“Parks and Recreation” has one of the strongest ensemble casts in recent memory. While the show ostensibly stars Amy Poehler, scenes are stolen on a weekly basis by any number of characters: Chris Pratt’s Andy Dwyer, Aziz Ansari’s Tom Haverford, Aubrey Plaza’s April Ludgate, Rob Lowe’s Chris Traeger, and, of course Nick Offerman’s Ron Effing Swanson, to name a few. And as if that embarrassment of riches wasn’t enough, the show also consistently picks up great guest stars, from Louis C.K., to Megan Mullaly, to, awesomely, Detlef Schrempf. (I don’t think I’m being unreasonable when I say that every TV show could be substantially improved by the inclusion of people who were in the arcade version of NBA Jam. Exhibit A.) So it should come as no surprise to hear that the show will be adding another terrific guest this season: America’s best friend, Paul Rudd. Vulture and EW reported yesterday that Rudd will be joining the show for multiple episodes beginning January 19th, likely as Leslie Knope’s political opponent.

I can’t even begin to tell you how happy this makes me. “Parks and Rec” is one of my favorite shows, and I like Paul Rudd so much that I could watch him sit on a bench and eat a bran muffin in complete silence for an hour. The man is a delight. His contributions to dance alone are worthy of a Genius Grant, and you are an insane person if you disagree.

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Man, if I watched “Chuck,” that totally would have been the reason why I went to get a Subway sandwich during my lunch break today. Because every time I hypothetically think of getting a foot-long Oven-Roasted Chicken Breast, I hypothetically associate it with…that girl from “Chuck”…and that spy thing they do…and, um, Chuck.

So, yeah, I’ve never seen an episode of “Chuck,” but according to new figures from Nielsen, people really relate the two: the time “Big Mike says that his kidnapping hasn’t been that bad because his kidnappers brought sandwiches” was the fifth most remembered product placement of 2011. Rounding out the top five:

Sheldon using Purell and Amy suggesting everyone play Twister on “The Big Bang Theory” (#1 and #3), Tessa drinking Red Bull on “Suburgatory” (#2), and Beckett driving a Ferrari on “Castle” (#4).

The Nielsen blog posting also reveals that of the 10 series with the highest amount of product placement activity, four of them are on NBC and nine are reality shows (“Idol” topped the list with 577 occurrences). The only exception: “Friday Night Lights Goes to Applebee’s” at #8 with 201. Looks like “Modern Family” is going to have to step its Target-and-iPad-loving game up for 2013 – this is the only award the show hasn’t won.

Never forget.

In a move that Jeff Winger would surely hate, yet deep down smugly appreciate, while looking good the entire time, a group of “Community” fans are asking fellow Greendale-ites to come to NYC’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree this Thursday, at 1 p.m., to participate in a flash mob.

There’s more: they’re also requesting for everyone to “bring a tiny tree and come sing ‘O Christmas Tree’ with us.” (It’ll probably be changed to “O Christmas Troy” by Thursday.) Sporting a black goatee, like the one Evil Abed wore in “Remedial Chaos Theory,” is optional, though recommended. According to their Craigslist post, “We don’t expect the entire event to take more than a minute or two. We will be filming the event, and we will be networking with NBC and local press to explain the event to them.” Just tell them you’re celebrating you’re celebrating the tenth anniversary of the eighth season of “Friends,” and NBC will be more than accommodating.

My feelings towards flash mobs aren’t dissimilar from how the Study Group views the Greendale Glee Club: they’re often more annoying than cute, and now that old people in a Target have begun to do it (while listening to a Christmas song from “Glee”!), it’s probably time to think of another way to mock protest. But here are five ways how Thursday’s event could potentially be awesome:

1) If Luis Guzmán is there; 2) If there are MULTIPLE Sexy Santa Annie’s; 3) If everyone yells “Pop Pop” at the same time; 4) If everyone does the Britta Dance; or 5) If the entire thing becomes a giant paintball game, with all the “Community” fans mowing down the tourists who came to look at the tree. Should any of those situations happen, I’ll be there taking photos on Thursday, and they’ll all be labeled the next day on Warming Glow as, “I DON’T CARE, I LIVED IN NEW YORK” or “UGH, IT’S LIKE NEW YORK OUT THERE.”

Well, that was just…fine? “Fine” is the worst thing that can happen to “SNL.” You’re always hoping for an outstanding episode (something to argue about in the comments: when was the last top-to-bottom A+ episode of “SNL”?), but a truly awful one can just be just as entertaining. Katy Perry hosted the show this weekend, and although she wasn’t great (her timing was a little off and she tripped over her lines occasionally), she didn’t bomb, either. The rest of the cast at least looked comfortable around her, unlike when Miley Cyrus came to Studio 8H last season. She sang and smiled a lot, and wasn’t asked to do too much heavy lifting — and there was only one joke about her boobs, which came during the last segment of the evening.

So, yeah, it was fine, with the exception of the Bowl-Cutted One, Robyn, who kicked ass.

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In a startling and abrupt change of course, NBC has decided to let people widely considered to be funny and talented make television shows for them. Deadline has more on this risky, daring maneuver:

The Office and Parks & Recreation executive producer Greg Daniels is teaming with a writer from each of his two NBC series to develop new animated comedy projects for the network. One of the projects will be written/executive by The Office co-executive producer/co-star Mindy Kaling, who will also voice a character, the other – by Parks & Recreation producer Alan Yang. Daniels and his manager/producing partner Howard Klein will executive produce both comedies. The Mindy Kaling project revolves around a girls high-school volleyball team. Alan Yang’s toon is about a group of 20something guys sharing a house in Los Angeles’ upscale community of Hancock Park.

I know this is where I’m supposed to say something about how “The Office” fell off or whatever, but I’m not going to do that. Maybe it’s gotten a little stale lately, but when it debuted, it was really good, smart television. And “Parks and Recreation” is one of the best comedies on TV. Putting the people responsible for those shows in charge of new, fresh offerings seems so smart and obvious that I am literally in shock that NBC actually thought of it. Greg Daniels has an excellent pedigree, based on his work with “The Simpsons” and “King of the Hill,” in addition to the two shows mentioned above. Mindy Kaling is really funny, and a refreshing alternative to the “acerbic, raunchy lady” styles of Whitney Cummings and Chelsea Handler. And Alan Yang gets forever love because of his involvement with Fire Joe Morgan.

I fully expected these shows to be hilarious, critically acclaimed, and unceremoniously yoinked off the air somewhere between the first and second commercial breaks of their premieres.