Over the past five years or so, a considerable amount of the exciting, provocative new comedy shows have been migrating to the movie channels and the cable networks like Comedy Central and Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. But to me one show on good old network giant NBC delivers the laughs by the bucket load: “Parks and Recreation.”

“Parks and Recreation” is much like its fellow Greg Daniels-developed mockumentary “The Office,” except it’s still funny and there isn’t a British version to snobbishly compare it to.

Don’t get me wrong, “The Office” forged new comic territory and remains a favorite of mine. Michael Scott is one of the most ridiculous comedic characters ever created, and my wife and I watched Jim and Pam’s relationship stumble and start on the edge of our seats for seasons 1-3.

Obviously, though, the two adorable “Dunder-Mifflinites,” as Michael would say, were much more believable and fun to watch as star-crossed than as pregnant and co-boss, and as is inevitable with most shows involving an epic romance, “The Office’s” plot arc started its downward turn after they got together.

Not that I’m not thrilled to see what happens with Jim and Pam’s baby after these pesky Olympics are over next week – I can only imagine how Michael squirms his way into the delivery room and slips on the afterbirth.

But “Parks and Recreation” shied back off the escalating drama of corporate take-overs souring “The Office” and brought it back to formula: the hilarity of the every day. The awkward pauses. The petty office quibbles. The continuous social faux pas committed by everyone, since tact is a subjective and unattainable level of social godliness.

Actually, I think that’s my absolute favorite thing about the Greg Daniels brand of comedy. Even the straight characters, the cool guys like Jim Halpert and Mark Brendanawicz, aren’t always as cool as they’d like to be. They misjudge situations and say stupid things all the time.

No one is above scrutiny in these shows, not even Leslie Knope’s recent all-around awesome boyfriend Justin – he turns out to be more about the stories than living – or Michael Scott’s hero David Wallace, who’s recently lost his mind after getting canned amidst the Sabre takeover.

In last week’s episode a stubbly, vacant Wallace creeps Michael out as he hatches plans for child-toy-vacuum inventions in his hot-tub on a Monday afternoon. In the world of Daniels and Company, we’re all pretty silly.

But back to “Parks and Recreation.” Has there ever been a more lovably goofy dude than Andy Dwyer? Man, I want to have a beer with him. In a show not short of irony, I think it was a great move to have ultra-ironic April can her gay hipster boyfriends for making fun of Andy’s enthusiasm for life.

Amy Poehler of course kills as Leslie Knope, the zany, goody-two-shoes Hillary Clinton wanna-be who just wants to build parks and not read library books.

Ron Swanson is another I want to add to my drinking crew because: a) his mustache is enviable, and b) he’d always bring the steaks.

He’s sardonic, gruff and tries as hard as he can not to care, but his familial soft spot for Leslie is at times touching. I really hope the writers don’t ever try to get them together.

Aziz Ansari shines as Tom Haverford, the vain, corrupt, lazy prep who wears his heart on his well-pressed sleeve and, well … he can come drinking too, as long as he brings his pea-cocking hat and DJ Rumba.

“Parks and Recreation” departs from “The Office,” at least until this season, with its willingness to bring in plenty of guest stars to shake up Pawnee.

Poehler’s real-life hubby Will Arnett is a gas as a confrontational MRI attendant, Megan Mullally fuels Leslie’s hate for the library with her seductive power over Ron and Louis CK, well, I don’t think they did enough with his character but he’s an under-appreciated talent and it was good to him get a nod on network TV for once.

So what’s next for Pawnee? Hopefully nothing too earth-shattering, just more of the side-splitting everyday antics that make “Parks and Recreation” a must-watch.

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