Behind the scenes: ‘Parks and Recreation’

Amy Poehler, pictured here in the “Hunting Trip” episode, stars as the upbeat Leslie Knope, deputy director of parks and recreation in Pawnee, Ind. The NBC sitcom, which premiered amid speculation that it wouldn’t last long, has become a critical favorite.

RELATED: Critic’s Notebook: At play with the department of ‘Parks and Recreation’ (Christina House / For The Times)

July 31, 2013 3:08 PM PT

Rashida Jones and Poehler relax during a scene rehearsal on location in Studio City. Jones plays Ann, friend to Poehler’s Leslie. (Christina House / For The Times)

Greg Daniels (in glasses) spent several seasons writing for “Saturday Night Live,” wrote for “The Simpsons,” co-created “King of the Hill” with Mike Judge and adapted the British hit “The Office” for NBC before launching “Parks and Recreation,” which early on was compared by some to “The Office.” (Christina House / For The Times)

Series creators Daniels and Michael Schur, sitting on the set of “Parks and Recreation,” said it was a bit of an uphill battle for the show at first. “My sense is that if we had built ‘Parks and Recreation’ around a 90-year-old Maasai warrior, people would still have said, ‘He reminds me of [“The Office’s”] Michael Scott,’ ” Schur said of the initial reviews from critics. “There was just no way to escape it.” (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

To come up with the world and people of Parks and Recreation, Daniels and Schur spent time in different local governments to make sure their ideas were at least grounded in reality. In Burbank, they found the basis for Ron. We were talking to one official about wanting to make Leslies boss opposed to government, Daniels said. Like, Wouldnt it be funny if shes trying so hard to get stuff accomplished but her boss was like one of those Bush appointees who doesnt believe in the mission of the branch of government hes supposed to be overseeing? And she looks as us and goes, Well, Im a libertarian, so I dont really believe in the mission of my job.

That was an amazing response, Schur recalled. We went, Really? and she goes, Yes, Im aware of the irony. (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)