First of all, if you don't watch Parks and Recreation, stop reading this article and start watching the show immediately. Like, right now. It's on Netflix and I know you have a subscription.
Now, assuming you're already a Parks & Rec fan, you know that all of the characters are perfection. Ron is the stereotypical, rugged, American male with a secret soft spot and a heart of gold. April is a snarky, sarcastic weirdo who is secretly loving and most definitely has the show's best one-liners. Tom and Donna are the office divas - Tom's attempts at "swag" and Donna's flawless self-confidence are everything. And, honestly, I wish Andy was my brother and Ann was my cool aunt who secretly bought me vodka and taught me how to look like her.
But no one can possibly compare to Leslie Knope. The show's star, played by Amy Poehler (who is also a role model of mine), is both a neurotic hot mess and also the most driven and hard-working woman to ever fictionally exist. Her role model is Hillary Clinton, which speaks to Leslie's far-reaching political and personal dreams. She is head of the Parks Department in the small Indiana town of Pawnee and continues to climb up the career ladder as the seasons progress, giving it her signature Knope twist with the most unbeatable work ethic in the entire Pawnee government sector.
Leslie is always filled with energy, admits to her shortcomings, and won't take no for an answer under any circumstances. She is fiercely loyal to her friends and coworkers, and - almost irrationally - adores her poor and mega-diabetes-ridden town. She fights for what is right for the people of her town, even when faced with adversity - from crooked city politicians to internal office conflicts to the complaints of angry citizens.
She's also played by Amy Poehler, so she's absolutely hysterical. No show has ever made me laugh aloud as much as P&R, and that is often because of Leslie's words and actions. I quote her regularly, and what she has to say on men, friendship, alcohol, breakfast food and pretty much everything else about life is either totally absurd or totally relatable. Either way, she never fails to entertain.
And I think my favorite thing about Leslie is that while she's got you in stitches from her hilariously overenthusiastic behavior, she's also portraying the image of a strong and driven woman who learns from her mistakes, commands respect just by being herself and shows the audience that women can be funny, smart and beautiful all at once. It's not every day you find a comedy with a woman as the lead, who makes you laugh not by being a ditz or by trying to be one of the guys, but by just being a genuine goofball who is as close to a real role model as I've found among female characters on TV.
She overdoes everything for the ones she loves...and also for the comedic quality of her ridiculous antics. But regardless, "Ain’t no party like a Leslie Knope party, 'cause a Leslie Knope party is 30 parties!"
