*Spoiler Alert*
NBC is well-known for producing hit shows on television, especially in the comedy genre. Shows like 30 Rock and The Office are widely loved for their real-life humor and relatable characters, quickly making them some of NBC’s most popular television shows. As with any show with such a loyal following, it becomes difficult to say goodbye. Parks and Recreation was no exception to this. On February 24th, 2015, the Golden Globe winning series, ended after seven seasons on the air in a very bittersweet finale.
The “mockumentary-esque” style of Parks and Recreation allowed the viewers to feel involved with the story and characters. This made it very easy to identify with each of the characters on the show.
The plot of the series centered around Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler, who was a local government worker for Pawnee, Indiana. Her obsession with making the city of Pawnee a better place drove her to go to great lengths to accomplish even the most trivial projects.
The finale episode perfectly summed up the entire series. The episode used flashforwards to tie up all of the characters’ loose ends, and provided closure by giving the viewers a glimpse into the future of each of the characters’ achievements.
However, there was one moment that left fans wondering. The scene where Leslie Knope and Ben Wyatt were at a funeral accompanied by what seemed to be secret service made everyone question whether or not one of them had become president of the United States.
Writer Mike Schur told Tvline, “What I wanted to do is create a situation where fans of Leslie, or fans of Ben, or fans of both can make up their own minds about what they think happens between the moment she’s speaking on stage and receiving her honorary doctorate after being governor for eight years, and that moment [the funeral], which is 12 years later. Ben is also a congressman, and a lot can happen to either of those characters. I wanted there to be something that gave people the opportunity to fill in their own blanks a little bit with either or both of those characters.”
There were quite a few high points in this episode, including Andy Dwyer and April Ludgate unexpectedly having children, but the fan favorite was the return of Chris Traeger and Ann Perkins, played by Rob Lowe and Rashida Jones. The departure of these two characters back in season six caused heartbreak throughout the show’s following, so their comeback was very well-received.
According to Tvline.com, the series finale of Parks and Recreation was watched by 4.2 million viewers, making it the highest viewed episode since 2012. On eonline.com, the finale was rated number two with a fan rating of 94.6% on the “Best and Worst TV Finales of all Time” list behind Parenthood.
Parks and Recreation was undoubtedly one of the most popular television shows during its time on air. It made people think that working for the local government would be exciting if you had people like Leslie Knope or April Ludgate working with you. The show poked fun at political issues, and even had political figures on as guests. It beautifully balanced the humorous and heartwarming scenes in the episodes. Parks and Recreation had a great run, and while fans are sad to see it end, they have one thing to say:
We loved you and we liked you.