Entertainment Breaking News

The Canadian Press - ONLINE EDITION

Little change for 'Parks and Rec' newlyweds Leslie and Ben, says showrunner

By: Lauren La Rose, The Canadian Press

Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013 at 12:32 PM | Comments: 0

Adam Scott as Ben Wyatt, Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope are shown in the undated handout photo. "Parks and Recreation" fans shouldn't worry about a drastic change in the dynamic between Leslie Knope and Ben Wyatt after the couple ties the knot, said executive producer Michael Schur. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-NBC-Byron Cohen

TORONTO - "Parks and Recreation" fans shouldn't worry about a drastic change in the dynamic between Leslie Knope and Ben Wyatt after the couple ties the knot, said executive producer Michael Schur.

"I would say that part of the joy between the two characters and their relationship is that they have very three-dimensional lives," Schur said in a conference call with series stars Amy Poehler and Adam Scott, who portray the on-screen couple.

"They're both very committed, both to each other and their careers and to their friends and to just living a full life. And I think that if there's a trap they can fall into it's just that you have to tell the story repeatedly just about their relationship — and that can get kind of boring. But we don't have that problem."

The sitcom will air back-to-back episodes Thursday beginning at 7 p.m. ET on City, the first of which features Leslie and Ben's spur-of-the-moment wedding.

The ceremony was originally planned for May, but the couple decide to ditch their previous plans in favour of an impromptu event which they basically have two hours to throw together, said Schur.

While the "Parks" trio was largely tight-lipped on specifics surrounding the nuptials, Schur did reveal that Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari) becomes the wedding officiant and Donna Meagle (Retta) will get to sing.

"What's really nice about it is that basically in the opening moments of the episode, in order to pull this thing off in sort of classic 'Parks and Rec' fashion, everyone has to sort of chip in, so there's a part for everybody to play," said Schur.

Once the newlyweds return from their honeymoon, it's back to business as usual, with Ben starting his first day at a new job while city councillor Leslie is planning a correspondents' dinner type of event.

"You'll see right away that there's a sort of a blueprint going for where, yeah, they're married now, but they also have other aspects of their lives that are very important to them," said Schur.

"I hope and I very much feel that that will be the thing that keeps it from seeming like the (proverbial) magic is gone because their lives have never been about each other. That's a huge part of their lives and they love each other. They have a wonderful relationship and hopefully a great marriage going forward."

With the series set to wrap its fifth season, Poehler said there's "so much rich stuff" they'd like to see and do with the characters and storylines going forward, from Ann (Rashida Jones) trying to have a baby to seeing how April and Andy (Aubrey Plaza and Chris Pratt) navigate their relationship as a young couple.

"There's a lot of really good stuff that the writers ... did a good job of laying out that we have thoughts and dreams of for season 6. And even saying 'season 6' is so exciting," Poehler said, laughing.

Schur said he and Poehler are in the process of writing the season finale. Part of the outline is telling the story of Leslie's first year as a city councillor and to suggest "a lot of fun and interesting things" that would happen next year, Schur said.

"It's sort of like running a football team or something," Schur said. "You're developing the guys who are on your team, you're drafting people for the future. It's about both the now and the future at all times, especially on this show when there are so many storylines and so many characters who warrant getting served with good stories.

"It's a big, complicated messy calculus that we are constantly engaging in, but it's really fun. There's nothing more fun than coming up with ideas for these characters. It's like I would do it forever if I could."

Rate this
This article has not yet been rated.

We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high. If you thought it was well written, do the same. If it doesn’t meet your standards, mark it accordingly.

You can also register and/or login to the site and join the conversation by leaving a comment.

Rate it yourself by rolling over the stars and clicking when you reach your desired rating. We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high.

Sort by: Newest to Oldest | Oldest to Newest | Most Popular 0 Comments

You can comment on most stories on brandonsun.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

There are no comments at the moment. Be the first to post a comment below.

Post Your Comment

The Brandon Sun does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. Comments are moderated before publication. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.