Time named Parks and Recreation the number one television series of 2012.
The recognition appeared in Time's 2012 year-end lists issue, placing the NBC comedy at the top of the magazine's television ranking. That distinction belongs to Time, not Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, or Variety.
The award came during the show's fifth season, when Parks and Recreation had established its ensemble around Leslie Knope, Ben Wyatt, Ron Swanson, Ann Perkins, Tom Haverford, April Ludgate, and Andy Dwyer. The series was praised for combining workplace comedy with an unusually optimistic view of public service and local government.
The wording can cause confusion because several publications included the show on annual best-of lists. “Number one TV series of 2012” specifically refers to Time's ranking, not a universal industry award or an Emmy category. Time's recognition also reflected the show's growing reputation after its early seasons, when it evolved from a more conventional workplace sitcom into a character-driven ensemble comedy.