A late convert to Parks and Recreation, I've been very happy to catch up with the show in reruns, which has provided a rather instructional prequel to everything that makes the show so good now. Inspired by the ongoing government shutdown, I decided to write about what makes this NBC sitcom such a smart satire of politics. For as nice as the show's characters are, there's a lot of sting -- and sweetness -- in its attacks. You can read my piece at Playboy's safe-for-work site.
