Parks and Rec Cast to Reunite (!) for Scripted Fundraiser Special at NBC

Dave Nemetz
·3 min read

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Our Pawnee pals are back… and for a good cause.

The cast of Parks and Recreation will reunite for a one-off scripted special to raise money for food banks during the coronavirus crisis, TVLine has learned. The half-hour special, titled A Parks and Recreation Special, will air Thursday, April 30 at 8:30/7:30c on NBC, and will feature the full Parks and Rec cast reprising their roles, including Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari, Adam Scott, Rob Lowe, Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza, Retta and Jim O’Heir. (“Several guest stars from the Pawnee universe” may appear as well, per the network.)

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The scripted special’s story is ripped directly from today’s pandemic-heavy headlines: “Pawnee’s most dedicated civil servant, Leslie Knope, is determined to stay connected to her friends in a time of social distancing.” (Yep, we could’ve guessed that Leslie would be the one to organize a massive Zoom group chat. But who’s bringing the waffles?)

“Like a lot of other people, we were looking for ways to help and felt that bringing these characters back for a night could raise some money,” executive producer Michael Schur said in a statement. “I sent a hopeful email to the cast, and they all got back to me within 45 minutes. Our old Parks and Rec team has put together one more 30-minute slice of (quarantined) Pawnee life, and we hope everyone enjoys it. And donates!”

The money raised will go to Feeding America’s COVID-19 Response Fund, which enables food banks to provide food and resources to “the most vulnerable members of the community during this difficult time.” NBCUniversal, the Parks and Rec cast and sponsors State Farm and Subaru of America will match donations up to $500,000 as well. Watch a promo for the special right here:

Parks and Recreation wrapped up a seven-season run on NBC in 2015, earning a pair of Emmy nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series, with Poehler winning a Golden Globe for her performance as Leslie Knope in 2014.

What do you think the Pawnee crew is up to these days? Speculate away in the comments!

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