By: Zenab Saeed ~Staff Writer~
The seventh and final season of the NBC television show “Parks and Recreation” premiered on Jan. 13 as a jumpstart to the beginning of the spring primetime season for the major TV networks.
The 13-episode season, which takes place in the future in the year 2017, will air two episodes backto- back each Tuesday leading up to the series finale on Feb. 24. The comedy show was created by Greg Daniels and Michael Shur, starring Amy Poehler as the main character, Leslie Knope. Featured cast members include Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza and Chris Pratt. The show depicts life in the parks department of Pawnee, Ind., a fictional town. The series, which first premiered in 2009, will reach a total of 125 episodes by its finale. Although it has faced criticism and low ratings, making the show’s longstanding run unexpected, it has become a beloved series with a strong fan following.
Throughout its run “Parks and Recreation” has been nominated for numerous awards including the Emmys, People’s Choice, TCA Awards, Critics’ Choice Television Awards, Golden Globes and American Comedy and Screen Actors Guild Awards. The series was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2011 and Amy Poehler was nominated for the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Award in both 2010 and 2011. Poehler won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Series for her portrayal of Leslie Knope, an honor she was also nominated for in 2012 and 2013. Although “Parks and Recreation” is nearing its end and has already premiered, there are numerous other television shows that will air their springtime premieres in January.
The CW will pick up with the middle of the sixth season of “The Vampire Diaries” on Jan. 22 and will continue from the middle of the tenth season of “Supernatural,” which aired on Jan. 20. “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal” and “How to Get Away with Murder” will all return to ABC on Jan. 29. The NBC comedy drama “Parenthood” will have its series finale on Jan. 29.