THIS IS SO HARD. WHY DID I CHOOSE THIS FOR DAY TWO??? BECAUSE I AM A GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT APPARENTLY.

I really feel like I just had a Leslie Knope moment right there, but I wasn’t speaking in hyperbole. The choice leaves me feeling incredibly conflicted. There are moments in which every person on Parks and Rec rotates into favorite territory, but I suppose I have to make a choice then.

Grumble grumble.

Actually, you know what? No. I’m not going to make a choice. This show was such a positively friendship-focused show, with a special dedication to the strength and beauty of female relationships, that treating any of the characters with preference would do more damage to the Parks and Recreation‘s message. was such a positively woman-focused show, with a special dedication to the strength and beauty of female relationships, that it would more or less damage the show’s message.

Sure, everyone gets into their scuffles. Leslie and Ann’s fight in Season Three’s aptly named episode, “The Fight,” was alternatively hilarious and relatable. Who hasn’t had a huge, alcohol-enhanced fight over something kinda stupid with their best friend? Later on, in Season Six, Donna and April clash after the latter offends the former by inappropriately assigning her “spirit dog.” Tom spends his entire Ben-dedicated speech in Season Seven to himself, and Ron and Leslie are often at odds politically and ideologically, like when she’s pushing for her soda tax during her tenure as a city councilor. But in all of these instances, they communicate with each other and deepen their relationships, much to the betterment of the show.

It all felt so real. I mean, it’s TV, and issues are resolved usually within 30 minutes, but everything about the arguments, from the characters’ reasons for butting heads to the ultimate reconciliation, were just so genuine.

So basically what I’m saying is the entire cast of Parks and Rec are my favorites. They aren’t perfect – except Donna – but you really feel as if you are part of their friend group. I’ll be doing individual posts on all of them at a later date (probably sometime over December and January) because they all deserve at least that much.

Art Credit: Reppiced