Parks and Recreation stands as one of the best television sitcoms of all time. For seven seasons, we got to laugh along with all the unusual members of Pawnee's government. It was an endlessly funny show that remains one of the most rewatchable shows around. Clearly, what made it such a success was its incredibly funny characters.
The show did a wonderful job of creating fun and interesting characters who played off each other extremely well. Each one of them had their own personality and quirks that made them memorable. While they were all funny in their own way, some clearly stood out as providing the biggest laughs on the show. Here's a ranking of the funniest characters on Parks and Recreation.
Anne Perkins
Anne Perkins was probably the most level-headed and rational person on the show, which also made her one of the least funny. Anne was used as more of a straight person to Leslie Knope. They had such a sweet friendship, but there was no way Anne was going to match the insanity of Leslie.
Unfortunately, the show never seemed sure of what to do with Anne. They bounced her around in different positions, tried her out in various relationships, and altered her personality far too often. While she provided the occasional laughs, the underwritten character wasn't really given much chance to be funny.
Jerry Gerhich
Jerry is responsible for some of the biggest laughs on the show, but most of those are at his expense. Despite being one of the nicest and most caring people in Pawnee, Jerry is such an easy target for insults. Even nice characters like Leslie can't help but make him the butt of every joke.
To be fair, Jerry does a lot to make him a laughing stock. He isn't the brightest person around, he's terribly clumsy and he is prone to flatulence. All this makes his a pretty funny character, whether he means to be or not.
Donna Meagle
Donna is one of the biggest personalities on the show, if not one of the most prominent characters. Though she isn't always front and center, Donna is an integral part of the Parks Department even if she might not seem too passionate about the job. But it is her after-work activities that are worthy of laughs.
Donna is a continuously surprising player who seems way too cool for Pawnee. She constantly has attractive men bending over backwards for her, and seems to have an unexplained supply of money which allows her to live lavishly. Needless to say, she feels superior to everyone around her, which makes her even funnier.
Chris Traeger
Chris Tareger was originally only supposed to be involved in the show for a few short episodes after he was introduced. However, the character proved to be such a fun addition, it was decided he should stick around. We're thankful for that decision, because he is responsible for some of the show's funniest moments.
What makes Chris so funny is how exhausting he is. He is constantly working out or strictly abiding a healthy lifestyle regimen. He is also ridiculously optimistic, which is surprisingly hilarious. His existential crisis period wasn't very entertaining, but he did still manage some good laughs even then.
April Ludgate
April Ludgate could have been the type of character who gets old very quickly, but the show managed to keep her entertaining throughout the series. Starting out as the student intern, April is obviously not passionate about the Parks Department, or anything else for that matter.
April has a strange fascination with death and pretty much anything dark. Even after her relationship with Andy kicks off, she still avoids developing a cheerier disposition. This contrast with the other more upbeat people around her makes April a pretty fun addition to the group.
Ben Wyatt
Ben Wyatt was introduced as an antagonist of sorts for Leslie Knope. He was a city auditor looking to clean up the Pawnee government, which put him at odds with Leslie. But soon Ben became a welcome member of the group, as well as Leslie’s future husband.
Ben is a very likable character, but most of his humor comes from the fact that he is a massive dork. His odd interests like Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings and calzones often get him ridiculed. He is also very awkward and, not being from Pawnee, is often the one to point out the town’s oddities.
Tom Haverford
Tom Haverford seems like the last person who would want to live in Pawnee. The small-town vibe simply does not suit his big city personality, but that doesn't stop him on his quest to be the biggest baller he can possibly be. What makes Tom so funny is that his opinion of himself differs quite drastically from how others see him.
In this own mind, Tom is a trendsetter, ladies' man and the coolest guy in every room. In reality, he is a giant wimp who makes terrible business decisions and spends way too much money online shopping. All this makes for a pretty hilarious character.
Andy Dwyer
It's easy to forget that Chris Pratt, the muscular and ultra cool movie star, got his breakthrough role as a chubby slob named Andy Dwyer. While the world knows him as Star-Lord now, for Parks and Rec fans, Pratt will always be the hilariously dim-witted Andy.
Andy was introduced in the show by falling into a massive pit, so you knew he wasn't going to be the most graceful of people. He is a man-child who uses his own imagination to amuse himself. He is clumsy, destructive and clueless in almost any situation. Given how often he made us laugh, it's no wonder Pratt became such a success.
Leslie Knope
Leslie Knope is the heart and soul of Parks and Recreation, and she is also one of the funniest people on the show. With Amy Poehler in the role, you knew Leslie was going to be fun. While some characters get laughs from how lazy or dumb they are, much of Leslie's funniest moments comes from her extreme professionalism.
Leslie is incredibly passionate about her work, putting in more effort than seems humanly possible. In fact, when she commits to anything, she gives 200% at the very least. She also has a lot of fun quirks like her unreasonable love of sugar, which make her even funnier.
Ron Swanson
Ron Swanson is one of the best television characters ever created. The concept of a government employee who hates everything that the government stands for is a brilliant idea for this series, and that's where the hilarity of this character stems from.
Ron's emotionless delivery is pitch-perfect and it makes it all the more funny when something makes him break that rough exterior. Like Leslie, his diet is borderline dangerous, but completely hilarious, consisting solely of meat and scotch. He is an exaggerated personification of manliness, and his disgust for what he perceives as unmanly is always funny. He truly is one of the funniest characters ever to grace the television screen.