Sitcom favorite Parks and Recreation is returning for a one-off special episode on NBC to raise money for the charity Feeding America, it's been announced. The episode will air on April 30, though an exact time hasn't been confirmed.
The one-off 30-minute special, focusing on the characters as they live in self-isolation, was conceived by creator Michael Schur. He emailed the cast with the idea, and they all got back to him confirming their involvement within 45 minutes, according to THR.
Who's returning for the Parks and Recreation reunion special? Confirmed so far are stars Amy Poehler (Leslie Knope), Rashida Jones (Ann Perkins), Aziz Ansari (Tom Haverford), Nick Offerman (Ron Swanson), Aubrey Plaza (April Ludgate), Chris Pratt (Andy Dwyer), Adam Scott (Ben Wyatt), Rob Lowe (Chris Traeger), Retta (Donna Meagle) and Jim O'Heir (Jerry/Garry/Terry/Lenny/Larry Gergich). Other special guests are likely to join them, it's been hinted. Don't bet against fan favorites like Jean-Ralphio Saperstein making an appearance.
The episode, scripted by Schur and former Parks and Rec writers, will see Leslie trying to maintain regular contact with her pals and co-workers during self-isolation. It'll be interesting to see how the show explains why the various in-universe couples aren't isolating together.
Amy Poehler marked the announcement with a short video, which you can watch below:
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/ZId6Lq3rkJApril 23, 2020
The episode's sponsors, Subaru and State Farm, will each donate sizeable sums to Feeding America, with NBC Universal, the producers and cast also donating.
Parks and Recreation ended its seven season run in 2015, but years later, it remains a binge-watching favorite. After this episode airs, it'll stream in the US on NBC.com.
Can't they just make a new episode every week until we get through this?
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Can you watch the Parks and Recreation reunion in the UK?
There are no confirmed plans to air the reunion episode in the UK yet, probably because this new instalment happened so suddenly. The current UK broadcaster for Parks and Recreation is Sky Comedy. We've reached out to a representative to see if it has any plans to show it here, and will update this post if it gets back to us.
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