Yes, we’re still in tears over the last episode of one of our favourite comedies, NBC’s Parks and Recreation. I’ve been desperately trying to ignore the fact that I will never be seeing my favourite crew in action again – so instead, I’ve been rewatching every episode to repress this post-Parks depression. In the spirit and respect for one of my favourite television shows, I’ve compiled a list of the best episodes of Parks and Recreation to date.
By a long margin, one of the hardest and most troubling things in existence is trying to reduce my favourite twenty episodes down to five. Even now as I stare at my final product, I’m unsure; I’m unsure as to whether I’ve given a good enough outline of the brilliance of this television show; whether I’ve favoured one season over another; whether I’ve focussed too much on one character; whether people even have the same humour as me (I might be laughing at the entirely wrong parts, who knows?). I suppose that’s what’s so great about Parks and Recreation – each episode can resonate with people for entirely different reasons, but we all have one thing in common – we’re completely mad about it. So without further adieu, I present my top 5 best episodes of Parks and Recreation (and please, don’t shoot me!).
Ann and Chris (Season 6, Episode 13)
It’s insanely hard to keep a television show fresh and current after six seasons, but Ann and Chris excels in both divisions, whilst still illustrating that despite being a hilarious comedy, ‘Parks’ still had the ability to tug at our heart strings and make tears well up in our eyes. In this episode, Rashida Jones’ Ann Perkins and Rob Lowe’s Chris Traeger receive the sendoffs that they deserve. The episode reminds us of how far they have come during the time they spent together, and can’t help but make you claw at your television, crying to make it stop. I have enjoyed parts of our time together, Ann.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_Z8rrbSY30
The Comeback Kid (Season 4, Episode 11)
Sometimes, you can gain the position as one of the best episodes by having one of the best scenes of all time. The Comeback Kid overall was an good episode. But what made it a great episode was its execution of one of the funniest sequences in this season, if not the entire series. The show is insanely smart, but also isn’t terrified of getting downright ridiculous (Exhibit A: The Ice Rink). When I think of the show’s history, I can’t not think of the image of Leslie Knope and her campaign team, walking slowly across an ice-skating rink to Gloria Estefan’s “Get on Your Feet”, bearing a peeing three legged dog in their hands. I’m convinced that only Parks and Rec could pull of such a stunt.
Hunting Trip (Season 2, Episode 10)
The first season of ‘Parks’ – like most good comedy’s we know nowadays – was still finding it’s feet. The writers were struggling how to make the character of Leslie Knope work, whilst simultaneously trying to separate themselves from other comedies, such as The Office (US). With the arrival of season two, these hesitations were completely abolished, instead paving the way for a series that really and truly took advantage of one of it’s greatest strengths: its killer ensemble. The series began to pivot around the heart of the show in the relationship between Amy Poehler’s Leslie Knope and Nick Offerman’s Ron Swanson, thrusting Leslie and the other females of the show wanting to join Ron in his overtly masculine hobbies. Cue: the hunting trip. This episode really highlights the interesting and complex dynamics between Leslie and Ron, as Ron’s anger towards Leslie after allegedly shooting him turns to grudging respect as he realises that she’s been covering for someone else the entire time. It really gets your heart feeling things in that typical ‘Perks’ fashion. The highlight of this episode was definitely that killer Poehler improvisation as she throws off the suspicions of a slightly chauvinistic park ranger by playing into the condescending stereotypes of women. “I’m good at tolerating pain, I’m bad at math, and I’m stupid!”
Flu Season (Season 3, Episode 2)
If there’s one thing I love more than Amy Poehler, it’s Amy Poehler having flu hallucinations. In this episode, a devastating flu bug lands Leslie in the hospital right before a huge presentation about the Harvest Festival. She can’t let Ben give the presentation in her place, so she flees the hospital. Even though the cab meter turned into Egyptian hieroglyphs and the exchange rate is a little difficult to comprehend, she steps up and delivers like a pro. This episode is pound for pound the series’ funniest episode, leaving you in absolute stitches the entire time.
Video Below!:
I’m Leslie Monster and this is Nightline
The Fight (Season 3, Episode 13)
Some episodes of Parks and Recreation are emotionally resonant and make you tear up a little. The Fight however, is not one of them. In this episode, the only thing that resonates with us is how well we relate to these characters in their journey to getting absolutely shit-faced. This episode explores the consequences of drinking ‘Snake Juice’, or quite simply put, rat poison. During their escapades, the cast goes completely over the top, accentuating all their peculiar traits and converging as a series of ridiculous babbling heads that makes for one of the show’s best crafted, silliest moment.
Good night sweet princes and princesses, we shall miss you.
———-
