Parks and Recreation : The Greatest Episodes

When Parks and Recreation bowed out after 7 seasons and 125 episodes, it left behind a back catalogue of unashamedly upbeat sitcom gold. The show delivered warm humour laced with kindness and an unwavering can-do attitude. Amy Poehler’s irrepressible Leslie Knope embodied everything the show came to represent; a hard working public servant who loved her friends and who firmly believed they could make a difference for the better.

The show contained a brilliant ensemble cast, from inspirational libertarian Ron Swanson and arch-cynic April Ludgate to loveable goofball Andy Dwyer. Then there were the brilliant recurring characters like the unrelentingly annoying Jean-Ralphio and the self-titled “legendary newswoman”, Joan Callamezzo. One of the show’s strengths was fleshing out Pawnee so it felt like a real-life town filled with memorable residents. As the show went on, these characters all played their part in making Parks and Rec the incredibly rewatchable show it became. Picking out just a few of its finest outings was extremely difficult, but here are the very best of the best Parks and Rec episodes:

Ron and Tammy : Part 2 (S3 E4)

It was hard to decide between this or the original Ron and Tammy episode in the previous season, but for me this second outing Just about has the edge over its predecessor. Nick Offerman’s Ron Swanson is a comic creation for the ages. A strong, unflinching carnivore who hates the very government he has chosen to work for. He’s a whisky drinking, steak eating, straight-talking man with only one weakness, his ex-wife Tammy. Played by Offerman’s real-life partner Megan Mullally, Tammy occasionally turns back up into Ron’s life and proceeds to ruin everything. In this episode, she steamrolls in once more and while they start off seemingly attempting to talk things over and make amends, it inevitably all goes horribly wrong. This time, the two wind up remarried and in jail with Ron sporting cornrows in his hair. Eventually Leslie and the gang hold an intervention complete with pre-recorded message from Ron to himself, to try and lure him back away from Tammy’s clutches before their honeymoon. Mullally and Offerman’s brilliant onscreen chemistry makes this episode hilarious from start to finish.

The Fight (S3 E13)

A raucous episode here that focuses on the gang attending a night at the Snakehole Lounge, a club Tom partially owns with Jean-Ralphio, where a new beverage entitled “Snake Juice” is being promoted. The cast all attend and other than Donna who is on a cleanse, they proceed to get right royally hammered. April and Andy entertain themselves with a role play that sees the former pretending to be an aristocratic widow with a secret, and the latter morphing into his tough talking alter –ego, FBI agent Burt Macklin. Chaos soon reigns and best friends Ann and Leslie have their first fight. The show’s documentary format is utilised perfectly as the inebriated nonsense caused by too much Snake Juice is captured to perfect effect. Plus, the sight of Ron Swanson gleefully dancing in that little jaunty hat, will never get old.

Lil Sebastian (S3 E16)

No other episode quite captures the wonderful collective madness of Pawnee than this one. After local mascot and miniature horse Lil Sebastian tragically dies, the town decides to hold a memorial service in his honour. Tom’s company Entertainment 720 host the event and Andy pens the immortal tribute song “5000 Candles in the Wind”. Each character has moments of solid gold though the main focus of the storyline is on Leslie and Ben trying to keep their relationship secret which becomes an increasingly elaborate scheme in its own right. The episode also marks the first time Leslie is approached about running for city council, a pivotal moment in the show’s history.

Pawnee Rangers (S4 E4)

The two strands of this episode are both comic brilliance their own right. On the one hand we have Leslie and Ron leading their respective scout troops on wildly differing camping trips. Ron’s strict and serious Pawnee Rangers versus Leslie’s empowering and fun-filled Pawnee Goddesses. It soon turns into a competition between the two leaders, as their very different outlooks and strategies for getting on in life are put into direct competition. At the same time, we are also introduced to the genius concept of “treat yo self”, as Tom and Donna pamper themselves silly and buy all those little treats they so richly deserve. This time out, they take Ben along to cheer him up, and eventually he gets into the spirit by buying the ultimate treat for himself.

The Debate (S4 E20)

Leslie has always been the perfect political candidate but what Parks and Rec revelled in was the unavoidable reality that sometimes the seemingly ideal candidate doesn’t get their way. The race for city council came to a head in this episode where Leslie takes on porn star Brandi Maxxxx, gun nut Fester Trim and nice-but-dim rich boy Bobby Davenport (Paul Rudd) in a stirring political debate. The episode revels in satirising political popularity contests as well as the eccentricities of local politics. It also allows Leslie to show her idealistic mentality as she delivers an impassioned closing argument that wins over not only the audience at home, but also her opponents. All of this plus Andy recreating the movie Roadhouse for the assembled masses at his viewing party after it becomes clear he forgot to pay the cable bill.

Leslie and Ben (S5 E14)

Parks and Rec mastered the art of being not only very funny, but also incredibly sweet. There are plenty of examples of beautiful romantic moments on the show, but perhaps the finest example comes when Leslie and Ben tie the knot in season five. The couple were a perfect match and their loving relationship played out perfectly across the seasons. Here they decide to get married at very late notice with the whole gang taking on tasks in order to ensure the ceremony can take place at the evening’s fundraising gala. When Councilman Jamm turns up at the ceremony and drunkenly interrupts, Ron steps up and punches him in the face. When it looks like the wedding won’t happen after all, Leslie is brought back to City Hall in theory for a few drinks. In reality though, after Ron opens up and lets Leslie know how important she is to him, the wedding takes place in the parka and rec office, surrounded by their close friends.