Fans requested and Amy Poehler responded.
On Tuesday, during her podcast, “Good Hang,” the “Parks and Recreation” star was joined by show creator Mike Schur to share the trailer for a fake spinoff show, “Philly Justice,” that cast members of “Parks and Recreation” filmed over a decade ago, according to People.
Poehler had teased the existence of the project throughout various episodes of her podcast and — after countless requests from fans — she finally released it, according to IndieWire.
The idea for “Philly Justice” was inspired by a photo taken of Poehler, Adam Scott, Rashida Jones with guest stars Kathryn Hahn and Paul Rudd on the set of “Parks and Rec” during Season 4.
The cast members joked that the photo looked like something from a real David E. Kelley procedural show pilot that was shot in 2005 but never aired, per IndieWire.
”That small inside joke on set laugh grew into a beast that is still discussed today,” Poehler said on her podcast.
Schur enjoyed “fostering creativity on set,” so when the inside joke made it up to the writer‘s room, he eventually assigned scenes out to be written, according to Philly Voice.
“You were all goofing around and improvising, like, improvising who you were and what the show was about, so it just kept wafting up to the writers’ room that everyone was really enjoying this bit,” Schur remembered, according to People. “Then I think we all collectively blacked out. And when we woke up, the writers had written scenes for ‘Philly Justice.’”
He continued, “And we just started writing scenes, fake scenes for a fake show that didn’t exist, for you, in character.”
Schur and the writers ended up writing a 20-page script for the fictional show which led to the cast doing shoots in the city council chambers that were built when Poehler‘s “Park and Recreation” character, Leslie Knope, ran for office, according to Philly Voice.
“It was because it was fun, really the thing that I think was most important to get across is that (‘Parks and Recreation’) was so fun to work on, everyone was almost singularly devoted to the concept of having fun,” Schur said. “And this just seemed fun.”
‘Philly Justice’ Trailer
Poehler‘s co-stars Jones and Scott, along with “Parks and Recreation” producer Morgan Sackett, joined the podcast for the premiere of the “Philly Justice” trailer.
The trailer featured Poehler, Jones, Scott and Hahn starring as attorneys at a Philadelphia law firm that play by their own rules.
Nick Offerman takes the seat as judge who Scott’s character attempts to call to the witness stand.
Tension begins to rise with the entrance of Dylan McDermott — playing on his starring role in “The Practice,” according to People. It’s apparent that his character and Scott’s aren’t exactly friends.
There is also an apparent romance between Hahn and Scott’s character as he asks her, “Permission to treat the witness as beautiful?”
“Granted,” Hahn responds before the two kiss in the middle of the courtroom.
However, when Scott gets down on one knee and proposes to Hahn, Poehler interrupts, reminding Hahn that she can’t marry him because “she‘s already married — to her job."
The trailer comes to a close with McDermott passionately declaring to the jury the show’s catch phrase: “Let there be justice in Philadelphia once again.”
Finally, McDermott comes into the courtroom with a judge robe on saying to Offerman, “I’m the judge now. And you’re guilty, your honor.”