Syzygy

Every so often, things align perfectly.

NBC’s Thursday night schedule for the 2009-2010 television season was a Golden Age of comedy.  Community, Parks and Rec, The Office, and 30 Rock were all on the air, back to back.

• Season 1 of Community featured Señor Chang’s Spanish class, the Day of the Dead party with Abed as Batman, the “Man is Good” intramural debate, a new guy (Jack Black) trying to join the study group, the naked billiards game, pottery class with the hippie teacher (Tony Hale),  the chicken fingers Goodfellas episode, and the epic paintball episode.
• Season 2 of Parks and Rec featured the gay penguin marriage ceremony, the Miss Pawnee pageant, the visit from the Venezuelan sister city, Leslie battling her Halloween nemesis Greg Pikitis, the introduction of Tammy Swanson (Megan Mulally), the hunting trip where Tom shoots Ron, Galentine’s Day, Ron winning Woman of the Year, Andy tackling the possum, the telethon, and the introduction of the state administrators (Rob Lowe & Adam Scott) trying to slash the city’s budget.
• Season 6 of The Office featured Jim & Pam’s wedding in Niagara Falls, the mafia scare (while the “Coalition for Reason” is dangerously weak with Pam & Jim on their honeymoon), Michael dating Pam’s mom, Jim letting Michael fall in the koi pond, the Southern murder mystery game, Michael disappointing Scott’s Tots, Dunder-Mifflin’s sale to the Sabre CEO (Kathy Bates), Pam’s delivery, and Michael dating a married woman.
• Season 4 of 30 Rock featured Tracy’s quest for an EGOT, the search for a new TGS cast member, Jack & Liz’s visit to Stone Mountain’s Chuckle Hut, Liz’s “That’s a dealbreaker!” talk show, Jack’s love triangle between his high school sweetheart (Julianne Moore) and a cable host (Elizabeth Banks), Liz’s Valentine’s Day root canal, Liz’s “soulmate” Wesley Snipes (Michael Sheen), Liz trying to reunite her mom with Buzz Aldrin, and Liz falling for a pilot (Matt Damon) who is a TGS fan.

This Golden Age continued into the 2010-2011 season:

• Season 2 of Community featured Betty White’s Anthropology class, the KFC rocket simulator, the zombie Halloween party, the secret trampoline, Professor Professorson’s conspiracy theory class, Troy being taken to the bar for his 21st birthday, the Dungeons & Dragon’s episode, Pierce bequeathing gifts at his “deathbed”, the election for student body president, the My Dinner With Andre/Pulp Fiction episode, the clips-we’ve-never-seen clip show, and the spaghetti Western paint ball episode.
• Season 7 of The Office featured Michael hiring his nephew (Evan Peters), Michael’s mandatory counseling with Toby, Andy’s Sweeney Todd, Michael contacting all his exes because he thinks he has herpes, Gabe’s “Glee” viewing party, everyone investing in Ryan’s company Wuph, Michael & Oscar debating China, the return of Holly (Amy Ryan), Michael’s seminar tour, the hunt through town for a lost Michael, the premier of Threat Level Midnight, the warehouse garage sale, Michael handing the office off to his replacement (Will Ferrell), Michael’s last Dundie Awards, and Michael’s farewell to each person in the office.
• Season 3 of Parks and Rec featured Leslie getting the flu, a father (Will Forte) demanding the Twilight books be put in the city time capsule, the return of Tammy Swanson, the Harvest Festival with Li’l Sebastian, Leslie using adult education teachers to improve her dinner party, Jerry’s naked painting of Leslie as a centaur, and the Li’l Sebastian memorial.
• Season 5 of 30 Rock featured Jack using the Fabian Strategy on Avery, Liz charming the TGS editor (Paul Giamatti), Jack facing off with the Congresswoman (Queen Latifah), the first live show, Jack “Reaganing”, Liz’s dad (Buck Henry) visiting NYC for a “gentleman’s intermission”, Liz’s perfect pair of jeans, Jacks’ pre-recorded disaster benefit, the acquisition of GE by Kabletown, Jack learning to negotiate from his unimpressed Caribbean nanny, Jack vying with the Kabletown heir (Chloe Moritz), the “Queen of Jordan” reality show, and the plumber (Michael Keaton) finding the gas leak which causes Jack to meet Sideways Jack, 80s Jack, & Future Jack, Liz’s existential crisis over the plastic bag stuck in a tree, Jenna’s kinks getting in the way of becoming the spokeswoman for the wool industry, and Liz learning to “respawn” for a vacation.

Ten years later, I still think back to those fleeting halcyon days.  “Like puffs of hot air from the lips of a ghost in the shadow of a unicorn’s dream.”

TL;DR enjoy HBO Sunday nights with Game of Thrones, Barry, Veep, and Last Week Tonight while it lasts.