10 Best Sitcom Casts Of The 21st Century (So Far)

Led by the incomparable Amy Poehler, the cast of Parks and Recreation consists of a mixture of sketch performers, stand up comedians and traditional actors. This gives the cast a diversity and liveliness that many other sitcom casts lack. When the show started in 2009, Amy Poehler was the only household name of the show, yet by the time the series finale aired in 2015 the rest of the cast had become household names too.

The cast shined as a result of the writers utilizing elements of the actors’ real-life personalities in the show, and encouraging the cast to flex their comedic chops through improvised takes. That’s why this show in particular is inconceivable with a different cast playing these characters, as so much of who these beloved characters are originated from the person playing them.

Without Amy Poehler Leslie Knope wouldn’t be the idealistic, waffle enthusiast we all know and love. From Nick Offerman, Ron Swanson gained his woodworking hobby and much of his underlying affection for his friends.

A similar situation applies to every member of the cast, except for perhaps Paul Schneider who swiftly exited the show at the end of the second season. Replacing his character Mark with the dynamic combination of Adam Scott and Rob Lowe transformed the Parks and Recreation cast from a good one to a great one. The sheer likeability of this cast helped the television comedy landscape shift away from cynicism and cringe humour and towards a gentler, more humanistic approach to comedy.