Proof That Parks and Recreation Was the Most Quotable Show on Television
Maxim’s saying farewell to Parks and Recreation by taking a look back at all the excellent Pawnee-isms to come out of its seven seasons.
Tonight marks the final episode of Parks and Recreation, the show that made local government affairs and mid level bureaucracy not only tolerable, but wildly entertaining. The characters became beloved for their extremities: The endlessly cheerful and driven Leslie Knope was a stark contrast to the borderline sociopathic April Ludgate. The hyper-masculine Ron Swanson was endlessly vexed by the bombastically energetic Tom Haverford. But the characters’ uniqueness, and tendency to generate-isms, allowed Parks and Rec to carve out a place as one of the most infectiously quotable sitcoms of the last ten years.
Before we leave Pawnee forever, we’re looking back at some of our favorite quotes of the past seven seasons. Consider this a guide to one-liners you’re friends will be pawning off as their own for the next decade:
“You can have the wine. I’m wanna take that cheese and do terrible things to it.” – Tom Haverford, on cheese plates
“She’s as respected as Mother Teresa; she’s as powerful as Stalin and she’s as beautiful as Margaret Thatcher.” – Leslie Knope, on her mom
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Don’t teach a man to fish, and you feed yourself. He’s a grown man. Fishing’s not that hard.” – Ron Swanson, on charity
“I used to play softball.”
“I used to play baseball! It’s like the boy version of softball.” – April Ludgate and Andy Dwyer, on sports
“Does the carpet match the face?” – Tammy II, on myths about body hair
“I hope you brought a change of clothes because your eyes are about to piss tears.” – Jean-Ralphio, on the memorial service of a dead miniature horse
“Oh President Reagan, my blazer popped open.”
“Well, Maggy Thatcher, let me help you with that. Our countries have had a very special relationship.” – Leslie and Ben Wyatt, on dirty talking the right way
Everything Tom has to say about food:
Everything Ron has to say about food:
“It’s like yoga, except I still get to kill something.” – Ron, on fishing
“Treat yo’ self.” – Tom and Donna, introducing a concept that shortly thereafter became a cultural mantra.
“Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m about to endorse 10 beers into my mouth because it has been an incredibly stressful evening.” – Leslie, on unwinding
Photos by NBC
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