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“Perd Hapley is the lynchpin of an unlikely TV multiverse” is the name of the article you’re reading. And it will begin … right now.

NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation features the deepest bench of hilarious supporting characters you’ll ever see outside of The Simpsons‘ Springfield. But even among a murderer’s row of comedic talent like Joan Callamezzo (Mo Collins), Jean-Ralphio Saperstein (Ben Schwartz), and Tammy II Swanson (Megan Mullally), there’s one resident of Pawnee who stands head and shoulders above the rest.

Local news broadcaster Perd Hapley (Jay Jackson) is quite simply a TV icon. Blessed with a very distinct vocal style (that the Parks and Rec fandom Wiki accurately categorizes as “semantically redundant”), Perd often turns up on Parks and Recreation to help describe what’s happening … literally.

As the host of venerated south central Indiana TV institutions like Ya Heard? With Perd!, The Final Word With Perd,...

"Parks and Recreation" is many things: an incredibly optimistic show about the good that can come from government work, a love letter to small towns, and laugh-out-loud comedy among them. Much like "The Simpsons," however, "Parks and Recreation" is also a show with a phenomenal ensemble of characters you could easily picture having their own spinoff series where we see the daily lives of background characters.

From Joan Callamezzo (Mo Collins) and Perd Hapley (Jay Jackson) to Bobby Newport (Paul Rudd) and Ethel Beavers (Helen Slayton-Hughes), the show gave us countless memorable characters. But perhaps none remain as popular and funny as Ben Schwartz's lovable idiot, Jean-Ralphio...

The post The Reason Ben Schwartz Never Got a Parks And Recreation Spinoff appeared first on /Film.

Andy Dwyer once asked, "What's 5,000 times better than a candle in the wind?" A Mouse Rat album, that's what. On Wednesday, May 19, it was announced that the (fictional) band from Parks and Recreation will be releasing an album this summer. As fans of the show well know, Mouse Rat was led by Andy (Chris Pratt) and penned the iconic anthem "5,000 Candles In the Wind" following miniature horse Li'l Sebastian's death. And, on the 10th anniversary of the beloved mini horse's funeral, a real Mouse Rat album has been confirmed. Alongside a video featuring anchorman Perd Hapley (Jay Jackson), the band's Instagram account wrote, "Breaking News: Mouse Rat will release their debut The...

Mouse Rat, the fictional “Parks and Recreation” band led by Chris Pratt’s character Andy Dwyer, will release a real-life record, titled “The Awesome Album.” The band’s social media accounts made the announcement Wednesday, and the album will release August 27.

The album, announced on the 10th anniversary of show’s memorial for the miniature horse Li’l Sebastian’s, opens with the series’ famous singalong “5,000 Candles in the Wind (Bye Bye Li’l Sebastian)” and features many of the other fake songs performed or mentioned in “Parks and Recreation.”

Released via DualTone and Entertainment 720, the fictional company created by Aziz Ansari’s character Tom Haverford, “The Awesome Album” will feature the grunge-rock anthem “The Pit,” inspired by Pawnee’s giant sinkhole in Season 1, and the jangly “Sex Hair,” which Mouse Rat performed at the Pawnee Cares Telethon in the show.

Featured artists include Duke Silver, the smooth jazz alter-ego...

The “Parks and Recreation” reunion episode on Thursday night has raised $2.8 million for Feeding America’s Covid-19 Response Fund.

The half-hour television special follows Amy Poehler’s character Leslie Knope as she catches up virtually with her former Parks department co-workers to see how they are holding up under shelter in place and social distancing regulations. The episode also offered fans a glimpse at how characters have been living since the series concluded with its seventh season in 2015.

The special concluded by directing viewers to the Feeding America website, as well as The National Institute of Mental Health. Feeding America works to enable food banks and secure resources to serve to vulnerable members of the community. Contributions are still being accepted. All donations up to $500,000 were matched by NBCUniversal, the writers, producers, cast and special’s sponsors State Farm and Subaru of America.

Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza,...

What the world needs now is this, sweet this. On Thursday’s “Parks and Recreation” reunion, Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt) led his Pawnee friends in a performance of “Bye, Bye Li’l Sebastian.”

(Yes, we know the song is technically called “5,000 Candles in the Wind.”)

The Zoom concert lifted Leslie Knope’s (Amy Poehler) spirits, and we guarantee it will do the same for you.

Watch the video above.

Mouse Rat still rocks.

Also Read: 'Parks & Rec' Boss: Coronavirus Offered the Only 'Compelling Reason' for Long-Awaited Reunion

The special served as a fundraiser for Feeding America and also as a pretty good advertising tool for NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock, which is where the “Parks” archive now exists.

The reunion episode was a packed (virtual) house: In addition to Poehler and Pratt, Rashida Jones (Ann Perkins), Aziz Ansari (Tom Haverford), Nick Offerman (Ron Swanson), Aubrey Plaza (April Ludgate), Chris Pratt...

“This is not the way TV is be supposed to be made.”

This was Michael Schur, co-creator of Parks and Recreation, on a call with reporters earlier this week to discuss the improbable creation and production of A Parks and Recreation Special. The half-hour bonus episode of the beloved NBC comedy, which aired its series finale back in 2015, was conceived as a way to raise money for Feeding America. Written by Schur and many other Parks and Rec alums, and featuring virtually the entire cast(*), plus familiar friends who guest-starred in the original run,...

Dancer, choreographer and drag queen Jay Jackson better known under the stage name Laganja Estranja hosts a dance work shop in London in the new documentary Laganja's Dance School (2019) which premiered on August 1st in London.  Laganja appeared on season six of the hit TV show RuPaul's Drag Race, alongside Adore Delano, Courtney Act and Bianca Del Rio; finishing in eighth place. In 2016 Laganja founded an international high-heels masterclass and confidence workshop. The class includes an extensive warmup/stretch, across the floor exercises, and a final combination of original choreography. Participants are encouraged to express themselves, gain new skills, and feel amazing in this hip-hop oriented jazz funk atmosphere. The documentary is directed by cult filmmaker Salem Kapsaski (Spidarlings) and follows Jay as he's...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

The documentary “Leaving Neverland” has revived interest in Michael Jackson’s 2005 sexual molestation trial, and raised questions about how the jury could have possibly found the singer not guilty. The answer is simple: You had to be there.

I was there, for six months, covering the trial for The Associated Press. You can listen to a deep-dive into my trial memories in our “Shoot This Now” podcast, available on Apple or right here:

What did we see at the trial? We watched the prosecution’s case fall apart thanks to Jackson’s skilled legal team, and their efforts to discredit the family of Jackson’s accuser, Gavin Arvizo, who was 13 when he first accused Jackson.

Also Read: Michael Jackson Accuser Wade Robson Criticizes MTV's 'Unfortunate Choice' to Keep Jackson's Name on Vanguard Award (Exclusive)

It didn’t help that Wade Robson, one of the men who accuses Jackson of molesting him in “Leaving Neverland,...

After five weeks of “So You Think You Can Dance” of seeing the judges Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, Laurieann Gibson and Dominic “D-Trix” Sandoval weeping with joy and gushing like a geyser over dancers in the audition rounds, it was time to bring out the ax and start the painful process of chopping 79 hopefuls down to a mere 10 for the live shows.

Basically, to win the title of America’s favorite dancer, those who move on must go way beyond the comfort zone of their main style of dance and adapt to everything from ballroom to breakdancing. As a result some of those who get swiftly slashed are bound to hurt. And Season 16 proved no different on the initial round of the Academy slashing this week.

First, the eliminations that hurt:

The greatest showman has some competition… #Sytycd pic.twitter.com/FXg3fKEk2C

— Sytycd (@DANCEonFOX) July 16, 2019

— Let’s get to my No.

Hey, "So You Think You Can Dance" fans. Tonight, July 15, 2019, the 6th episode of this 16th season did indeed air. It is the Academy rounds. All the Los Angeles auditions footage ended in the last episode 5. So, things got real serious in this episode. The dancers were tested in all styles of dance by various choreographers. Tonight's episode kicked off with the dancers getting tested in four different rounds. In the first round, they did hip hop with choreographer Luther Brown. Ballroom dancing with Sasha and Emma in the second round. Contemporary with Talia Favia in the 3rd round. Group with Mandy Moore in the 4th round. There were 79 dancers to start this thing off. During the hip hop segment, Luther gave them some hard-hitting hip hop moves with personality. The dancers had 90 minutes to learn it. The three hip hop girls, Dezi, Sumi and Anna went first. They all...

After five weeks of auditions on “So You Think You Can Dance,” the best performers made their way to the Academy rounds where the judges narrow the field down even further. So who handled the pressure, and who were crushed under the weight of it in “Academy Part 1”? Find out below in our live blog with all the developments as they happen.

The Academy is where the rubber really meets the road in this competition. The dancers auditioned for the judges in their signature styles over the last few weeks, but winning “Sytycd” means mastering a lot more than one style. You’ve got to be a jack of all trades. Can krumpers learn contemporary? Can the tappers also tango? Can they go from breaking to Broadway to ballroom and back again? Can they dance as well in groups as they do by themselves? There’s a lot to learn...

Hey, "So You Think You Can Dance" fans. Tonight, June 17, 2019, the 3rd episode of this current 16th season did indeed air. It featured more auditions from out in Los Angeles, California. The judges: Lauriann Gibson, Dominic "D-Trix" Sandoval, Mary Murphy and Nigel Lythgoe were, of course, back to give their critiques. The first audition in this episode was done by a B-boy named Bailey “Bailrok” Munoz. He's from Las Vegas, Nevada. After his routine, Lauriann told Bailey, "Your footwork was fancy and clean with good transitions." Dominic said, "You had amazing moments." Mary said, "You let out so much energy." Nigel said, "The minute you came out, you were likable." Bailey got 4 yeses from the judges. So, he's going to the Academy. Next up, was a ballet dancer named Luke Romanzi. After his performance, Nigel told Luke, "You have great control, but I want you to control your hands more.

[Editor’s Note: The following article contains spoilers for the ending of “What / If” Season 1, streaming now on Netflix.]

What if the ending to “What / If” was bad? Not in the “so bad it’s good” way that drives the first season to juicy, melodramatic glory, but the normal kind of bad, where expectations aren’t met, disappointment ensues, and enraged fans take to the internet demanding a remake. Doubt hung over the middle of the season like the stubborn cloud casting permanent blackness over Imogen’s offices. After getting so caught up in Mike Kelley’s throwback thriller, what if all that time watching was for naught? What if the payoff couldn’t match the buildup? What if “What / If” was just another twisty bit of fun that ran out of gas at the finish?

Those who’ve made it through the 10 episodes know this not to be the case. Benefitting from an anthology structure that allowed for a fixed ending, “What / If” came to a dramatic,...

In the age of reboots and revivals, not even flashing forward 50 years to provide definitive closure for every character can keep the question of a comeback at bay. That’s how it felt in the Dolby Theater Thursday evening when the cast and creator of “Parks and Recreation” gathered to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of their premiere, and the sold-out audience waited with bated breath for news of more new episodes.

What would it take to bring back “Parks and Rec”?

“I think in the world we live in now nothing is ever gone,” Michael Schur told Patton Oswalt, the panel moderator and former guest star on “Parks and Rec.” “I think everyone on this stage — and like six other people — would have to feel like there’s a story that needed to be told. What I felt personally, the show had an argument to make and the argument was about teamwork,...

After six weeks of tryouts on “So You Think You Can Dance,” it was the moment of truth on Monday night, July 16. We learned which 10 women and 10 men officially advanced to the Top 20. So who made the cut, and who got cut? Find out below by following along with our live blog with all the minute-by-minute developments.

Seventy performers who impressed the judges during the auditions were brought back for July 9’s “Academy Week 1,” and put through their paces. Last week they learned hip-hop choreography from Tabitha and Napoleon D’umo (aka Nappytabs). And then they tackled ballroom with a cha-cha taught to them by Jean-Marc Genereux. At the end 29 dancers were eliminated, narrowing down those 70 hopefuls to 41. It was an especially rough road for some, like Zoe Zimmerman, who wasn’t sent home by the judges, but rather had to withdraw after injuring her ankle.

Those remaining 41 dancers couldn’t rest on their laurels,...

So You Think You Can Dance returned for its 15th season on Monday night, and the premiere had everything you might expect from the Fox reality competition: Contestants’ emotional backstories! Mary Murphy’s elated shrieks! Nigel Lythgoe’s creepy ogling of the female dancers! Ah, there’s nothing like tradition.

The Season 15 premiere also featured a string of impressive auditions, including a dancer or two that could very well be standing in the finale at the end of the summer. Let’s break down the Los Angeles tryouts that earned a trip to The Academy, from least to most impressive:...

Though we were first introduced to Firestrom on The CW's Flash through a molecular fusion of Ronnie Raymond (Robbie Amell) and Prof. Stein (Victor Garber), following Ronnie's heroic sacrifice, the duo of Jay Jackson (Franz Drameh) and Stein have been working in tandem as the fiery superhero for far longer. However, it was recently announced that Robbie would be returning to the show and Entertainment Weekly caught up with the actor at the NHL All-Star Celebrity Game to try and get the scoop on his upcoming guest spot. "I was there last week. I can tell you that my scenes are with Grant [Gustin] and Danielle [Panabaker]. And I may or may not be alive. It’s always great to work with all of them. I rarely get to have scenes with Grant. The only time he and I had a scene that was just the two of us I was Stein at the time.

The big Arrow and The Flash spin-off DC's Legends of Tomorrow could be coming to The CW sooner than you think. In a recent interview at the Paley Center, Warner Bros. executive Peter Roth mentioned Thursday, January 21st, as the premiere date for the newest superhero series. The CW has yet to confirm the date.

DC's Legends of Tomorrow comes from the same team behind Arrow, The Flash, and CBS’ Supergirl. The new series has already been slated for 15 episodes.

So far, we know that the show's characters will include Dr. Martin Stein (Victor Garber), Jay Jackson (Franz Drameh), Ray Palmer (Brandon Routh), Hawkgirl (Ciara Renee), Hawkman (Falk Hentschel), Captain Cold (Wentworth Miller), Heat Wave (Dominic Purcell), Caity Lotz, Rip Hunter (Arthur Darvill), Valentina Vostok (Stephanie Corneliussen) and bad guy Vandal Savage (Casper Crump).Read More…...

Well, folks – I think the biggest takeaway this week is neither the Rowan stuff (which we'll get to in a sec) nor the Liv and Fitz drama (ditto), but the fact that we can add another fictional country to our Scandal world map. The Republic of Bandar, which Twitter seems to agree is a thinly veiled version of Iran, joins Caledonia and West Angola as countries we think we recognize but don't. It makes Scandal feel a little bit close to The Twilight Zone – which would actually explain a lot of the weird stuff that happens here, wouldn't it?

Here's...

Recently, CBS released the new,official synopsis/spoilers for their upcoming "Supergirl" episode 4 of season 1. The episode is entitled, "How Does She Do It?" And it turns out that we're going to see some pretty dramatic and intense stuff go down as major bombings take place while Kara scrambles to stop them and babysit simultaneously, and more! In the new, 4th episode press release: Kara Is Pulled In Opposite Directions When She Babysits Cat's Son While Trying To Stop A Series Of Bombings, On "Supergirl," Monday, Nov. 16. Press release number 2: Kara's two identities is going to get stretched thin when Supergirl must protect National City from a series of bombings and Kara is tasked with babysitting Cat's son, Carter. Also, James will be conflicted when his ex-girlfriend, Lucy Lane, seeks to rekindle their relationship. Levi Miller guest stars as Carter Grant, Cat's son, and Jenna Dewan-Tatum guest stars as Lucy Lane.

Supergirl, Season 1, Episode 2, “Stronger Together”

Written by Ali Adler & Andrew Kreisberg

Directed by Glen Winter

Airs Mondays at 8pm (Et) on CBS

Many shows, and almost all network shows, either require a second episode that is very similar to the first or voluntarily replay a lot of the same story beats in order to accommodate the audience that is only tuning into the second episode or needs some details repeated back to them. Supergirl doesn’t shy away from this method in the least, as “Stronger Together” is an almost exact replica in many ways to the pilot. Some slight advances in the story, and one big advance that could have been saved for at least another cluster of episodes without issue, but the main emotional beats are more or less in sync with the pilot. By picking up one week later, these conversations and events occurring more than once...

Recently, CBS served up the new, official synopsis/spoilers for their upcoming "Supergirl" episode 2 of season 1. The episode is entitled, "Stronger Together," and it turns out that we're going to see some very dramatic and interesting stuff go down as a new Kryptonian threat, prompts Kara to put all her hero doubts aside, and more! In the new, 2nd episode press release: Kara's Confidence As A Superhero Is Off To A Shaky Start Until A New Threat Forces Her To Push Her Doubts Aside, When "Supergirl" Moves To Its Regular Time Period Monday, Nov. 2. Press release number 2: When Kara's attempts to help National City don't go according to plan, she is going to have to put aside the doubts that she - and the city's media - has about her abilities in order to capture an escapee from the Kryptonian prison, Fort Rozz. Also, Cat is going to pressure...

Read More: Jerrod Carmichael Has Jokes - Watch 2 Clips from HBO's 'Love at The Store' (Directed by Spike Lee) Here, star, creator, writer and executive producer of "The Carmichael Show" Jerrod Carmichael stars in a new Funny or Die sketch with beloved "Parks and Rec" star Jay Jackson (of Perd Hapley fame), hawking a fictional new phone ideal for everything: especially capturing proof of police brutality.  What does it do, you ask? Well, the phone, which boasts a supercharged battery to accommodate all that filming, also features badge recognition software, easy Skype links to Anderson Cooper 360, and a feature that allows you to "call the police on the police while you're filming the police." Highlights include the "phone case" Jerrod tosses in to sweeten the deal -- too real. Watch the cutting and hilarious clip above, courtesy of Funny or Die. Read More: Watch: 'The Hapley Group' Is a Perd-Centric...

Which DC Comics baddies are en route to Gotham? Who has Defiance in their crosshairs? How does one get to Wayward Pines? Which procedural is planning the “worst honeymoon” ever? Read on for answers to those questions plus teases from other shows.

Hey TVLine! I want some DC Comics TV scoop, please! Arrow, The Flash, Gotham, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow…. Give me all you got! –Keith

What I’ve got is… Fox’s Gotham casting for Season 2 a “male DC Villain” described as “intelligent, cultured and highly articulate,” “extremely attractive, both seductive and threatening,” as well as a female DC...

Did you spot the special guest star in Tuesday's episode of Pretty Little Liars?

Sara Shepard, whose hit book series inspired the show, made a cameo as a court reporter who revealed devastating news: A surprise witness from Mona's (Janel Parrish) past had evidence that helped seal Alison's (Sasha Pieterse) fate. (Spoiler alert: She's still rocking an orange jumpsuit after the trial.)

"To come back and have a role was really fun," Shepard tells People. "It's the same crew and the same writers and kind of the same team that was working on the show from the very beginning, and...

Did you spot the special guest star in Tuesday's episode of Pretty Little Liars? Sara Shepard, whose hit book series inspired the show, made a cameo as a court reporter who revealed devastating news: A surprise witness from Mona's (Janel Parrish) past had evidence that helped seal Alison's (Sasha Pieterse) fate. (Spoiler alert: She's still rocking an orange jumpsuit after the trial.) "To come back and have a role was really fun," Shepard tells People. "It's the same crew and the same writers and kind of the same team that was working on the show from the very beginning, and...

During its rocky first season, Parks and Recreation faced much criticism for being too similar to The Office – Leslie was just a female Michael Scott, and Ron Swanson was the new Dwight Schrute. Setting it in the vibrant and weird Indiana town of Pawnee instantly assuaged some of these fears. Even during that first season, it was clear from the town hall meetings, where Leslie and company had to defend themselves against the many residents of Pawnee, that Michael Schur and his writers had dreamt up one of the most vivid communities for a sitcom. So, in honor of Parks and Recreation’s end, here are the ten best recurring characters on the show.

1. The Tammys

While it may seem unfair to group three characters together, especially in the top spot, Parks has too many amazing recurring characters to properly showcase in ten slots. Ron Swanson’s two ex-wives and...

As Parks and Recreation takes its final bow, we’re also saying a tearful goodbye to the Pawnee residents who shaped the town and gave the series a special place in our hearts.

As much as we adore Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), some of our most beloved moments, (and favorite one-liners) in the series came from the eccentrically quirky minor characters. From Li'l Sebastian to Jean-Ralphio (Ben Schwartz), we’re breaking down our favorite recurring characters on Parks and Rec -- in no particular order.

1. Bobby Newport

The adorably dim-witted son of the Sweetums empire, Bobby -- played by Paul Rudd -- was first introduced as Leslie’s opponent for City Council. His charming and naive strategy on the campaign trail almost cost Leslie the election.

2. Dennis Feinstein

Dennis Feinstein (Jason Mantzoukas), “whose real name is Dante Fiero but he changed it because Dennis Feinstein is more exotic in Pawnee,” is the head...

A few weeks ago, while working on my review of the “Parks and Recreation” episode “Save Jj’s,” I asked people on Twitter for the name of one of the show’s weirder recurring characters, the creepy, heavily-tattooed owner of Pawnee’s pawn shop. My followers identified him as Herman Lerpiss — and, better, pointed out that there have been a lot of characters named Lerpiss in Pawnee over the years, often with far more elaborate biographies than has ever been suggested on the show itself. This made me realize that, while I have interviewed “Parks” co-creator Mike Schur many times over the years about major developments for Leslie, Ron, April, Andy, and the rest of the show’s main characters (you can read some of those interviews here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here , here and here), I’d barely scratched the surface of all the crazy background characters...

In a parallel universe, Jim O'Heir could have spent the last seven seasons on "Parks and Recreation" not as office punching bag Garry/Jerry/Larry/Terry/Garry, but as Ron Swanson. That's the role he auditioned for at the start, and while he didn't get it, Mike Schur and Greg Daniels liked his audition enough to hire him as a background character with the potential to do more, much like Stanley, Phyllis and Meredith on "The Office." It was a move that paid out well for all involved, and tonight's second episode — the last regular installment of "Parks" before next week's series finale — had a crowning moment of sorts for O'Heir's long-suffering alter ego. (I reviewed both of tonight's episodes here.) Earlier today, we spoke about the ups, downs, and many names of Garry Gergich, the experience of being a part of this great series, as well as the Kickstarter...

The last panel of NBC's press tour day (and my last panel of this particular tour, though Fienberg will be here for Fox, FX and PBS) should be a good one: a farewell press conference for "Parks and Recreation," featuring Amy Poehler, Chris Pratt, Adam Scott, Aziz Ansari, Retta and Jim O'Heir, plus co-creator Mike Schur. (It's a shame Nick Offerman and Aubrey Plaza won't be here, but it feels like a miracle that Pratt has time, given how many different movies he's starring in these days.) I'll be live-blogging the whole thing, as often as my fingers and the ballroom wi-fi will allow, so hit reload early and often. (All times Pacific.) 5:30 p.m.: Bob Greenblatt introduces the panel, calls it "one of the best shows that have ever been on television." It's easy to be magnanimous when the show's on the way out the door, I suppose.

Buried within Sunday’s crazypants Revenge finale was a glorious Easter egg for devoted TV watchers: a newscast delivered by none other than Perd Hapley, a.k.a. Pawnee, Indiana’s most beloved TV personality.

Well, sort of. Perd, of course, isn’t real — he’s played by Jay Jackson, who’s delivered fictional news reports on series including Scandal, Dexter, The Mentalist, The Closer, and Body of Proof, not to mention movies like Battleship and Fast Five. Look at Jackson’s IMDb page, in fact, and you’ll find that he’s played a reporter nearly every single time he’s appeared onscreen.

Ever wonder which of the outrageous Pawnee residents that regularly appear in “Parks and Recreation” are among the cast's favorites? TheWrap asked before the NBC comedy's PaleyFest panel on Tuesday, and the stars of the show were more than happy to answer. See video: Earthquake Interrupts Ktla's Live Broadcast: Anchors Dive Under Desk (Video) Pawnee's local media personalities Perd Hapley (Jay Jackson) and Joan Callamezzo (Mo Collins) were easily favorites with more than one mention, but the Indiana town has no shortage of memorable characters. Watch the video (above) to find out who Amy Poehler, Adam Scott, Chris Pratt, Nick Offerman,...

Ever wonder what airs from 2:45 to 6:15 a.m. on Pawnee's public access? Why, a news magazine hosted by Perd Hapley, of course.

NBC has released the first episode of "The Hapley Group," their "Parks and Recreation" digital series meant to satisfy fans' cravings while the sitcom breaks for the Winter Olympics and, boy, is it a heaping helping of Hapley.

In the episode, everyone's favorite newscaster (played by Jay Jackson) sits down with some of Pawnee's brightest luminaries -- Joan Callamezzo (Mo Collins), Crazy Ira (Matt Besser), The Douche (Nick Kroll) and a new character, conservative pundit Mike Patterson (Seth Morris), host of "Eagleton Now" -- to chew the fat on the topics of the day.

Not only do we learn that Perd believes Obamacare is short for Alabamacare, but we're also treated to a commercial for the Pawnee Farmers' Market After Dark, featuring the sultry Chardbodies.

Check...

NBC has already provided the world with a "Friday Night Lights"/"Parenthood" crossover thanks to its Olympics hiatus digital series "Friday Night at the Luncheonette," and now it's offering a "Parks and Recreation" web-only installment featuring a look at "The Hapley Group," a roundtable talk show "featuring Pawnee, Indiana's foremost pundits." Perd Hapley (Jay Jackson), naturally, is the host, and Joan Callamezzo (Mo Collins) is one of the guests providing absolutely no useful insight into the issues at hand. Seth Morris, new to the series, appears as Eagleton conservative Mike Patterson, and Matt Besser and Nick Kroll reprise their roles as shock jocks Crazy Ira and The Douche. It's very funny, but the commercial in the middle, for the Pawnee Farmer's Market/Chardbodies, steals the show. Check out the video below:...

While NBC is consumed with the Olympics, the network's been releasing short digital episodes for "Chicago Fire," "Parks and Recreation," "Grimm" and "Parenthood" to gives viewers of those shows a little something as they're off the air. "Chicago Fire" has the Monica Raymond-centric saga "I Am a Firefighter," "Grimm" has "Love is in the Air," featuring Bree Turner and Bitsie Tulloch and some trouble at a spa party and premiering on February 14th. Also upcoming on the 20th is "The Hapley Group," a short "Parks and Rec" web series focused on Jay Jackson's newscaster character Perd Hapley. But the online exclusive that's getting the most attention is "Friday Night at the Luncheonette," a "Parenthood" spinoff that's also a crossover with showrunner Jason Katims' past show "Friday Night Lights." The four-episode web series find Jesse Plemons and Derek Phillips reprising their roles as Landry Clarke and Billy Riggins as the characters' Christian.

There's going to be an official Friday Night Lights/Parenthood crossover, people! Wait, the news gets better. Because you demanded it, the world is getting more Perd. Perd Hapley (Jay Jackson) of Parks and Recreation fame is getting a digital series too! The crossover, Perd's show and digital series based in the Grimm and Chicago Fire universe are coming your way to tide viewers over while the NBC shows are on hiatus. "We worked closely with the writers on these series and want to give our audience a chance to stay in touch with their favorite shows," Rob Hayes, executive vice president of digital media at NBC Entertainment, said in a statement. "These digital series provide a great way to...

"Parenthood" has seen its fair share of "Friday Night Lights" alumni make appearances on the show (both are executive produced by Jason Katims), but never have they played their characters from the beloved former NBC series. Until now.

NBC announced on Monday (Feb. 10) that "Parenthood" would be getting a four-part digital series, "Friday Night at the Luncheonette," as a way of keeping viewers engaged in the series during the 2014 Winter Olympics hiatus. The series will follow Amber (Mae Whitman) as she watches after cousin Max (Max Burkholder) while working after hours at the studio.

During her adventures, "Fnl" stars Jesse Plemons and Derek Phillips reprise their roles of Landry Clarke and Billy Riggins, respectively, showing up as the band Crucifictorious. (And presumably explaining how Billy came to be part of the band.) Phillips has appeared on "Parenthood" as a different character in the past, so continuity sticklers would be advised to look the other way.

Top of the Morning, former New York Times reporter Brian Stelter’s gossip-y, inside view documentation about the ratings wars between Good Morning America and the Today show, is in early development to become a Lifetime movie, EW has confirmed. Which means it’s time to dream cast it.

The book — read EW’s original review — centers around the time when Ann Curry was let go from Today, so expect plenty of backstage explosions, as well as on-air passive aggressive comments, from whomever is chosen to portray Matt Lauer, Ann Curry, Al Roker and all the rest. The story also get into booking wars,...

The morning show drama of 2011 -- the Matt Lauer/Ann Curry misfire on "Today" and "Good Morning America's" rise to No. 1 -- already made a good story, having been the subject of former New York Times reporter Brian Stelter's book "Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV." Now, it's about to become a sure-to-be melodramatic TV movie thanks to Lifetime.

Deadline reports the network has optioned the book for a telefilm, which will be produced by Liz Gateley and Tony Disanto of "The Hills" fame. A director and writer have yet to be named, but that doesn't mean it's too early to start the dream casting process.

Here, a few humble suggestions from the Zap2it team, because our first choice -- of each anchor playing themselves -- probably won't work out (but it would be amazing).

First, the most important figure in this whole story: Lauer.

Vin Diesel has been teasing a role in an upcoming Marvel movie for a long time now. Just today, he all-but-confirmed to EW the rumors that he was voicing a character in one of the superhero-studio’s movies — probably Guardians of the Galaxy, probably Groot. This may be surprising, but it’s actually simply the next phase in an ongoing evolutionary process that dates back to the dawn of the new century. You see, way back in 2000 2001, Vin Diesel headlined The Fast and the Furious, a movie about fast cars and the furious people who drive fastly. Diesel left; in respone,...

Happy new year from "Scandal," which opened 2013 by cementing its reputation as the jaw-droppingest, eye-rollingest, flat-out craziest drama on TV.

None of which is to say it's not fun -- the breathless pace and breakneck plot twists make it frequently entertaining. But as the attempted assassination of Fitz piled on the election-fraud plot and the ongoing thwarted affair between Olivia and the president, logic has increasingly taken a holiday.

All that was in play in Thursday's (Jan. 10) episode, "One for the Dog." Let's count up the nuttiness. (Everything has an exclamation point, because "Scandal" is just that kind of show.)

1. Torture! One of the first scenes of the episode shows Huck being waterboarded after being taken into custody under the Patriot Act at the end of the last episode. The scenes present a dark, dark vision of government power (albeit one grounded in fact) -- and they also raised a...

By Rachel Bennett

Television Editor & Columnist

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As it’s the end of the year, it’s time to reflect on our successes, regrets and, of course, favorite TV shows.

Below are my choices for the top 10 TV shows of 2012. This list wasn’t an easy one to make, as no list really is, but these are the series I simultaneously enjoyed the most and thought were the most noteworthy of the year.

Sadly, some programs didn’t make the cut, including HBO’s Game of Thrones, FX’s Justified and ABC’s Happy Endings, but they were certainly close.

Take a look at my picks, and let me know what you think.

10. NBC’s Community

The third season of NBC’s most eccentric comedy isn’t my favorite of the three, but it makes the list because it’s the last we’ll see from the mind of creator Dan Harmon.

The town of Pawnee on "Parks and Recreation" is often compared to Springfield on "The Simpsons" in the way that it's given the show such a deep bench of ancillary characters while also creating a recognizable community for our characters to live and work in. Springfield has a busy but clueless news media, and so does Pawnee, where the man behind the anchor desk is Perderick L. "Perd" Hapley, marvelously played by Jay Jackson. Personality-wise, Perd probably owes more to Dr. Hibberd than to Kent Brockman; where Kent Kent is a relic from the days when news anchors were expected to be the...

Amy Poehler is to direct an upcoming episode of Parks and Recreation. Poehler will make her directorial debut with an episode airing during May sweeps. The May installment, which Poehler has also written, will center on Leslie Knope facing off in a debate against her city council opponent. Pawnee pundit Perd Hapley (Jay Jackson) will serve as debate moderator. It has been reported that Paul Rudd will guest star on Parks and Recreation as one of Knope's political rivals, but it is not yet known whether he will appear in Poehler's (more)...