To celebrate the recent premiere of the Parks and Recreation COVID-19 relief reunion special, animator Simon Chong gave the show's cast a whole new look this week on Twitter, in a colorful sketch that features the folks from the Pawnee Parks Department reimagined in the style of Bob’s Burgers.
In the picture we see beloved couples April and Andy, Chris and Anne, and of course, Ben and Leslie; as well as more energetic appearances from Donna, Tom, and Jean-Ralphio Saperstein, who are shown throwing money and celebrating. Oh, and Jerry’s there, too.
Chong has worked as a storyboard artist on Bob’s Burgers since 2017, and since 2019 has been directing the show, which is still running after nine seasons. Bob’s Burgers is known for its A-list cast, goofy characters, and colorful style. It pairs surprisingly well with the high-beat energy of the live-action Parks and Rec, which ran for seven seasons before going off the air in 2015.
The reunion episode saw the cast of characters taking on quarantine -- each in their own whimsical way. It not only provided an insight to the quarantine brains of all the favorite characters, but showed us where they ended up five years after the end of the series. Sponsors of the reunion, Subaru and State Farm, each gave $150,000 donations to COVID-19 relief efforts, and the cast of Parks and Rec gave a combined $500,000.
Chong said of the episode, “That Parks and Rec special was so lovely. Like the warmest hug from old friends I didn’t know I needed!â€
The picture shows all eleven characters smiling wide and bright -- yet another way for this reunion to spread joy. This is the first time that Parks and Rec has aired on TV since 2015, when it aired weekly on NBC.