The Office has often been the most streamed show of any particular year. That changed this time around, according to the Nielsen report. Suits has seemingly dethroned The Office as the show everyone watched in 2023, and I have thoughts—mainly, why not Parks and Recreation instead?
Every time someone tells me that they rewatch The Office time and time again but have not seen Parks and Recreation or don’t care to watch it, I have to wonder who hurt them. This time around, the report states that Suits racked up 57.7 billion minutes of viewing time in 2023, which is slightly above the record that The Office previously held. Great for Suits, a show I never finished but that I’m happy people have found it and cannot stop watching it.
I guess everyone just loves watching Steve Carell as Michael Scott, which I get! But I also think that maybe it’s time to put down “Scott’s Tots” not just for Suits but for Parks and Rec.
My issue is that every year we are subjected to people watching The Office over and over again, and … sure! That show ran for 9 seasons and was a hit at the time. But there are other shows that I just wish people would give their time to, like the joy that Parks and Recreation brought to so many of us while many refused to watch it.
Parks and Recreation started in 2009, four years after the U.S. version of The Office took over the comedy scene. For a while, they were both airing back to back on NBC, and you could experience a night of comedy. What ended up happening was a lot of people stopped tuning in, and Parks and Recreation struggled for a while with ratings. I’m here to say: You were all wrong, and Parks and Recreation is the best.
I’m sure some of you in the world are probably thinking to yourself, “Well, Rachel, aren’t you the girl with a Parks and Rec tattoo and a cat named Ben Wyatt?” The answer is yes, yes I am. But I am also a fan of the rest of The Office/Parks and Rec creator Mike Schur’s work. So the idea that only The Office ever breaks into this conversation is beyond frustrating.
Look, I get that we all have our favorites. I am someone pleading with you all to watch Parks and Recreation instead.
Focused on Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and her work in the Pawnee, Indiana Parks Department, the show was filled with a cast of characters that both made Leslie’s job harder and helped to lift her to her best self. Genuinely one of the most inspirational shows out there, it provides a comfort in Leslie Knope that Michael Scott never had.
They realized that a character like Leslie was going to take over our hearts with her giddy optimism, and they let that shine instead of making it a bad thing. Seeing her grow, find love, lean on her friends, and try to make the world a better place is part of why I love the show so dearly. So all I am asking is that the next time you want to watch a comedy for comfort, maybe give Parks and Rec a try?
(featured image: NBC)
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Rachel Leishman
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