On Monday afternoon, fans of NBC’s seriously-the-best comedy series, Parks and Recreation, were treated to the news that the show’s final season would premiere on January 13th with 13 back to back episodes before its finale airs on February 24th. This, naturally, drew a lot of mixed and/or divided opinions from fans: some found it to be a slight to the show itself, as if the series was being “burned off” now that NBC seems to only have eyes for drama programming. Others tried to find a bit of a silver lining to it all: was this, perhaps, NBC’s way of trying out a network-based almost-binge-watch model?
While chatting with Nick Offerman (otherwise known as the man, the myth, the mustache, Ron Swanson) about his upcoming Netflix special (Nick Offerman: American Ham, out December 12th at midnight), we asked him about this very thing. Here’s what he had to say!
Nerdist: Since you brought up Parks and Rec, I have to ask your feelings about the final season, since they just announced the premiere date yesterday. The way they’re structuring it made it feel like we’re getting a real quick pass-through on Pawnee.
Nick: Our broadcast schedule has always been somewhat in flux because we’re on a network in the day and age when network TV is struggling.
Nerdist: Releasing it like this, it almost feels like a binge-watch model in a way â but on network TV. It’s interesting if nothing else.
Nick: It is [interesting]. I’m sure there’s pros and cons to however the schedule would’ve unfolded, but ultimately I try not to have feelings about it because most people don’t watch it when its broadcast anyway. We seem to really slant towards an intelligent audience and a young audience and people with those attributes tend to watch the show either on their DVR or on the computer, so ultimately we’re just glad that they’re going to show it [laughs].
Nerdist: I think people online responded the way they did because Parks and Rec fans just love it so much, you know? I mean I know I, personally, am beyond excited to return to Pawnee and see this last season. I can’t imagine the feelings you guys must have about it having worked on it for so long.
Nick: It’s definitely an emotional situation, weâre very proud of our final 13. They’re really something, they’re really funny and heartwarming and possibly the best work we’ve gotten to do so far.
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So there you have it, folks: Nick Offerman is excited about the season regardless of how NBC airs it. And he makes an astute point: do any of the fans of Parks and Recreation actually watch it live anymore? (Admit it: do you?) As long as they’re showing it, we’re as happy as Leslie Knope at an All You Can Eat Waffles day at JJ’s Diner.
How do the rest of you feel about the final season of Parks and Rec? Excited or sad about how NBC’s handling its distribution? Leave your thoughts in the comments!
We really never watch live TV anymore. We TiVo the week’s shows & watch them all on Friday night after we put the kids to bed. Mrs. Neophyte & I are in our mid-40s, so not the “young audience” Offerman envisions, I’m afraid.
He said it slants that way, not that the entire fan base is young. Don’t take shit so personally.
Love that the last Nerdist question is misspelled “Nerdiest” – pretty accurate!!! 🙂
They also missed an apostrophe in the clause “people don’t watch it when its broadcast anyway”.
I read Nick’s answers with Ron Swanson’s voice in my head.
I don’t really mind the accelerated schedule as a viewer, but I do worry about the future of network comedy and whether or not this is a sign of the future. I almost never watch shows live anymore now that I have the option to watch at my own pace. A lot of that has to do with higher quality video on Hulu and Netflix compared to what I get with Uverse.