‘Pawnee forever’: ‘Parks and Recreation’ ended 10 years ago, but there’s a big reason why Amy Poehler needs to revive it
Parks and Recreation taught us all to have compassion and care for those who maybe don’t care for us. Since the show ended back in 2015, it feels like we, as a society, need Leslie Knope now more than ever before.
It is no secret that Parks and Rec is my favorite show. I talk about often, I have a tattoo for it, and I named my cat Benjamin Wyatt the cat. So me saying that I miss the show isn’t surprising. But in the 10 years since Parks and Recreation wrapped with a perfect finale, it felt as if the world has gotten darker and darker.
Leslie Knope was a beacon of hope. She always looked for the best in others and when things felt dire in Pawnee, Indiana, she still tried to do what is right for the rest of the town. They didn’t always root for her but she always was on their side. That kind of hope and positivity is something I have been missing in my life throughout the last 10 years.
During the 2016 election, we got a letter from Leslie Knope bringing us hope. During COVID, we had the Parks and Recreation lockdown episode. Those were moments when we all were lost and didn’t know what to do and we had Leslie there giving us the hope that we all need to keep going. Thinking back, part of what makes the last few years difficult was a lack of Leslie-isms in my life every week.
The cast has moved on to bigger things with Aubrey Plaza and Chris Pratt making their Marvel debuts, Amy Poehler leading a heartwarming Pixar franchise, and Adam Scott starring on Severance. But that doesn’t mean I don’t miss my Pawnee heroes daily.
Mike Schur’s ability to bring us hope is missing from our lives
While my favorite of the Mike Schur comedy shows is Parks and Rec, I think part of what I am missing is that Mike Schur hope. He has shows like The Man on the Inside out but the show is just one Netflix series. We used to be thriving with multiple Mike Schur shows all on the air at the same time. If the chaos of The Office wasn’t giving us our laughs, then Parks and Rec or Brooklyn Nine-Nine or The Good Place all were.
Now, I have a Mike Schur shaped hole in my heart and it makes me sad. Characters like Leslie Knope inspire and remind us that we can take those qualities about ourselves that people deem “annoying” or bad and turn them into something good. So much of who she is is tied to how much she loves others.
So maybe I don’t need to revisit a perfectly wrapped up show again. Maybe I just need Mike Schur to be given free reign on NBC Thursday nights again and I will feel the happiness that Leslie Knope and her team at the Pawnee Parks and Recreation department gave me. Or maybe I just really need more Leslie in my life.
Does this mean we should revive the show?
As is the case with great shows, fans often ask if we should bring the series back. Part of me wants to say no because the finale was a perfect glimpse into the future of these characters. I don’t need to see the day to day that leads to Leslie Knope being President of the United States. But on the other hand, I think the world needs reminded of Leslie’s message.
I want to feel hopeful. I want to look at the world and not see the doom and gloom. Leslie Knope taught me the power in compassion and being there for others. She helped a 17 year old me see the strength in caring. So I want to be that hope and that light for others in these uncertain times but I can only do so much. Would bringing a show like Parks and Recreation help bring that hope to others?
So I guess the short answer is that I don’t know. Either way, I think we can take the lessons of Leslie Knope and remember what really matters in this world. And if there is anything we should do today to honor Leslie Knope, it is eat waffles with way too much whipped cream on them. And celebrate our friends, that’s a big one.
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