Goodbye, Parks and Rec
Leslie stares out of her old office window for the last time. Photo courtesy NBC.
March 11, 2015
With the finale of Parks and Recreation, one of the most sincere, funny, and beloved shows on TV is gone. Despite its struggle to pick up viewers and an ending that came too soon, Parks stayed true to itself and to its diverse cast of characters.
In a particularly emotional finale, every character, even peripheral ones, gets a conclusion that is perfect for them.
Donna moves to Seattle with her husband Joe, where her real estate business takes off. As an homage to the annual Treat Yo’Self celebration she shared with Tom in Pawnee, she starts a nonprofit for her husband’s school called Teach Yo’Self (I started crying around this point).
Gerry, now called Gary, enjoys his time as interim mayor so much that he runs for reelection. He remains mayor for the rest of his life and dies peacefully in his sleep at the age of 100. His wife Gail, who is apparently an immortal goddess, looks exactly the same at the funeral. Gary ends up one of the most beloved Pawneeans, even if his name is spelled wrong on his tombstone.
Jean Ralphio dies in 2022, except that he actually faked his death in order to start a casino in Tajikistan with his sister Mona Lisa, which is still a better idea than Entertainment 720. Also, he apparently loved Leslie this entire time, to which she replies “I know.”
Andy and April move to Washington, D.C. so April can work at a nonprofit. After a conversation with Leslie, April and Andy decide to have a baby. April delivers the baby on Halloween in ghoul makeup, which is possibly the most April thing that ever happened (except for the fact that she applied to the Parks and Recreation intern program with a signed picture of Alf).
Tom opens up a chain of Tom’s Bistros, which fail after the world runs out of beef, which seems like something that could happen. After yet another business of his folding, Tom writes a book about becoming successful that propels him to minor celebrity.
Ron leaves Very Good Building and, in one of the tiniest and best details of the episode, asks Leslie for help (he never would have done that in season one). Leslie makes him the overseer the newly-created national park in Pawnee, which really is the perfect job for Ron Swanson. This is peak emotional closure, people.
Ben and Leslie split their time between Pawnee and Washington after Ben is elected to Congress. After a few years in the capitol and meeting her hero Joe Biden, Leslie is convinced to run for Senate by the DNC, which is a problem due to the fact that Ben has the same idea. The couple decides to do a coin toss to see who will run, but Ben, in front of the reunited group years after they split up, gives it to Leslie. Leslie goes on to success and even gets a university library named after her. In one scene – the one set furthest in the future – an aging Leslie and Ben attend the funeral of Gary. After the service, they are approached by a man that looks like suspiciously like a Secret Service member. The scene was intentionally left open by series creator Mike Schur, but I can say with certainty that Leslie Knope became president. There could be no better end to the story of Leslie and Ben.
Parks never really got to the point where it became legendary – fellow NBC comedies The Office and 30 Rock overshadowed the smaller, more heartfelt show – but it always stayed true to itself. Over each season, everyday issues like work and family were covered. Extras became full-fledged, loveable characters (who doesn’t love Donna and Gary?). Other comedies rushed to cover huge issues over their spans – even The Office lost its sense of direction when Steve Carell left – but Parks occupied its own space, chronicling the daily lives of its characters. Somehow, thankfully, it stayed real and original and emotional. No show can truly fill the gap its span created. Amy Poehler’s Leslie Knope and Nick Offerman’s Ron Swanson will remain two of the best characters to ever grace TV. You will be missed, Parks. You’re 5,000 candles in the wind.
