NBC comedy “Parks and Recreation” premieres its seventh and final season on Jan. 13. For those who still have the show collecting dust in their Netflix queue, here is a recap of all things “Parks and Rec” to prepare for a farewell season sure to be full of laughs, tears and plenty of waffles.
What It’s About
“Parks and Recreation” is a mockumentary-style comedy (à la “The Office”) about the inner workings of city government. Set in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana, the series follows the lovably quirky, waffle-loving Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler, “Saturday Night Live”) as she tries to better her community and government one park at a time.
Joining Leslie is a cast of misfits, each crazier and more endearing than the last: her mustachioed libertarian boss Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman, “22 Jump Street”), the entrepreneurial and flashy Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari, “Bob’s Burgers”), the sarcastic and cynical April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza, “Life After Beth”), the guitar-playing, shoe-shining doofus Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt, “Guardians of the Galaxy”), the accident prone Garry/Jerry/Larry/Terry Gergich (Jim O’Heir, “Twinzies: Couples Therapy”) and the office social media queen Donna Meagle (Retta, “Sex Ed”). Rounding out the cast are Leslie’s best friend and nurse Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones, “Celeste & Jesse Forever”) Leslie’s adorable husband Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”) and upbeat city manager Chris Traeger (Rob Lowe, “Sex Tape”).
The show chronicles Leslie’s triumphs and failures—political, professional and personal—while keeping her big heart and wicked sense of humor.
What to Watch
Over the show’s previous six seasons, there have been plenty of stand-out episodes and moments. 112 episodes might seem like a difficult task to achieve during study breaks, so to save some time, here are a handful of episodes worth watching:
Season 2, Episode 8: “Ron and Tammy” – Ron’s ex-wife (Megan Mullally, “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”) returns to torment him, leading Ron to spiral completely out of control.
Season 3, Episode 2: “Flu Season” – Pawnee is hit with a flu epidemic that puts several characters, including Leslie, out for the count. Lowe is in a hospital gown, Plaza is at her most devilishly delightful and Poehler plays a drugged up Leslie Knope: Comedy. Gold.
Season 4, Episode 4: “Pawnee Rangers” – Leslie and Ron battle it out over the inclusivity of a boy scout troop, while Donna and Tom introduce Ben to the art of “treat yo’self.”
Season 4, Episode 6: “End of the World” – A group of locals think the end of the world is nigh, leading to revelations and ridiculousness for all the characters.
Season 5, Episode 11: “Women in Garbage” – Leslie and April single-handedly take down the government’s sexist policies. #Empowerment.
Why It’s Great
“Parks and Recreation” is never afraid to shake things up. There are surprise weddings, break-ups, political moves and life-changing decisions every season—each bigger than the last. The show has traveled everywhere: the Grand Canyon, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Paris and London to name a few. Despite all the changes the characters face, the show always remains grounded in its unwavering charm. With a cast of unique and colorful characters, it’s hard not to fall in love with the bizarre little world of Pawnee, Indiana. The show is fearlessly funny, joyful and sentimental. As the ever-optimistic Chris Traeger might put it: “Parks and Rec” is literally the greatest show to ever exist in the history of television and moving pictures and the written word and all of humanity.
The final season begins Jan. 13 on NBC. Catch-up on Netflix and Amazon Prime, and don’t miss Aziz Ansari’s comedy show at the Bellco Theatre on Jan. 24.
