Parks and Recreation is one of those shows that's fun to revisit. Whether it be the quirky characters, the fun setting of Pawnee, or the hilarious recurring gags, there's a lot to enjoy. However, with any show that's trying to humorously recreate real life while making fun of it, there are plenty of annoying characters in the mix.
Most of these annoying characters are annoying by design, and the show usually treats them as such. Many times, they are routine obstacles that Leslie and the rest of the Parks Department must overcome. Groan in frustration as we explore the 10 most annoying characters in Parks & Rec.
CRAIG MIDDLEBROOKS
When Eagleton and Pawnee merged, the Parks Department from both towns merged as well. All of the Eagleton members left, though, except for one: Craig Middlebrooks. This guy has a few screws loose, constantly blowing things out of proportion and losing his mind.
Craig often resorts to shouting when things don't go his way, which became one of his most defining traits. That said, Craig proved to be a competent member of the Parks Department and eventually took over Ron's position by the end of the series. He's still not the best person when trying to run a calm and collected event, though.
TAMMY I
Ron Swanson has a joke where he had two ex-wives, both of which were named Tammy. The worst part is that both of them were awful. Tammy I was introduced later in the series, showing up to get Ron audited by the IRS. This turned out to be a scam, as Tammy just wanted more of Ron's money.
Tammy was controlling and manipulative, quickly taking over Ron's life and trying to control where he went and who he spent time with. It wasn't long until the Parks Department was on to her scheme, and she was rightfully booted out of the premises.
TAMMY II
Ron Swanson's second wife, Tammy, is the one we see the most in Parks & Rec. She is a constant thorn in Swanson's side, always trying to get him back no matter the cost. Tammy is also very desperate, going to great lengths to try and grab Ron's attention.
She can be very crafty, but puts up a front until it can no longer work. When she finally snags Ron back to her clutches, the two become an insane frenzy of hatred and passion. She changes Ron in all the wrong ways. The worst part, though, is that she works for the library.
TOM HAVERFORD
We all love Tom Haverford, but there's no doubt that he can be extremely annoying. Obsessed with the modern trends, Tom is one of the laziest employees at the Pawnee Parks Department. He has weird ideas about what he's going to achieve and how the world works, but it's not until later in the show that we see him start to have goals and ambition.
Tom is also known to poke fun at his co-workers, often throwing Jerry under the bus to keep his own shoes clean. Tom does grow into a more reasonable character by the show's end, but his modern swagger can get grating.
JEAN-RALPHIO
One of the recurring friends of Tom Haverford is Jean-Ralphio. If being a close friend of Tom's is any indication of a personality, it's not necessarily good. Jean-Ralphio is a little loose in the head. He has all sorts of crazy ideas and isn't afraid to bend the rules to get what he wants.
Because he's so "flush with cash," Jean-Ralphio often gets himself into all sorts of trouble that lead to everyone around him taking the fall. As a result, most of the Parks Department tries to distance themselves from him. He's a bit of a toxic person, though that's the point of his character.
MONA LISA
Mona Lisa is the sister of Jean-Ralphio. If you thought that he was a bit odd, then you haven't seen anything yet. Mona Lisa is absolutely bonkers. Years of being catered to by her father certainly harmed her. Mona Lisa goes out and does whatever she wants regardless of the consequences. She's a bit on the wild side, leading to a lot of people taking the fall.
Even Tom knows not to get too close (from personal experience). What makes things all the worse is that she constantly gets help from her father, who still thinks the best of her.
ORIN
April Ludgate has a lot of odd friends, but the one that makes the least sense is Orin. This perfect stereotype of a goth teen has zero social skills, never has a smile on his face, and functionally doesn't exist. He represents a hyperbolic version of goth teens, which leads to some great jokes.
That said, he's only there to confuse the other characters. Even the optimistic Leslie Knope can't stand him and constantly tells him to aim for a higher standard in his life. He appears less as the show goes on, probably because the writers knew that he'd get too annoying.
BILL DEXHART
In the government, there are a lot of scandals. Because Parks & Rec deals with a lot of the government, it only makes sense that the show would poke fun at that trope in some way. This is essentially the character of Bill Dexhart.
A councilman for Pawnee, Dexhart is constantly caught in ridiculous affairs that would be more than enough to get one impeached in the real world. It's this ravenous desire in Dexhart that makes him such an annoying character. Apart from that, he doesn't have any distinguishable personality traits. He's just a creepy guy in a position of power.
JEREMY JAMM
Pawnee has a track record of having sketchy councilmen, and that includes Jeremy Jamm. This Pawnee dentist is constantly at war with Leslie Knope and the rest of the Parks Department, leading to him doing some crazy things. He even crashed Leslie's wedding, leading to a physical altercation with Ron Swanson.
He is loud, boisterous, and cares for no one but himself. At the very least, the show does punish him for all his crazy antics by pairing him up with one of Ron's ex-wives at some point. Even then, every time he shows up, fans know that something annoying is just around the corner.
JOAN CALLAMEZZO
Pawnee eats out of the hands of the press, and that press is controlled by Joan Callamezzo. This TV reporter covers all kinds of Pawnee news, though she loves to spin it in her own way. Whenever there is something controversial, she always goes against the Parks Department, forcing them to fight back on all fronts.
She is in love with Tom, though, just because he knows how to speak "media." Joan is constantly throwing people under the bus in her show, and even passed out live on the air, forcing other people to take over while she recovered from a long night.