Parks And Rec Makes A Comeback On Saturday Night Live
"Parks and Recreation" just had a major comeback, kind of.
The NBC sitcom first debuted in 2009 and made superstars out of its lead roster, which included Amy Poehler, Aziz Ansari, and Aubrey Plaza, among others. A critical darling, the sitcom focused on the trials and tribulations of a local Parks and Recreation department in Indiana. The comedy ended its run in 2015, amassing over a dozen Emmy nominations, including six nods for Poehler as Best Actress.
Since the series called it curtains, its cast have become behemoths in the entertainment industry, with Andy Dwyer actor Chris Pratt headlining the "Guardians of the Galaxy" franchise and Ron Swanson standout Nick Offerman taking on a pivotal role in "The Last of Us" adaptation. Plaza, most recently, had a juggernaut year in 2022, which included appearances in HBO's "The White Lotus" and a career-defining performance in "Emily the Criminal." While "Parks and Recreation" may seem to be in the rearview mirror for its star-studded cast, fans are eager to see the shenanigans of their favorite government officials resume.
2020 saw a majority of the cast return for "A Parks and Recreation Special," a move that was widely praised across the board (via Rotten Tomatoes). While it remains to be seen if a revival or sequel series ever manifests, "Parks and Rec" fans will be pleased to know that the sitcom received a comeback of sorts on "Saturday Night Live."
Leslie Knope and April Ludgate popped in for The Weekend Update
The evening of January 21 2023 saw Aubrey Plaza host "Saturday Night Live," her first time doing so. During the "Weekend Update" portion of the variety series, Plaza reprised her "Parks and Recreation" role of April Ludgate, much to the applause of fans in the audience. While anchor Colin Jost tried to press Ludgate for answers regarding the importance of local government, the Pawnee resident was largely aloof. Ludgate was joined by her once former boss Leslie Knope, with Amy Poehler reprising her role as the eager leader.
While Knope did attempt to make a convincing plea to join the local government's workforce, she was far more interested in Jost's job as the "Weekend Update's" co-anchor. "But I want to pick your brain about this job, about this show, because I used to watch this when Seth Meyers did it by himself with no one else, and he made it look really easy," Poehler said as Knope, to rapturous applause. After trying her hand at telling some jokes, Knope marked her and Ludgate's exit by revealing that they had timed tickets to the M&M store.
The minor reunion caused a frenzy on social media, with many hoping that the "SNL" appearance is a positive sign that there's more to come. "Can we get a revival please. I'm rewatching after seeing these two," wrote Reddit user u/JULIANGJNKS22 after seeing Ludgate and Knope together. Similar sentiments were echoed by Twitter user @realtenlee, who said, "no but aubrey and amy reprising their roles as leslie and april was not in my 2023 bingo card... i need another 'Parks and Rec' reunion."