Parks and Recreation Reveals Guest Stars, Season Finale Scoop at PaleyFest

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The cast of Parks and Recreation gathered for a panel discussion at PaleyFest 2012 yesterday and made two things clear:

  1. The fate of Leslie Knope as candidate for City Council will be decided on the May season finale.
  2. Chris Pratt is an improvisational genius.

First, executive producer Mike Schur said his show actually shot "two endings" - one of Leslie winning the spot and one of her losing - "partly to hedge our bets in case we change our minds and partly to throw snoopers off.”

We'll find out which the series goes with in a couple months, but will enjoy the return of opponent Bobby Newport (Paul Rudd) prior to that: he'll be back to debate Leslie on episode 20. Other candidate involved in that debate?

A porn star, an animal rights lover and a gun advocate portrayed Brad Leland (Buddy Garrity, Friday Night Lights).

Parks at PaleyFest

Now, back to Pratt:

The star said he has no plans to write an episode, but let's hope he changes his mind because cast members said he's responsible for some of the best made-up-on-the-spot lines, including one of my favorites of the season upon trying to diagnose an ill Leslie:

I typed your symptoms into the thing up here and it says you could have network connectivity problems.

Other notes from the Q&A:

  • No Tammys are scheduled to appear again this season.
  • Mike O’Malley (Glee) guest stars on the penultmate episode as the owner of a “crummy van rental place,” teased Schur.
  • Schur has no plans to split up Ben and Leslie, saying it's "silly" when shows think a happy couple equates to boredom.
  • Chris will REALLY hit rock bottom later this season.
  • If there is a season five - and Schur said he's "cautiously optimistic" - Pratt told the audience, "you get my wife," referring to an appearance by Anna Faris.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.

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Parks & Rec Quotes

Leslie: I know you're not gay.
Tom: No, I'm not.
Leslie: But you're effeminate.
Tom: What?
Leslie: Well, you're wearing a peach shirt with a coiled snake on it.
Tom: That's because it was featured in Details magazine, and it's awesome.

Look, Tammy and I don't work. We are oil and water. Or oil and TNT and C4 and a detonator and a butane torch.

Ron