What documentary-style format is Parks and Recreation known for using?

Parks and Recreation is known for using a mockumentary format.

A mockumentary presents fictional events as though they were being documented by a real film or television crew. The series follows the employees of Pawnee's Parks Department through handheld-looking footage, sudden zooms, reaction shots and direct-to-camera interviews.

Those interviews let characters explain their motives, frustrations and opinions straight to the audience. Leslie Knope often uses them to deliver enthusiastic civic speeches, while Ron Swanson, April Ludgate and others use them for deadpan reactions or sarcastic commentary.

The format is sometimes confused with the show's technical camera setup. Parks and Recreation is a single-camera sitcom, but “single-camera” describes how scenes are filmed; “mockumentary” describes the fictional documentary style. The series was created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur and aired on NBC from 2009 to 2015, with a 2020 reunion special.