Entertainment

Are Amy Poehler & Rashida Jones Returning To TV?

by Emily Lackey

Huge news for Parks and Recreation fans: The two Pawnee ladies you love the most are returning to NBC. That’s right: Both Amy Poehler and Rashida Jones have been welcomed back onto NBC with two half-hour comedy projects of their own having received pilot orders at the network. But, of course, I — like, I'm sure, many Parks & Rec fans — have to know: Will Poehler and Jones be starring in their new projects?

You know I hate being the bearer of bad news (mostly because it bums me out), so I’ll warn you now: Don’t get too excited over the idea of Poehler and Jones back on television. From what little information there is available about their respective projects, it sounds like Poehler will be executive producing her project, a comedy revolving around a man named Karl, the black sheep of his family who returns home to compete with his brother over the family throne — aka, she won't necessarily starring in it. Poehler, of course, has moved toward more production projects lately anyhow, like the 2014 comedy pilot Old Soul, which just missed the cut at NBC. She’s also currently an executive producer on the super popular Broad City. So, the decision to work on another project behind the scenes shouldn’t come as a huge surprise to anyone, even if it is a disappointing one to fans clamouring to see her on the small screen again. I mean, if news broke that Poehler will actually be starring in this new project, you wouldn’t see me complaining.

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For Jones, on the other hand, there’s a bigger chance that she might be working in front of and behind the camera for her project. It’s already a done deal that she will be executive producing the show with her production partner, Will McCormack — but the fact that the show revolves around a Type A young woman who takes the advice of a fortune teller and has her life upended as a result makes me think that there’s a little more hope that Jones might also star in the project. Or maybe guest-star, since she does have her hands full with Angie Tribeca at the moment?

So while it’s not totally looking like everyone's two favorite Parks and Rec actresses are about to appear on the small screen again, I’m pumped to have Poehler and Jones back on the airwaves in some capacity, even if it's behind the scenes. Because their talent is pure genius, and, let’s face it, I’ll take whatever of it I can get.