However, that's given me some good, solid time to sit around watching old Parks and Recreation episodes, preparing for tomorrow's series finale. This show has meant a lot to me over the years and I'm anxious and sad to say goodbye to it, to the point where the gif above still seems apropos (admittedly, I also think I'm suffering from some residual PTSD from the HIMYM finale last year. #Neverforget). While NBC has essentially burned through the final seasons' episodes, the writers behind Parks and Rec have tried to give us as satisfying of an end as possible, revisiting some of our favorite (and not-so-favorite) plotlines and characters. It's been a grand farewell tour and love letter to the community we've come to be a part of over the past years. While setting the final season several years in the future was a risky decision, it's had some creative payoffs with some emotional ones for the audience as well; after all, these characters have become an extended part of our families and when push comes to shove, you want to trust that the kids are alright and what better way to do that then to press fast forward and actually see it, rather than just hear about it or imagine it?
I didn't immediately latch on to Parks. After an uneven first season where the writers seemed to be trying hard to make Leslie Knope the Female Coming of Michael Scott, the show did the seemingly impossible--it got better, and then it got great. I grew really invested in the show when it was in its third season. It was my first year truly away from my family and friends. Months into my move to New York, I don't think I had a single, local friend and I was, to put it quite bluntly, unspeakably lonely and fiercely craving connection and community. It took me awhile to find that here, and truthfully, I'm still looking, but back then, I found it in spades for 30 minutes a week in Pawnee. After all, Parks and Recreation, is, amongst other things, about the power and importance of friendship (after all, it is the reason Galentine's Day is now in our lexicon).
I'd wager that the two most significant relationships on the show aren't actually romantic ones but are platonic--that between Ann and Leslie and Ron and Leslie (don't get me wrong, the Ben-Leslie romance is an amazingly written one, and if Ben Wyatt was a real human, I would track him down and marry him in a minute). Ann and Leslie are teammates,almost from the very beginning, and their friendship could pass the Bechdel test easily--they see each other through personal and professional growth and their relationship is built on mutual support. They're unabashedly vocal about their adoration for each other and these two were defining #relationshipgoals before that was even a thing. Let me tell you. if you don't have your "own Ann" out there somewhere, you best go find one, because it makes such a difference in your life.
Then there's the ballad of Leslie and Ron, a complex relationship to be sure, but one just as significant as Ann and Leslie. For once, the central focus of this friendship isn't whether men and women can be friends (Answer: they can, obviously, but that storyline is a little too on the nose for P&R and not nearly as interesting as other avenues). Leslie and Ron are the yin and yang of this show; they have different values and often land on opposite sides of an argument. Conflict doesn't have to breed contempt though and Parks makes a case for what happens when you align yourself with someone different than you and actually take the time to learn from them--you may not always change your mind but you're certainly better for having tried to see their side, and every once in awhile, you might actually see yourself shift as a result. Friends who you respect, not just with whom you get along, are incredibly valuable, and are often the ones that push and challenge us to grow the most.
It's that very idea--that people--and places--can grow and change that fuels much of Parks' comedy. Leslie genuinely believes that change and improvement is possible. She's incredibly optimistic and constantly working to make Pawnee--and the people in it--happier, healthier, and safer. It's not surprising that Parks, which began in 2009, on the heels of Obama's first presidential win, originally centered so much on trying to elevate the role of public service and the idea of Hope. What is surprising is that years later, in a much more politically and ideologically cynical environment, it still does those things. Leslie loses plenty of battles--a gazebo she's trying to save gets knocked down; her application to clean up Pawnee River gets stalled' she gets recalled from office. However, she doesn't let these failures define or deter her. Furthermore, plenty of things she does go unnoticed or unappreciated but that doesn't make them unimportant. Things not working out isn't necessarily a reason to stop working towards them entirely; it's just time to consider them from a new angle. The show posits that hope and hard work aren't foolish (and might I add, neither, by god, is Leslie Knope). Unlike so many of my favorite recent comedies (ex. 30 Rock, Seinfeld, Arrested Development), Parks' characters assume the best in others and this extends to the writers too--Parks writers assume the best in its audience; even when the humor is broad, it's never cynical or nasty. These are all radical ideas that honestly, shouldn't feel so radical...but they are. It begs the question--what if there were more Leslie Knopes in the world?
On a related note, I'd be remiss if I didn't at least devote some time to discussing Leslie Knope as a feminist icon. It's been interesting watching so many female protagonist led comedies--we've been blessed with a number of them as of late--but the most notable heroines are probably Liz Lemon and Leslie. I've gotten compared to Liz Lemon plenty of times and most of the time I acknowledge it and embrace it--I can totally down a pizza in one sitting if I wanted (especially if I've got my eatin' pants on), my history with men is abysmal at best, and I'm honestly, a big ass geek. Truthfully, I think a lot of us are like Liz Lemon; it's not a coincidence that there are plenty of dating bios that say "OMG, I'm like a real Liz Lemon"--she's a reflection of who many of us are most days. However, I'd argue that Leslie is who we are on our best days, and who we should strive to be every day. You see, Liz self-sabotages and while she's a feminist, she's also far more prone to call out her flaws and where she--or her life--falls short. She talks a lot about feminism but there's a disconnect between her preaching and how she lives her life. Leslie, on the other hand, is the opposite--here's a woman whose competence is central to everything she does and whose characterization is primarily focused on joy--her own, or that which she can bring to others. Unlike Liz, she lives feminism and radiates love for herself and other women, and encourages others to do the same. I fully believe there's a spark of genius in all of us (and there is in Liz too); the difference is, Leslie believes in--and follows--hers.
I hope that after Parks and Recreation airs its last episode tomorrow that we'll work to preserve its legacy--that we women will remember what goddesses we are, that we'll all fight for the people we love and work to see the best in each other and ourselves, and that we'll do our part to make a small change out there in the world.
Your Parks and Recreation Starter Kit:
1. "Rock Show": Like I said, Season One is all over the place but the finale is a highlight.
2. "Pawnee Zoo": The first episode of the second season, and the one that really starts to right the ship. Plus, gay penguins get married.
3. "Practice Date": Not only do you get to hear the list of incredibly creative ways Leslie has been broken up with, but Louis CK guest stars in this one, and we all know he is a great American, grumpy treasure.
4. "Telethon": A great showcase for the entire ensemble. Also, a sleep deprived Leslie is the best kind of Leslie.
5. "Flu Season": This is an all around perfect 22 minutes of comedy. I have yet to see a "Best Of" list that doesn't feature this one.
6. "Ron and Tammy: Part Two": Real life married couple Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman get dirty, and he's in cornrows.
7. "Jerry's Painting": I love an episode that features some of our favorite Pawnee crazies and this one hits the spot.
8. "The Fight": Things get a little crazy when the gang gets drunk on Snake Juice.
9. "Roadtrip": I actually have this episode downloaded on my phone and pull it out whenever I need a pick me up. I also think that Rob Lowe playing the imaginary banjo is LITERALLY the funniest thing I've ever seen.
10. "The Trial of Leslie Knope": Both an affirmation of love and the strength of this ensemble.
11. "Pawnee Rangers": I bring you "Treat Yo'Self."
12. "The Debate": Come for Paul Rudd's hilarious guest appearance. Stay for Leslie's speech at the end.
13. "Win Lose or Draw": If you don't shed a tear during this episode, I think it's quite likely you are a robot.
14. "Halloween Surprise": 5 Words. Fart Attack. Ben and Leslie.
15. "Leslie and Ron": Magical things happen when two frenemies are stuck in a room all night together. That sounds sexual. It's not.
I didn't immediately latch on to Parks. After an uneven first season where the writers seemed to be trying hard to make Leslie Knope the Female Coming of Michael Scott, the show did the seemingly impossible--it got better, and then it got great. I grew really invested in the show when it was in its third season. It was my first year truly away from my family and friends. Months into my move to New York, I don't think I had a single, local friend and I was, to put it quite bluntly, unspeakably lonely and fiercely craving connection and community. It took me awhile to find that here, and truthfully, I'm still looking, but back then, I found it in spades for 30 minutes a week in Pawnee. After all, Parks and Recreation, is, amongst other things, about the power and importance of friendship (after all, it is the reason Galentine's Day is now in our lexicon).
I'd wager that the two most significant relationships on the show aren't actually romantic ones but are platonic--that between Ann and Leslie and Ron and Leslie (don't get me wrong, the Ben-Leslie romance is an amazingly written one, and if Ben Wyatt was a real human, I would track him down and marry him in a minute). Ann and Leslie are teammates,almost from the very beginning, and their friendship could pass the Bechdel test easily--they see each other through personal and professional growth and their relationship is built on mutual support. They're unabashedly vocal about their adoration for each other and these two were defining #relationshipgoals before that was even a thing. Let me tell you. if you don't have your "own Ann" out there somewhere, you best go find one, because it makes such a difference in your life.
Then there's the ballad of Leslie and Ron, a complex relationship to be sure, but one just as significant as Ann and Leslie. For once, the central focus of this friendship isn't whether men and women can be friends (Answer: they can, obviously, but that storyline is a little too on the nose for P&R and not nearly as interesting as other avenues). Leslie and Ron are the yin and yang of this show; they have different values and often land on opposite sides of an argument. Conflict doesn't have to breed contempt though and Parks makes a case for what happens when you align yourself with someone different than you and actually take the time to learn from them--you may not always change your mind but you're certainly better for having tried to see their side, and every once in awhile, you might actually see yourself shift as a result. Friends who you respect, not just with whom you get along, are incredibly valuable, and are often the ones that push and challenge us to grow the most.
It's that very idea--that people--and places--can grow and change that fuels much of Parks' comedy. Leslie genuinely believes that change and improvement is possible. She's incredibly optimistic and constantly working to make Pawnee--and the people in it--happier, healthier, and safer. It's not surprising that Parks, which began in 2009, on the heels of Obama's first presidential win, originally centered so much on trying to elevate the role of public service and the idea of Hope. What is surprising is that years later, in a much more politically and ideologically cynical environment, it still does those things. Leslie loses plenty of battles--a gazebo she's trying to save gets knocked down; her application to clean up Pawnee River gets stalled' she gets recalled from office. However, she doesn't let these failures define or deter her. Furthermore, plenty of things she does go unnoticed or unappreciated but that doesn't make them unimportant. Things not working out isn't necessarily a reason to stop working towards them entirely; it's just time to consider them from a new angle. The show posits that hope and hard work aren't foolish (and might I add, neither, by god, is Leslie Knope). Unlike so many of my favorite recent comedies (ex. 30 Rock, Seinfeld, Arrested Development), Parks' characters assume the best in others and this extends to the writers too--Parks writers assume the best in its audience; even when the humor is broad, it's never cynical or nasty. These are all radical ideas that honestly, shouldn't feel so radical...but they are. It begs the question--what if there were more Leslie Knopes in the world?
I hope that after Parks and Recreation airs its last episode tomorrow that we'll work to preserve its legacy--that we women will remember what goddesses we are, that we'll all fight for the people we love and work to see the best in each other and ourselves, and that we'll do our part to make a small change out there in the world.
SO YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED PARKS?
How sad--but lucky--for you! Here are my top 15 episodes to get you started.
Your Parks and Recreation Starter Kit:
1. "Rock Show": Like I said, Season One is all over the place but the finale is a highlight.
2. "Pawnee Zoo": The first episode of the second season, and the one that really starts to right the ship. Plus, gay penguins get married.
3. "Practice Date": Not only do you get to hear the list of incredibly creative ways Leslie has been broken up with, but Louis CK guest stars in this one, and we all know he is a great American, grumpy treasure.
4. "Telethon": A great showcase for the entire ensemble. Also, a sleep deprived Leslie is the best kind of Leslie.
5. "Flu Season": This is an all around perfect 22 minutes of comedy. I have yet to see a "Best Of" list that doesn't feature this one.
6. "Ron and Tammy: Part Two": Real life married couple Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman get dirty, and he's in cornrows.
7. "Jerry's Painting": I love an episode that features some of our favorite Pawnee crazies and this one hits the spot.
8. "The Fight": Things get a little crazy when the gang gets drunk on Snake Juice.
9. "Roadtrip": I actually have this episode downloaded on my phone and pull it out whenever I need a pick me up. I also think that Rob Lowe playing the imaginary banjo is LITERALLY the funniest thing I've ever seen.
10. "The Trial of Leslie Knope": Both an affirmation of love and the strength of this ensemble.
11. "Pawnee Rangers": I bring you "Treat Yo'Self."
12. "The Debate": Come for Paul Rudd's hilarious guest appearance. Stay for Leslie's speech at the end.
13. "Win Lose or Draw": If you don't shed a tear during this episode, I think it's quite likely you are a robot.
14. "Halloween Surprise": 5 Words. Fart Attack. Ben and Leslie.
15. "Leslie and Ron": Magical things happen when two frenemies are stuck in a room all night together. That sounds sexual. It's not.
