'Parks and Recreation': Leslie Knope, A Woman's Woman in Government

[doriiansz]

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ScreenPrism just dropped a new video essay on the iconic Parks and Rec's character Leslie Knope.

Do you agree that Leslie Knope is a role model for women in government?

Source

Who are some of your role models? Do you have any, ONTD?

Comments

[inkstainedlips]

Leslie, while well intentioned, was such an airhead sometimes that I found it hard to really like or admire her.

[comava]

ia, her gutsyness and conviction would've been more admirable if she hadn't kept bulldozing over everyone

[mjspice]

[xpirate_queenx]

I'm rewatching the series for the umpteenth time (trips to Pawnee stave off depression] and am finding Leslie less inspirational than I used to. Her dedication to her job, feminism, and her friends is great but she can downright ne a bully sometimes.

Also I've never not been confused by her hatred of libraries and books? Tammy 2 I get, but she seems very anti-reading in general and it's never made sense to me.

[evett]

I liked Leslie. I can see her being a role model. Tho it never made sense why she would always join in on bullying poor Jerry. Her personality otherwise was about being sweet, fair minded and professional. It always irked me (not to mention the creator always being like "its okay cause hes got a hot wife and pretty daughters so its no big deal")

[doriiansz]

I agree. That was always my least favorite part of the show. I found the scenes with them bullying him cringeworthy. Not cool, guys. Not cool.

[wonky]

Yeah, I never understood the Jerry bullying, and the fact that he had this great home life and everything didn't make up for it whatever the creator says. He was a sweet, well-intentioned guy, I didn't get why he was bullied, and I especially never understood why Leslie would go in on it. It's the main gag of the show that always disappoints me when I watch.

[thebadunkadunk]

The way Sandra from Superstore is treated is even worse. I think they walked a fine line with Jerry that wasn’t always successful but I loved little tidbits about him like the ice cream shop in Muncie and the continuity of his retirement, and the Donna-Jerry friendship

[waffletaco]

there was something that the show surprisingly never did with any of the couples: use the trope of one partner being jealous or something like that, and it causes a rift in the relationship. (save for early andy/anne stuff).

I kept waiting for an episode arc where Ben and Leslie to have a rift in their relationship, or some lady trying to steal Andy away from April.

[sweet_heloise]

I kept waiting for an episode arc where Ben and Leslie to have a rift in their relationship

Which is what The Office did with Jim and Pam cause they were running out of material. That show needed to end way sooner than it ultimately did.

[ext_2955702]

YUP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[stewie_e]

I’ve said this before but I binged watched the entire show last Summer on Netflix after ignoring it during its original run. I loved it.

I then dug up old ONTD posts to read everyone’s reaction over the finale. lol. 😅

[mjspice]

[rainbowren]

Leslie is my idea of a great, well written female character. I loved Parks and Rec, sure it had its flaws...but honestly it was great till the very end.

[scriptedending]

Yeah, I agree.