Parks and Recreation

Paul Rudd to Guest Star on PARKS AND RECREATION; Dermot Mulroney Signs on for NEW GIRL Arc

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: January 9th, 2012 at 9:00 pm

The big arc on this season of Parks and Recreation is the campaign of Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) for city council.  It has been an open question who her opponent would be.  The series has secured several high profile guest stars in the past, like Patricia Clarkson, Parker Posey, and Louis CK, so we had high hopes for the casting possibilities.  Parks and Rec did not disappoint: Vulture hears that Paul Rudd will play an opposing candidate in at least one upcoming episode.  Rudd reportedly shot his scenes at the end of last year, suggesting he will pop up in the next month or so.  Rudd’s loveable shtick is perfect for the tone of the show, and I am excited to see how he plays off the cast, especially in a political debate scenario with Wet Hot American Summer co-star Poehler.  Rudd will next be seen on the big screen in Wanderlust, opening February 24.

Hit the jump for details on Dermot Mulroney‘s upcoming role in New Girl.

Best TV Shows of 2011

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 27th, 2011 at 6:39 pm

“Top 10” lists are a dime a dozen this time of year, so I hope you’ll bear with me as I add one more. While many are busy debating the merits of Drive vs. The Artist, I thought it appropriate to take a look at the year in television. There’s no denying that the TV landscape has changed enormously over the past decade. Once a wasteland of disposable entertainment, the rise of original programming outside the network system has resulted in some of the best storytelling across any medium. This past year we were given more than a couple fantastic new shows to add to our weekly DVR list, and we saw a fair number of inventive and genuinely funny veteran comedy series get even better. Hit the jump to check out my picks for the best in television of 2011.

Producers Guild Awards Announces Television Series Nominees Including MODERN FAMILY, GAME OF THRONES, DEXTER, and More

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: December 7th, 2011 at 11:21 am

With awards season in full swing, the Producers Guild of America has just announced the television series nominees for the 23rd Annual Producers Guild Awards which will be announced on January 21, 2012 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. In the comedy category, I can’t believe a show with such inconsistent writing quality as Glee beats out something like Community, but there you have it. There’s still some deserving nominations with Modern Family and Parks and Recreation though. On the dramatic side of things Game of Thrones gets some well-earned loved for their first season and both Mad Men and Dexter continue their collection of accolades. For the rest of the nominees in each category as well as talk shows, competition shows and non-fictions shows, hit the jump.

Louis C.K. Returning to PARKS AND RECREATION and Kathryn Hahn is Coming Too

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: November 28th, 2011 at 3:18 pm

Before Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott) came along to have a nerdy love affair with Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) on Parks & Recreation, there was an adorable but failed romance the potential city council member had with police officer David Sanderson played by comedian Louis C.K. Now TV Line has word that he will return to the show for the first time since leaving to take a new job in San Diego. Is there a chance there could be some competition between Ben and Dave to bring about a romantic rumble in Pawnee? Since both of the suitors are rather timid and non-confrontational, we might just be looking at an awkward festival rather than a brawl. Either way, bringing Louis C.K. back to the show is good news.

In addition, TV Line also has another report saying Kathryn Hahn, star of NBC’s canceled series Free Agents will show up early next year as a political operative who works for another candidate in the race for City Council, so it sounds like she’ll be facing off against Leslie in the race. Hahn is a truly gifted comedic actress with turns in films like Step Brothers and Our Idiot Brother, and having her as part of the opposition in the City Council race should make for some hilarity.

PARKS AND RECREATION Season Three DVD Review

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: October 15th, 2011 at 6:03 am

When the NBC comedy series first started, Parks and Recreation only seemed to be riding on the coattails of The Office with its mockumentary style and somewhat weak start in the first season. However, two season later the show has quickly found its footing, crafted some spectacular characters, fantastic comedy and a series that has actually surpassed the quality of the series it once seemed to simply copy. Aside from previous series regulars like Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman and Aziz Ansari consistently delivering some of the best comedic performances on television, the addition of Adam Scott and Rob Lowe as series regulars also bring some magic to Pawnee, Indiana. For a more in-depth analysis of the third season of Parks and Recreation, hit the jump.

Extended Sneak Previews for Season Eight of HOUSE and Season Four of PARKS & RECREATION

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: September 1st, 2011 at 5:20 pm

If you can ignore the annoying woman introducing the clip, we’ve got yet another sneak peek at the eighth season of House M.D., which finds out titular medical genius woefully bored and frustrated in prison. The clip you’ll find after the jump shoes us that House is still very much in the doctor frame of mind and prison hasn’t yet broken that sarcastic barrier he always builds around him. Since this is the first season without Lisa Edelstein as Dr. Cuddy, I’m interested to see how the series holds up, and if it can sustain itself for what will likely be its final season.

Meanwhile, taking a more behind-the-scenes featurette approach to preview what’s coming in the fall, the fourth season of Parks & Recreation aims to deliver in a big way with Patricia Clarkson laying down the law as Tammy 1, Ron Swanson’s first she-devil of a wife who terrifies even Tammy 2 (played by Megan Mullally). Interviews with the cast and crew catch us up on the end of last season (so beware of spoilers), and this season looks to be better than the last. You can find both sneak peeks after the jump.

Watch a New Sizzle Reel for NBC’s Thursday Comedy Line-Up Including THE OFFICE, PARKS & RECREATION, COMMUNITY, UP ALL NIGHT and More

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: August 29th, 2011 at 2:58 pm

Earlier today, we highlighted an all-new promo featuring John Goodman’s arrival at Greendale Community College on the NBC comedy series Community. Now, NBC has released a highlight reel featuring some pretty decent spots for both new and returning comedies. Along with some more goodness between Goodman and Dean Pelton (Jim Rash), you’ll find some new clips from other returning series like Parks & Recreation and The Office (however I don’t think any of the James Spader footage is new) as well as some promising bits from Whitney starring Whitney Cummings, Up All Night starring Christina Applegate and Will Arnett, and Free Agents with Hank Azaria and Kathryn Hahn. You can check out the video in its entirety after the jump.

Rashida Jones Talks OUR IDIOT BROTHER, THE MUPPETS, and PARKS AND RECREATION

by Hunter Daniels    Posted: August 23rd, 2011 at 9:04 pm

It’s the end of summer and that means that it’s finally time to see the films that everyone was talking about in Park City.  Our Idiot Brother, the first of the big sale items from the Sundance Film Festival hits theaters this Friday from the newly reinvigorated Weinstein Company.  Unlike many Sundance offerings, this is an audience-friendly comedy starring Paul Rudd as a stoner that means well.  The film also stars Emily Mortimer, Rashida Jones, Zooey Deschanel and Elizabeth Banks.

Recently, I sat down with Jones to discuss the film. During our interview she told me about her straight-laced upbringing, her rebellious sister, the excitement of mainstream success, how she doesn’t sing or dance in The Muppets, how Rudd is a different kind of idiot than Fozzie Bear, the origins of Parks and Recreation and how winking at the camera is different from playing it straight.  Hit the jump to watch.

TV Casting Call: Charlyne Yi Joins HOUSE, Dan Castellaneta to Guest on PARKS & RECREATION, and Michael Rapaport Joins 40 at HBO

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: August 3rd, 2011 at 12:47 pm

Here’s a trio of TV casting updates for you. First off, we already know that Lisa Edelstein will not be reprising her role as Dean of Medicine at Princeton-Plainsboro on the upcoming eighth season of House M.D. but the female portion of the cast won’t be down one as EW has learned that Knocked Up and Paper Heart star Charlyne Yi will become a series regular this fall. She’ll be playing another young doctor joining House’s team, and with her awkward nature and charming comedic timing, it should be quite an interesting match-up with Hugh Laurie.

Details on casting for Parks & Recreation and HBO’s new comedy series 40 can be found after the jump.

Patricia Clarkson to Play Ron Swanson’s First Wife Tammy on PARKS AND RECREATION

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: July 28th, 2011 at 3:17 pm

Everyone’s favorite mustached government employee Ron Swanswon (Nick Offerman) on Parks and Recreation has already deal with plenty of grief from his wife Tammy (Megan Mullally), but that’s not the only Tammy that Mr. Swanson found himself married to in the past. As a matter of fact, Swanson’s first ex-wife is also named Tammy and apparently she’s an even bigger bitch than the second. The character was obscured but revealed at the end of the second season finale a couple months back, but now we know who will finally be terrorizing Swanson come the third season premiere this fall. Patricia Clarkson (Easy A, Whatever Works) will play Tammy 1 in two episodes of the comedy’s third season. More details after the jump.

2011 Emmy Nominations Announced; MILDRED PIERCE, MAD MEN, and BOARDWALK EMPIRE Lead with Most Nominations

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: July 14th, 2011 at 7:28 am

The nominations for the 2011 Primetime Emmys have been announced.  HBO, as always, led the pack as the miniseries Mildred Pierce picked up 21 nominations, Boardwalk Empire picked up 18 nominations, and Game of Thrones nabbed 13 nominations.  Also, as usual, Mad Men held the most nominations of any dramatic series by picking up 19 nods.  The Emmys also once again overlooked Community in favor of garbage like Glee, but they also finally showed Parks and Recreation some love.  It’s also cool that Louis C.K. (Louie), Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), and Walton Goggins (Justified) picked up nominations, but overlooking Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) was just one of the many snubs that the Emmys have become known for.

Hit the jump to check out the full list of nominees.  Winners will be announced Sunday, September 18th at 8/7c on Fox.

NBC Announces 2011-2012 Premiere Dates

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: July 6th, 2011 at 1:12 pm

Most of the other networks have already chimed in with their premiere dates for new and returning series for the 2011-2012 season, but today NBC has finally sent over their premiere schedule for the fall. Returning series include Parenthood, Chuck, Harry’s Law, The Office, Parks & Recreation and Community while new series include but are not limited to The Playboy Club starring Amber Heard, the fairytale driven Grimm, the new comedy series Whitney starring the hilarious stand-up comedienne Whitney Cummings and the remake of Prime Suspect with Maria Bello. Find out when your old favorites and new series hit the air with the full schedule after the jump, but if you want to check out the new series, check clips from dramas here and comedies here straight from the network’s upfronts presentation.

Television Critics Association Awards Reveal Nominees Including PARKS AND RECREATION, COMMUNITY, JUSTIFIED and More

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: June 13th, 2011 at 12:53 pm

We just recently found out the nominees for the first Critics Choice Television Awards, but now we have the list of fantastic shows and talents which have been nominated for the long-running Television Critics’ Association awards. This year the 27th annual awards nominees prove that the TCA just knows what they’re talking about when it comes to quality television, even moreso than the primtetime Emmys. THR unveiled the list with Game of Thrones, Justified and Parks and Recreation leading the pack with four nominations each including love for those series’ cast members like Peter Dinklage, Timothy Olyphant and Amy Poehler. Once again it’s also great to see Community and Louie get some respect along with respective cast members Danny Pudi and Louis C.K. also receiving nominations. Check out the full list of nominees after jump.

NBC Announces 2011-2012 Schedule; CHUCK Moves to Fridays for Final Season

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: May 15th, 2011 at 11:25 am

NBC has officially announced their schedule for 2011-2012.  The network ordered six new dramas (The Playboy Club, Prime Suspect, Grimm, The Firm, Smash, Awake) and six new sitcoms (Up All Night, Free Agents, Whitney, Best Friends Forever, Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me Chelsea, Bent).

The network is programming Fridays fairly aggressively.  Chuck will air its fifth and final 13-episode season on Fridays, paired with the new fairy tale drama Grimm and Friday staple Dateline NBC.  NBC will hold 30 Rock for midseason to accommodate star/creator Tina Fey’s pregnancy.  The Thursday night sitcom block will be cut back to two hours with Community, Parks and Recreation, The Office, and Whitney leading into the Maria Bello-led Prime Suspect remake.

Click through to the links to watch preview clips for the new dramas and the new comedies.  Hit the jump to check out the new schedule.

THE OFFICE and PARKS AND RECREATION Get Supersized Episodes This Month

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: April 11th, 2011 at 11:58 am

As the end of Steve Carell’s run on The Office looms closer, NBC is really giving Michael Scott a proper send-off. The network announced today that the actor’s final episode on the series will be given a special 50-minute episode to allow for a proper farewell. That episode airs Thursday, April 28th from 9-9:50pm (8-8:50pm central time) and will also be followed by a 40-minute episode of Parks and Recreation from 9:50-10:30pm (8:50-9:30pm central time). It’s going to be hard to say goodbye to Michael Scott, but this extended episode should give fans plenty of time to say farewell. And more Parks and Recreation is always good too.

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