So the folks responsible for The Office have a (non) spinoff debuting in the spring, and no doubt expect a large part of their audience to follow along. Will you? Here's your chance to let them know...

Pollster's note: A second promo clip is available from nbc.com (via Officetally), provided of course that you meet geo-blocking requirements. I don't, so I am therefore changing my vote (which was Probably Not) to No.

If NBC doesn't want me to watch, I shall be happy to oblige. Saves me from a new set of rants - everyone will like that...

With a few days to go before the series debut, I'd be concerned if I were NBC, based on the numbers in this poll...

The show is going to be dynamite. So long as the same passion and devotion seen on The Office to the life of the characters and the show itself is demonstrated by P and R, it will very possibly be the third and final necessary brick that salvages NBC's Thursday night completely (in case anyone ever saw Playing By Heart, that's a reference to Quaid's lament while pretending to be an NBC development exec that the Thursday sked was his disastrous responsibility) . . . and I have said this elsewhere, but it bears repeating: given the wild runaway success of actual "reality" shows (which most savvy viewers now understand are in fact scripted and manipulated to within a millimeter of their lives) for the last, what, 8 years (? Survivor the First?) , it's only right and reasonable that shows which are outright fictional creations should go ahead and use the engaging elements of the mockumentary format that makes people feel more immediately connected to what they are watching.
Obviously, I will be watching Parks and Recreation. And I'm totally hot. So you should listen to me.

Early reviews are not promising...

I've already begun a letter-writing campaign to save the show.

Well...it's an email-writing campaign. Who can afford stamps in this economy?

What does it say about the show when people are starting 'save the show' letter / e-mail writing campaigns and the first episode hasn't aired yet??

It says that some people have a sense of humor and some don't.

I don't agree. It tells me that there is a high degree of uncertainty as to whether this show will fly or not.

Yes, perhaps you are correct. I seem to have forgotten the seriousness with which these subjects must be dealt.
I await the ratings with bated breath.

(I assume that was a joke...)

It was. But that single "Probably Not" is no laughing matter. We need to get that person on board.

Here's a strange one.

In Canada, The Office is broadcast on Global. Parks and Recreation will be broadcast by City-TV. Consider tonight's schedule: Global will run TO at 8:00 (EDT) as will NBC. At 8:30, Global will run the second episode of The Office, while City runs P&R at the same time. 9:00? Global will not have to run TO, while NBC runs it.

I promise not to spoil the 2nd episode, but I have my fingers crossed.

Just watched it. It was okay.

I know that in depth analysis just helped you all so much!

I'm just hoping that develops its own identity. It looked way too much like The Office, but ti was just the pilot. I think the jury's out for a while.

Honestly? eh. But I like to try new things so I'll watch for the next few weeks.
If they wanted to use a government premise, why not the dmv?

I know! I went to the dmv a few months ago, and the first thing I thought was 'This is going to be so boring.' But then when I left 10 hours later, I was thinking 'Someone should make a sitcom about this place!'

I agree it was alright. The drunk in the slide was funny. Rashida Jones was awesome as expected(that scene where Tom(?) is hitting on her at the "town hall meeting" was hilarious. But hands down the best part of the show was the reveal of the Bobby Knight poster (I kept wondering what that was). My only concern is with it being a show about government bureaucrats (or at least involving them) it could get a little too political for my liking...they'll have to be careful about that for me at least. Even if I might agree with whatever political agenda is in question...I just don't want politics shoved down my throat like Michael Moore stuff it's funny but it's mean-spirited and polarizing.

That being said I don't expect that I'll have to worry about it. And like I said the pilot was pretty good, it's not as good as The Office but it's got enough promise that I'll most likely tune in for the rest of the season at least.

I liked the pilot ep. My only real complaint is kind of Sheldon Cooper-ish in it's nit-picky anal retentiveness, but here goes: The fictional town name of Pawnee, Indiana just does not fly.
Pawnee, Oklahoma, Kansas, or Colorado would be fine with me. 'Cause that's where the Pawnees were/are! Not in Indiana!

Crisis averted. They ended up watching it.

MGA, you're right. Your Pawnee observation reminds me a little of Sheldon's Superman argument.

I liked the pilot, and I think it will get better as the actors and writers figure everything out. It helps to keep in mind that P&R was originally slated to be an Office spinoff. I think they made the right choice by keeping the Office's cast intact and moving the setting from a second DM office (if that's indeed what they were considering) to a branch of a small town government.

It probably will get political at times, but it should be fairly even-handed. You have the boss who thinks playgrounds should be privatized and run for profit and the well-meaning woman who thinks she can fix anything with a committee. You win some, you lose some, and hilarity ensues.

I had read there was some negative reviews, but never anything specific. I really thought it was OK after I watched the pilot episode. Not as funny as TO pilot, but there is some promise. The problem, as I saw it, was that some of the characters seemed to have strong similarities to TO. The Amy Poehler character reminded me somewhat of Michael Scott, in that she was single, overly eager to be liked, and had that desperate quality. Rashida Jones had a boyfriend that reminded me of Roy. The Indian guy was sort of like Ryan when it came to women (even asking out Rashida Jones, like Ryan asked out Pam). Maybe in time the characters will get fleshed out more and differentiate.

The character who wants to privatize the parks system was funny and a bright spot.

Small-town politics is rarely partisan. It is usually just big fish in small ponds fighting with each other.

Is anyone actually posting on the P&R board?!

Parks and Recreation forum

I thought about it, but the "negative comments" board is lighting up pretty well and I hate to add to it.

I had no such issues. I'll give it a chance, but it needs to improve. A lot. In a big hurry.

I'm totally watching it. Maybe I'm not watching it carefully enough (not to self: stop playing Solitaire while watching T.V.) but so far, I haven't seen a relationship equivalent to Jim and Pam's.

I'm curious and a little ignorant.

This show obviously has its similarities to TO, but what makes it look so special? I mean, I'm amazed that they could make parks look so interesting...but then again, that's probably the case with a paper company.

Basically, I've never thought TOO much of Amy Poehler, but MAYBE she has the ability to be the star comedian of a new hit show.