One of the things Parks and Recreation excelled at was building both long- and short-term storylines that connected with fans. Even when scenes were hilarious, there was also a lot of love and emotion suffused throughout the show, making these episodes the perfect balance of heart and humor.
For seven seasons, viewers saw Leslie Knope's character take charge and grow as a figure in the community season by season. But it wasn't just storylines involving Leslie that fans adored - it was the entire Parks and Recreation office. Everyone from Ron to Tom had a story to tell that kept fans engaged. In lieu of watching new episodes of Parks and Recreation, fans have gone to Reddit to share their favorite moments and storylines throughout the series.
Ron's Hatred For His Birthday
Ron Swanson's office is a treasure trove of the inner workings of his life. There's nothing swanky about it, but he's comfortable and at home there. In fact, it was while he was in his office that he found out Leslie found out one of his biggest secrets: his birthday.
This led Ron to believe that Leslie was throwing an elaborate party in his honor, which he detested and didn't want. He spent the whole day in horror, waiting for Leslie to ruin it with something outlandish. Luckily for him, Leslie put together the best birthday Ron could have imagined: a night in an office, alone, eating steak and watching TV. "That whole scene is just brilliant," a fan wrote on Reddit.
When Pawnee Came Under The Flu
The storyline in "Flu Season" was that the flu came to Pawnee and hit the town hard. Everyone was sick and trying to shake it off. Leslie, April, and Chris even found themselves hospitalized because of it. One fan said on Reddit that this was not only "one of the top episodes of Parks and Rec, but of modern television."
The storyline of everyone getting sick going through their own battles while trying to combat it is severely underrated and not talked about enough. From Chris being upset with his failed immunity to Leslie giving a speech while hopped up on hospital drugs, the entire storyline was comical.
Tom Tried Pumping Everyone Up For The Creation Of Snake Juice
"The Fight" had all the makings of a wonderful storyline: a goal, a new concoction, arguments, and friendships. Also in this episode, Tom created his own beverage sold at The Snakehole Lounge called Snakejuice, but he needed his business associates to help him turn it into a success.
As annoying as Tom can be at times, his Parks and Rec family helped him drink Snakejuice and have a good time. The drunker everyone got, the funnier the night became. Ann and Leslie had their first fight, April and Andy tried role-playing, and Ron and Jerry got unintentionally drunk. It was also one of the first times fans realized Ben had a crush on Leslie. Redditors said that the the best part of the storyline came at the end when everyone showed up "hungover" at work the next day.
When Jerry Lied About Being Mugged
Jerry has some of the saddest moments in the series because he never stands up for himself and allows his coworkers to torment him. However, he does have small glimmers of strength, like in "Park Safety." The storyline follows Jerry as he helps out the park in the morning before heading into the office. But when he arrives, Jerry has a sling on his arm and claimed he was mugged.
The entire office tried to be nice to him considering the circumstances, but they found it hard to do because Jerry can be such an easy target. One Redditor's favorite parts were when jerry "split his pants and farted," making the entire office suffer in silence as they tried not laughing.
All Of Leslie's Hard Work Paid Off At The Harvest Festival
Leslie's hard work over the years paid off in season 3's "Harvest Festival." It was one of the Parks and Rec's department's last hopes to gain money and notoriety for the department, and it worked. It also showcased some of the sweetest friendship storylines in all of Parks and Recreation because everyone came together to put Leslie's vision to life. Reddit loved that "Leslie's work paid off."
Throughout the storyline, Leslie pumps the city up by hiring Lil Sebastian and selling the festival to naysayers. Donna and Ann helped out by attending the first aid tent, and Ben tried hard to impress Leslie. One of the best parts of the storyline was when April proclaimed her love to Andy and his response was anything but romantic.
Leslie & Ben's Unspoken Romance
Ben and Leslie's romance made them one of the best couples on TV. They were colleagues who turned into friends who turned into friends who crushed on each other who turned into lovers and back again. Fans never knew what would come of Ben and Leslie until he eventually quit his job with the local government to date Leslie officially. One fan on Reddit noted the beauty of their storyline was because it ignores the "exaggerated" moments that don't always feel real. Instead, their love story was largely authentic, which appealed to viewers.
When Pawnee Thought It Was The End
In "End of The World," a small religious group in Pawnee believed it to be the end of the world. So in good fashion, Leslie decided to throw a small "end of the world party" in one of the parks. Everyone has their own desires for the "last day" on earth, which spirals into the episode.
Jean Ralphio and Tom decide to throw a party to end all parties, April and Andy wanted to go on an epic road trip to the Grand Canyon, and Leslie thought a lot about a life without Ben in it. The storyline showed a softer side to all the characters and showed their true priorities. A fan on Reddit said that the "episode had some of the greatest moments" in the series.
Leslie And Ben Help Out Model UN Students
In "The Treaty," Leslie and Ben decided to put their relationship on the backburner and remain friends. Because of their new friendship, they felt it was safe enough to attend a local high school's Model UN meeting to have some basic fun between politics and government. However, Leslie goes too far in the meeting and makes her fictional crisis personal.
it was also a sad episode for Ben who realized being Leslie's friend was too hard because of his feelings for her.
The Budding Romance Between April And Andy
If fans weren't on Leslie and Ben's team, then they were for sure on Andy and April's. Simply put, April and Andy were the epitome of relationship goals. As different as the two are, they slowly became best friends who totally understood each other.
Considering Andy was once with Ann, it's hard to imagine him with anyone other than April, because they made the perfect couple. Over the seasons, the storyline of "will they date or not?" became more prevalent. Fan agreed that their relationship began to change for the better in "Hunting Trip" and only progressed from there.
It Wasn't Just Leslie Bowling For Votes
In "Bowling for Votes," Leslie tries to win over negative voters by bowling with them and showing off her fun side. The Parks and Recreation department comes to the bowling event for , which led to a small storyline inside a larger storyline: Ron teaching Tom how to bowl.
Tom itted he bowled by throwing the ball between his legs. Ron was horrified at the thought and didn't want to be seen with him, especially after Tom kept complaining about his "fingies." However, after seeing how well Tom was doing, Ron was then seen at the end of the episode bowling like him to see how he'd do.