Parks and Recreation, which has just ended its fourth season, is a spectacular half hour of television that follows a group of people who work at the Parks and Recreation department in Pawnee, Indiana. The show mainly follows Leslie Knope, the incredibly enthusiastic Deputy Parks Director and the rest of the considerably less energetic department working in a bureaucratic and slow government.

Amy Poehler (Leslie) does a great job at portraying the hard working employee that always means well, even if she is a little naïve. The rest of the ensemble cast does incredibly well alongside her to create a gigantic, fully explored town filled with the overweight and crazy citizens of Pawnee. It really is amazing how each character is fully fleshed out with unique personalities, and how creative and developed the setting is. Although some of the time Leslie seems to be the only really genuine person there, working against an armada of policies and red tape, the cast always shines and gives this show real emotion. The writing is clever, using everything it has to create hilarious scenes that will have you rolling on the floor.

This really is one of the funniest shows around, but like the citizens of Pawnee, it also has a gigantic heart at the center of all the craziness. Each character has stand out moments, like Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) and April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza), two extremely apathetic characters whose non-reaction to everything is one of the best parts of the show. Also with them is Ann, Leslie’s best friend, Andy, the clueless, but kind guy, and many others that do a good job at making you laugh.

Of course, with the style of the show, you could easily make many comparisons to The Office, another mockumentary type show. Granted, this is very apparent in the uneven first season, where ideas and stories are just beginning to take root. But once you get past that, you begin to see a hilarious, developed show that deserves a look at. It’s energetic and joyful all the time, so you can’t help smiling at everything. It’s a shame that more people don’t watch this show, as it really is something that everybody can watch and enjoy. Try it!