A brand-new Parks and Rec episode is airing tonight, and it’s like Galentine’s Day came early
Update, April 30th, 2020, 9:50 a.m. ET: It’s here! Tonight, Parks and Recreation will air its special, quarantine-themed episode, featuring all of its original cast. (Plus, loads of surprise guests.) Call all of your galentines; this calls for a social-distancing watch party from home.
To tide you over until tonight’s festivities, Parks and Rec dropped a teaser for the scripted episode. The plot will focus on the characters’ coronavirus (COVID-19) quarantine lives. In the clip, Amy Poehler’s Leslie chats with Nick Offerman’s Ron. As you could probably predict, Ron Swanson has been preparing for isolation his entire life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fjWFBpbrIY
Tune in tonight, April 30th, at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Donations during the special episode will go toward Feeding America.
Original post, April 24th, 2020: During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, everyone can do their part to help humanity get through this as well as possible, whether that means staying indoors, wearing a mask, or reuniting the cast of a beloved TV show. That last one might be hard for most of us, but on Thursday, April 30th, the Parks and Recreation cast will reunite for a scripted special episode. It will air to raise money for coronavirus relief.
First thing’s first: Yes, the entire cast will be returning. Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Rashida Jones, Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza, Aziz Ansari, Adam Scott, Rob Lowe, Retta, and Jim O’Heir are all slated to appear. Given current events, the episode will be shot entirely from the cast members’ homes.
According to Deadline, the story will be based around Leslie Knope trying to stay in touch with her friends even though they can’t be together in person.
There will also be some special guests from Pawnee. Will it be Bobby Newport? Jean-Ralphio and Mona-Lisa Saperstein? (It sounds like one of them will be there.) Brandi Maxxxx? Perd Hapley from The Final Word with Perd? The possibilities are endless!
Leslie Knope wants to let you in on a secret… On April 30, #ParksAndRec is returning to NBC for “A Parks and Recreation Special”. Our workplace proximity associates, along with our neighbors at @StateFarm, are raising money for @FeedingAmerica. Join us! https://t.co/YuyWBTYmrH pic.twitter.com/ZId6Lq3rkJ
— Parks and Recreation (@parksandrec) April 23, 2020
“Like a lot of other people, we were looking for ways to help and felt that bringing these characters back for a night could raise some money,” Parks and Rec co-creator Michael Schur said in a statement to Deadline. “I sent a hopeful email to the cast and they all got back to me within 45 minutes. Our old Parks and Rec team has put together one more 30-minute slice of (quarantined) Pawnee life and we hope everyone enjoys it. And donates!”
Donations will go to Feeding America’s COVID-19 Response Fund. NBCUniversal, State Farm, Subaru of America, and the Parks and Rec cast and crew will also be making donations to the fund.
Fans of the show are excited to see it come back, but there are some concerns, too.
Of course, there were appropriate reaction gifs.
This is me reacting to the news that there is a special Parks and Rec episode coming out next week! #ParksAndRec pic.twitter.com/hSgxuBv8AY
— Matthew Matysik (@MatthewMatysik) April 23, 2020
Here’s to hoping that the cones of dunshire make an appearance on the Parks and Rec reunion pic.twitter.com/gCvPxfAdUs
— Rena (@renabanena) April 24, 2020
Guys.. I don’t know if I can really fully process this parks and rec reunion!!! pic.twitter.com/VZIdYVBFba
— Kate Gorman (@KateJ83) April 24, 2020
a parks and rec reunion episode is literally the only good news from the last two months 💖🥺💖 pic.twitter.com/JFfPHFkOzS
— ً (@kncpes) April 23, 2020
And just general excitement.
I have cried three times in my life. Once when I was 7 and was hit by a school bus, again when Li’l Sebastian passed, and lastly when I heard we were getting a new episode of Parks and Recreation on April 30th.
— out of context parks & rec (@nocontextpawnee) April 24, 2020
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Hey, the Parks & Rec reunion means that next year they can GIVE POEHLER AN EMMY FOR LESLIE KNOPE
— Isaac Spaceman (@IsaacSpaceman) April 24, 2020
when the parks and rec cast hit us with 5000 candles in the wind via the zoom call……………. Our sitcom equivalent of parasite winning best picture this year
— 👑 (@eyesopens) April 23, 2020
There seems to be only one concern. It has to do with Leslie’s crush on a certain vice president.
just realised the parks and rec reunion episode is definitely gonna have a bit about leslie voting for biden
— Jacqueline Rose Funko Pop (@discoscooby) April 24, 2020
https://twitter.com/udfredirect/status/1253690160966856704
Biden had cameos on Parks and Rec in 2012 and 2015 as Knope’s political crush. The presumptive Democratic nominee for president has recently been accused of sexual assault (which he denies) and other inappropriate actions. That said, those who are concerned about Biden popping up maybe shouldn’t worry too much. He’s not currently scheduled to appear.
Instead, it seems most reasonable to expect a lighthearted reunion of the characters and updates on where they are in their lives.
Will @billyeichner be apart of the parks and rec reunion? Bc if not pic.twitter.com/9R1a4wkOLY
— Caroline Davis (@c_dawgxvx) April 24, 2020
Hopefully, worries like whether Craig Middlebrooks will show up will end up being the greatest of fans’ concerns.
