15 Ways "Parks and Recreation" Is Just Like "The Simpsons"

"Parks & Rec" owes a lot to "The Simpsons."

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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After seven seasons and 125 episodes of Parks and Recreation, one fact is as plain as the stain on Jerry's pants: this show was influenced by The Simpsons.

Of course, The Simpsons is a cultural landmark that's been around for 25 years. You'd be hard-pressed to find a current TV comedy that's not influenced by it. But Parks and Recreation has a special connection: it was co-created by Greg Daniels, a Simpsons writer during seasons 5-7 (he wrote "Bart Sells His Soul" and "Homer Badman"), and the NBC show has seen regular, ongoing contributions from Simpsons veterans Mike Scully, Donick Cary, and Dana Gould. 

Maybe that explains why Pawnee reminds us so much of Springfield. Plenty of TV shows are set in medium-sized, quintessential American towns, but how many besides these two have so many instantly recognizable minor characters who can pop up, say a couple lines, get a laugh, and disappear again? How many shows are set in towns small enough that people tend to know each other, yet large enough to have its own TV and radio stations, newspapers, millionaires, and celebrities? 

As Parks and Recreation rides off into the Indiana sunset, let us consider some of the ways in which Pawnee is basically Springfield.

Pawnee has Eagleton; Springfield has Shelbyville.

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Both have their own empty-headed TV anchormen.

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Both have sleazy politicians who are always being caught in sex scandals.

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Pawnee and Springfield are both home to characters who live by strict ideologies and are readily identified by their identical mustaches.

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You'll also find a lovable, doughy man-child who takes his long-suffering wife or girlfriend for granted…

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…uses a reaching stick to get stuff…

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…and also occasionally runs down the street naked.

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Pawnee and Springfield both have horrifying town histories – often marked by cowardice – that are fondly, admiringly remembered.

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Pawnee and Springfield are two of America's fattest towns, thanks to sugar.

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Both towns are full of simpletons who are easily dazzled into voting against their own best interests.

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Each town has a legitimate daily newspaper, plus a tabloid.

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Local TV news does things like this…

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…and has “technical difficulties” signs that look like this:

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In both cities you will find a painting of a local decrepit millionaire stark naked.

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Pawneeans burned a magician at the stake for pulling a rabbit out of a hat; Springfielders almost burned Principal Skinner at the stake for saying the Earth revolves around the sun.

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