loerkus reviews the long-awaited return of "parks and rec"

i was trying to make a separate page so i could put reviews of pop culture away from the traveling stuff. won't let me! i might just put it in a whole new blog. blargh! anyway: coming soon, my thoughts on "lights out" first 4 eps and latest "the good wife." also, we saw "somewhere" the other day. once i come out of the existential ennui which has pinned me to our couch since watching the film, i will post that too.

after a fervent, feverish 28-episodes-in-3-days experience this fall, i was in full ron swanson withdrawal while awaiting the 20th enero return of my new favorite comedy show.  the only thing keeping me going was the knowledge that at least NBC had the wherewithal not to replace this genius piece of political-cultural satire (cleverly hidden behind amy poehler's daffy pratfalls and guileless big-eyed goodwill) with "outsourced." i am also a huge tina fey fan, and this is the perfect companion piece to "30 rock." i also think both tina and amy are lady comedy badasses. it also now has some of the writing-producing talent that used to drive "the office." ergo, "the office" now sucks it, hard, and "parks and rec" inexplicably features the docu-style interviews that semi-made sense on the BBC progenitor but make zero sense here. nonetheless, the characters are so darn delightful that you want to spend more time with them. so bring on the interviews!

the season 3 kick-off gets 3.5 out of 5 alfajores from loerke. it would be more, but i must leave room for the new cast (now featuring rob lowe and adam scott) to gel. there was a little awkwardness when the full group was together (which i blame on the overly coiffed LA'd-out noggins of the new cast members, which detracts-- as does rashida jones, but i'll take it-- from the otherwise vague cinema verite of the show. no one in indiana has that hair!). i also missed april, who doesn't show up until show's end. that said, i think chris traeger is the best character rob lowe has been anywhere near since sam seaborne.

other than those tiny quibbles, the ep was hilario-- all the characters were great as usual. i know i'm obsessed, but i did think ron's coaching strategy of his community basketball team was standout. it featured the ron swanson pyramid of greatness, which includes such classic elementary education fundamentals as "crying:  acceptable at funerals and the grand canyon" and "property rights." please use the little magnifying glass zoom function to enjoy the marvel that is the pyramid of greatness:

Pyramid of Greatness graphic

Link from the New York Times; graphic property of NBC, not created by me, etc. etc.