sillier and sunnier spoof of small town America and bureaucracy of small town city hall management. I love Tina but I think Amy Poehler and Parks are hugely underappreciated. This season, Parks has become funnier than The Office OR 30 Rock and it’s an absolute gem. Love it!
Alan, couldn’t have said it better myself. So I won’t. I am grateful for the joy both shows bring me.
I agree. Parks is super funny this season and I don’t get why more people don’t watch it! And it’s not even The Amy Poehler show anymore cause the entire cast is so funny!!!
hell yeah!!!
ITA with you! Everyone’s funny.
I love both shows, but this season, Parks has really broken out. 30 Rock is funny, but it’s a much more cynical spoof of Big TV Networks. Parks is siller and more upbeat, but so funny and really underappreciated. Both are better than The Office this season. Love Amy and Tina and I’m glad their shows are so different, yet so funny.
have you been watching the office this season? it’s been great! 30 rock’s been good but the problem with that show is that- while funny- there’s no emotional connection to any of the characters.
What do you mean “emotional connection”? I watch these shows to laugh.
I love The Office, but just don’t find this season the best, aside from a few gems like the wedding and baby episodes. I haven’t been a fan of the Kathy Bates character, how quickly they dropped the Jim-Michael co-management storyline or even little things like Phyllis’ new bitchy attitude! This particular season, I find Parks to be the superior show of the three, maybe the Office and 30 Rock tied for runner up.
You hit the nail on the head. I LOVE 30 Rock, but you’re right… no emotional connection at all. That’s what made FRIENDS so huge, a big part of why HIMYM is so great, and why Parks & Rec is really shining this season.
That said, Seinfeld was another show that lacked emotional connection, but everything worked out pretty well for that show didn’t it.
Great article, Ken!
And I have to say that it’s nice that between these two shoes, Cougar Town and The Sarah Silvermen program, there are more comedy shows that star strong independent single funny women. In the 90′s, a female comedy actor could only play the wife and mother in a sitcom, now they can headline their own shows. Comedy is evolving for the better!
PS, I love 90′s sitcoms!
i meant “shows” not “shoes”
I agree that they are both very funny in different ways. Right now though, I am kinda liking Parks a tad more. But both are very well done.
Ken, you mention New York tough, but last night Tina Fey declared herself Philadelphia tough, mocking Boston and LA in the process. One of the funniest inside jokes was at the very beginning when she threw a snowball at Jack, a hilarious reference to Philadelphia fans heaving snowballs at Santa in the late sixties. As you might know, Tina is from the Philly suburb Upper Darby, probably wired by Comcast. Didn’t you Ken used to write for the Inquirer? Give Philly some props and Go Eagles!
I love 30 Rock, and have heard good things about Parks and Rec, but I’ve only seen a couple of episodes, and haven’t been hooked just yet.
Community is still the funniest on Thursdays. Which is great because it has been a long time since a network could air two hours of solid comedies.
AGREED. Looooove Community.
With the 4 show line-up from 8-10pm, I think NBC is having a “Must See TV” renaissance. Sadly, I think The Office (which was my favorite and I still love) is the weak link this season. Also sadly, I think most of the general population has yet to realize how great these 4 shows play together.
I agree with everything you say.
I also agree. The Office used to be the reliable show for laughs and a good time, but it has gone downhill so drastically that it is the weakest of the Thursday shows. The only feel good parts involve MVPs Ed Helms and Ellie Kemper. The salespeople are such douches and unappealing that they are ruining the show. If it wasn’t sandwiched at 9 by 2 genuinely funny shows, the Office would no longer be on the watch list. It has clearly jumped the shark (imo, that was when Michael quit).
Funniest shows on Tv right now are Community and Modern Family.
The Office is weak this year, it’s true. The blood is in the water, the sharks are circling the speedboat; time to cue Fonzie. Baby storyline = shark jump.
Their contrast in tone is probably one of the reasons Fey and Poehler were one of the most successful duos behind the Weekend Update desk.
Parks & Rec is killing it this year. Last nite’s ep was sooo gooood.
I heart Jerry’s farts.
yea, loved both shows. parks and rec was real slow when the show came out, now its hilarious
ahh crap – shoeshine head… i need a nap!