A Trip to Pawnee: The Parks and Recreation Fandom

PARKS AND RECREATION

The Parks and Rec cast from left to right: Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza, Rhetta, Rashida Jones, Nick Offerman, Aziz Ansari, Rob Lowe, Amy Poehler, Adam Scott, and Jim O'Heir

NBC's Parks and Recreation, better known as Parks and Rec, is watched, loved, and quoted by millions of fans. The beloved show aired from 2009-2015 and returned in early 2020 for a virtual reunion episode (10). Starring popular Hollywood names like Amy Poehler, Chris Pratt, Rob Lowe, and Adam Scott, this show and these characters quickly found themselves in the hearts of Americans.   

AN OVERVIEW OF THE SHOW

The show takes place in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana and tells the story of a small-town government, specifically the Parks Department. Amy Poehler brings the main character, Leslie Knope, to life alongside her supporting cast members (10). The creators of Parks and Rec researched the governments around them in order to connect the show to reality and provide a look into mid-level bureaucracy; the show even features cameos from political figures such as former First Lady Michelle Obama and current President Joe Biden (10). 

The cast came back together virtually in 2020 to inspire hope to fans nationwide in a reunion episode. Co-creator Mike Schur proved the cast and crew's dedication to their fans by claiming that when he original proposed the idea, "the original series' cast members responded...in under an hour, while six of the show's writers inked a script in less than three days" (4). If there is any cast that loves its fans, the Parks and Recreation actors and actresses are definitely near the top of the list. 

THE FANDOM

Fans of Parks and Rec engage with their favorite show in many different ways. Whether they directly communicate with actors and actresses via social media, create apparel and fan merchandise, participate in online fan clubs, or just reference the show in their daily lives, the Parks and Rec fandom is very active. 

SOCIAL MEDIA

The Parks and Rec fandom, like most other fandoms, has found ways to engage with each other via blog sites and social media. The fan sites are great ways for fans of the show to learn more about the characters, to engage with other fans, and to share quizzes, polls, and fan art (2). 

Like other fandoms, fans of Parks and Rec also use social media to engage with the actors and actresses. Social media sites like Twitter allow for an open dialogue between the cast and the fans, and fans take full advantage of the ability to connect with their favorite characters. One of the show's stars that is often seen engaging with fans of the show via Twitter is none other than Nick Offerman, who plays the iconic character Ron Swanson. Offerman interacts with fans by replying to tweets referencing the show and his character, including inside jokes that only those who watched the show would understand (8). Not only do the cast members engage with their fans via social media, but the Parks and Rec show has a Twitter account as well, which they remain active even though the show is no longer running. 

Dedicated fans have taken social media further, however. Some fans have created imposter accounts where they pose as on of the show's characters; this Twitter account tweets as if it is run by Leslie Knope, Amy Poehler's character. While there are not many accounts bringing these characters to life, there are hundreds of fan accounts dedicated to sharing information, memes, pictures, and memories from the show. 

FAN THEORIES

Another way fans participate within the fandom is by developing fan theories. Fan theories can revolve around the show's own world, like the theory that Pawnee is haunted, but many times Parks and Rec fans create theories that extend over multiple different fandoms (5). For example, some fans have created the theory that the character Ann Perkins is in witness protection because of the actress' previous role as Karen in the popular TV show The Office (5). Regardless of the validity of these theories, fans enjoy engaging with possible storylines and making connections between multiple TV series. 

FAN ART, MEMES, AND APPAREL

Fan art depicting
 Leslie, Ron, Ben, and Ann (11)

Along with their use of social media to connect with the cast, fans also enjoy making art in order to honor Parks and Rec. Through drawing, painting, designing, and singing, Parks and Rec fans create content for the fandom to appreciate. Websites such as Worship The Fandom allow fans to display different artistic portrayals of the show, but drawings and paintings are not the only art form the fans engage with. 

Social media plays a big role in the creation and use of memes. Parks and Rec fans create these images using inside jokes from the show and often try to connect them to real life experiences. One of the most recent examples of a viral Parks and Rec meme occurred earlier during the COVID-19 pandemic: fans took to Twitter to share GIFs of main character Leslie Knope claiming that she "would have had a plan for COVID-19 outbreak in Pawnee. She probably already has a binder for it" (6). This tweet references an episode where Leslie and her government team have to run a crisis scenario, and of course this fan is also referencing Leslie Knope's love of organization and binders. 

Fans also purchase, wear, and create apparel referencing their favorite moments, quotes, and characters from the show. Specific fan-ran stores can be found through small business sites like Etsy, but most Parks and Rec apparel can be sources from larger businesses like Amazon or RedBubble. 

TREAT YO'SELF DAY

Have you ever heard the phrase "treat yourself!" when with friends? This popular phrase usually references behaviors in life that are a form of self-care, and usually involve spending money. Of all the ways fans engage with the TV series, "Treat Yo'self Day" is the most popular show reference that has made its way into mainstream life. Stemming from the iconic episodes in which two main characters spend an entire day splurging on luxury items, or anything their heart desires, this phrase became integrated into every day life for the fandom as well as nonfans (9).

But not only did this become a popular phrase, it also became its own holiday in the fandom. On October 13th each year fans take inspiration from characters Donna and Tom and treat themselves to whatever they want or try to focus on self-care that day. In fact, Treat Yo'self Day is so important to the fandom that, in 2020, the streaming service Peacock held a "Treat Yo'self" sweepstakes for fans and honored actual government officials within parks and recreation departments (9). 

Rhetta and Aziz Ansari, who play Donna and
Tom respectively, introducing "Treat Yo'Self Day" (11)

RESEARCH

Parks and Rec as a show sparked a ton of scholarly research because of the show's basic content. At its core, Parks and Rec is a show about the inner workings of local , state, and even national government. The show provides a comedic way for viewers to engage with the basic tenants of politics. This idea became a hot topic for researchers, as they explored the possibility of using the show to teach "public ethics" (1) and introduce the general public to local government (7). 

The cast at a charity event (11)

The Parks and Recreation fandom engages with the TV show in many ways, but regardless of how they choose to interact in the fandom, it is obviously clear that the show is loved by many. According to co-creator Mike Schur, the popular show may return again if there is "another compelling reason" (3). 

If you haven't already watched the show, you should; it is now available on the streaming platform Peacock. To access your inner fan, try to pass this "true fan" quiz from Film Companion. 

WORKS CITED

(1) Borry, Erin L. “Teaching Public Ethics with TV: Parks and Recreation as a Source of Case Studies.” Public Integrity, vol. 20, no. 3, 2017, pp. 300–315., doi:10.1080/10999922.2017.1371998.

(2) Galaxy052420, et al. “Discuss Everything About Parks and Recreation Wiki.” Fandom, parksandrecreation.fandom.com/f.

(3) Harp, Justin. “Parks and Recreation Boss Says ‘Maybe’ There Will Be More Episodes.” Digital Spy, Digital Spy, 1 May 2020, www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a32347114/parks-and-recreation-michael-schur-another-reunion/.

(4) Hersko, Tyler. “'Parks and Rec' Co-Creator Mike Schur Says Reunion Special Wasn't Easy to Pull Off.” IndieWire, IndieWire, 29 Apr. 2020, www.indiewire.com/2020/04/parks-and-rec-mike-schur-reunion-special-wasnt-easy-1202228054/.

(5) Hunt, Kristin. “10 Wild Parks and Recreation Fan Theories.” Mental Floss, 28 June 2018, www.mentalfloss.com/article/545459/parks-and-recreation-fan-theories.

(6) Jeffrey, Luke. “Leslie Knope Would Have Had an Amazing Plan for COVID-19 Outbreak in Pawnee. She Probably Already Has a Binder for It. @Smrtgrls #COVID19 Pic.twitter.com/dH5zvPWwBi.” Twitter, Twitter, 12 Mar. 2020, twitter.com/KindRx/status/1237895993577762817.

(7) Neery, Caitlin. “How Pop Culture Can Make the Unfamiliar Familiar: Using Parks and Recreation as a Tool to Examine Local Government and Rhetorical Concepts.” Pentangle: Sigma Tau Delta Journal of Literary Studies, Edited by Brittany Blystone et al., 2014, pp. 52–55., doi:https://inside.nku.edu/content/dam/English/docs/Pentangle/39572%202014%20pentangle.pdf#page=57.

(8) Offerman, Nick. “Oh Shit. Nobody Blows like the Duke.🎶 Https://T.co/8y9UCmOvOW.” Twitter, Twitter, 12 Mar. 2021, twitter.com/Nick_Offerman/status/1370435962124201987.

(9) Spencer, Samuel. “Why 'Parks and Recreation' Fans Celebrate October 13 as Treat Yo' Self Day.” Newsweek, Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2020, www.newsweek.com/parks-recreation-treat-yo-self-day-october-13-1538534#:~:text=In%20Parks%20and%20Recreation%20Season,spend%20a%20day%20treating%20ourselves.

(10) Wikipedia. “Parks and Recreation.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 5 Apr. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parks_and_Recreation.

(11) all images sources from Google Images