After a seven season run the NBC comedy “Parks and Recreation” ended on a high note last Tuesday. This mock documentary type show followed a zealous government worker, Leslie Knope, on her quest to make her town Pawnee, Ind., and the entire world a better place.

Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler, starts off as Deputy Director of the Parks Department. We get to know her coworkers first: April Ludgate, the apathetic intern with an interest in anything out of the norm; Tom Haverford, who believes life should be lived in luxury and has entrepreneurial dreams that extend far beyond the Parks and Rec department of a small Indiana town; Ron Swanson, the stoic, anti-government director of the Parks department who enjoys steak and carpentry; Donna Meagle, a big advocate for “treating yo self” with an uncanny knack for seeing to the core of people; Jerry Gergich clumsy but lovable punching bag for the office. We get to see these characters really come into their own throughout the show. They each find what they were meant to do with their lives and who they were meant to be with. They become like a family, not only to each other, but to the viewer. In the series finale there’s a glimpse into the 10 to 40 years into the futures of all these characters. The viewer gets to see them make them start or add to their families or excel in work or find new dreams. It’s a satisfying ending to an amazing series.

All the actors on the show are hilarious and talented. They’re all great improvisers, and it’s obvious they really care about and understand their characters. Poehler is really the star. Throughout 125 episodes, the audience sees Leslie in so many different kinds of situations, feeling so many different emotions, and dealing with so many different things. Because of Poehler’s master portrayal, the viewer doesn’t think for a second that what Leslie is doing or thinking is wrong, inauthentic, or out of character. Another standout is Aubrey Plaza who plays April Ludgate. Plaza masterfully delivers emotionally packed scenes the few times we get to see under April’s tough exterior.

This comedy is hilarious and heartwarming and filled with lovable diverse characters. It has something for everyone and the finale over served to exemplify this. This show receives 5/5 stars and can be watched on Netflix and Hulu Plus.  

By Sienna Mata