For those who didn't have the opportunity to watch the finale, drop everything you're doing and turn it on this instant.
To be honest, I was initially upset how NBC rushed the show off the air in their final season, cramming 13 episodes in seven weeks but after further examination, I've come to accept it and enjoy what unfolded. I could go on for days recalling Parks' sheer greatness of the past 7 years but I figured I'd focus on the finale. Similar to the show's beginning, the finale came and went in one full swoop, gracefully departing with a legacy that places Parks & Rec in the upper echelon of network comedies.
If there was one word to describe the final episode, it's "perfection". I don't throw this word around often but it is completely fitting for this occasion. Many times, fans of television shows place the bar so high for their respective finales, it is doomed to become a letdown. For Parks, there weren't any mysteries solved or surprise endings, just closure. The entire season simply played out like a giant finale in itself. Each episode, the writers built the foundation for each character's life after Pawnee while still producing enticing storylines. Tuesday, it all culminated with the viewer witnessing each character's exciting future one at a time.
There certainly were your usual laughs but there were also several touching moments that you couldn't help getting emotional over. Whether it was the stoic Ron Swanson finding serenity is his new federal government position or Andy & April having their first child, it was the end of each character's meandering journey to reach the zenith of their forthcoming success and happiness.
After we witness each member of the Parks Department's future, Leslie and Ben return to Pawnee in 2025 and are shocked to find the entire gang back together. Leslie, who wanted nothing more than to see all her lifelong friends at the same time once more, is surprised by her best friend Ann Perkins and husband Chris Traeger who had been off the show for a majority of the season. The group wastes no time catching up with one another, including one final "Treat Yo Self" moment, an infamous Rob Lowe "litrally" exclamation and Andy hilariously messing up Chris (Chip) Traeger's name.
It is here where Leslie formally announces her intention of running for Governor of Indiana (and eventually winning) after Ben decides to allow his wife to pursue her lifetime goal rather than run himself. And did you pick up on the show hinting that Leslie was possibly elected President when they were told by secret service it was time to leave
In the closing scene, the gang solves their final project as a department, taking a picture to commemorate what they believe (mostly, Leslie) could be their last time all together (thankfully, it wasn't). Ben asks if she's ready to go and leave Pawnee for the unforeseen future and she uncharacteristically agrees. Leslie, a character who always tried to preserve her ideal life in Pawnee with her best friends by resisting any type of drastic change, received all the closure necessary to finally let go and as fans, so did we.
Thank you Parks & Rec, you will be missed.
