Adam Scott, who stars in the new horror movie “Hokum,” which opens in theaters on Friday, looks back with Variety at his time playing Ben Wyatt on NBC’s hit comedy “Parks and Recreation.” The small-town government sitcom, which ran for seven seasons from 2009 to 2015, exuded a healthy innocence that seemed at odds with the Trump America that began in 2017. Asked if “parks and recreation” could happen today given the different energies of our country, he weighed in with a nuanced answer.
“It reminds me of Parks and Rec and the hope and joy it brought to people,” Scott says. “It’s so nice to hear from people who say it helped them get through the pandemic, or helped them get through these tough times. And these are dark times, and I certainly feel like our country lost what was left of its innocence in 2015 when Donald Trump entered politics. And it’s easy to forget how much our country has changed in the last 10, 11 years.”
“But in terms of whether it can survive or what would happen if it started now, certainly, it would be different,” he continued. “But shows like ‘Abbott Elementary’ are able to maintain this really nice tone and make it lighthearted and heartfelt in an environment where that doesn’t necessarily work. They’re able to hold their own and make this great show. I think there’s always going to be an audience for that.”
