Parks & Rec actors created elaborate fake TV show called Philly Justice just to...

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...amuse themselves

https://ew.com/parks-and-rec-actors-...r-fun-11718387

They started a text chain to talk about it.

By Raechal Shewfelt Published on April 19, 2025 10:00AM EDT

Could a faux sequel to Parks and Recreation be on the way?

Amy Poehler, who starred on the NBC sitcom that aired from aired from 2009 to 2015, and guest star Kathryn Hahn, explained that cast members invented their own show just for fun.

"We pretended we were on a fake TV show in the '90s called Philly Justice — or the early 2000s — and we all crossed our arms," Poehler said on a recent episode of her Good Hang podcast. "Then that became a text chain as the actors."

Hahn, who appeared in 10 episodes of the show between 2012-2015, offered the origins of the pretend series. It originally involved cast members Rashida Jones, Adam Scott, and Paul Rudd.

"We had, like, businessy outfits on," Hahn said of the situation on set that sparked the notion. "I think we were going to court or something. So all of us had like very businessy [looks]. And I don't know whose idea it was, but we were all in like kind of staggered stairs and what looked like the front of like a very … a courthouse."

That's when they began to text as hopeful Philly Justice actors. They asked questions like, "Is the pilot gonna be picked?" Hahn said. "Like, we were all very excited. It was like a David Kelly-esque show, so there was some cache to it. It wasn't like a s----y show."

The character list was detailed.

"Kathryn is playing, like, a lawyer, question mark, who has a very tempestuous relationship with Angie Martinez, played by Rashida Jones." She then added, "I mean, I think you guys are lovers."

Then Hahn burped, and the two laughed hard.

Poehler loved the memory.

"I remember thinking, 'I can't believe how lucky I am that I'm working with people who want to also do this dumb thing," she said. "Like, fun dumb things to me are a love language."

Parks and Recreation, the Emmy-nominated mockumentary on the inner workings of city hall in Pawnee, Ind., also costarred Nick Offerman; Aubrey Plaza; Retta; Chris Pratt; Jim O'Heir; Aziz Ansari; and Rob Lowe. Poehler portrayed enthusiastic leader Leslie Knope, while Hahn played D.C. political consultant Jennifer Barkley.

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Amy Poehler releases the trailer for "Philly Justice," the fake TV show spinoff created on the Parks and Recreation set

Rashida Jones, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn and Paul Rudd created "Philly Justice" while filming a court scene on Parks and Recreation, as explained on Poehler's Good Hang podcast. “We had, like, businessy outfits on,” Hahn said. “I think we were going to court or something...”

[TMC]

Amy Poehler releases the trailer for "Philly Justice," the fake TV show spinoff created on the Parks and Recreation set

Rashida Jones, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn and Paul Rudd created "Philly Justice" while filming a court scene on Parks and Recreation, as explained on Poehler's Good Hang podcast. “We had, like, businessy outfits on,” Hahn said. “I think we were going to court or something...”