The sitcom Parks and Recreation is well known for its colorful town and memorable characters. The series might have changed in many ways from its first season, but the energy of the citizens of Pawnee remained until the very last episode of the show.
Although the people of Pawnee are used for comedy, to show the dire circumstances of the town, and the passionate expression of the people, some of their comments and actions went too far.
Yelling At Leslie Knope
The Pawnee citizens are no strangers when it comes to expressing themselves. They are constantly shown yelling at, interrupting, and arguing with Leslie. They are passionate people who care about their town, but their enthusiasm often leads to rude behavior toward someone who is only trying to help. Luckily for them, Leslie sees their yelling as people caring at her loudly.
Their Sexism
As evidenced by the laws of Pawnee, it’s a town living in the past. The sexism that existed when the laws were made continues to plague the citizens who reside there. Unacceptable comments were made to women, sexist questions were asked by the media, female capacity was belittled, a Pie-Mary was a requirement, and the suggestion that women’s vaginas should be taxed were just a few instances in the series where an education in the equality of the genders was greatly needed.
The Way They Use The Water Fountain
The odd way the Pawnee citizens drink from the local water fountains is introduced to viewers in the season 4 episode “Campaign Shake-Up.” Ann tells the cameraman that the entire town has a habit of placing their mouths over the water spout instead of above it. Park and Rec’s solution? A spout-less water fountain.
Male Employees Sending Ann Photos Of Their Genitals
In the season 4 episode “I’m Leslie Knope,” an email with a photo of a man’s genitals was sent to the female government employees of Pawnee Town Hall. When Ann discovered the person who the photo belongs to might have mumps, the perpetrators were discovered. But this diagnosis created panic in the male employees and they decided to send Ann photos of their genitalia to be examined.
When Dr. Saperstein Ran Tom Out Of Business
Tom Haverford is an entrepreneur. He’s overflowing with new and innovative ideas but they rarely survive past the conceptual phase, often because they aren’t realistic or the idea isn’t well received.
When Tom finally gets the idea for Rent-A-Swag to become a successful reality, Dr. Saperstein opens a business across the street called Tommy’s Closet. Why? Tom was led to believe it was originally Jean Ralphio’s idea.
The Blame Game
The citizens of Pawnee go to public forums to express their needs, be involved, and have a say in what happens in their community, but a lot of the time they take to the stand to complain. Why a random sandwich they found in the park doesn’t have mayonnaise in it.
That their dog ate another dog’s feces in the park and they want to sue. That they got an infection from drinking water that specifically said it wasn’t for drinking.
Homophobia
In the season 2 episode “Pawnee Zoo,” Leslie is creating publicity for the Pawnee Zoo by holding several exciting celebrations. She holds a birthday party for a Parrot because they live a long time, and a graduation ceremony for the monkeys because they’re smart. She also takes part in a marriage ceremony for two penguins because they mate for life. She’s told afterward that they are both males. This results in an uproar of opinions from the Pawnee citizens.
Their Love For Crazy Ira and The Do***e
Consumption fuels media. Pawnee citizens love their radio, especially Crazy Ira and The Do***e. It’s a crude show with inappropriate humor yet the hosts have avid listeners who love their content.
There’s no respect for anyone who is questioned on the show. They accost Ben about Ice Town, call for listeners to change the town slogan to Do***e Nation, and have a jelly pit at their disposal.
The Time Capsule
Yes, it was a hilarious episode where the citizens of Pawnee showed just how passionate they could be. They wanted Pawnee and their love for their town to be remembered, glorified, and kept frozen in time. But if it hadn’t been for Leslie’s idea to place the tape recording of the public forum into the time capsule, the battle of what should be included in their town’s record would have never ended.
Recalling Leslie Knope
Ever since she was a little girl, it was Leslie’s dream to be voted onto City Council. Leslie wanted to make a change in her community — and she did. But she faced a lot of opposition during her time as a councilwoman and it was that opposition that got her recalled. Leslie made the decision to absorb Eagleton into Pawnee, and that decision, as well as many others, made the citizens of both Pawnee and Eagleton angry.
