Parks and Recreation premiered 15 years ago this week. While those first six episodes never quite achieved liftoff, the show improved drastically in Season 2, hitting its stride in an abbreviated third season. The show embraced serialization with Leslie’s challenging campaign for city council against a wealthy idiot. (The eventual similarities to the 2016 presidential election weren’t lost on anyone.)
The most big-hearted of Michael Schur’s programs, its greatest strength was its complex characters. Big dummy Andy (Chris Pratt) proved to be a hard worker when challenged. April (Aubrey Plaza) eventually broke down her rigid walls for those closest to her. While the iconic Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) got co-opted by the very libertarians he was mocking, he eventually embraced a generous spirit. And of course there’s the perpetually hapless Jerry/Larry/Gary/Terry (Jim O’Heir), who may be the most well-adjusted person in the entire department.
Below are my 10 favorite episodes. All of them made me laugh, but some of them made me tear up, too.
10. “Moving Up” (Season 6, Episode 21)
The three-year time jump at the end of the episode was a big surprise, but this episode stands out as one of the best because it’s arguably the one that most shows how much these people actually care for each other: pushing them to be their best, encouraging them after setbacks and achieving greatness together.
9. “Are You Better Off?” (Season 5, Episode 22)
One of the brilliant contradictions of Parks and Rec is how much faith it has in other people – a Michael Schur staple – as long as they’re not members of the public. After barely beating Bobby Newport a year before, Leslie’s constituents start a recall campaign. They’re fed up with her modest improvements to their lives, mostly in the form of providing better park access at the expense of another Paunch Burger location. Threaded throughout this hilarious half-hour is Andy’s best Bert Macklin outing, as he investigates which woman left a positive pregnancy test at the cabin. His excitement often gets ahead of his intelligence – typical Andy – but the cliffhanger gave us one of the best GIFs ever.
8. “Win, Lose or Draw” (Season 4, Episode 22)
Spoilers if you started this list and hadn’t finished the show (appreciate your readership, but why?): In this superb finale, Leslie loses to Bobby Newport. It’s a gut punch. But an automatic recount yields the same vote disparity, but with Leslie victorious. While Leslie started out a bit annoying – and even her closest friends could find her to be that way, even as the character was toned down a bit – she was always her friends’ biggest cheerleader. You couldn’t help but root for her.
7. “Lil Sebastian” (Season 3, Episode 16)
Unlike Ron, I am not an outdoorsman. I don’t melt when I see a cute animal (outside of cats and dogs). But like Baby Yoda, the appeal of Lil Sebastian is undeniable. So it’s no surprise when all of Pawnee turns out for a tribute to the late miniature horse. As usual, Andy’s tribute song is sublimely awful yet sincere. But while there were never two more dedicated civil servants than Leslie and Ben, their secret relationship nearly derails the big event, with literally explosive results.
6. “Flu Season” (Season 3, Episode 2)
“Stop. Pooping.” With two words from a very sweaty Rob Lowe, this episode became an all-timer. But the secret weapon of this episode is the character-based humor. When Chris and Leslie act deliriously from the flu, they actual impress Ann and Ben, respectively. It’s a good reminder not to put people on a pedestal, and not be afraid to be vulnerable.
5. “Ron and Tammy” (Season 2, Episode 8)
Easily the hardest decision I had to make for this list. While she only had nine appearances (out of 126 episodes), Megan Mullally – Nick Offerman’s real-life wife – is easily the best guest star the show had over the course of its run. Her hilarious reign of terror as Ron’s second ex-wife named Tammy always provided a jolt of chaos in a mostly polite show. While there may be more memorable moments in Season 3’s follow-up “Ron and Tammy 2,” this is the best episode she appeared in on the whole. (Insert your own double entendre here. Tammy would.)
After reuniting the ex-spouses, Leslie finds herself aghast when their reconciliation leads to Ron dressing like Tiger Woods and discussing his sexual activity in graphic detail. Ron is not Ron when he’s with Tammy. He’s a mindless yes man under her spell; unfortunately, not for the last time. I must admit Ron ever acting out of character gets an immediate laugh from me, weather he becomes the office jokester, a giddy schoolboy or a worshiper of Lil Sebastian.
4. “The Fight” (Season 3, Episode 13)
I could talk about how this episode is one of the most deeply affecting portrayals of friction within friendships. Or I could just roll this clip of everyone drunk off Snake Juice.
3. “Leslie and Ron” (Season 7, Episode 4)
This episode alone made the time jump a worthwhile endeavor. Moving into 2017 let the show avoid the cliché birth episode, and barely featured the triplets at all. But this brilliantly written episode was the reason you do something so bold. All the remaining (now National) Parks staffers lock Leslie and Ron in the old office, forcing them to confront their feelings head-on. Unsurprisingly, that’s easy for Leslie and tough for Ron. But the fight and reconciliation made both characters – who sometimes feel larger-than-life – deeply human. It’s some of Poehler’s and Offerman’s best acting. And also features a drunken, fart-filled singalong of “We Didn’t Start the Fire.” The magic of this show is that it can do both.
2. “End of the World” (Season 4, Episode 6)
Hard not to get emotional over this episode. When the local cult announces it’s yet again time for Doomsday, everyone gets in their feelings, even if they know it’s not real. April and Andy road trip it to the Grand Canyon. Tom and Jean-Ralphio throw the party to end all parties. But the real anchor is Leslie and Ben’s story. They try to avoid each other at the park, having broken up to avoid further complications and ethics violations. But they just can’t help themselves. Leslie tries to break up Ben and Shauna before they even have their first date. When she comes to apologize the next day, seeing Ben open the door, revealing the empty house, it’s one of the show’s most romantic, joyful moments.
1. “The Comeback Kid” (Season 4, Episode 11)
It had to be this one. It’s responsible for the show’s single funniest scene and its single funniest blooper. Having agreed to help Leslie out after her campaign staff quits, her co-workers mean well but fail at her big relaunch event, culminating in a local hero getting seriously injured. You’ll never hear Gloria Estefan’s “Get on Your Feet” the same way again.