“I’m ready."- Leslie
On the last day for everyone in Pawnee, Leslie gives a comprehensive history of all their time there, celebrating every moment they spent together, only to be interrupted by an ungrateful Pawneean who wants the gang to complete a menial task (and menial task after menial task is what local government is all about) even though none of them still technically work in local government. He doesn't say thank you in the end, but as Leslie said, "That's about right."
The writers of the show knew that this would be the last ever episode. They chose to end it this way. After writing season finale after season finale that could also serve as a series finale, this is what they came up with. Was it a little emotionally manipulative? Maybe. But that was just right for a show about some of the most recognizable and easy-to-get-attached-to characters of all time.
Donna
AIn the future, Donna "Treat Yo' Self" Meagle is still married to that teacher, Joe, and she still loves diamond watches. She's a real estate agent in Seattle where the boom of coffee and legal marijuana has people buying houses quickly and irrationally. She and Joe constantly travel, from Middle Korea to the Amazon. Joe really has a passion for education — he's even heartbroken when his school cuts the math club (and math as a whole.) Donna and the BA red streak in her hair trades her tendency to buy a bunch of leather handbags and invests in a non-profit called "Teach Yo Self."
It's odd to see Donna so interested in something that doesn't turn a profit, but when she flashes Tom her newest diamond watch, we know she's always the same old Donna — coming in ninth place on Italy's Got Talent, being part of a NASCAR pit crew, and everything else.
Craig
A
"Do you have any regrets?"- Typhoon
"Thousands. Most recently, this trout." - Craig
Craig has never been a major character, but I'm glad the writers recognized just how popular he was. In the future, he marries Typhoon the hairdresser in a ceremony in which Ron was his best man. Oh, how times have changed. His intensity — no, insanity — has only existed for a short time but it will live in my heart as one of the funniest character qualities to ever grace NBC programming.
April & Andy
A+ & A
Bert Macklin and Janet Snakehole forever. The flash forward addresses the question I've had in my mind ever since Andy and April unexpectedly and casually wed at a party — are these the best people to bring a child into the world, or the worst? April is all for the nausea and grossness of having a child but its potential existence is disgusting to her. Andy, a child himself, wants nothing more. After a lecture from Leslie in which she tells April having kids is not about making your life perfect, it's about adding to your team, we cut to April giving birth in full Halloween makeup. You know, as one would expect.
They name their child something long and complicated and terrifying, but decide to call him Jack, which is Chris Pratt's actual child's name. We don't know much else about Jack besides the fact Ron Swanson says he's got a great handshake and that he's got another sibling on the way so they can't be that bad at parenting. April has come so far and the first point at which I cried in this episode was simply seeing her connect so well with the former members of the Parks Department.
Jean-Ralphio
A
I wasn't surprised when I saw that Jean-Ralphio was dead in 2022, and I was even less surprised when I saw he was faking it. His final request was to have "Bend Over" by Lil Jon feat. Tyga playing, and it was perfect, and now he's off to open a casino in another country.
Something I wasn't expecting was his confession of love to Leslie as more than just a pretend-to-be-my-wife-for-insurance-purposes thing, but then again when I think about it, sounds about right. That's what this character is — a crazy man doing things that seem off. I am pulling for a spin-off show for this one. It will air on MTV after Teen Mom.
Tom
A
"I had to sell my pocket square collection. Where are people's eyes going to be drawn to?" - Tom
Even though all the numbers seemed to add up for Tom's new business venture, despite a clear lacking in calzones, it fails. He fails over and over and over again, actually. There is even a documentary about his failure (he made it himself, but whatever). Keeping with this season's "giving book deals to pretty much every character" theme. his book brings him fame and friendship with Kendrick Lamar. But, it all seems to unravel when Precious Nerd Ben Wyatt gets "Tom" in Tom's "Which Parks character are you" quiz.
Jerry/Garry/Gary/Larry/I'll never know
A
When Jerry became the interim mayor in the last episode, I couldn't believe he finally won. Turns out his winning streak continues as Jerry wins mayor through a write-in campaign and serves as mayor for at least four terms. Even at his death, at the age of (at least) 100, his wife is still hot. His tombstone is misspelled, but whatever. He got the 21-stamp salute from the notary society.
Ron
A+
Ron resigns as chairman of the school board, upsetting his brothers — one of which is named Vaughn. He's gotten everything he ever wanted, escaped government work, and has a beautiful family, but something is still missing. He bought a European distillery so his daughter could go to college and is as financially stable as ever when he comes to Leslie, asking her to do her Leslie magic and help him find his calling.
With the land in Pawnee that Leslie won out from Ron when they were reunited in friendship, she created a national park. Everyone's favorite workplace proximity acquaintances have a final touching moment on screen when Leslie forges his signature to accept the job as head of the park for Ron. He sails away in a canoe with a smile on his face, as happy as he could possibly be.
Ann & Chris
A & A
"Ann, you beautiful, sassy mannequin come to life." - Leslie
When the gang gets back together for one final career change announcement for Leslie, the greatest friendship in all of TV history is reunited. Ann and Leslie's love for each other is incredible — Ann is dramatically normal, and Leslie's admiration of her is beyond understanding. Leslie is insane and deeply loving but also deeply neurotic, and yet Ann is so attracted to her. When we see them come back together, it's as if they haven't seen each other in years, but I hope that's not the case. Leslie tells her hair looks like a cartoon princess and Chris recognizes how good she is at coming up with metaphors. Ann has a kid named Leslie. Cue tears.
Chris seems to be the same — obsessed with fitness and health. He says "literally" one last time and I forget how much I missed that. He got a new job at Indiana University which I hope brings the Knope-Wyatt and Perkins-Traeger clans together forever.
Leslie & Ben
A+ & A+
“Whatever’s next, you and I are in it together." - Leslie
Oh man. This is really it, isn't it? In the future, Leslie is friends with Joe Biden and beats him in charades. She and Ben are both approached about potentially becoming governor of Indiana, which would be at least the thousandth career change she has endured in the past two seasons, I think. This time it's for real, and Leslie has dreamed of this job ever since she wrote about it in her kindergarten dream journal. It's not clear which one of them is going to take the job, especially after Ben decides he doesn't want to be mayor of Pawnee in the last episode. But when the gang is gathered together and Leslie, queen of planning, binders and pro-con lists, decides the best thing to do in this situation is to flip a coin, Ben yields. Leslie is going to be governor. And she rocks a middle part.
Flash forward once more and Leslie Knope looks straight up like Hillary Clinton. She receives an honorary doctorate and has served two terms as governor. Now, there's a campus library named after her. Her faithful husband has another board game out, which Gameplay Magazine called "punishingly intricate." There's a lot to say about how well Parks portrays love. Ben and Leslie are always partners but they selflessly submit to one another to make their dreams come true, and when one wins what the other wants, they are sincerely happy. And dang if they aren't still SUPER into each other. I want a relationship like this for my life.
"One Last Ride"
A+
"What makes work worth doing is doing it with the people you love." - Leslie
This episode was not profoundly funny, but it was absolutely perfect. It was its name — one last ride. Leslie has had pretty much every possible career at this point, and even though the creators and producers and writers and actors say it was time for the show to end, I'll never believe that, though.The only thing missing from this episode was a flash forward to me sitting my kids down to watch it. But for now it's over and everything sucks.
Extra Credit
- We can assume Leslie is president, right?
- "I called her a nutrient-rich chia seed." - Chris, whose child is named Oliver even though olives are high in sodium.
- Over the course of the show, everyone gets what they want, realizes that's not what they want, then they find new dreams. That's life, and Parks summed it up so, so well.
- Harris' Wittels, a producer and writer for Parks who also appeared on the show, died this week. His passing came just before the finale, and the final frame of the show was dedicated to him. His death had nothing to do with this particular episode, but the nod to him was heartfelt and wonderful. You are loved, Harris. Thank you, Parks.
