Parks and Recreation: one of the funniest comedies you’ve never seen

The last 50 years have seen our favourite box in the corner change in a very big way. Whether we’re enthralled by the latest celebrity gossip news or simply looking to unwind after a hard day’s work, the move to digital has bombarded us with an array of channels all vying to capture our attention. Some have successfully carved an identity for themselves by showing captivating, original programmes, whilst others have been successful by broadening the televisual landscape of their viewers with quality shows from around the world.



Despite only the cream of the crop being broadcast, some incredibly good shows can often be overlooked and kept off British screens. Arrested Development was recently given a reprieve by FX after the mis-treatment it received when it was originally shown on the BBC. Additionally, Sky Atlantic is finally bringing a back catalogue of shows from HBO to British screens.



Parks and Recreation is one of the few American comedies that has swept the awards board in its home country but is practically unheard of in the UK. In spite of having a relatively small audience on NBC, the network protected the show from being unceremoniously axed and allowed it to creatively flourish. In turn, it has become a cult favourite of many influential television reviewers across the pond with its blend of mockumentary and witty observations of civil service & Midwestern American life.



Originally conceived as a spin-off from the successful US adaptation of The Office, its creators wrote a show based on the inner workings of the professional and private lives of the Parks and Recreation department in a small town’s local government. Set in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana it follows the trials and tribulations of deputy director of parks and recreation Leslie Knope. The show very much has an ensemble feel, as there are many episodes where every member of the Parks and Recreation department help Leslie get the job done.



With a stellar cast including the likes of Saturday Night Live veteran Amy Poehler and upcoming comedian Aziz Ansari, the show has captured the hearts of all those who watch it. It also managed to carry out quite a casting coup when celebrity news sources reported last year that the show had managed to swipe Hollywood hunk Rob Lowe from family drama Brothers and Sisters.



Unfortunately, British viewers have missed out on what has been described by some as a "belly laugh-inducing show". There simply hasn’t been any news of a prospective British broadcaster wanting to pick up the show.



30 Rock fans were left in limbo last year after Channel 5 unceremoniously dumped the show after it apparently experienced "poor viewing figures". Thankfully the British incarnation of Comedy Central picked up the rights to the show and has proved that there’s still an audience for the quirky comedy.



Whether or not Parks and Recreation will be picked up by the broadcaster is an unanswered question, but one can only hope it is.