Even better than breakfast: "Parks and Recreation" scores a third-season pickup

Ron Swanson can rest easy: NBC has just picked up another year of Thursday night comedy "Parks and Recreation."

As "Parks and Rec" fans know, that gives Swanson (Nick Offerman), the director of the parks and recreation department in Pawnee, Ind., another year to pursue his dual loves: Dark-haired women and breakfast food.

Surprise, early pickup came as NBC looked to lock in actors' schedules for "Parks and Rec." The comedy pulls relatively low numbers on Thursday -- averaging a 2.3 rating and 6 share among adults 18-49 -- but has earned critical raves this season, as the show has settled into a creative groove.

Great news for "Parks and Rec" exec producers Greg Daniels and Mike Schur. "Parks and Rec" had an unusual launch: Daniels and Schur were originally tasked to produce a spinoff to "The Office" -- but changed course after snagging Poehler for a show. Then, production was delayed in order to accomodate Poehler's pregnancy.

As the show found its way, reviews were mixed in season one. But critics came around in season two -- with several scribes including the show on their "best of 2009" lists.

"Parks and Rec" stars Amy Poehler as gung-ho small-town bureaucrat Leslie Knope; the show also stars Rashida Jones, Paul Schneider, Aziz Ansari, Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza and Offerman.

"When I announced the season 3 pick-up, Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) literally ripped his shirt off. Buttons went everywhere. It was amazing," quipped Schur via his Twitter account.

Perhaps this calls for a celebration at Jurassic Fork (as played by Clifton's Cafeteria in Downtown Los Angeles).