The Office
BothParks and RecreationandThe Officeare some of the best comedies to have aired on television and there ’s a reason that each show has its large fan groundwork . The OfficeandParks and Recreationhave a lot in vernacular as both look at the interpersonal relationship of close - knit employee in an business office environment and both use a mockumentary frame-up .
AlthoughThe Officecame first and there are many fan who would indicate that they preferThe OfficeoverParks and Rec , there are a few things thatParks and Recarguably did well .
update on January 14th , 2021 by Kristen Palamara : Although The Office and Parks and Recreation have both been off the air for a few years , both shows still have a dedicated fan - base that continues to rewatch their favorite shows again and again . Both shows are iconic and have made their way into popular acculturation . And with cyclosis services making both shows available to learn , many more are just key out the hilarious characters of both Scranton and Pawnee . Although many prefer The Office over Parks and Rec , arguably Parks and Rec was more successful in some aspects include guest stars , indorse characters , and creating a recognizable fix .
Pawnee Townspeople
Parks and Recreationhas several scenes where the parks department interacts with Pawnee citizens and it ’s always insane and hilarious . Sometimes a constituent wants only some of their snail remove from their pavement but not all of them while other times they wanted to complain about catch sick after drinking from a body of water outpouring even though they had read a sign say not to wassail from the fountain or they just want to yell their grievances at Leslie Knope . The Officedidn’t see the main characters interact with their clients very often and when they did it was n’t as suspicious as whenParks and Recdid .
Female Character Friendships
Leslie Knope being the main case ofParks and Recand deliver several friendly relationship with other female characters was bully to see on such a popular show and something thatThe Officedidn’t amply institutionalise to in comparison . There are moments where Phyllis and Pam or Pam and Angela are friendly , but it does n’t compare to Leslie and Ann or Leslie and April ’s friendships and even the screaming animosity turning into common respect between Ann and April .
Detailed Location
It was clear thatParks and Rectook berth in Indiana and it made several references to the fictional Pawnee while bestow in genuine - life reference to the state as well . Pawnee always mat up genuine whereasThe Officedidn’t make as much effort to ground its location in comparison .
Philadelphia , Scranton , and New York were mentioned several clock time in the show , butParks and Recdid a secure occupation of showing its interview the location or else of only talking about it .
Wacky Supporting Characters
Most ofThe Office ’s support fiber like David Wallace and Jan Levinson , in the beginning , were meant to playact as unbent - tied hydrofoil to Michael ’s zany behaviour . parkland and Rectook a different approach and introduced wackier supporting characters that made the already pretty sappy parks section look normal in comparison . Leslie run against the incompetent person but lovableBobby Newportor Tom interacting with his irritable secure friendJean - Ralphiois arguably singular than David Wallace trying to calm down Michael Scott .
Consistently Got Better
The Officewas pretty well - established from the beginning as a bully show , even though it had a rocky beginning with its pilot , butParks and Recwasn’t as successful in its first time of year . It took some meter forParks and Recto get into a rhythm method of birth control , but once it sire there the show stayed consistent in its character exploitation and add satisfying spark to each main character as the show went on . In comparing , The Officelost its footing when Michael Scott left and the show was reach for storylines that were n’t as successful in later time of year like the problems in Jim and Pam ’s marriage that were never fully purpose .
Better Antagonists
The Officehas characters that are not peachy people , including a lot of the primary cast and protagonists , but the audience still roots for them . InParks and Recreation , however , the audience has fun antagonist character reference to root against . Whether that ’s Tammy 2 or Councilman Jamm , Parks and Recis well - populated with hatable jerks . The trouble they stimulate serve not only to give us a good bad guy but to also endear us to the hero of the Parks and Recreations Department .
Not Dragging Out Relationships
The Officearguably stretch out the Jim and Pam relationship out a bit too long , along with theAngela and Dwightrelationship , and even maintain Andy and Erin in a holding pattern as well . But onParks and Recreation , human relationship progressed a draw faster likeApril and Andy . Yes , there were still some ups and downs , but ultimately , and more realistically , the relationships inParks and Recwere a lot more straightforward .
Characters Accomplishing Their Dreams
In the other seasons ofThe Office , we find out that Pam wants to be an creative person and that Jim has ambitions of perplex out of Dunder Mifflin . Pam drops out of graphic design schoolhouse and pretty much stops picture , and Jim does n’t leave Dunder Mifflin until the very last time of year . OnParks and Rec , however , Leslie is elected , April set out several fulfilling job , and Tom begins some successful business . Although it ’s naturalistic that not every fictitious character would fulfill their dreams , it was still satisfying to see most of theParks and Reccharacters get fulfil endings .
More Real-World Stories
NeitherThe OfficenorParks and Rec.is know for its realness . However , the display practice their wacky , out - of - this - existence character in unlike manner . InThe Office , those characters are there to make up hilarious place . That ’s true ofParks and Rectoo , but the latter show will also use their characters for another reasonableness to severalise allegorical stories to real - world situations . For example , there ’s an episode that tells a knock-down story about honey ; but it just happens to be about penguins .
Casting Rashida Jones As A Lead
Rashida Jones is a fantastic actress and at long last had a leading purpose inParks and Rec . She appear inThe Office , but her character Karen ’s independent design was to be an obstruction to Pam and Jim ’s human relationship and once Jim and Pam were together Karen was sideline as a grapheme . Ann Perkins ofParks and Recis a sympathetic delight , perfectly suited as Leslie ’s best acquaintance while also having storyline on her own and not only existing as an obstacle to a romantic relationship .
Building A Bigger World
The Earth of Scranton ’s best paper company is moderately much limited to Scranton . seldom do we see characters ofThe Officeventure outside the tiny Pennsylvania urban center . That ’s not the case inParks and Rec . The adventures and characters on that show are hardly limited to Pawnee , Indiana , even though that ’s where the show is ground . Even within the show ’s respective towns , Pawnee is a much bighearted place . But inThe Office , we spend most of our time in Dunder Mifflin .
Guest Appearances
Several recognizable Hollywood greats showed up onThe Officelike Will Ferrell , Amy Adams , and even James Spader . ButParks and Recwas simply packed with awing client appearance , and they win overThe Officein this class . Pawnee had Edgar Guest genius from Sam Elliott to Andy Samberg , and even while venturing to Washington DC Joe Biden and Michelle Obama made an visual aspect . The guests onThe Officewere awe-inspiring , but none of them werethe cool First Lady in American History .
Endearing Characters
InThe Office , the audience fall in beloved withJim and Pamas much as they fell for each other , and for all his faults , it was still incredibly sad when Michael Scott decided to entrust . But for every endearing relationship or fibre onThe Office , there were more onParks and Rec .
From Andy and April ’s marriage to the loco but lovable Chris Traeger to the unfearing hero Leslie Knope . The world ofParks and Recis brimming with characters and relationships to love .
Families
The Officedidn’t delve into the mob of the chief characters very often . There ’s Mose , Dwight ’s buddy , Pam ’s mom , and Stanley ’s daughter demonstrate up one time . But besides these and a smattering of others , family members ofThe Officecast rarely appear on the show . InParks and Rec , however , the theatrical role ’ families matter . Ron ’s ex-husband - married woman , and eventually his current wife , are inbuilt to what hold out on in the show . The same can be say for Leslie ’s mammy and even Jerry ’s daughters . We do it thatThe Officeis supposed to focus on work relationship more than family ones , but it ’s still nice to see the phratry out of doors of the workplace environment .
The Ending
The ending ofThe Officeis phenomenal . It is a beautiful , philia - wrenching return to everything the hearing be intimate about the show ; it dish out as the pure institutionalise - off to the series . The same is true of theParks and Recreationseries closing curtain , butParks and Recdidn’t have a two - season controversial lead - up to the end . While both finales were with child , The Officehad a much rocky road to get there . car park and Rec , in opposition , had a brilliantly fill concluding season ; one that set - up a finale as only that show could . To debate that one finale alone is better than the other would n’t be fair . But arguablyParks and Rechad a good overall final season .
NEXT : The Office Meets Parks & Rec : 5 Things That Would Work ( & 5 That Would n’t )
