5 Reasons We Can't Wait to See 'Tribeca'

It's a good time to be Rashida Jones. In the last few weeks, the funny, feminist actress turned 38, saw NBC pick up her comedy pilot, and, as Ann Perkins, left her mark on Parks and Rec in the best (and teariest) way possible. And that's not even mentioning Tribeca, the TBS pilot co-created by Steve Carrell and starring Jones as the lead character. On Wednesday, it was announced that Jones' real-life famous parents, Quincy Jones and Peggy Lipton, will co-star on Tribeca as the actress's TV mom and dad, (presumably) marking a happy end to an already pretty great couple of weeks.

Tribeca is still a long ways away from being seen by the masses, but we already have reason to believe that it'll be one of the best comedy pilots of the upcoming TV season. Why? Five reasons:

1. The Plot Is Perfect

Tribeca, a single-camera comedy, is a satirical look at a police procedural led by veteran LAPD officer Angie Tribeca (Jones). The head of the force's elite RHCU (Really Heinous Crimes Unit), Angie is a lone wolf who leads an "eccentric but brilliant" team of people who are as passionate about investigating crimes as they are about sharing way too much personal information. Said the tagline, they "refuse to rest until justice has been served... sort of." A police show that's witty, self-aware, and genuinely fun? Count us in.

2. The Casting is Amazing

Casting the funny, versatile Jones as Tribeca was a good choice. Having Quincy Jones and Peggy Lipton play her parents was an even better one. Everyone likes famous families, and ones that share screen-time together are pretty much the greatest. And if those three weren't enough, there's also Alfred Molina in a recurring role and Lisa Kudrow reportedly making a cameo. Celebrity parents, Doc Oc, and a beloved Friend? That's the recipe for a perfect show, in our book.

3. It's Created and Written by Steve Carell

Steve Carell is best known as an actor, and for good reason. He's freakin' Michael Scott, after all, not to mention the guy behind Brick Tamland, Burt Wonderstone, and Despicable Me's Gru. Because of this, it's easy to forget that Carell is just as adept behind the scenes, too; besides writing the Writer's Guild-nominated 40-Year-Old Virgin with Judd Apatow, Carell also penned several installments of The Dana Carvey Show, produced Crazy, Stupid, Love, and directed a handful of Office episodes. Even without Jones' involvement, knowing that Tribeca was co-created and co-written by the multi-talented Carell is reason enough to be excited for the series.

4. Jones Can Do No Wrong

Thankfully, though, Jones is involved, and so our expectations for Tribeca are even higher. The actress is known to most as the beautiful tropical fish Ann on Parks & Rec, and while we loved her on that series, we can't forget the many other projects that Jones improved with her presence. Whether it was nearly breaking up Jim and Pam on The Office or defending Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network, Jones' past roles have shown off the actress' range of talents. Starring in her own series will be a big leap for Jones, but we believe that she's capable enough to take on the challenge.

5. It Must Be Good If She Left Parks and Rec

We're still having trouble processing the fact that Ann Perkins is no longer a member of Pawnee, but we're comforted by the fact that her portrayer, Jones, left for a reason we can fully support. Last month, along with Celeste & Jesse Forever writing partner Will McCormack, Jones inked a two-year deal with Warner Bros. Television in which she will create, write, and produce shows for cable and network TV. So far, her company has sold six projects, with one pilot, A to Z, ordered by NBC. Tribeca, produced by Carell's own company, is separate from Jones' Warner Bros. deal, but it's her most high-profile post-Parks gig yet. If anything has to take Ann away from Leslie and the rest of Pawnee, pursuing projects with such serious potential might just be a valid enough excuse.