Really goes to show how it's not just the writing; a good character is a combination of the director creating a good environment for the character to thrive in, the writers giving that character a good story, and the actor bringing everything together and being the final sculpture to work the character out. That's why casting directors are so important, and why your regular joe is a terrible judge of which actor should play which part. I'm reminded of when Will Smith was almost cast as Neo in the Matrix had he not turned it down. I've read thousands of comments online declaring that Smith would have been wasted on a monotone character like Neo. But they don't understand he would not have been anything like Keanu's Neo; Smith's version would have been completely unrecognizable from what Keanu did.
@@mr.doctorcaptain1124 And Smith's acting style wouldn't fit the tone of the Matrix at all. He's not very good at acting more serious either as we've seen in that movie he made for him and his son to be in
It shows how Parks and Rec started off as similar to the Office. Andy was basically the Roy to Anne's Pam. Just like the rest of P&R, he gets a lot better once they did their own thing, instead of clinging to the formula.
just like the office as well. Originally, it was very similar to its british counterpart, but it fell kind of flat. It got way better once it became its own thing rather than something in the mold of the british version. I guess technically it still was molded by the british version, but you know what i mean. It used to be way more similar early on
I never saw him as a "villain" rather a man-child who's too stupid to recognize when he was showing toxic behaviours. Ann mothered him so he never had a reason to take responsibility and grow up. They were wrong for each other since she tended to mould herself into whoever she thought her boyfriend wanted her to be and Andy was never challenged to be anything else but a man-child. So she remained stuck in this role as caretaker and Andy's growth was stunted and he was left clueless about why Ann would get so frustrated with him. Neither of them could grow while they were together. Neither could provide what the other truly needed. Meanwhile, April was a good fit for Andy because despite their age differences they had the same level of maturity which allowed them to grow up together. And while April looked after Andy much like Ann did, April also didn't put up with any of Andy's crap. Andy had to figure himself out and shed some of his toxic behaviours and learn from his past mistakes with Ann before he could be with April. But that didn't mean he had to lose his personality and be someone he's not either. Plus, he looked after April too and they mutually respected each other's individuality and quirks which made them work as a couple.
I know this video (and your comment) are a year old but that's how I read the situation too. I had a friend who was a pretty good dude but I HATED when he hung out with this girl we knew. Because he completely changed how he acted while around her. I figured Andy was the same way.
IMO Andy was always likable in his own way- nobody writes a banger like The Pit without having a bit of Himbo in them deep down. Glad the writers saw that too.
Yeah I liked him since the first time he appeared, yeah he was a douchebag but he was really funny. Mark though just isn't funny and is so incredibly boring and imo I always thought Mark was a bit of an ass too which he may not be a stalker but as a character there is nothing interesting about him. He's just the average guy.
I actually like how ALOT of the characters in the show really evolved and changed. Showing that people adapt and change depending on whose around them if given the chance. His relationship with Plaza’s character too was the best.
Agreed. And Plaza's and Pratt's characters love was one of my favorite thing's about the show. Also, one of my favorite lines came from that relationship, "Look, no offense, but I love you." ~ Andy to April, in the Snakejuice episode (also, possibly my favorite comedic episode's) 🤣
Thats one of my favorite things about P&R cause everyone stays at their basics the same, but they grow and change into better people. Tom probably the most.
Ron Swanson was also originally intended to be an antagonist to Leslie Knope, kind of a proto Councilman Jamm. But he became a beloved cranky father figure. Mark Brendanawicz was intended as the romantic lead for Leslie and the heartthrob, but audiences couldn’t connect with him.
I love that they never completely Flanderized Andy’s character. He stayed the lovable, silly goof with a good heart the entire time (after the first season). Compare that to Joey in Friends, who in later episodes, did things so dumb you couldn’t believe a functioning human could do that.
Yeah, Joey never really got past being the dumb friend who kept getting dumber... which also made him and Rachels relationship even weirder. Whereas Andy was dumb but in a completely believable goofy way
@@ther3aper561 exactly. I know people like Andy in real life. The smartest Joey ever got was in the “no good deed is selfless” episode, which still isn’t good because it’s SO smart that it’s completely out of character by that point in the show.
I kinda feel he did get a bit Flanderized.. like the stupid things he would say became more and more outlandish. Still, they at least they developed his character in other areas, which totally makes my point moot and therefore this comment is pointless.
Ah yes. the andy bernard syndrome. An unlikeable character that was meant to be in the show for a few episodes, brought to life by a really great actor that the writers didn't want to waste, so they changed it to become a more likeable person. Funny how they're both called Andy tho
I actually liked Andy in the early season because I saw him as just another man child character which I didn't mind. When he changed over the show, I just saw that as a natural progression. I didn't realize people didn't like him in the beginning.
I think that’s cuz Chris Pratt played him. He has that charisma to him, like Paul Rudd, who can play some unlikeable characters on paper but actually are like able.
Back when it aired and chris Pratt wasn’t an already likeable actor I guess it was easier for people to just decided they didn’t like him. I know for me I went into parks and rec as a big Pratt fan and I liked him from the start
I think it was more the casting of Chris Pratt that lead to the writers rewriting Andy, rather than the writers suddenly deciding to modify the character for the sake of modifying a character. Pratt is naturally charismatic, comedic, and "likable," qualities that don't gell well with the oafish manipulative parasite Andy was first conceived as.
I think this is what happened with Thor too. Of course he was always supposed to be a hero, but he was originally more stoic and stern. In my opinion his best moments in Phase One were when we saw glimpses of Hemsworth's personality. By Phase Three they let Thor be as funny and likable as Chris is.
Seriously, I can't believe this is a video on Andy being likeable that somehow doesn't have "Chris Pratt is concentrated charisma" as part of the reasoning.
We really have to give credit to Chris Pratt's comedic timing. Some of his lines and acts were improv such as "You have connectivity problems" or surprising everyone naked. He really acted like a kid who doesnt grow up rather than a man child that the writers expected him to be.
My favorite line from him was actually from the blooper reel, when Leslie says "everyone loves a good comeback story" and Andy responds with "Like Kim Kardashian? I think she had [REDACTED] on her back in that one video."
Yeah I think this video overlooked this aspect. It was probably the actor that sold the character more than anything else. They recognized his talent and liked him personally, so wanted to keep him around.
@@marianap.h3961 i knew i was supposed to hate him.... but literally episode one when he gets in a dick measuring contest with his neighbor. and feels bad because his neighbor is taking care of his grandma and you could see he was guilty. a hack would have played it straight for the laugh and tried to take it over the top. But even in that first episode you could see him being stupid but angry about his life.
its not just Andy, its every charakter in the first season. they are all mostly flawed, stupid or imcompetent people. just after season 1 everyone gets some likebale things and then P&R gets really good!
It’s also when plots delve more into characters and other aspects of Pawnee rather than focusing on the turn the pit into a park story arc for every episode. Pawnee Zoo, the season two opener, sets up the first of many conflicts Leslie will have with the conservative religious members of the community as represented by the Langmans.
I always felt like I saw Andy as more unaccomplished and pitiful which made seeing him finally grow up in the succeeding seasons as something to root for and be proud of. I think we all know an Andy who's been stuck in a self-destructive rut but just needs to be pushed to be better. Andy's character is one of the most human, in my opinion.
Some of the best quotes from the show: “Root beer is super water.” “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day… Don’t teach a man to fish and feed yourself. He’s a grown man. Fishing is not that hard.” “I haven’t had lunch since yesterday.” “Leslie, I typed your symptoms into the thing here and it says you could have “Network Con-nectivity problems.” “You can address me as Eagle 1. Ann is “been there done that.” April is “currently doing that.” Chris is “if I had to pick a dude.” Donna: “it happened once in a dream.” Ben is… Eagle two.” “Apparently if you don’t provide a basketball team, people get upset and throw things at you and call you names… like turd boy.”
My favorite is when John Ralphio’s sister is introduced to Chris, Ben, Ron and Jerry/Gary then points in that order and says “Just for the record. Would hit it. Would hit it. (Draws the words out) Would. Hit. It. (Puts hand up) Hard pass.”
I remember hearing that Michael Schur, the show creator, thinks that the 'network connectivity problems' is the single best joke in the show and the writers are slightly bitter because Chris Pratt just adlibbed it.
No other show managed their character development/ growth better than Parks and Rec. How they started and how they ultimately ended was oh so satisfying.
this is an interesting perspective on Andy I never saw him as a villain or unlikable he was just a problem but maybe my memory is warped because they fixed it over time
I do just wanna point out that Andy did do something nice for Ann by cleaning the house with broken legs, especially after he said he wouldn’t. So he wasn’t totally unlikeable for me.
He was my favorite character from day one. Didn't think anyone would hate him. Or that he's toxic or whatever, he was just a good guy with the mind of a kid.
I didn’t view Andy as a villain every. He was likeable by being the funniest character for the first season easily. “Are you heading to the kitchen? Can you make some pancakes real quick” 🤣
I never saw them as 2 different characters, I just saw an injured moron who got cured of his physical injury as well as open his eyes to real friendship who is a loveable moron...and my favorite character and I connect with him
I didn’t hate andy in the beginning. First because Chris Pratt has great charisma and second because he’s portrayed as a naive man child pretty early on. When he camps out in his tent at the pit, it’s more pity than creepy because he’s harmless and was always the butt of the joke to cartoonish levels. He kept that same energy throughout the show.
Yeah, I don't really find myself hating andy or thinking he's creepy or psychotic early on in parks and rec, I think you more so think he's hilarious, stupid, and ridiculous. I don't know anyone who got that vibe as you claimed in the video. He's too pathetic and funny to hate like a little puppy who chews up your stuff. They definitely changed his character to stay around longer but I don't think anyone thought his character was hated as much as Andy in the office was.
More than hate him, I was completely annoyed by him and annoyed by how Anne didn't leave him, it felt really stupid that she didn't do that after how he was treating her.
My favorite part was how their addressed his weight loss after his role in Guardians. Wow you lost a lot of weight what did you do? Oh I quit drinking beer. That's a lot of beer........... 🤣🤣🤣
Funny. During my re-watches, I never think of Andy as a bad guy. I'm sure I did the first time, but after knowing how the character evolves, I never look at him as originally intended.
I think everything started when Andy had that gig at the end of season one, and he was explaining the type of music he plays to the group, and April looks at him and says "I totally get what you mean". They saw chemistry and the rest is history!
Honestly when parks and rec started airing. I could tell almost immediately Chris was a big deal and underutilized talent. I'm so glad he had a great career breakthrough because he actually is so great.
From interviews and panels with the creatives, credit goes to Chris Pratt. I don't know why he's left out of this video and all the credit is given to the writers "falling in love with the character", but they wanted to keep Pratt. He made Andy likable *despite* what was on the page, and they started writing to his performance and likability.
I freaking love renovated Andy. It feels Chris Pratt is channeling his inner Jack Black, he is hilarious, but what I like the most is they showed his change throughout season 2. They didn't just disappear him for a while and rebooted his character.
Makes sense. It was a great decicion to put those two together, and it worked well in season 2, but after that, Andy came across as borderline disabled and April was more like his mother than his wife. In general, I think relationships of all kinds was an area Parks and Rec struggled on, especially compared to The Office.
It should be noted that Chris Pratt was originally stereotyped as the jerk boyfriend before Parks & Rec, and it was largely in part the writers' overexposure to the awesome lovableness that is Chris Pratt that helped change the character. Because it was a tv show, the filmmakers got more exposure to Chris Pratt's ability to play someone more lovable, something a short film production's time-span didn't allow
I just finished parks and rec but while I was watching the first season I saved about 50 videos like this one and knowing that saved me 1 tear after I finished it though there were still a lot of them
Andy works because the only true star of the show is the town of Pawnee, of which Andy is a prototypical example. He serves as a juxtaposition to Mark as a "tourist". The audience falls in love with Andy as the show goes on for the same reason they fall I'm love with the town. Both entities start put as objectively deplorable, but earn affection as they show their nuances. April's love for Andy also does a lot to make him loveable in the same way that Leslie's love of the town does.
Is it weird I liked Andy since his first appearance? I never hated the character and I always hated Mark bc Mark was really boring and imo kinda a dick, Andy started as a dick but he was funny and not boring. So when they were trying to get me to root for Mark and Ann I couldn't bc they had no chemistry and couldn't see why Ann would get with Mark but ofc I think Ann either way would've broken up with Andy. The whole stalking thing didn't make me hate Andy either even though it is psychotic it shows how he's at rock bottom and forces him to adapt to not being co-dependent to someone, plus the show doesn't play it off as that creepy so it's hard for me to hate him. I always liked Andy, always hated Mark lol. I wanted Mark to always fail and I always forget Mark was a character until someone mentions him. He's just so ridiculously average and boring and in general not very likeable imo, he's not really that funny either. Andy is likeable bc he's funny, and overtime he becomes more likeable as they develop his character.
My favorite Andy moments were when he tried to fix the computer when April accidentally deleted everything and when his band ditched so he performed a song that he made up as he went along and he was like they won’t steal ur and the jokes on them cause I forgot it 😂😂
The characters that don't work in the beginning usually go through the biggest character development or eventually disappear... Andy's character got to experience development 😊
Andy Dwyer didn't need saving nor was he abusive/borderline psychotic. He was just a manchild taken to a silly degree. He wasn't living outside her house to keep track of her to manipulate her. He was there because he had nowhere else to go. Him showing up in a suit is as on the nose as a having a child pretending to be an adult by dressing the way a child thinks an adult always dresses.
Chris Pratt WAS NOT AN UNKNOWN to those 4 or 5 million of us who were fans of the mid-2000’s WB show Everwood, which was his big break, playing Emily VanCamp’s big brother, the very ironically named Bright
I seriously don't think Andy Dwyer was SAVED. He was always a lovable goofball to me and his change throughout the show was just him getting his life together which was a very cool gradual character arc.
I totally hated Andy in the first season, but by the end when he was my favorite, and I was so confused! I almost forgot what he was like in the beginning, so thanks for posting this!
I liked Andy from the first scene. I guess some actors have that natural charm that draws people in no matter what the character is about opposed to Mark who I really didn't like from the very first scene no matter how goody good he was supposed to be.
You talk about how the writers found something great to do with this character, but you forgot the part talking about how awesome was Chris Pratt playing it...
@@teflondon3618 I guess a was expecting a bit more, cause it was a great move by the writers but not anyone could make you change the way you feel about the character if it wasn't for his brilliant work and charisma
I'm going to be honest I thought I saw this video or the thumbnail like a year ago (even though it says 5 months ago but I swear I saw this video like a year or two ago)and saw some similarities between this show and the office and wanted to watch the video but had no past knowledge or viewing of parks and rec so I saw no point in watching this video and that thought of not watching this video festered in my head and always wondered what this video would say so I said f**k it I'm going to watch the series and all because of this video this is my first viewing of it after finishing the series and I gotta say you explained what happened to andy's character in such fine detail, hats off to you my friend.
Ummm before Parks and Recreation Chris Pratt was a regular on Everwood for four seasons, he did 89 episodes of that show. I think that's a bit more noteworthy that having nine lines in Jennifer's Body.
I hope you do one of these videos for all the parks and rec characters. I feel like a lot of them weren't very likable the first season or so and then they all grew into characters we loved.
I think it’s kind of hilarious in retrospect that by changing Andy to being a “good guy” they had to retcon/aggressively age up April’s character to give him a good love interest, comedic pairing… They did a good job though because most people don’t remember that April was portrayed clearly as a high schooler while Andy was a man child full adult … probably 10 years between them. They stealthfully squeezed those ages on both sides to try and make it “not a big deal” but if you really think about it more deeply, their relationship would be seen as creepy by most people lol
I love the irony that Andy was meant to serve as a foil to make Mark more likeable and ended up having the exact opposite effect
Really goes to show how it's not just the writing; a good character is a combination of the director creating a good environment for the character to thrive in, the writers giving that character a good story, and the actor bringing everything together and being the final sculpture to work the character out.
That's why casting directors are so important, and why your regular joe is a terrible judge of which actor should play which part. I'm reminded of when Will Smith was almost cast as Neo in the Matrix had he not turned it down. I've read thousands of comments online declaring that Smith would have been wasted on a monotone character like Neo. But they don't understand he would not have been anything like Keanu's Neo; Smith's version would have been completely unrecognizable from what Keanu did.
@@mr.doctorcaptain1124 And Smith's acting style wouldn't fit the tone of the Matrix at all. He's not very good at acting more serious either as we've seen in that movie he made for him and his son to be in
@@someguywhocanfly lol know how I know you live under a bridge?
@@mr.doctorcaptain1124 because I'm wise beyond my years
@@someguywhocanfly and you dropped the ball. I handed you an opportunity and you dropped it. You're a terrible troll.
It shows how Parks and Rec started off as similar to the Office. Andy was basically the Roy to Anne's Pam. Just like the rest of P&R, he gets a lot better once they did their own thing, instead of clinging to the formula.
Great analogy
Andy and Roy even look like each other. They basically made Roy dumber and less imposing, changed his passion to music and called it Andy
@@PedroMelloA it made Roy better
Mark was definitely no jim tho lol
just like the office as well. Originally, it was very similar to its british counterpart, but it fell kind of flat. It got way better once it became its own thing rather than something in the mold of the british version. I guess technically it still was molded by the british version, but you know what i mean. It used to be way more similar early on
"how did you become Star Lord? "
"I stopped drinking beer"
How much were you drinking??
Haha I know right? Probably too much
I understood that reference.
I never saw him as a "villain" rather a man-child who's too stupid to recognize when he was showing toxic behaviours. Ann mothered him so he never had a reason to take responsibility and grow up. They were wrong for each other since she tended to mould herself into whoever she thought her boyfriend wanted her to be and Andy was never challenged to be anything else but a man-child. So she remained stuck in this role as caretaker and Andy's growth was stunted and he was left clueless about why Ann would get so frustrated with him. Neither of them could grow while they were together. Neither could provide what the other truly needed.
Meanwhile, April was a good fit for Andy because despite their age differences they had the same level of maturity which allowed them to grow up together. And while April looked after Andy much like Ann did, April also didn't put up with any of Andy's crap. Andy had to figure himself out and shed some of his toxic behaviours and learn from his past mistakes with Ann before he could be with April. But that didn't mean he had to lose his personality and be someone he's not either. Plus, he looked after April too and they mutually respected each other's individuality and quirks which made them work as a couple.
I won't lie this gives me greater appreciation for the writing of these characters!
I know this video (and your comment) are a year old but that's how I read the situation too. I had a friend who was a pretty good dude but I HATED when he hung out with this girl we knew. Because he completely changed how he acted while around her. I figured Andy was the same way.
Word for word that's how I saw it too. P&R is geat and ill never stop thinking that
This is all perfectly put.
IMO Andy was always likable in his own way- nobody writes a banger like The Pit without having a bit of Himbo in them deep down. Glad the writers saw that too.
Yeah I liked him since the first time he appeared, yeah he was a douchebag but he was really funny. Mark though just isn't funny and is so incredibly boring and imo I always thought Mark was a bit of an ass too which he may not be a stalker but as a character there is nothing interesting about him. He's just the average guy.
Totally. Mark was the one no one could stand. Andy was always likeable.
What's funny is that he completely forgot he dated anna until she reminded him and (debatably) some of the audience that they did date
I actually forgot they dated until they did that. 🤣
I actually like how ALOT of the characters in the show really evolved and changed. Showing that people adapt and change depending on whose around them if given the chance. His relationship with Plaza’s character too was the best.
I love April's development, although she grew up and changed a lot her personality stayed the same and I loved that
Agreed. And Plaza's and Pratt's characters love was one of my favorite thing's about the show. Also, one of my favorite lines came from that relationship,
"Look, no offense, but I love you."
~ Andy to April, in the Snakejuice episode (also, possibly my favorite comedic episode's)
🤣
Thats one of my favorite things about P&R cause everyone stays at their basics the same, but they grow and change into better people. Tom probably the most.
Ron Swanson was also originally intended to be an antagonist to Leslie Knope, kind of a proto Councilman Jamm. But he became a beloved cranky father figure.
Mark Brendanawicz was intended as the romantic lead for Leslie and the heartthrob, but audiences couldn’t connect with him.
I love that they never completely Flanderized Andy’s character. He stayed the lovable, silly goof with a good heart the entire time (after the first season). Compare that to Joey in Friends, who in later episodes, did things so dumb you couldn’t believe a functioning human could do that.
Yeah, Joey never really got past being the dumb friend who kept getting dumber... which also made him and Rachels relationship even weirder. Whereas Andy was dumb but in a completely believable goofy way
@@ther3aper561 exactly. I know people like Andy in real life. The smartest Joey ever got was in the “no good deed is selfless” episode, which still isn’t good because it’s SO smart that it’s completely out of character by that point in the show.
Phoebe teaching French to Joey will haunt me till the day I die. So cringe.
I kinda feel he did get a bit Flanderized.. like the stupid things he would say became more and more outlandish. Still, they at least they developed his character in other areas, which totally makes my point moot and therefore this comment is pointless.
@@Vivi_9 Dont you mean moo, like a cow's opinion
Ah yes. the andy bernard syndrome. An unlikeable character that was meant to be in the show for a few episodes, brought to life by a really great actor that the writers didn't want to waste, so they changed it to become a more likeable person. Funny how they're both called Andy tho
So true.
Lmao fr
It's Drew now.
did Bernard really become likeable? or did we just feel sorry for him
@@skproductions8495 he became likeable
I actually liked Andy in the early season because I saw him as just another man child character which I didn't mind. When he changed over the show, I just saw that as a natural progression. I didn't realize people didn't like him in the beginning.
Yeah until right now I didn't know people didn't like him
Same
i reeeally didnt like him in the first season. But now he is one of my favorite characters
I think that’s cuz Chris Pratt played him. He has that charisma to him, like Paul Rudd, who can play some unlikeable characters on paper but actually are like able.
Back when it aired and chris Pratt wasn’t an already likeable actor I guess it was easier for people to just decided they didn’t like him. I know for me I went into parks and rec as a big Pratt fan and I liked him from the start
I think it was more the casting of Chris Pratt that lead to the writers rewriting Andy, rather than the writers suddenly deciding to modify the character for the sake of modifying a character. Pratt is naturally charismatic, comedic, and "likable," qualities that don't gell well with the oafish manipulative parasite Andy was first conceived as.
I think this is what happened with Thor too. Of course he was always supposed to be a hero, but he was originally more stoic and stern. In my opinion his best moments in Phase One were when we saw glimpses of Hemsworth's personality. By Phase Three they let Thor be as funny and likable as Chris is.
@@Lauren-ol1qn disagree with thor
@@trrt2719 Okay.
Seriously, I can't believe this is a video on Andy being likeable that somehow doesn't have "Chris Pratt is concentrated charisma" as part of the reasoning.
Yeah Pratts great performance never made me hate him
We really have to give credit to Chris Pratt's comedic timing. Some of his lines and acts were improv such as "You have connectivity problems" or surprising everyone naked. He really acted like a kid who doesnt grow up rather than a man child that the writers expected him to be.
My favorite line from him was actually from the blooper reel, when Leslie says "everyone loves a good comeback story" and Andy responds with "Like Kim Kardashian? I think she had [REDACTED] on her back in that one video."
Chris Pratt is such an inspiration. Everyone on set loved him so much they decided to keep his character around.
Yeah I think this video overlooked this aspect. It was probably the actor that sold the character more than anything else. They recognized his talent and liked him personally, so wanted to keep him around.
He's anti lgbtq though, so that's a real shame
@@amdmamdhg9630 Wasn't that just a Twitter rumor? IIRC he's religious but isn't outspoken about the issue
@@dannyboy1200 well of course he's not outspoken, not a good look is it? I just know he supports an anti lgbt church. IIRC
@@amdmamdhg9630 is it though?
Andy: As your prom king, I'm your ruler.
Prom crowd: [laughter]
Andy: SSIIILLLLEEENNNCEEEE!!!!!
The problem is Chris is so lovable. He came off more like a dork then a D bag.
Exactly this. I never disliked Andy. Just a loser with potential.
Not in the first season.
@@marianap.h3961 i knew i was supposed to hate him.... but literally episode one when he gets in a dick measuring contest with his neighbor. and feels bad because his neighbor is taking care of his grandma and you could see he was guilty. a hack would have played it straight for the laugh and tried to take it over the top. But even in that first episode you could see him being stupid but angry about his life.
its not just Andy, its every charakter in the first season. they are all mostly flawed, stupid or imcompetent people. just after season 1 everyone gets some likebale things and then P&R gets really good!
It’s also when plots delve more into characters and other aspects of Pawnee rather than focusing on the turn the pit into a park story arc for every episode. Pawnee Zoo, the season two opener, sets up the first of many conflicts Leslie will have with the conservative religious members of the community as represented by the Langmans.
I always felt like I saw Andy as more unaccomplished and pitiful which made seeing him finally grow up in the succeeding seasons as something to root for and be proud of. I think we all know an Andy who's been stuck in a self-destructive rut but just needs to be pushed to be better. Andy's character is one of the most human, in my opinion.
Some of the best quotes from the show:
“Root beer is super water.”
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day… Don’t teach a man to fish and feed yourself. He’s a grown man. Fishing is not that hard.”
“I haven’t had lunch since yesterday.”
“Leslie, I typed your symptoms into the thing here and it says you could have “Network Con-nectivity problems.”
“You can address me as Eagle 1. Ann is “been there done that.” April is “currently doing that.” Chris is “if I had to pick a dude.” Donna: “it happened once in a dream.” Ben is… Eagle two.”
“Apparently if you don’t provide a basketball team, people get upset and throw things at you and call you names… like turd boy.”
My favorite is when John Ralphio’s sister is introduced to Chris, Ben, Ron and Jerry/Gary then points in that order and says “Just for the record. Would hit it. Would hit it. (Draws the words out) Would. Hit. It. (Puts hand up) Hard pass.”
Leslie is “I’d be lying if I said I haven’t thought of it”
I remember hearing that Michael Schur, the show creator, thinks that the 'network connectivity problems' is the single best joke in the show and the writers are slightly bitter because Chris Pratt just adlibbed it.
@@BlackDoveNYC Terry*
Andy: Ben is eagle two.
Ben: Thank God.
Watching April and Andy mature as the series went on was so good
I'm currently on season 4.
I liked them in season 2 and now I hate them. Andy is just borderline disabled. Will it get better?
No other show managed their character development/ growth better than Parks and Rec. How they started and how they ultimately ended was oh so satisfying.
this is an interesting perspective on Andy I never saw him as a villain or unlikable he was just a problem but maybe my memory is warped because they fixed it over time
I'm pretty sure Andy was correct about that being Hogwarts.
I do just wanna point out that Andy did do something nice for Ann by cleaning the house with broken legs, especially after he said he wouldn’t. So he wasn’t totally unlikeable for me.
This also happened with Frasier in Cheers. He was meant to be a pompous unlikeable ass but he played it so well that everyone fell in love with him.
He was my favorite character from day one. Didn't think anyone would hate him. Or that he's toxic or whatever, he was just a good guy with the mind of a kid.
imagine naming your kid "crisp rat"
I didn’t view Andy as a villain every. He was likeable by being the funniest character for the first season easily. “Are you heading to the kitchen? Can you make some pancakes real quick” 🤣
I never saw them as 2 different characters, I just saw an injured moron who got cured of his physical injury as well as open his eyes to real friendship who is a loveable moron...and my favorite character and I connect with him
Hearing you mention how Urkel turned Family Matters into an entirely different show made me want to see a Nerdstalgic analyzing how that happened!
I second that
I didn’t hate andy in the beginning. First because Chris Pratt has great charisma and second because he’s portrayed as a naive man child pretty early on. When he camps out in his tent at the pit, it’s more pity than creepy because he’s harmless and was always the butt of the joke to cartoonish levels. He kept that same energy throughout the show.
Andy from Parks And Rec was like Andy from The Office if the last 2 seasons never happened
Literally
Woohooo! So many details in this Nerdstalgic masterpiece
You're the greatest
He made so much more sense with April...I love them 😊
your work is so amazing man, such well constructed content - not many do it better !
It’s funny how in both the office and parks and Rec they both have Andy and Andy is in the same position in both
Yeah, I don't really find myself hating andy or thinking he's creepy or psychotic early on in parks and rec, I think you more so think he's hilarious, stupid, and ridiculous. I don't know anyone who got that vibe as you claimed in the video.
He's too pathetic and funny to hate like a little puppy who chews up your stuff. They definitely changed his character to stay around longer but I don't think anyone thought his character was hated as much as Andy in the office was.
I disagree, really disliked his character in the first season. He was clearly written to be hated early on.
No I agree with the video, Andy was borderline abusive towards Ann.
I agree with you, never hated him
More than hate him, I was completely annoyed by him and annoyed by how Anne didn't leave him, it felt really stupid that she didn't do that after how he was treating her.
My favorite part was how their addressed his weight loss after his role in Guardians.
Wow you lost a lot of weight what did you do?
Oh I quit drinking beer.
That's a lot of beer...........
🤣🤣🤣
During quarantine I went on a sitcom watching spree, parks and rec is by far my favorite sitcom
Funny. During my re-watches, I never think of Andy as a bad guy. I'm sure I did the first time, but after knowing how the character evolves, I never look at him as originally intended.
I started watching after getting into the Guardian’s movies. No wonder James Gunn picked him for Quill.
Dude, Andy was awesome the whole time. I don't know what you're talking about. Everyone liked him so much that they decided to keep him on the show.
I think everything started when Andy had that gig at the end of season one, and he was explaining the type of music he plays to the group, and April looks at him and says "I totally get what you mean". They saw chemistry and the rest is history!
Honestly when parks and rec started airing. I could tell almost immediately Chris was a big deal and underutilized talent. I'm so glad he had a great career breakthrough because he actually is so great.
I'm never this early on any video... I'm excited! I'm sure it's high quality as per usual!
Let us know!
I was correct! Keep up the amazing work Nerdstalgic! See you next video!
From interviews and panels with the creatives, credit goes to Chris Pratt. I don't know why he's left out of this video and all the credit is given to the writers "falling in love with the character", but they wanted to keep Pratt. He made Andy likable *despite* what was on the page, and they started writing to his performance and likability.
I love these videos so much! This guy has a gift!
I love the Wreck-It call out. "Just cause you are a badguy doesnt make you a bad guy"
I freaking love renovated Andy. It feels Chris Pratt is channeling his inner Jack Black, he is hilarious, but what I like the most is they showed his change throughout season 2. They didn't just disappear him for a while and rebooted his character.
I was looking for more parks and recreation videos on your channel and you uploaded this... wow!
Crazy!
Andy and April's relationship is my favorite TV couple of all time, followed by Jim and Pam
Makes sense. It was a great decicion to put those two together, and it worked well in season 2, but after that, Andy came across as borderline disabled and April was more like his mother than his wife.
In general, I think relationships of all kinds was an area Parks and Rec struggled on, especially compared to The Office.
andy in season 1 was like a lazy cat, but then they turned him into a dog in season 2, where he is always happy and loves everybody
4:13 it totally looks like Ron is the one saying “howEVER”
Hi nerdstalgic love your stuff!
Hey, thanks!
It likely helped the writers want to redo Andy that Chris Pratt seems to be one of the most likable humans on the planet.
It should be noted that Chris Pratt was originally stereotyped as the jerk boyfriend before Parks & Rec, and it was largely in part the writers' overexposure to the awesome lovableness that is Chris Pratt that helped change the character. Because it was a tv show, the filmmakers got more exposure to Chris Pratt's ability to play someone more lovable, something a short film production's time-span didn't allow
I hate how everyone calls Andy lazy when he’s sitting there with both legs in full casts.
I just finished parks and rec but while I was watching the first season I saved about 50 videos like this one and knowing that saved me 1 tear after I finished it though there were still a lot of them
Love this channel
I love that they did a complete reset to his character. Instead of just shoving him as he is in the main cast.
Lmao the subtitles saying “****ham palace” cuz it thought Ben said fuckingham 😂
Andy works because the only true star of the show is the town of Pawnee, of which Andy is a prototypical example. He serves as a juxtaposition to Mark as a "tourist". The audience falls in love with Andy as the show goes on for the same reason they fall I'm love with the town. Both entities start put as objectively deplorable, but earn affection as they show their nuances. April's love for Andy also does a lot to make him loveable in the same way that Leslie's love of the town does.
Is it weird I liked Andy since his first appearance? I never hated the character and I always hated Mark bc Mark was really boring and imo kinda a dick, Andy started as a dick but he was funny and not boring. So when they were trying to get me to root for Mark and Ann I couldn't bc they had no chemistry and couldn't see why Ann would get with Mark but ofc I think Ann either way would've broken up with Andy. The whole stalking thing didn't make me hate Andy either even though it is psychotic it shows how he's at rock bottom and forces him to adapt to not being co-dependent to someone, plus the show doesn't play it off as that creepy so it's hard for me to hate him. I always liked Andy, always hated Mark lol. I wanted Mark to always fail and I always forget Mark was a character until someone mentions him. He's just so ridiculously average and boring and in general not very likeable imo, he's not really that funny either. Andy is likeable bc he's funny, and overtime he becomes more likeable as they develop his character.
My favorite Andy moments were when he tried to fix the computer when April accidentally deleted everything and when his band ditched so he performed a song that he made up as he went along and he was like they won’t steal ur and the jokes on them cause I forgot it 😂😂
The characters that don't work in the beginning usually go through the biggest character development or eventually disappear... Andy's character got to experience development 😊
Check out another Andy who wasn't working... th-cam.com/video/cPM5njPBxe4/w-d-xo.html
Andy Dwyer didn't need saving nor was he abusive/borderline psychotic. He was just a manchild taken to a silly degree. He wasn't living outside her house to keep track of her to manipulate her. He was there because he had nowhere else to go. Him showing up in a suit is as on the nose as a having a child pretending to be an adult by dressing the way a child thinks an adult always dresses.
Chris Pratt WAS NOT AN UNKNOWN to those 4 or 5 million of us who were fans of the mid-2000’s WB show Everwood, which was his big break, playing Emily VanCamp’s big brother, the very ironically named Bright
"Why wasn't he working?"
Cause both his legs were broken, you silly goose.
He got the cast off 2 weeks later so Anne would continue being his servant. That's why.
His character TRULY did go from one of the worst to the perhaps the best in the series🙌🙌🤣
I seriously don't think Andy Dwyer was SAVED. He was always a lovable goofball to me and his change throughout the show was just him getting his life together which was a very cool gradual character arc.
The issue with Andy being a foil to Mark is that Mark was never a likable character.
I totally hated Andy in the first season, but by the end when he was my favorite, and I was so confused! I almost forgot what he was like in the beginning, so thanks for posting this!
I liked Andy from the first scene. I guess some actors have that natural charm that draws people in no matter what the character is about opposed to Mark who I really didn't like from the very first scene no matter how goody good he was supposed to be.
Im glad I'm not the only one to notice the parallels between Andy Bernard and Andy Dwyer. Sadly, Andy Bernard never got his due like Dwyer did.
Chris Brat is just such an awesome likeable guy in general
You talk about how the writers found something great to do with this character, but you forgot the part talking about how awesome was Chris Pratt playing it...
That was in the intro. He said sometimes a character not intended to have an impact can come to life by a good actor
@@teflondon3618 I guess a was expecting a bit more, cause it was a great move by the writers but not anyone could make you change the way you feel about the character if it wasn't for his brilliant work and charisma
As soon as I heard Mouse Rat I loved Chris Pratt’s character
Well done!
I'm going to be honest I thought I saw this video or the thumbnail like a year ago (even though it says 5 months ago but I swear I saw this video like a year or two ago)and saw some similarities between this show and the office and wanted to watch the video but had no past knowledge or viewing of parks and rec so I saw no point in watching this video and that thought of not watching this video festered in my head and always wondered what this video would say so I said f**k it I'm going to watch the series and all because of this video this is my first viewing of it after finishing the series and I gotta say you explained what happened to andy's character in such fine detail, hats off to you my friend.
Andy was the best character. I get why that actor now has his own movie franchise.
Edit; actually I lied, Ron was the best character.
Andy loves April. That’s what redeemed him
April saw something in Andy that Ann didn't
@@candycane1744 I don’t know if it was really even there until Andy was around April
Another point of irony is that he not only becomes more likeable than mark, but also more likeable, more well rounded and more fleshed out than Ann
Started watching a minute after the upload. This is the first time I've been this early.
Thanks for being here
I love how Andy was made to build up Mark but Andy ended up outshining him
I kind of liked him even when he was a jerk/foil in the beginning of the series tbh...
Me too lol
I agree but it was totally unsustainable.
it’s weird that andy dwyer and andy bernard are two of my fav nbc characters
Basically they changed it from He's the Worrrrsssttt to He's the beeeeeessssstt
Ummm before Parks and Recreation Chris Pratt was a regular on Everwood for four seasons, he did 89 episodes of that show. I think that's a bit more noteworthy that having nine lines in Jennifer's Body.
They turned him into a Golden Retriever
I hope you do one of these videos for all the parks and rec characters. I feel like a lot of them weren't very likable the first season or so and then they all grew into characters we loved.
Loved that twist 💜
Answer: Chris and Aubrey's outrageous chemistry
8:30 wreck it ralph
I always liked andy since the beginning. He was fun.
Andy in the Office and Andy from P&R are my favorite characters. Funny enough, their names are Andy lol
"Hey babe! If you're going to the kitchen can you make me some pancakes real quick?"
I've watched 1 minute of this video and the proceeded to watch 2 seasons of Parks and Rec, thanks I guess
I think it’s kind of hilarious in retrospect that by changing Andy to being a “good guy” they had to retcon/aggressively age up April’s character to give him a good love interest, comedic pairing…
They did a good job though because most people don’t remember that April was portrayed clearly as a high schooler while Andy was a man child full adult … probably 10 years between them. They stealthfully squeezed those ages on both sides to try and make it “not a big deal” but if you really think about it more deeply, their relationship would be seen as creepy by most people lol
Now that I've adapted to these shorter form videos, I like them.
glad you're enjoying!
I love your videos! ❤️ Can you please make a "The Perfect Bojack Horseman Episode"?
"I became more ma-tour." "Yes, ma-tour."