It all started with Paul Rudd. And then, it did not go downhill from there.
Let me be the first to admit I was a bit apprehensive. It’s been a while since Parks and Recreation went off the air, and as good a reason – and moment – as this is, revivals or reunions don’t always tend to go our way. Looking at you, The X-Files. Looking at you.
But then again, maybe we should have known better. In Mike Schur we trust, or we should trust.
The Parks and Recreation reunion special was everything it needed to be, and more. It was nostalgic, it was entertaining, and it was uplifting. It reminded us of what we loved about these people, and more importantly, it reminded us of the way these characters, this show, made us feel.
Like things would, maybe, be okay in the end. Like there were people out there we could trust, people working for us. Like the good people would, in the end, outlast the bad ones.
And we need that now, more than ever.
Of course, the show had to get creative about some things – like why Ben and Leslie, Ann and Chris and April and Andy were not together (cause when you give fans an OTP happy ending, you better not try to take that away from them) but it did so the best way it could, by letting the characters be the characters.
Like, Andy would absolutely have locked himself in the shed. That’s just a thing Andy would have done. Were you even surprised? I wasn’t.
It wasn’t about that, though, not really. It wasn’t about getting a glimpse to where the characters were – the show already did that in the finale. This was more about reminding us of the importance of taking care of ourselves, staying in touch with friends, and oh yes …being responsible.
This isn’t an easy message to send in the Trump era, but the show manages to do so without ever attempting to be political. These are just people, regular people, doing the responsible thing – staying at home – and trying their best to stay connected while doing so.
Who can say what the right note is these days? Who can say what the right message? And yet, despite the fact that we live in a world with much less certainties than before, I can say this for sure: the Parks and Recreation reunion special was exactly what I needed to feel like, maybe, the sun is coming out on the other side.
Maybe we’ll get through this.
Maybe we’ll be okay.
And when we do come out of this collective nightmare, we won’t be alone.
While we get there, it’s important to remember: “Don’t spend all your time looking after other people. Look after yourself every once in a while.”
What did you think about the Parks and Recreation reunion special? Did you love it? Hate it? What was your favorite part? Share with us in the comments below!
The Parks and Recreation reunion special aired on NBC.
