So, I have a confession to make. Because my day job involves writing about civil servants (and frequently about the misconceptions about civil servants federal agencies face as they try to recruit a new generation of federal workers), I have, thus far, avoided Parks and Recreation. I couldn't stand the idea of another portrayal of government workers as dim but well-intentioned, even though I adore Amy Poehler.
Man, did I do the wrong thing. Parks and Recreation is utterly delightful. Watching Poehler pretend to be alternately someone's fake aunt and a robot warning system in succession as she tries to get a guy who is suing the city on the phone is hilarious. The parody of Habitat for Humanity (starring Donnie the Head Page for 30 Rock) is pretty dead on. And I have to admit, watching Poehler's character ask who she has to ask for permission to cut corners on a construction project is a pretty dead-on satire of a lot of the decision-making processes I've witnessed in government. The show even ends with a post-credits joke--that turns into a useful public service announcement. The Parks and Recreation characters aren't dumb or slow--but the regulations they work within are. That's a useful point to make. And Parks and Recreation turns out to be a fairly hilarious way to make it.