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the moment Chris Traeger and Ben Wyatt showed up the show got a million times better

I wasn't bothered by Mark being written out of the show. I was bothered by the characters acting as if he never existed.

They forgot Mark so hard there was even a plot about Leslie needing someone to design the park, even though he very clearly did that already.

So crazy that Andy wasn't meant to be a permanent character originally. I can't imagine this show without Chris Pratt, he was the heart of the show for me.

I am so glad they changed Leslie's character from a Michael copy to her own person who is hyper competent

Imagine being told you're gonna be the Jim of the show and ending up as Devon.

Also remember, Mark’s last scene is when he gifts Leslie a blueprint for the park. But, seasons later, there’s an entire episode about how they need a blueprint for the park.

Mark was an straightman/everyman character in a show that was becoming increasingly about hyper/exaggerated-characters

So in a way, Pawnee is such a crazy town that a balanced human being could not survive there

My favorite bit about this character leaving is that he gave Lesli plans for the park that were suppose to be perfect, and then later down the line there was an episode where they tried to make plans for the park which didn’t end with them finding those plans. Even his final send off was forgotten.

It would have been hilarious if later in the show when all the cast was together if Leslie said, "hey.. aren't we forgetting someone? Nah, everyone's here." Just to acknowledge they forgot he existed

I think Ann stated what the audience was thinking he was just boring to the point where she wanted Andy back in her life because he was at least entertaining

Watching season one is so surreal. I always forget he was even on the show.

The relationship between the Mark actor and the writers sounds exactly like my relationship with my roommate in college. We got along well enough when we lived together, but then we parted ways at the end of the school year and just never saw or spoke to each other ever again. Not out of animosity, just mutual indifference.

Hot take: Ann Perkins wasn't a great character either and wasted the talents of Rashida Jones. Always felt like a sidekick to Leslie/Andy/Chris and not an integral part of the cast.

Interesting how Andy was meant to be unlikeable guy we hate and mark was supposed to be the nice guy we root for. Yet the roles were reversed, so Andy seems to have taken Marks spot on the show.

I totally understand why he was written off the show. What I don't understand is why he was erased from the show (aka "The Chuck Cunningham Syndrome"). Would it have killed them to have a box with Mark's name on it with all of Anne's ex-boyfriend's stuff?

Mark kind of always felt off, especially as characters became more and more detailed and complex while he just stayed the same. He rarely grew and floated around as a mediocre guy that you dont like but don't hate. Thankfully Ben and Chris were introduced quickly after

Chris Traeger is LITERALLY the best addition to the series. 🙌🏽

I didn't mind Mark being cut off from the show, heck his send off was a nice touch to ending the character. I didnt like how the show didn't want to acknowledge his existence. Like how Leslie and Ann talks about their previous boyfriends and didn't mention him.

Mark really is the definition of having no character-I feel bad for the actor though, it must of made being part of the show really difficult

but why did they pretend like he never existed after he left? It makes you think whether there was any bad blood between the actor and the showrunners.

The chemistry between Chris Pratt and Aubrey Plaza was “awesome sauce” the way their relationship evolved was amazing because on paper the way the characters were written it, it wouldn’t make sense to stick them together but once they spent time together in the show the chemistry was there. April hates everything and likes to act childish and doesn’t take many things seriously and Andy loves everything and is a naturally lovable childlike adult that also doesn’t take many things seriously. So them goofing off together and not taking like so seriously that kinda makes them perfect for each other.

I liked Mark for what he was, and I think if the writers tried harder they might have been able to make him fit. At the same time, if him leaving it what gave us Chris and Ben then I’ve made peace with that

Mark Brendanaquits

It might have been interesting to really explore the fact that he didn't connect that well with the female love interests and that maybe his philandering ways was more of a performative thing where the character was trying to fulfill the expectations of him as opposed to his own truth, thus starting a journey of discovery of what that truth actually was.

I rewatched the whole series last year and found that he was a stronger character than I remembered. I liked his "meh" attitude. But then you also have Ann, and a show can't have two straight characters to all the weirdos, of course. :p

I totally get why Mark left and I wasn’t even a little sad to see him go. What we got was so much better. What bugged me to my core, however, is that they gave him a sweet send off where he gives her some adorable plans for the pit park. Cut to the season they’re actually building the thing, and she’s acting like she doesn’t have any plans at all and has to work with that Eagleton guy to get it done. Not that his weren’t good, but that they literally don’t exist. And Leslie is not the kind of person to forget such a thoughtful gift from a friend.

Good Ol’ Mark Brendanaquits

Mark so blatantly hitting on Anne while she is still with Andy at the end of season 1 was always so weird to me. Made me not like his character as much.

Even when Michael leaves in The Office, they still reference him and even brought him back for the finale. Mark always felt like he didn't fit in and his personality was more like a mellow douche bro. As soon as he leaves and Ben and Chris arrive, it was like the show got a new fresh start. Literally

You didn't mention the biggest issue of all: the character wasn't funny.

I'm guessing the writers regretted making the character. They made a normal-guy to foil the crazy characters, but the show succeeded when they made it so every character has normal parts and crazy parts.

I can see why Mark's character had to leave, but did they really have to actively make it as if he had never existed at all after he left, like with Anne's boxes of exes? Or had the showrunners completely forgotten he had ever been a thing by that point?

The first season was really rough. The second season is such a noticeable jump in quality.

I'm watching Parks and Rec for the first time (I'm currently in season 6). I not only didn't realize that Mark left, but completely forgot he existed until I saw this video in my KZfaq feed

Mark is such a nothing burger of a character. The show did not miss a beat when he left, both Chris and Ben were fantastic additions to the cast.

When a friend and I were blindly watching through parks and rec series recently, I brought Mark up when both of us happen to be in Season 4/5. His response was, "Who?"

Honestly though, the complete disappearance thing is how many real life working relationships go. You say you'll stay in touch, but as more time goes by you have less and less to say to each other until that person fades from your memory and you can't even remember you even worked with them.

I was so glad they got rid of Mark. I never liked his character. The show got much better once he left.

Mark was too unambitious for a show about characters with goals. He had nothing going on and was just support for everyone else. Andy had his goals for his music but also was trying to get Ann back before the stuff with April. Jerry didn't have a goal but he was comic relief and really you could say his goal was helping everyone else in the office do their best. Mark didn't even have that so what did he have?

This was very good, I really did not know anything about the history of Mark and wanted to know more about him. This was great and know I know about him and I feel good that I learned more things about one of my favorite shows ever. Thank you for making this amazing episode

He was my favorite character while the show was being a copycat of The Office (season 1). I enjoyed Schneider's subtle delivery of the lines which was a mixture of Krasinski, Bateman and Ed O'neill. After the characters all developed into heroes of their own, his cynicism felt mean rather than clever and relatable, and an idea to keep him around could have been as a punching bag for everyone else to call him out on his downer perspective, but Jerry became the punching bag and Ben became the guy providing contrast.

I think Mark's demise ultimately came down to the higher-ups failing to recognize chris pratt's charisma and charm. I think most people liked him even when he was supposed to be an irresponsible manchild.

damn i forgot he even existed

Now we need a Superstore video! I have no idea if the show has any interesting backstory but it’s so underrated and ended too soon.

I'm honestly surprised anyone ever liked him. He made it pretty clear in the very first episode that he didn't respect Leslie, he didn't think of her as a romantic partner, and he thought her dedication was stupid. I was immediately like "boo, fire this boring jerk guy! Why does Leslie like him? It makes me sad for her!"

I'm so beyond grateful that they dropped the animosity between the characters and everything else that copied the office. To me parks and rec will always be the superior show between the two, because I fell in love with how the characters genuinely love and support each other, Leslie genuinely loves her job, and many of them are good at what they do. It just makes you wanna root for them. I could never get into the office because I found it really depressing and Micheal's incompetence annoyed me too much. To this day parks and rec is one of my favourite shows of all time

The weird thing is they sorta forgot he existed. At least have him show up later on as a cameo.

truthfully he didn't have many lines, but he made me laugh, like when he asked ann if she didn't use toothpaste lmao

I am so glad that the mark brandonowitz storyline played out the way it did in parks and rec, and I don't mean that as a dig on the actor. After I finished the show and I started my first rewatch, I was struck by how odd the pining Leslie had for Mark was after falling in love with Leslie and ben. It gave me the space to self-reflect enough that even if I'm pining for somebody that I lost or never I had a chance with, there still might be a Ben out there, and it was a very healing and hopeful revelation that I had. Mark brandanowitz is perhaps the most important unimportant character I've ever seen in a show, personally, in my life right now would be a little bit more depressed without it.

Nerdstalgic is easily the best video essay channel on KZfaq, the way you articulate how characters and stories are made to the point where the audience can understand you easily is very impressive and I love it!

I remember watching this but my family would watch some without me. So I thought Ben was Mark and they just used a different actor to play him.

"Some fans were sad to see him go" [CITATION NEEDED] Seriously.. who was sad about that?

It took me a whole season to realize Mark was actually gone even after I watched his sendoff episode. I think that's proof enough that his character was purely dead weight at that point in the show.

Just wanna say, I'm really happy for you mate. I remember quite a long time ago now that you wanted to break into this kind of KZfaq space, but couldn't get a foothold in it. Tried a lot of different "second channel" ideas while running CPG full-time. But you stuck to your guns and, look where you are now! This channel is thriving, and as someone who has been subbed to one channel or another for the past 3 years or so, I'm happy and proud of what you've been able to accomplish after it seeming like it wouldn't take off. Prob shoulda made this comment a while back, but it just occured to me as I enjoyed some of your recent uploads. Cheers mate.

I found it funny because when I started watching everyone told me how he basically disappears, and you don't notice or care. I didn't buy it. And then I didn't notice he'd been gone for a full season and then forgot about him entirely

lol from looking over the comments, seems like I might be in the minority here but I liked his character on the show, while the main driving force for the show was the eccentric acts of most of the characters, it was always interesting for me to see mark as a contrast in the middle of that zaniness. Still understand why they went in the direction they did, and loved the show.

Thank you for this! I’ve been thinking about this for the past week or so.

Been rewatching the show with a friend lately and found that Mark was a surprisingly decent part of season 2, more than I remembered.

I think Jim always had the leg up over mark b/c as much as the “pining from a distance” & especially the “persistent love interest” tropes have aged and are problematic in some ways, it makes him a lot more of a devout romantic than Mark who never really seemed driven by much of anything. I think it makes Jim more appealing to the audience. Jim, especially early Jim, was a slacker in a lot of ways but his feelings for Pam meant he was motivated and sympathetic in at least one way that I think Mark lacked.

The moment Leslie got eyebrows, this show got so much better

amazing how quickly you make these videos

The biggest issue is the show is essentially mean to Leslie in season1 , treating her obsessions as stupid and Mark as the voice of that criticism. When they realized pretty early in season 2 that Parks and Rec works best centered around Leslie as the awesome force of nature that she is- smirky sarcastic sleazebag Jim just comes off as a bigger dick in retrospect I always tell new viewers to do what I did and start with season 3

Mark wasn't as bad as people say. I enjoyed his character. The first two seasons are kind of underrated ngl.

He was a good actor but once he left and Ben and Chris showed up the show got sooo much better. I always tell people either skip the first two seasons (specifically when Ben and Chris come in to start watching) or just wait for it to get good, because it will.

I love Chris Pratt as Andy in this show, and I genuinely developed a crush on Aubrey Plaza that still exists in some form to this day. 🤣🤣 I guess I have a type, and April is it 😂

Comparing him to blockbuster is so perfect

In a show like the office, full of characters who thrive on antagonism and most of them don't really like each other, a bland counterpoint works really well. But in Parks & Rec the show flourished the more the characters learned to like each other, and I think once the writers figured that out Mark became a reminder of the unpleasant dynamics from the first season.

Damn, I loved Mark. Always wondered why he left.

Love your videos my friend, this was great, as always. I felt as though you were talking a bit fast in this one, had some difficulty keeping up with you at certain points.

I guess it’s just me, but I actually liked Mark’s character. I always wished they would bring him back for one scene where he finds out Anne is dating Tom (at the time) and he leaves the building laughing then cut to him saying “yeah I’m doing great” lol

I liked Mark. He was the straight/ normal one. Unfortunately they just didn't know how to work with that without totally revamping his character.

This makes me wanna rewatch parks and rec

I actually met Paul Schneider once, he told me he didn't like being on the show lol

Do you think you'll ever do an episode on the show Psych?

Mark was an absolute Chad, but he kinda fell out of place.

I think later on in the show, it would have been pretty cool to catch up with Mark and have him as atleast a semi-recurring character. This series tied loose ends with literally every other character(even many that most shows would just have as "one-offs"). Even though we associate Mark's exit as entering the golden era of the show(because that is what happened). Those two things really aren't all that correlated. Season 1 had the usual first season weirdness that most shows have, season 2 was pretty great but they were retooling all these characters and Mark just got lost in the mix. There was plenty of potential with him. It's just that the bitterness between the creators and Paul Schneider was most definitely a lot heavier than they let on.

Parks and Rec is my favourite show, and I've seen it many times. I still genuinely always forget about him until someone mentions him. Mark Blandanawicz.

Great video as usual man! Just personally, I prefer the slower, paced, and intentional narration style.

the creators ditching "The Office 2.0" idea was the best thing they could have done - I absolutely love the direction Parks and Rec went.

Call me crazy but I liked Mark a lot, and Season 2 is one of my favorite seasons. He never dumped Ann the way Chris did. They could have at least mentioned him or recasted the charachter. Plus Ive seen some of his movies. He plays a good "douche" role which is kind of what he was in Season 1, and would have been interesting to see him come back and confront Chris or something (accepting him eventually). Looking back with what happened with Louis CK, that could have been that "Dave returns" episode except with Ann amd Chris.

5:59 not sure if anyone else has mentioned this, but in season 7 I'm pretty certain I still saw Mark's painting in Ron's new office in season 7 at his "Very Good" company.

It honestly took me so long to get into parks and rec, I just couldn't get past the first season or so. I did not understand why it was loved by so many. But man once Mark was gone and season 3 started, it became so good.

The first time I watched the show I was devastated when mark brandanawitz left

Still weird they never even mentioned him again. He was so important to Leslie early development, and Ann ex, and Ron Swason's FRIEND. If they didn't want to bring the actor back, he could be just remembered by the other characters when it made sense. I don't give a fuck about him but I love continuity, hahahah

I loved that guy's work on Parks and Rec! What a compelling actor!

Thank you for making a clickbait title, but then actually following through and not making a clickbait video. 10/10 good video

I just started watching Parks and Rec, currently in 3rd season and expecting Mark's comeback, just like Oscar Martinez's in The Office. Looks like a spoiler though, and yet nothing feels spoiled. I cant explain the state I am in...

I only just found out they left his picture in Ron's office. I usually catch those Easter Eggs

One of my all-time favourites and I didn't even notice that Mark left.

i totally forgot he was on the show until i saw this video 😂 too used to chris traeger and ben

Yeah, watching Parks and Rec all the way through, then going back to the beginning is a bizarre experience, even more so than with The Office, I would say. While going back to the start of The Office without characters like Andy and Eren is a weird feeling, it doesn't REALLY feel like the show is missing anything, to me. Early Parks and Rec, on the other hand, with no Chris and Ben, Donna in a very minor role, and Mark expected to fill a main character slot, is beyond disorienting...very interesting to see!

Imagine getting fired for following the script they wanted you to act upon.

I didn’t even realise he was cut after a couple seasons Shoes how much he blends into the background

I think it didn't help that Mark didn't work in their office/department. He was very close physically to the point where they could see him across the patio area but it made it more and more difficult I'm sure for the writers to have him constantly there for whatever reason. I think they tried to fix this with him dating Ann so he had more of an excuse to be around more but it didn't really work as well as intended, possibly.

Best decision ever. Show picked up big time after he left and they brought in Chris and Ben

Wasn’t Tom supposed to be the Jim representative in Season 1? Back then he was the office cynic that frequently slacked off because he wanted to do greater things, just like Jim, and then as the series went on they emphasized those desires to be the crux of his character and differentiate him from Jim. Mark was also a cynic, but it was more out of pessimism than boredom.

Would have been hilarious for Anne to have a box with Mark’s name on it but when she looked in it, she just said “it’s empty.”