Parks and Recreation is like a simmering plate of waffles topped with a delicious swirl of whipped cream; it makes all your problems go away. This wondrous, hot plate can be seen in several instances devoured by Leslie Knope at JJ’s Diner as she’s discussing business deals or bonding with friends in the show. Directed by Greg Daniels, the American sitcom, enhanced with comedy, unravels the life of the employees situated in the Parks and Recreation Department of Pawnee, Indiana. Its theme is to capture the humble life of individual adults and what they learn in life. Like The Office, it's shot in the style of a documentary, to experience the hilarious reactions to befuddling scenes. Parks and Recreations is a well crafted adventure of life in the workplace, full of goofy moments and sprinkled with heartfelt experiences.

Although the title seems bland, it’s home to a flock of friends who work for the government. The show isn’t necessarily focused on middle-class workers perched on desks, filing boring paperwork or answering tedious calls. Instead, the seeds are planted when Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari) set up a town meeting and meet Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones), who requests a construction pit be filled after her boyfriend, Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt), broke his legs. Leslie seizes the opportunity to beautify the monstrous dump into a notorious park and as she works to fulfill her quest, her life takes a turn for the interesting.
Parks and Recreation nurses the audience with carefully drawn out characters that are overflowing with dreams and development. For example, the heroine, Leslie Knope, is the perky and loyal dork who dreams of building a beautiful park from the ground up. Throughout the show, she is supported by her friends. Romantic and friendly relationships blossom as the characters encounter important moments, such as weddings and births, in life together.

Another unique aspect of the show is the enticing style in which each character's relationship with each other are displayed. For example, in “Cones of Dunshire” (Season 6, Episode 8), when April calls for a department meeting, they begin to match the personality of dogs with each employee. April is thrown into a trance of intense awkwardness after labeling Donna as a poodle for because she demands luxury and shops often; she later makes things up by getting to know her co-worker and seals it with a rare hug. The depths of the character’s history and conflicts are also explored, whether it’s wrestling Ron’s lunatic ex-wives or watching Tom repeatedly pick himself up after failed entrepreneuring experiments.

Both the cast and the cinematography piece together. The actors are brilliant when it comes to capturing the spirit of these characters. It's difficult, considering the diverse, yet eccentric personalities they have to embody. The actors are able to let their roles grow and expand as if they’ve also learned from their characters. The Golden Globe nominated series provides a simple, yet pleasing set. The lighting matches the chipper mood of Leslie's mindset, bright and soft yellow. The different settings are fitting because they reflect back onto the character's preferences, Ron and his office or Leslie and her sunflower mural.
           

The show has an uplifting message which is that everybody doesn’t have to get through life alone. It deals with the positives and negatives of moving on (such as partings and weddings). The show is like a roller coaster ride, which builds up thrill and anxiety, but as soon as it's over, the "victim" wants to go on again. The producers understand how to deliver a wide smile and send waves of laughter through timed zoom-ins and pauses. Although it seems very similar to The Office, Parks and Recreation emits a distinct cheerful vibe. It adapts to an appropriate level of comedy that’s not too focused on accidents and scandals, but on sarcastic remarks and hysterical reactions.
             

Join Leslie and her friends as they create memories and laughter on Parks and Recreation.  It’s definitely worth the experience. The perfect recipe for a great comedy (just like those waffles): one boring workplace, one construction pit, several crazy friends, spiced up with a few wild parties and a bundle of sweet moments.