Parks and Recreation, while boasting of some of the best comedic scripts to come to television, also flaunts a myriad of love stories that range from absurdity to sweetness. The show is also able to showcase love in many forms, from platonic to familial to romantic, all of which are given depth and their own significance in the grander storylines that make the show constantly heart-warming to watch.
Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), whom we follow for the whole duration of Parks and Rec, and the reason why Galentine’s Day exists, finds her truest love in Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott). The joy of watching Ben and Leslie’s relationship is how they go from disliking each other, perhaps even going the mile to being enemies (from Leslie’s perspective), to becoming friends and then lovers. They’ve seen every side of one another and love each other more with every moment despite all the trials and tribulations thrown their way.
Their romance in Parks and Recreation is perfect to me because, they’re also equals and they each stand as separate people with their own dreams and support one another wholeheartedly every time. From Ben supporting Leslie during her run for city councillor to Leslie supporting Ben for his congressional campaign, they’re perfect for one another because they bolster each other constantly. That’s not to say that they don’t have their own disagreements but the show always brings it back to love and how they will always work things out together because they love and like each other so much.
And really, their wedding vows are all you need to know about them:
Ben: “In my time working for the state government, my job sent me to 46 cities in 11 years. I lived in villages with 8 people, rural farming communities, and college towns. I was sent to every corner of Indiana. And then I came here, and I realised that this whole time I was just wandering around everywhere, just looking for you.”
Leslie: “Okay, well the first draft of my vows which I wrote the day after we got engaged clocked in at around 70 pages but I don’t have them with me today. […] The things that you have done for me, to help me, support me, surprise me, to make me happy, go above and beyond what any person deserves. You’re all I need. I love you and I like you.”
