Parks and Recreation's reunion special is the perfect example of how sitcoms should handle revivals. The show, created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, originally aired from 2009 to 2015 over the course of seven seasons. Parks and Rec still stands as one of the best sitcoms in recent memory and they may have changed the game when it comes to revisiting past shows.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, NBC put together a Parks and Rec reunion special in order to raise money for Feeding America. Rather than bringing the cast back together, the actors behind the series converged for a brand-new scripted episode that they performed in character. The reunion, which was done through video chat, featured Amy Poehler, Adam Scott, Nick Offerman, Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza, Rashida Jones, Rob Lowe, Aziz Ansari, Retta, and Jim O'Heir. The Parks and Rec special also saw the return of a few Pawnee favorites through guest star appearances.
Schur returned to create the episode and it took around three weeks to complete in total. He and some of the original writers created the script while the cast was sent camera rigs and devices to film their personal scenes. The crew from The Good Place, another series by Schur, ended up doing the visual effects for the series. In the end, the episode brought in nearly $3 million in donations. Aside from the charitable aspect, the one-night was a hit with viewers. The episode was short and sweet, but it provided a fun glimpse into the lives of beloved characters. It also proved that more sitcoms are capable of doing the same.
In the era of revivals and reboots, it seems like every popular title comes up as a potential candidate when networks are trying to bolster their slates. The Parks and Rec reunion was special in that it focused on the characters' social distancing, but other shows could follow their lead by using technology as a way to merge the characters back together. The Parks and Rec cast was able to film from their own homes, allowing for flexibility. This takes away the complicated scheduling efforts in getting everyone together in one specific location. There wasn't a large expensive set; it was just characters and conversation. It felt like reconnecting with old friends and getting an update on their lives. Little specials from time to time would curb the cravings of revivals while giving networks and casts fewer commitment demands.
Friends is the next big sitcom set to do a reunion special, but unlike Parks and Rec, the cast won't be in character. It will be interesting to see how viewers perceive this method after the success of NBC's latest special. There are a ton of others who could follow in Parks and Rec's footsteps with revival specials centered on shows like Cheers, Seinfeld, 30 Rock, How I Met Your Mother, and The Office. Time will certainly tell, but Parks and Recreation may have opened the door to a new option in TV revivals.
