5 Reasons Why People Love The Office but Hate Parks and Recreation

Lighthearted comedy is definitely a perfect watch for those who are tired of the everyday shenanigans that follow them around in real life. So, tuning into some shows where the characters are silly and charming (even if a little annoying) seems like a perfect choice for a quick binge.

It's safe to say that the king of this genre is The Office, a workplace mocumentary that follows several main characters and a bunch of funny sidekicks. Of course, all the attention goes to Michael, Pam and Jim, but the rest of the cast, including Dwight, Ryan, Kelly, Kevin, and others is also hilarious.

The Office cemented fans' love for the mockumentary genre, so much so that several other shows have followed in its footsteps, trying to recreate The Office's success. For example, there's Parks and Recreation.

The show focuses on the Parks and Recreation Department in a small American town and a bunch of silly characters around the main star, Leslie, who is absolutely passionate about her work. The fandom of the series is huge, and even its Rotten Tomatoes score is higher compared to The Office: 93% against 81%.

But despite the many similarities between the two shows, there are a lot of people who, for various reasons, simply hate Parks and Recreation but adore The Office. So let's take a look at what those reasons are.

1. The Office Is More Relatable

From the setting to more global things like character development, The Office is a more relatable show. More people work in offices like Dunder Mifflin and have this dysfunctional group dynamic. The characters are flawed and uncomfortably realistic, and all the cringeworthy moments simply feel all too familiar.

The characters on Parks and Recreation are a little too cartoonish for some viewers. The sincerity and enthusiasm of the show's title character, Leslie Knope, is unrealistic when it comes to government work. And Aubrey Plaza's April, on the other hand, is just too dark, to the point of nonsensical.

2. The Romance Is All Wrong in Parks and Rec

After the slow-burn story between Jim and Pam, the romance in Parks and Recreation seemed a little bit too straightforward. And also, almost no drama at all? How is that possible?

“There is no good romantic development except Ben and Leslie (and sort of Ann and Chris but it seemed very forced and awkwardly unnecessary). Other than those two, the perfect romantic partner just suddenly APPEARS for each character and you know immediately that they will end up together,” one Redditor said.

3. Humor for the Sake of It Is a Bad Idea

The Office has become a cultural phenomenon mostly because of its sharp humor and memorable quotes. Even the silence in The Office is awkward and funny as well. And while Parks and Recreation also has moments of brilliance, its humor can be hit or miss for many viewers. There are times when the show’s comedy feels forced and exaggerated.

“My main issue which occurs much more in the later seasons is where it seems to appear that they write many lazy jokes purely for the sake of establishing character personality traits for viewers who haven't seen any previous episodes. With Ron/April being the main offenders of this aspect,” one Redditor said.

4. The Office Was More Groundbreaking

Well, I can't say that this is a fair complaint, since it's not a question of the quality of the show, but rather of better timing, but still, people are talking about it, so it's worth mentioning.

When The Office premiered in 2005, it brought a new level of awkward, cringe-worthy comedy to mainstream television. Its mockumentary style was groundbreaking for a sitcom. So Parks and Recreation's approach seems a little too copycat in comparison to The Office and wasn't innovative at all.

5. Parallel Storylines Worthy of Paying Attention

While both shows are ensemble cast mocumentaries, The Office seems to have better written characters with storylines that are important to the show. We see them all grow throughout the series, and we also see the changes in the relationships of the office team.

In Parks and Recreation, however, the focus is almost always on Leslie, and the rest of the cast, while interesting to follow, serve more as plot devices for the show's development.