Parks And Recreation | featured news

You don't have to be an avid fan to acknowledge that 2012 offered some great TV. Putting aside the national reality show that was the presidential election, there was escalating excellence on "Sons of Anarchy," "The Walking Dead" and "Parks and Recreation." There was the birth of "Girls," "House of Lies," "Veep" and "Luck" (RIP) and the redemption of "Dexter." For every hour of uncomfortably bad scripted or unscripted programming, there was something thought-provoking or, at the very least, entertaining.

Big life celebrations scored in the ratings last night. The Liz Lemon wedding episode of NBC’s departing 30 Rock drew a 1.3/4 in adults 18-49 and 3.6 million viewers. That was up 8% from its last original two weeks ago and the comedy’s best demo rating since Oct. 11 and largest viewership this season. Meanwhile, ABC’s sophomore drama Scandal (2.2/6) popped 10% from its last episode two weeks ago to hit a season high. (In adults 18-34, it hit a series high). That is with Scandal‘s lead-in, Grey’s Anatomy (3.0/8), dipping 6% from two weeks ago to tie its season low. No dead cat bounce for ABC’s Last Resort. In its first airing post cancellation news, the freshman drama (1.0/3) fell 17% from two weeks ago to a series low.

"Oh, Mr. Vice President, I am deeply flattered, but there's no way that I could take over Madam Secretary Clinton's position." Leslie Knope, the lovable Pawnee, Ind. city councilwoman from NBC's "Parks & Recreation" played by Amy Poehler, came face-to-face with her celebrity crush on Thursday night's episode. The meeting was arranged by her fiance, Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott,) a congressional campaign manager, as an engagement present.

"Parks and Recreation" has told a season-long story about Leslie Knope's campaign for public office, so it's only fitting that the show will be paying homage to "The West Wing" in a few weeks. The Huffington Post can exclusively reveal that in an upcoming episode of the NBC comedy, Bradley Whitford, who played Josh Lyman on "The West Wing," will play the departing Pawnee city councilman whose seat Leslie and Bobby Newport (Paul Rudd) are running for.

For producers of underperforming television shows, this is the scariest time of the year -- and it's got nothing to do with Halloween specials. By now, the glow of premiere season has long since worn off, and shows we couldn't wait to see just a few short months ago are in serious danger of getting the hook.

From "Mad Men" to "Parks and Recreation," several series are releasing books "written" by the stars. Pawnee: The Greatest Town in America —a comprehensive guide to life in a small Indiana town—is released in bookstores nationwide today. The cheery little book is credited to Leslie Knope, whose author biography describes her as "a mid-level bureaucrat" who loves sweets and wants to be the first female President of the United States. Knope is a thorough, comprehensive, and entertaining writer.

EW has learned from multiple sources that Tim Allen ("Home Improvement") is looking to stage a return to prime time -- as long as it involves the right project. "It will be huge," predicts one manager of Allen's comeback -- if and when it happens. Another source indicated that the actor is taking "a few select meetings" with writer-producers, one of whom may include Greg Daniels ("Parks & Recreation," "The Office"). Is there a chance that Allen could even join the staff of Dunder-Mifflin?

EW.com has learned that Amy Poehler ("Parks and Recreation") will host "Saturday Night Live" when the late-night comedy show returns to NBC on September 25.