Getty Image / JB Lacroix
The Parks and Recreation finale back in 2015 was bittersweet. On the one hand, that show’s final season and finale were infinitely better than 99.99% of TV comedies over the past few decades. They ended the show extremely well and as a fan, you had to respect that. On the other hand, the show’s finale left a big black hole in Thursday night programming.
With any show that’s been incredibly successful like Parks and Rec, The Office, Seinfeld, etc., there is always a discussion about reunions. It’s even more common in the age of Netflix where they’ve revived shows like Arrested Development, and ABC brought back Roseanne.
Now’s the time to talk about a Parks and Rec reunion because the entire cast, even the super duper ridiculously famous ones like Chriss Pratt, reunited at Pally Fest where they talked about their favorite memories from filming the show and the potential of a Parks and Recreation movie. Spoiler alert: the movie doesn’t seem likely unless someone puts a genius script onto a paper.
Here are all of the highlights from the Parks and Recreation reunion at Paley Fest via Twitter‘s Moments:
Tonight's #PaleyFest mood: pic.twitter.com/3vGu4tB14Z
— Parks and Recreation (@parksandrec) March 21, 2019
Even Perd Hapley was there!
#PaleyFest #ParksAndRec pic.twitter.com/eMKEaxoBnC
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
The #ParksAndRec cast is bringing Pawnee to #PaleyFest. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/MyXVcmP5Xf
— NBC Entertainment (@nbc) March 22, 2019
Donna rockin’ a ‘Treat Yo Self’ dress is definitely a nod to the fans and I love it.
It’s all in the details! 💕😍 #ParksAndRec #PaleyFest pic.twitter.com/zPlZfuvSLN
— Parks and Recreation (@parksandrec) March 22, 2019
Galentine’s Day reunion.
WE HAVE SO MANY FEELINGS RIGHT NOW!! 🥰😂🥰😂@parksandrecnbc #PaleyFest pic.twitter.com/VjGcpLKCTT
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
Lots of feelings here.
Let’s get started, shall we? #ParksAndRec #PaleyFest pic.twitter.com/buy7mOnDCV
— Parks and Recreation (@parksandrec) March 22, 2019
Now for the commentary about the cast and crew’s favorite moments, scenes, memories, and the future:
Mike Schur says the design of @parksandrecnbc with sincerity was hard to do because it’s the opposite of cool. Schur learned it working w/Greg Daniels on #TheOffice. Schur says the saddest day on the show was when Chris & Ann left Pawnee because Amy & Rashida are good friends IRL
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
Ann was always infallible in Lesley’s eyes.
Amy and Rashida on Leslie and Ann: Rashida says she loved how much Leslie bolstered Ann as a human being — they weren’t catty, they supported each other. #PaleyFest @parksandrecnbc
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
It was just two really good friends saying goodbye to each other. -Mike Schur on Amy & @iamrashidajones filming Ann’s going away scene. #PaleyFest #ParksAndRec @parksandrecnbc pic.twitter.com/QypGuV9CTA
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
“She’s perfect. Ann’s perfect.” -Amy Poehler #PaleyFest @parksandrecnbc #ParksAndRec pic.twitter.com/8fY3hwoarE
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
Amy Poehler thinks they had a lot of freedom to play and they also brought a lot of themselves to #ParksandRec #PaleyFest pic.twitter.com/kLESupDCRG
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
TV needs more of this:
The cast did “fun runs” which were takes where they could do anything. The show was shot with 2 cameras. The last 5 minutes of a scene was when they could do whatever they want. @parksandrecnbc #PaleyFest pic.twitter.com/2XqOPYdxjc
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
.@roblowe says “Stop! Pooping!” Was a fun run. @parksandrecnbc #PaleyFest pic.twitter.com/sgiBl9Orsg
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
Mike Schur, the show’s creator, often recalls this as one of his favorite Parks and Rec moments.
Mike Schur recalls Chris Pratt making a joke when Leslie has the flu and Pratt improvised “hey Leslie, I typed your symptoms into the computer and you might have a network connectivity problem” @parksandrecnbc #PaleyFest pic.twitter.com/S3MXqe21FX
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
I need to know who this real person is and where to find them.
Nick Offerman says they found a libertarian city official who was the impetus for Ron Swanson’s anti-govt stance. Mike Schur says the Venn diagram of Leslie and Ron is an overlapping circle. Ron Swanson became a woodworker after the writers saw Nick’s home workshop. #Paleyfest
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
These would easily sell for $100K on eBay.
Mike Schur says Nick Offerman salvaged the doors from the @parksandrecnbc set and made everyone canoe paddles with the Pawnee seal on them. #PaleyFest pic.twitter.com/z2Jfg1ZW1E
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
Is there an aspect of your character that you carried into your life? @roblowe says “i think i’m gonna live til I’m 150” — Retta says “Treat Yo Self” and that friendships are bery important to her. #PaleyFest pic.twitter.com/5Sil0X2Jpz
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
Didn’t everyone get heavily into Game of Thrones around this time?
Adam Scott says he got very into #GOT after Ben did. Nick Offerman says he cleaned up his diet and “gave in to the power of Tammy 2” (Nick’s real life wife Megan Mullally!) #PaleyFest #parksandrec
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
.@prattprattpratt says his relationship with the FBI is LEGIT after #parksandrec after his days as Bert Macklin! Pratt says he learned the value of freshness, making takes different. It catered to his strengths. #PaleyFest pic.twitter.com/uScEeyCEG5
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
Chris Pratt recalls five years before he got “Jurassic World” and he did a bit as Andy where his cell went off and he joked “It’s Steven Spielberg. I’ll have to get back to him about Jurassic Park 4 — and 5 years later…” #PaleyFest pic.twitter.com/Wadd29Wzl4
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
.@evilhag Aubrey Plaza says she carries the dark arts with her and April’s philosophy that nothing matters an we’re all gonna die so who cares? #PaleyFest #parksandrec
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
This will follow him forever:
“I hear ‘Damn it Jerry!” all day.-@JimOHeir #ParksAndRec #PaleyFest @parksandrecnbc pic.twitter.com/6IH3X8eqC0
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
About phrases like #TreatYoSelf and #GalentinesDay that have become part of the vernacular, Rob Lowe was so happy when “literally” became his buzzword. pic.twitter.com/1viUBb0qa7
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
.@roblowe says Mike gave him a wrap gift of the notes Mike took after meeting with Rob for the show – and one phrase was “He says ‘literally’ all the time” #Paleyfest @parksandrecnbc
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
If only.
.@pattonoswalt points out the show called the 2016 election. How do they feel about that? Amy Poehler says “if only we had Bobby Newport now…” #PaleyFest pic.twitter.com/rLqOXj95tY
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
Hate to hear this. Someone needs to whip up some magic.
.@pattonoswalt suggests making a #ParksAndRec movie. Mile Schur says “I think everyone on this stage would want to feel there’s a story to be told. The show was about the power of public service & doing good with a team. I don’t think we left anything on the table.” #PaleyFest
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
Squad goals.
Post-#PaleyFest snap: the men of Pawnee! Where can we buy this calendar? @parksandrecnbc pic.twitter.com/MghdmjwHil
— PaleyCenter (@paleycenter) March 22, 2019
Just a quick reminder that Parks and Recreation is on Netflix and you can binge watch it all day every day and at night. My advice is to always skip the first season because Mark Brendanawicz was one of the biggest and wettest blankets in TV history and brings the entire season down. The show didn’t get good until he left and Adam Scott showed up as Leslie’s love interest with Rob Lowe as his sidekick.