2. GENRE DEBATES
“Questions of definition”: text based
“Questions of history”: context based
“Questions of interpretation”: text & context
3. MITTELL’S GENRE
Genres as “cultural categories” (Mittell 2001)
Not just a textual component
Operate within industry, audience and cultural practices
4. PARKS AND RECREATION IN CONTEXT
• NBC Network, 9th of April 2009
• Greg Daniels, Michael Schur and Howard Klein all had
worked on The Office
• Success of The Office = Audience for
comedy/mockumentary
• Replaced Kath and Kim (another comedy/mockumentary)
mid-series
• Criticism from industry
5. MOCUMENTARY IN PAWNEE, INDIANA
• Mid-level local government involving „real people‟
• Comedic primer in American politics
• „T.V‟s most progressive show‟?
• Political comedy in mockumentary format
• Ensemble cast
http://www.salon.com/2013/04/2 is_parks_and_recreation_secretly_socialist_partner/
6. NICHE MARKETS AND SERIALITY
• Story arc follows Lelsie and Plot 48
• Sequential basis requiring dedication from viewers
• Often results in watching a whole series‟ at a time
7. AUDIENCES AND FAN CULTURE
• Not mainstream or for the „wider audience‟
• Dedicated blogs, memes and gifs to characters
• Mixture of high/ lowbrow culture
• Balance of satire without cynicism
8. SEQUENCE
- Ron and emotional connection to Government
- Only direct dialogue used
- Placement of characters
- Quick shots
- Fast zooms
- Static movement
- Body language/ facial expression
9. PARKS: THE PERFECT FOIL FOR REALITY FAKERY
- The gist of the humour is and has been in the character‟s presence
- The anti-sitcom
- Laugh track: impediment to true comedy?
- Real world dialogue and manner of speaking
- Talking lead sequences
- Providing Least Objectional Programming (LOB)
- Shot faster to look faster
- Rougher, less polished visual style
10. REFERENCES
• Mittell J 2001, 'A cultural approach to television genre theory', Cinema
Journal, vol. 40, no. 3
• Rosoe J and Hights C, 2001, „Faking it: Mock-Documentary and the
Subversion of Factuality‟, Manchester University Press
• Gannon M, „Parks and Recreation: “T.V‟s most progressive show”‟,
SALON
http://www.salon.com/2013/04/25/is_parks_and_recreation_secretly_soc
ialist_partner/
• O'Neil T, 2008, "TRANSCRIPT: The Envelope chat". Los Angeles Times.
Retrieved February 12, 2009.
• Greenblatt B, 2005, Chief of Programming at NBC, Television Critics
Association Summer Press Tour.
• Hawkins G, 2005, on „Taste‟ in New Keywords.
