NBCParks and Recreation is bringing a Mad Man back to Pawnee for its final season. E! News has confirmed Jon Hamm is set to return to the NBC comedy for one episode during its seventh and final season debuting in 2015. Plus, Rashida Jones and Rob Lowe are coming back!
Mad Men star Hamm first appeared in the Parks and Recreation season six finale when the story shifted three years into the future and placed Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) in a new position. Hamm played Ed, a hapless employee Leslie fired. Yes, somebody even worse than Jerry Larry Terry (Jim O'Heir).
Parks and Rec boss Michael Schur has been vocal about his desire to get the Emmy nominee back for the final season. In April, he told E! News he was hopeful they'd be able to lure Hamm back to tell the story of Ed. "If I have it my way, when we show what lead up to that final moment in the season finale, he'll be there to pop in doing something incredibly incompetent," Schur said.
Jones played Ann Perkins, Leslie's best friend since the beginning of the series. She and Lowe's character, Chris, left during six to have a baby. Jones appeared in a later episode after her character gave birth. Entertainment Weekly first reported Hamm's return. TVLine first reported Jones and Lowe's return.
In an interview with TVLine, Schur said recurring players Megan Mullally and Ben Schwartz would also make final appearances. Billy Eichner is set to return as Craig, and Xena star Lucy Lawless has said she'd like to return to the Pawnee playground as Diane, Ron Swanson's (Nick Offerman) wife.
"I love them so much," Lawless told E! News about Parks. "It's such a cute relationship and I'd love to put a button on that, but it's about getting back in time!"
NBC has yet to set a premiere date for Parks and Recreation's final season.
(Originally published on Thurs., Nov. 20, 2014, 9:49 a.m. PDT)
(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)