Die-hard Parks and Recreation fans know that the series ended on an upbeat note, with all of the characters moving on to bigger and better things. It even alluded that Leslie became the next President of the United States. But in a recent interview with On Story, creator Michael Schur noted that he planned a different ending for the series.
Schur said, "The original pitch of the show was in the pilot you were going to find out that there was a giant hole in the ground. However long the show lasted, the last episode would be the ribbon cutting for the park." While that would have been a fitting ending, fans loved how showrunners fleshed out the characters. Since Parks and Rec's ending, fans continue to make memes to keep the show's presence alive, and some are so specific that only true fans would know.
The Battle Of The Mockumentaries
Four years after The Office was released, one of the creators launched a similar workplace comedy, Parks and Recreation. Fans of The Office quickly appreciated Parks and Rec. because of how similar the styles of comedy were.
It seemed like there were counterparts between both show's characters, which made the connection all the more interesting. There are countless memes poking fun at the similarities between sitcoms, just like this one created by @TheOff1ce. Die-hard fans of both shows are the only ones who would understand this meme because of how similar they are.
Ben Was The Most Responsible
This meme joked at those on the same Netflix account. Typically, one person pays for the account while other family members make their own profiles under it. Different profiles allow a person to watch the shows they want to watch while being recommended other shows that are similar to the ones they stream.
In the Parks & Rec. universe, if Pawnee had Netflix, Ben Wyatt would be the responsible one who paid for the account. His future wife Leslie would get a profile instantly because they were in a relationship. And funny enough, Andy and April would be the freeloaders who don't pay for the account or offer money, but have Ben's login information to watch the shows of their choice. It's Ben's generosity that made him one of Parks and Rec's more relatable characters, and this meme is one that fans would understand.
No One Could Say Ann's Name Quite Like Chris
There are memes that perfectly sum up Ron as a character, and even Leslie and Donna, but what about Chris Traeger? Chris was one of the most positive, hardworking characters. He was so upbeat and outgoing that he was even too much for Leslie at times.
Die-hard fans of Parks and Rec. read this meme in Chris' voice. He had this way of saying Ann Perkins' name that couldn't be replicated. Now whenever a fan passes by a Perkins Restaurant, they're going to read it in the same kind of register Chris does!
"Go Teams!"
One of the biggest life lessons fans learned from Parks and Rec was how to live fearlessly like Chris Traeger. Chris told Ann that the reason why he lived so positively was because he was diagnosed with a rare blood condition as a baby and he wasn't supposed to survive, but he did. He didn't take any day for granted because of this.
Hilariously, Parks and Rec. fans joked at Chris Traeger's optimism when a photo of the actor who played Chris, Rob Lowe, was seen at an NFL football game rooting for the league — not a particular team, which is something Chris would do as well. The consistency in the actor and the character made for an amazing meme.
Pawnee's Town Meetings Were Some Of The Best Scenes
There were some hilarious things said at the Pawnee public forum and townhall meetings. The parks department tried their best to ease the Pawnee people, but the town's concerns and ideas were always so outlandish.
@MommyMemeJeans created this funny meme, integrating themselves into the life of one very full and upset Pawnee citizen. For fans who felt similarly or simply loved the mayhem that Pawnee's public forums brought shared this meme with glee.
Ron Was Relatable With This Line
Ron Swanson had some of the best quotes throughout Parks and Recreation. He was relatable, blunt, and sassy when he had to do things for work that he didn't want to do. Even though Ron worked in the public service industry, he was not a people person and would rather be alone.
The beauty of this meme was that he never gave a false excuse. Ron was always raw and real with his reasons, which made him respected. His colleagues and fans always knew what they were getting with Ron.
Oh, Andy
Because it's the home of American politics, Washington DC was brought up and shown multiple times in Parks and Rec., especially once Andy, April, Leslie, and Chris moved down there.
Andy wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed but he had good intentions. His wife and best friend, April, always accepted Andy for who he was and went with whatever he said instead of correcting him constantly, like Ann used to do. Because of his lack of understanding of what the White House was in DC, this meme comparing Andy to an unprepared student was spot on.
Tom And Lucy Came Out On Top
One of Tom's best ideas was doing what he could to win his ex-girlfriend Lucy back. Tom had a few love interests on the show but no one understood him quite like Lucy.
His time with Nadia was short-lived, but his relationship with Lucy was promising. She enjoyed his zany ideas and wasn't bothered by him like most of his colleagues were. As this Drake meme joked, fans appreciated his time with Lucy more than his days with Nadia.
Fans Can Hear This Meme
Jean-Ralphio Saperstein was one of Tom's best friends and the most annoying character on Parks and Rec. Jean was business-minded like Tom, but unlike Tom, he couldn't make his business ideas stick and ran most ideas into the ground. He was funny, but he was irresponsible.
Jean-Ralphio also sang most of his responses, like "The Worst," which he later became known for. @JanetForklift added their spin to Jean-Ralphios song responses as if it's a fan replying to a doctor. Wheatear it's a joke or not, this is a scenario that most fans could see Jean-Ralphio actually in.
Ben's Fantasy
Ben and Leslie had some important episodes has colleagues, lovers, and later, husband and wife. They were perfect partners in the way that they supported each other's dreams without slowing down.
The two also had amazing chemistry that could be felt by viewers. This meme showed the effect skates had on Leslie. In one episode, Ben told the cameras that his one turn-on was when a woman wore skates — any kind of skates. He knew it was random but he couldn't deny his feelings.