Parks & Recreation: TV's great political fable

The NBC sitcom is one of the last idealistic shows on television

Parks and Recreation.
(Image credit: (Facebook.com/Parks and Recreation))

The West Wing has been off the air for almost a decade, but like any truly beloved show, it has led to some unexpected and far-reaching repercussions. In 2012, Vanity Fair explored how the NBC political drama inspired droves of idealistic young people — who had originally watched the series as teenagers — to move to Washington, D.C., and seek out jobs in national politics.

This year, NBC's second great political series is coming to an end. Parks & Recreation has never achieved the mass cultural penetration of The West Wing, but I suspect we'll see a similar effect to the West Wing on local governments within the next six years, as younger fans of Parks & Recreation launch their own careers. At a time when TV's other politically oriented series approach the subject with skepticism and cynicism, Parks & Recreation stands as the rare show that argues government can actually make a positive difference in people's lives.

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Scott Meslow

Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.