New comedy is a walk in the 'Park' for 'Office' producers

    NBC has a new addition to its Thursday night comedy lineup: "Parks and Recreation," from creators Greg Daniels and Michael Schur. As executive producers of the American version of "The Office," Daniels and Schur are no strangers to "Comedy Night Done Right," and the influences of "The Office" are certainly noticeable in "Parks" — from the mockumentary filming style to the oblivious boss — but the new show seems to be heading in its own creative direction to avoid being a mere carbon copy.
    In "Parks," the oblivious boss is Leslie Knope, deputy director of the Pawnee, Indiana Parks and Recreation Department. Played by Amy Poehler (who recently ended a seven-year run on "Saturday Night Live"), Knope is delightfully cheerful and passionate but hopelessly unaware that nobody else shares her passion.
    Knope has high political aspirations and compares herself to Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton, whose pictures can be seen on her cabinet during the confessional shots. She also remains continually optimistic, describing people yelling at her during town meetings as "people caring loudly at [her]."
    Knope's work team is filled out by Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari); boss Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) who hates everything government; college intern April (Aubrey Plaza) and city planner and one-time fling Mark Brendanawicz (Paul Schneider).
    None of these supporting characters has been developed so far, save for the sleazy Haverford. He is shown accepting gifts under-the-table and provides some laughs when he shamelessly flirts with a woman in the middle of a town meeting.
    That woman is local nurse Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones, an "Office" alum), whose presence provides the premise for the episode and presumably the rest of the six-episode first season. Her deadbeat musician boyfriend fell into a large pit on an abandoned neighborhood lot, and she wants the city to fill it in. Knope has bigger ideas, though, to turn the lot into a new park.
    Knope's determination to have Swanson establish a park sub-committee for her is played with so much excitement and enthusiasm by Poehler that it is hard not to root for her, even though everyone around her thinks it is a bad idea. When Swanson tells her he'll definitely think about it, Leslie replies, "I like the sound of that ‘definitely!'" as she runs out of the room grinning.
    Poehler is perfect at playing Knope's naiveté with charm. She has spent years perfecting that wide-eyed grin on "SNL," and now, she will finally have the chance to fully develop a character rather than play multiple characters in short sketches. But unlike her "Office" counterpart (Steve Carell's Michael Scott), Knope doesn't want to succeed just for herself. She aims high because she truly believes she can help people through her job.
    The show has used a simple premise thus far to showcase the humor in the bureaucratic workings of small-town government. Knope's excitement about any small responsibility she gets (like the town meeting she runs, which no one else wants to help with) is funny enough itself, but her coworkers' mocking her behind her back adds even more of a punch.
    Where "The Office" draws much of its appeal from the relatable and awkward "I've been there" workplace situations, "Parks and Recreation" takes the audience to a new and unfamiliar setting. At a time when the proper scope of government is being hotly debated, "Parks" could provide the perfect comic send-up of a public servant who wants so much, but whose goals may ultimately prove to be too lofty.
    "Parks and Recreation" isn't perfect. It currently relies too heavily on Poehler's image and comedic aptitude but luckily has a talented supporting cast to develop into more fully formed characters. And just as "The Office" took a few episodes to find its footing, "Parks" should be able to get past the stylistic similarities and firmly establish itself as another great Thursday night comedy — some of the only quality programming NBC has left.