Time named “Parks and Recreation” its number-one television series of 2012.
The recognition appeared in Time’s year-end television list published in December 2012. The selection referred to the best television series of that calendar year, not to the show’s Nielsen ratings, its overall ranking among all network programs, or the title of a particular season.
Time’s praise came during a strong period for the series. In 2012, the show followed Leslie Knope’s political campaign against Bobby Newport while also developing Leslie’s relationship with Ben Wyatt. Those storylines combined the show’s workplace comedy with longer-running political and romantic arcs, helping it earn growing critical respect even though its audience was smaller than that of many mainstream hits.
The year is easy to confuse with nearby dates because the program’s seasons crossed calendar years and its fifth season began in late 2012. Time’s list was specifically a retrospective of television in 2012, so 2013, 2011, and 2010 do not fit the wording of this question.