NBC is celebrating the end of Parks and Recreation by getting rid of the show as fast as possible. The network has finally announced a premiere date for the beloved comedy's seventh and final season—and it's saying goodbye to the sitcom by burning it off with back-to-back episodes over the course of seven weeks.
After sitting the bench this fall, Parks and Recreation will return on Tuesday, January 13 at 8pm with a pair of new episodes. The show will then continue its double-dip of Pawnee adventures each week until February 24, when the hour-long series finale airs after a new episode of The Voice.
Why would NBC be in such a rush to ditch one of its last acclaimed comedies? According to the network's press release, airing all of Parks and Rec's final season in seven weeks will "eventize" it and "maximize the show's cultural impact," whatever that means.
NBC also took care to point out that Season 7 will debut in the "afterglow" of Parks and Rec star Amy Poehler's co-hosting gig (with pal Tina Fey) at the 2015 Golden Globes, which are set to air on Sunday, January 11.
But no matter which words NBC chooses to use, this smells like a network shoving a series out the door with little concern for "maximizing cultural impact." Hey, at least Peter Pan Live! is almost here, right?