The TV Show I'd Like To Live In

Summary

Pop Culture Happy Hour: "The TV Show I'd Like To Live In"

Release Date: May 1, 2025

NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour, hosted by Stephen Thompson, Glen Weldon, J.C. Howard, and Candace Lim, delves into the whimsical yet thought-provoking topic: If you could live inside any fictional TV show, which one would it be? In this engaging episode, each host shares their unique choice, providing insightful reasoning, lively debates, and memorable quotes that highlight their perspectives on ideal living environments within beloved television universes.

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1. J.C. Howard Chooses Dorne from Game of Thrones

Timestamp: [04:29]

J.C. Howard kicks off the discussion by selecting Dorne, a region in the Game of Thrones universe. Contrary to the overall tumultuous and violent landscape of Westeros, Dorne stands out as a region with a rich culture, progressive inheritance laws, and a connection to the charismatic character Oberyn Martell (played by Pedro Pascal).

Key Points:

• Cultural Richness: Dorne is depicted as a land with its own unique climate and vibrant culture, described by George R.R. Martin as "Spain meets Palestine."
• Progressive Laws: Unlike other parts of Westeros, Dorne allows land and titles to pass to children regardless of gender, showcasing a more egalitarian society.
• Attraction to Pedro Pascal: Howard admires Pedro Pascal's portrayal of Oberyn Martell, highlighting his passion, wit, and charm as emblematic of Dorne's appeal.

Notable Quote:

"Dorne is all of those things—passionate people, great weather, very rich culture. It's one of the only places in Westeros where land and titles pass to children, regardless of gender."
— J.C. Howard [04:35]

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2. Glen Weldon Reimagines Gilligan's Island as a Dystopia

Timestamp: [08:05]

Glen Weldon presents a darkly humorous take on Gilligan's Island, transforming it from a benign castaway scenario into a dystopian survival environment. He rebrands it as "Gilligan's Island" and explores a more sinister version where harsh survival tactics are necessary.

Key Points:

• Strict Survival Policies: Glen proposes adopting a no-tolerance policy for non-contributing individuals, sarcastically suggesting cannibalism as a means of maintaining order.
• Social Ecosystem Control: Emphasizes the importance of maintaining a delicate social balance to prevent chaos, albeit through extreme measures.
• Humorous Critique: The segment balances humor with critique, highlighting the absurdity of choosing such a perilous environment for living.

Notable Quotes:

"This is Gilliblyn's Island. Yeah, we're all about Rousseau here. We're all about eating the rich."
— Glen Weldon [11:58]

"If we had dropped those parameters, I could stay out there forever. I could live there indefinitely."
— Glen Weldon [11:58]

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3. Candace Lim Advocates for Living in Derry Girls

Timestamp: [13:19]

Candace Lim champions Derry Girls, a sitcom set in 1990s Northern Ireland during the Troubles. Unlike the other choices, Derry Girls offers a blend of humor and resilience amidst political turmoil, making it an appealing option for those seeking a light-hearted yet meaningful environment.

Key Points:

• Character-Driven World: Lim emphasizes that the strength of Derry Girls lies in its characters, who bring joy and relatability to a historically tense setting.
• Cultural Resilience: The show portrays the characters' ability to find humor and maintain relationships despite external conflicts, offering a sense of community and perseverance.
• Personal Connection: Lim shares a personal affinity for the show, highlighting its positive impact on her well-being during challenging times.

Notable Quote:

"Choosing joylessness every day is not that helpful when everyone is suffering. Sometimes the best thing to do is go to the Take That concert."
— Candace Lim [16:18]

"Derry Girls is so relatable right now because, like, nowadays... the world moves on, and it can feel isolating."
— Candace Lim [13:25]

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4. Stephen Thompson Envisions Life in Parks and Recreation

Timestamp: [18:06]

Stephen Thompson opts for the idyllic setting of Parks and Recreation, particularly the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana. He envisions this choice as the epitome of a safe, community-driven environment where friendships and positivity thrive.

Key Points:

• Optimistic Community: Parks and Recreation is celebrated for its portrayal of a supportive community and enduring friendships, aligning with Thompson's desire for a safe and joyful living space.
• Idealized Workplace: The show's focus on the Parks Department as a hub of creativity and camaraderie reflects Thompson's aspiration for a harmonious professional life.
• Personal Affinity: As a transplanted Midwesterner, Thompson feels a strong connection to Pawnee's cultural and social dynamics.

Notable Quote:

"It's a deeply optimistic and good-natured universe. The villains are obnoxious, kind of thwartable cartoon characters."
— Stephen Thompson [18:48]

"I wanted the safest possible world, the safest possible outcome, and good and loving friends. Basically, I went with, hopefully, my own life."
— Stephen Thompson [20:28]

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Engaging Debates and Banter Among Hosts

Throughout the episode, the hosts engage in lively debates and playful banter, especially when contrasting their choices. Glen's dark reinterpretation of Gilligan's Island elicits humorous discomfort from Candace, while J.C. defends the allure of Dorne against criticisms.

Notable Interactions:

• Candace vs. Glen on Gilligan's Island:

  "No woman is saying, I'm going to live in the Game of Thrones universe. And unfortunately, I wouldn't even visit you."
  — Candace Lim [07:15]

• J.C. on Leadership in Dorne:

  "Being a leader in the Westerosi world means putting a target on your back. You want to fade into the background."
  — J.C. Howard [05:16]

• Stephen on Choosing Parks and Recreation:

  "For me, I wanted the safest possible world, the safest possible outcome, and good and loving friends."
  — Stephen Thompson [18:47]

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Conclusion: Diverse Visions of Ideal TV Worlds

Pop Culture Happy Hour masterfully navigates the diverse preferences of its hosts, showcasing how fictional TV worlds reflect personal desires and values. Whether it's the passionate and progressive realm of Dorne, the humorous resilience of Derry Girls, the optimistic community of Pawnee, or the dark satire of Gilligan's Island, each choice offers a distinct vision of an ideal living environment.

The episode not only highlights beloved television universes but also invites listeners to introspect on what qualities they seek in their own lives and communities. Through engaging discussions, memorable quotes, and thoughtful debates, the hosts provide a comprehensive exploration of their chosen fictional worlds, making the episode both entertaining and introspective for all fans of pop culture.

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Notable Themes and Insights:

• Cultural and Social Dynamics: The hosts explore how cultural richness and social structures influence their desire to inhabit certain TV worlds.
• Character Relatability: Emphasizing the importance of strong, relatable characters in making a fictional world appealing.
• Humor vs. Dystopia: Balancing humor with darker themes to present multifaceted perspectives on living within TV show universes.
• Community and Safety: Highlighting the value of supportive communities and safe environments as central to personal happiness.

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Final Thoughts: This episode of Pop Culture Happy Hour serves as a delightful exploration of how fictional settings can represent our deepest aspirations and values. By choosing their ideal TV shows to live in, the hosts offer listeners a window into their personalities and preferences, fostering a deeper connection with the content and each other.

Transcript

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[Stephen Thompson]

Many fictional TV shows depict dystopian hellscapes and stressful workplaces. Even sweet little New England towns can be hotbeds of weekly murder.

[Glen Weldon]

But other TV shows are a fun hang. Maybe we even watch them wishing we could hang out there in real life. So we asked ourselves, if we could live inside any fictional TV show, which one would it be? I'm Glen Weldon.

[Stephen Thompson]

And I'm Stephen Thompson. On this episode of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour, we're talking about TV shows we'd like to live in.

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[Stephen Thompson]

NPR producer J.C. howard.

[Advertiser]

Hey, J.C. hello.

[J.C. Howard]

Hello.

[Stephen Thompson]

Also with us, the co host of Slate's ICYMI podcast and former Pop Culture Happy Hour producer, Candace Lim. Hey, Candice.

[Candace Lim]

Hello.

[Stephen Thompson]

It is a pleasure to have you back. So, to kick us off, we want to be clear that we are talking about fictional TV shows. So when picking the shows where we want to live, we weren't allowed to say, for example, that we would like to be, quote, the Fergus of Love Island. These have to be fictional universes, though any genre beyond that was fair game. We could pick comedy, drama, action, science fiction, you name it. So, J.C. howard, I'm gonna have you kick us off. In which TV show do you wish to live? Let me guess. The Walking Dead.

[Glen Weldon]

No.

[Stephen Thompson]

Squid Game.

[J.C. Howard]

You know, those are a little bit dangerous for me, especially the squid games world. And you know, obviously, when I was thinking about this question, I wanna live someplace interesting, someplace fun, where there's stuff going on, can interest you to your point of, like these kind of survival shows, like, you don't wanna live someplace where you have to exercise your survival skills all the time, you know, someplace you don't die on day one like you would in the walking. That's actually kind of why my answer may seem a little bit strange because. And hear me out, I would like to live in Westeros, okay? As in Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon.

[Stephen Thompson]

That's a bloody world, my friend.

[J.C. Howard]

I will say, not just anywhere in Westeros. I want to live in Dorne.

[Glen Weldon]

Okay?

[J.C. Howard]

So for those who are familiar with the Game of Thrones universe, Dorne is in the south part of Westeros. It's probably best known as the home of Oberyn Martell, the character played by Pedro Pascal, the Red Viper. And the reason I chose Dorne is because Westeros as a whole doesn't seem like a great place to live.

[Glen Weldon]

No.

[Stephen Thompson]

Okay.

[Glen Weldon]

Thank you.

[J.C. Howard]

It can be quite bloody. But I will also point out that Westeros kind of gets a bad rap because Westeros is one just really good ruler from being Camelot. It has a lot of potential. It's a fixer upper. It's the fixer upper of the science fiction kind of fantasy universe.

[Stephen Thompson]

Do you see yourself as that fixer upper. Are you a leader here or are you just a. An extra?

[J.C. Howard]

No. See, being a leader in the Westerosi world means putting a target on your back. You want to kind of fade into the background, but not too much, because you don't want to be a red shirt. You know, you don't want to just be picked off. The thing about Dorne is it's kind of apart from what's going on in the rest of Westeros. It's got its own vibe, it's got its own climate. Like George R.R. martin once described it as sort of like Spain meets Palestine. And so it's close to the drama. And so, like, you get as much of that palace intrigue as you want, but it is also, like, as far removed as it wants to be. They have just their own, just rich, unique culture. One of the things that you'll hear a lot about in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, people talk a lot about Dornish wine, so they have a really great red wine industry there. At the end of the day, though, I think that Pedro Pascal is the billboard for Dorne. How do you look at Pedro Pascal and say, like, I want to live anywhere. But where this man is living, he's passionate, he's witty, he's hot. And that's Dorne. Dorne is all of those things. Passionate people, great weather, very rich culture. It's one of the only places in Westeros where land and titles pass to children, regardless of gender. And so for those reasons, and I can assure you a thousand others, I would love to live in Westeros, but not any part of Westeros. I'd love to live in Dorne.

[Glen Weldon]

Yeah. And in conclusion, Dorne is a land of contrast. Okay, I get it. And I was gonna go with Westeros, too. Wow.

[J.C. Howard]

Join me, Glenn.

[Glen Weldon]

Life there is so nasty, brutish, and short. And if you're in Dor, it's also hot. Much of that is desert.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah.

[Glen Weldon]

I was gonna go with Oldtown, or I'd be in the Citadel. I'd be a maester in the Citadel.

[J.C. Howard]

Yeah.

[Glen Weldon]

And, you know, we saw on the show when Sam was a maester at the Citadel, he did a lot of cleaning out chamber pots, but I'd still do it. Adorn is too harsh for me, too. Parts of it are beautiful, but there's so much poisoning.

[J.C. Howard]

My second choice was Bravo. So, you know, get a job at the Iron Bank.

[Glen Weldon]

Sure.

[Stephen Thompson]

I don't know, guys. I'll miss you both.

[Glen Weldon]

Yeah.

[Candace Lim]

Hey, J.C. i kind of respect your opinion, but I just gotta say, such a bro. Pick. No woman is saying, I'm going to live in the Game of Thrones universe. And unfortunately, I wouldn't even visit you. I wouldn't even visit you. Because if it's all the violence, it's the incest.

[Stephen Thompson]

Not even for your immediate funeral.

[Candace Lim]

I know, Candace.

[J.C. Howard]

You could actually rule the place in Dorne.

[Candace Lim]

Okay, but, like, look at how they treated our girl Emilia Clarke. Okay, and also, you speak of Pedro Pascal, who, like, look, I will be anywhere he wants to go, including sewer. Didn't he, like, get his eyes gouged out?

[J.C. Howard]

Spoilers.

[Candace Lim]

I haven't even watched Game of Thrones, and I know that.

[Glen Weldon]

And his head crushed. Also, if we're picking, why pick nits?

[J.C. Howard]

Just come on down on a good day.

[Stephen Thompson]

Wow, jc, I admire the audacity of your pick, even if I deeply and vehemently disagree with it.

[J.C. Howard]

Yeah, fair. Very fair.

[Stephen Thompson]

Glen Weldon hit us with your pick.

[Glen Weldon]

So I went with. And I know it's basic, but hear me out. Gilligan's Island.

[J.C. Howard]

Isolated, stranded. Some might even say. No, no, no.

[Glen Weldon]

I mean, okay, to your point, jc, I mean, like, if you listen to the theme song, it sounds like a pretty bleak existence, right? Famously. No phones, no lights, no motor cars.

[J.C. Howard]

Not a single luxury. Glenn.

[Glen Weldon]

Not a single luxury.

[Stephen Thompson]

No phones, no lights, no motorcar. Not a single luxury. Like Robinson Caruso. It's primitive as can be.

[Glen Weldon]

If, however, you've ever watched the show, you're one step beyond the theme song. Because the theme song is a tissue of lies. Because I remembered this, but I consulted the Gilligan's island wiki. There's always a wiki.

[J.C. Howard]

There's always a wiki.

[Glen Weldon]

Three for three. The show, at some point over the course of its three seasons, had all of them. No phones. Well, there was a phone. It was a conch shell hooked up to a cable. Still counts. No lights. The place is lousy with lights. There's so many torches. So many tiki torches, and then no motor cars. I'm sorry. I think you'll find in one episode, there was an island taxi. Note is made out of bamboo, but it still counts. And when it comes to not a single luxury. I'm sorry, that place is an eco tourist dream destination. People pay thousands and thousands of dollars to go to the Seychelles and the Maldives and get those overwater huts and bungalows. It's with exactly the same aesthetic. So the problem is not the place. The problem is not the lagoon. The problem, as it always, is, I.

[Stephen Thompson]

Know where you're going with this is the people.

[J.C. Howard]

Thurston Howell was something else, man.

[Glen Weldon]

We'll get to him. But first we have to kind of deal with the fact that some random guest star would show up and raise everybody's hopes about getting rescued, only to just, like, by minute 22, just dip. Just totally ghost everybody and crush their hopes later. So I would, on day one, institute a fairly strict policy of killing. Killing strangers on sight. Sorry, Phil Silvers. Apologies, Don Rickles. Sorry to this man. Zsa Zsa Gabor.

[Stephen Thompson]

Your mere presence, you are turning Gilligan's island into a dystopia utopia.

[Glen Weldon]

Dystopia. Take your pick. Because the presence of these people risks upsetting a very delicate social ecosystem. So we dare not suffer you to live. And that only leads me to, as you mentioned, jc, My fellow castaways, we have to do a very objective audit of them. Let's go to the whiteboard. Let's do pro con. Gilligan. Idiot. Annoying, but a good worker. He lives. The Skipper. Bumbling, blustery rage issues possibly stemming from internalized homophobia. I'm no psychiatrist, but also a deep base of nautical knowledge. I mean, I don't know how to tie a cleat hitch. I don't know how to tie a reef knot or a cat's paw. He lives, okay? The Professor. Of course he lives. He's indispensable.

[Stephen Thompson]

Well, hold on, Glenn. Are you deciding whether the cast of Gilligan's island can live or die in your version of their universe?

[Glen Weldon]

It's Gilliglyn's island now, so, yes, yes, I'm making these decisions.

[Candace Lim]

Gilla.

[Stephen Thompson]

Glenn's Island.

[Glen Weldon]

So the professor lives not because of the reason you think. It's because of how good he looks in a crisp white oxford shirt. Talking hierarchy of needs here, right? It's food, water, shelter, hotness. Motivation is a limited resource. We must protect it. Similarly, I'm sure you see where I'm going with this. Ginger and Marianne, they live not only because of hotness, although that's a factor, but because they do the work. They pull their weight, they pitch in. They're smart, they have great personalities. They live the howls. Sorry. Sorry, Thurston. Sorry, lovey. But on the island, your wealth means nothing. You contribute nothing. You have lived lives of pampered ease. Your bellies are soft. Your hands are soft. You also have lived a life of entitlement and privilege, which means you wouldn't know how to pitch in even if you wanted to, which you don't want to. You Poison the air with your resentment. And I know this sounds harsh, but the first week we kill and eat the howls.

[Candace Lim]

Now we're like. Now we're having, like, cannibalism wars, which is obviously part of this episode. Please keep going.

[Glen Weldon]

I'm not a monster. I'm not heartless. The memory of them would live on because we would, of course, loot their possessions. This is Gilliblyn's Island. Yeah, we're all about Rousseau here. We're all about eating the rich. And I think if we adopt these, some would say strict. I would say practical. Some would say Lord of the Flies adjacent. I would say objectively realistic. If we had dropped those parameters, I could stay out there forever. I could live there indefinitely. That's my pick, man. Wow.

[Candace Lim]

I mean, did you guys see the glee in Glen's eyes the minute he went from eliminating people to eating people? It was just really.

[J.C. Howard]

Yeah, I think I saw some drool. There was a little bit of drool there.

[Stephen Thompson]

A murderous glint. I have not seen a murderous glint from my friend Glen Weldon in at least a few months.

[Glen Weldon]

Just the people who were boils on the backside of our precious little. Only those people. We don't eat anybody else. We just eat them.

[Stephen Thompson]

Candace, I'm going to need you to pull us out of the tailspin of bad choices.

[Candace Lim]

I was going to say Steven, like, you and I are the two left, right? Because we have Game of Thrones, we have Gilligan's Island. How do you feel right now? I feel a little bit like, you know.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, I'm feeling better and better about my pick is how I'm feeling, but go ahead.

[Candace Lim]

All right, well, my pick is industry. Just kidding. Just kidding. I know. But guess what? It was my second choice. And, like, when I kind of like, touted this idea to my friends, they got really mad. They did not like that pick at all. My pick of the TV show I want to live in is Dairy Girls.

[J.C. Howard]

Oh, that's good.

[Stephen Thompson]

That's good.

[J.C. Howard]

Troubling, if you will.

[Stephen Thompson]

Got some. Got some troubles going on nearby.

[Glen Weldon]

Famously, some troubles.

[Candace Lim]

So context. Derry Girls is a sitcom. It ran from 2018 to 2022. You can watch it on Netflix. It was Created by Lisa McGee and it's about a group of teenage girls and one boy in Northern Ireland, specifically the town of Derry during the Troubles in the 1990s. And I think Dairy Girls means a lot to me. First off, for some reason, last year I had six week spell where every single day I would watch the entire show in order to go to sleep. And at that point, it becomes subconscious memory. I know every line, every script, every episode I'm locked in. But I think Derry Girls is a very good example of how when it comes to tv, it's not the time and place, but it is the characters that build a world. Because a show that also takes place, exact same conflict leading up to the Good Friday agreement. Say Nothing, which is the show based on Patrick Raden Keith's book. I Don't Want to live and say Nothing. I really don't. I don't even want to read the book. Derry Girls is completely different perspective on the lived experience of the Troubles. But the characters, they are lighter, they are funnier. They are just people I want to hang with. And I find this show so relatable right now because, like, nowadays, you know, the news expedited by the Internet has kind of created this 247 cycle of, like, there is always something bad happening. There is always a new reason to be angry. And I think Derry as a town is a really good example of what it's like to live in the center of national or international tragedy and how, like, isolating it can feel when the world moves on. And I think dairy is a really good example of the difference between being left behind and choosing to stay. That kind of brings me to one of the greatest things about the show, which is the cast. I think this show is kind of centered around Aaron Quinn, played by Saoirse Monica Jackson. And her family is so crazy, kooky. I mean, Grandpa Joe, Ma Mary, and with the troubles in the background. The sitcom is such a sitcom where, like, the problem of the day, it's so silly and funny. They're getting riled up about trash cans. They're asking, did Kaiser Soze do it? They're, like, going to take that concert, but a polar bear escaped the Belfast Zoo, so they need to go. And that's their biggest problem of the day. And Aaron's house is kind of like the house all the friends. And I think there's just something really uplifting about watching these people who did not leave Derry. Even when Derry suffered, they stayed and they persisted and they chose to find joy in a place. This show is so funny. Like, I should say that it's my favorite show. It's the funniest show I've watched in a really long time. And at the end of the day, I just think that it's characters like Sister Michael, she's a nun, and she's like the headmistress of their school.

[Stephen Thompson]

I've Been waiting for you to mention Siobhan McSweeney, because that is gonna be one of the main draws of living in Derry. Girls I know love so much.

[Candace Lim]

The thing is, like, I don't know if I'd want to be one of her students, but she is always cracking a joke at the expense of the girls or God. And I actually think she's a great reminder that sometimes you need people like that in your life to kind of just like, humble you a bit, but also to just remind you that sometimes today doesn't have to be the worst day of your life. Like, sometimes it is okay to laugh or find joy in a time of despair because choosing joylessness every day is not that helpful when everyone is suffering. And at the end of the day, sometimes the best thing to do go to the Take that concert. And maybe some days just go through life through the lens of a teenage girl.

[J.C. Howard]

Candace Lim. This is so much more earnest than I ever would have expected out of you. I was gonna say, you're so poetic and so sincere.

[Candace Lim]

Wow. You guys don't know me. I'm in my earnest era. I'm in my earnest era.

[J.C. Howard]

I'm loving it.

[Stephen Thompson]

I'm just trying to imagine choosing to be a teenager.

[Candace Lim]

That's the thing, right? Where it's like every single day I wake up. Thank God I'm not 16, but if I was 16, would love to be in Terry Girls. Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

Okay.

[Glen Weldon]

Yeah. When we covered this show back in the day, it was the beginning of the pandemic. And I'll admit, I got this show completely wrong. I was distracted by the fact that everybody's always tearing into each other and the fact the emotions of the girls are so big and outsized that I mistook it for mugging. What I missed was those moments of actual warmth and tenderness. And thank you for reminding me of that. I always like to be reminded when I get something as wrong as I got. Dairy Girls.

[Stephen Thompson]

All right, thank you, Candace. So when we first talked about doing this topic, I mentioned it to my partner, and within one second, she was like the L word. Done. Done. Like some of you, I started out with some basic ground rules. I don't want much risk of getting killed. That rules out a lot of action and science fiction, including Game of Thrones.

[J.C. Howard]

Depends where you live.

[Stephen Thompson]

But also, even cozy little spots like the sweet little main town in Murder, She Wrote, you know, be a lovely place to live until you get.

[Glen Weldon]

Just be prepared to say, I didn't do it, Aunt Jess, and you'll be fine.

[Stephen Thompson]

Number Two, I don't want to be under the thumb of a bad boss, an overarching supervillain, or like a gigantic existential threat that ruled out Steven Universe. Three, I want most of the people in my orbit to be fun to have around. People who look out for each other, care about each other, are conscientious about each other and the community around them. So I went with the seemingly modest, secretly utopian Parks and Recreation.

[J.C. Howard]

Pawnee was on my list.

[Glen Weldon]

Okay. All right.

[Stephen Thompson]

On one hand, there is a dismal side to Pawnee, Indiana. The townspeople are mostly jackasses. The gears of government grind slowly. But look, I'm a transplanted Midwesterner. These are my people. I love breakfast food. I'll eat breakfast food for dinner. I love my friends. And this is nothing if not a show about friends who double as found family. And like all shows overseen by the great and good Michael Shore, it's a show that is absolutely hell bent on providing its characters with the happiest possible outcomes. I have some quibbles with the finale of Parks and Rec. What it sees as happy endings for all of these characters isn't necessarily what I would have chosen for them. I think subsequent Shore shows like Brooklyn Nine Nine and the Good Place, iron out a lot of those flaws in the ways that those shows conclude. But this is a deeply optimistic and good natured universe. The villains are obnoxious, kind of thwartable cartoon characters. Your Jeremy Jam is not somebody I'm necessarily gonna lose sleep about. And the good guys are kind and loving to the point where even schlamazzle Gary Jerry winds up living to 100 and marrying Christie Brinkley. So y'all, I think, went for a few different things. For me, I wanted the safest possible world, the safest possible outcome, and good and loving friends. Basically, I went with, hopefully my own life. So that is Parks and Recreation.

[Glen Weldon]

Sure, but who would you be? Where would you work? Would you be part of the Parks Department?

[Stephen Thompson]

That's a good question. I feel like I'm one of the.

[J.C. Howard]

Townspeople going into the meetings.

[Stephen Thompson]

Are you kidding me? I don't attend meetings with people. I like.

[Glen Weldon]

My worry. And the reason I didn't pick this is I just figured I would be the mark. I would disappear. Unceremoniously.

[Stephen Thompson]

You would be memorized in season two.

[Glen Weldon]

I'd be the sole cynical person in the department. And so therefore, they would have little use for me and I'd disappear.

[J.C. Howard]

I think you could give a little Nick Offerman. Glenn. I think you could find your place there.

[Stephen Thompson]

I was gonna say you could go more the Offerman route or Patton Oswalt talking about Star Wars.

[Glen Weldon]

There's also that I could do that. But where would you be, Steven, and what would your relationship to little Sebastian be?

[Stephen Thompson]

Oh, I would be ardently pro.

[Candace Lim]

Do we not see Steven as a little bit of Rob Lowe?

[Glen Weldon]

Yeah, I could see that.

[Stephen Thompson]

Far more committed to exerc.

[Candace Lim]

Oh, I see, I see, I see. Well, you can swap into when he gets the flu.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yes.

[Candace Lim]

Right. Remember that episode can't Stop moving. Exactly.

[Stephen Thompson]

That'd be me.

[J.C. Howard]

Yeah.

[Stephen Thompson]

Well, I think it is safe to say that I have chosen the correct show and everyone else has chosen unwisely. We want to know what TV show you would like to live in. Find us on [e-mail] PCHH that brings us to the end of our show. Candice Lim, J.C. howard, Glenn Weldon, thank you so much for being here.

[Candace Lim]

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[Stephen Thompson]

This episode was produced by Hafsa Fathoma and edited by Mike Katsif. Our supervising producer is Jessica Reedy. And hello. Come in. Provides our theme music. Thank you for listening to Pop Culture Happy hour from npr. I'm Stephen Thompson and we will see you all next time.

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