143 Fun Facts About Parks and Recreation

In which fictional town is "Parks and Recreation" primarily set?

The series "Parks and Recreation" takes place in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana, a community known for its quirky residents and sometimes bizarre local government.

What is Leslie Knope's job in Pawnee's city government for the first three seasons of Parks and Recreation?

Deputy Director of Parks is her post for most of the run, which puts her on committees like the Fun in the Sun Committee and the Task Force to Reduce the Number of Public Restrooms; in season four she wins a council seat.

What is the secret musical alter ego of Ron Swanson?

Duke Silver fronts the Duke Silver Trio on saxophone, with albums such as Smooth as Silver, and plays only out-of-town bars so that nobody at city hall finds out.

Who hosts the Pawnee talk show 'Pawnee Today'?

Joan Callamezzo hosts 'Pawnee Today' and runs a book club that guarantees local sales, which is why Leslie and Tom both end up courting her.

Which character initially lives in a pit next to Ann Perkins' house?

Andy Dwyer, Ann's boyfriend, breaks both legs falling into the pit behind her house and then camps in it after she dumps him; Chris Pratt was credited only as a guest star in season one.

Which political ideology does Ron Swanson consistently advocate?

Libertarianism: Ron was partly modelled on a real Libertarian official the writers met in Burbank, who admitted to not really believing in the mission of the job.

Before leaving the Pawnee government, what was Mark Brendanawicz's profession?

City Planner: Mark takes a buyout during the government shutdown and leaves for a private construction firm, and a furious Leslie brands him 'Mark Brendanaquits'.

Which food does Leslie Knope order in huge quantities at JJ's Diner?

Waffles: Leslie buries them in whipped cream at JJ's Diner, and when the diner is bought out in the final season she joins the town's protests to save it.

Which California city's real city hall stood in for Pawnee City Hall in exterior shots?

Pasadena City Hall, finished in 1927, plays Pawnee's in exterior shots; the offices were a soundstage set whose windows were rigged to simulate falling rain.

Why does Jerry Gergich get a 'sweet sixteen' party when he turns 64?

A leap-day birthday: born on February 29, Jerry has a true birthday only every four years, and Leslie throws the party after the whole office forgets it.

Which possession does Donna Meagle care about most deeply?

Her Mercedes-Benz: when a stray shot on the hunting trip takes out its window, Donna screams for the car and barely registers that Ron has been hit as well.

What do Ron Swanson's two ex-wives have in common?

Both are named Tammy, as is Ron's mother, and when his mother and his first ex-wife fight over him in a drinking contest, Ron ends it by draining the jug himself.

Which two writers created Parks and Recreation?

Greg Daniels and Michael Schur prepared by studying local California politics and consulting officials, one of whom became the basis for a character.

Parks and Recreation aired from 2009 to 2015 on which US network?

It ran as part of the network's Thursday 'Comedy Night Done Right' block, alongside The Office and 30 Rock.

What does Tom Haverford call the vacuum cleaner he has fitted with a music player?

DJ Roomba: Jerry breaks it in its first episode and Tom accuses him of killing it, and the episode ends with it dressed as a ghost, trailing Jerry through the halls.

Although it aired in 2015, the seventh and final season is set in which year?

The jump let the writers give Pawnee tablet-toting drones, holographic ads and a Gryzzl-dominated future.

Parks and Recreation began life as a planned spin-off of which sitcom?

The Office: the spin-off plan was dropped because the writers could not find the right fit, but the new series kept the same mockumentary style.

In what role does Ben Wyatt first arrive in Pawnee at the end of season two?

State auditor: Ben and Chris Traeger arrive from Indianapolis to slash Pawnee's budget in 'The Master Plan'; Ben stays, marries Leslie and later becomes city manager.

What is the name of the notoriously complicated board game Ben Wyatt invents?

The Cones of Dunshire: Mayfair Games, the publisher of Catan, helped design the prop, and in 2014 fans played a full version at the Gen Con convention for charity.

Which food is Ben Wyatt's running-joke obsession, complete with a dream restaurant pitch?

Calzones: Ben dreams up the Low-Cal Calzone Zone while unemployed and going stir-crazy at home, and his friends tease him about the folded pizzas for the rest of the series.

Which word is Chris Traeger's catchphrase, drawn out for emphasis whenever he says it?

Literally: Chris stretches it into 'LIT-rally' while calling something the best ever; Rob Lowe was booked for eight guest episodes and stayed until season six.

Why did Tom Haverford change his name from Darwish?

For politics: Tom, a South Carolina native with Indian parents, says he reckoned a name like Tom Haverford would carry him further in government than his own.

In the Parks and Recreation season three finale, Tom quits city hall to start Entertainment 720 with which character?

Jean-Ralphio Saperstein and Tom blow Entertainment 720's entire budget on NBA players and a fleet of iPads, and the company collapses within a season.

What was Rent-A-Swag, one of Tom Haverford's business ventures?

Clothing rentals for teens: the shop does well until a rival opens a copycat store across the street and pressures Tom into selling.

Tom Haverford's marriage to Wendy, revealed in season two, was arranged for what reason?

A green card: Wendy, a Canadian, married Tom so she could stay in the United States; the sham falls apart when Tom develops real feelings and they divorce in season two.

What do Tom and Donna call their annual day of spending money extravagantly on things they do not need?

Treat Yo Self: once a year Tom and Donna blow their money on clothes, fragrances, massages, mimosas and fine leather goods, and on its first outing they drag a glum Ben along.

On Tom and Donna's spending spree, what does a heartbroken Ben Wyatt buy before bursting into tears?

A Batman costume: at first Ben can only bring himself to buy socks, then he picks the full suit and breaks down over his split from Leslie.

What is the name of Andy Dwyer's rock band, after its many name changes?

Mouse Rat: the other three options are all names the band used earlier, and in 2021 the fictional group put out a real record, The Awesome Album.

Andy Dwyer's recurring alter ego, Burt Macklin, works for which agency?

The FBI: Burt Macklin is more than a game, since April notices that all of Andy's dream jobs involve law enforcement and pushes him to try for the police.

In Parks and Recreation's final season, Andy hosts a children's television show as which character?

Johnny Karate: the show's last broadcast fills a whole episode, because April's new job in Washington means Andy has to give it up.

Chris Pratt's Andy Dwyer was originally meant to be what kind of role?

A temporary character: Andy was written as Ann's soon-to-be-dumped boyfriend, but the producers liked Chris Pratt so much he became a series regular from season two.

April and Andy lure their unsuspecting wedding guests with an invitation to what?

A dinner party: the guests learn at the party that it is a wedding, and Leslie spends the evening trying to stop a couple who have dated for barely a month.

April Ludgate says her "lively and colorful" personality comes from which side of her heritage?

Puerto Rican: April deadpans in 'Sister City' that her mother's heritage explains why she is so lively and colourful, the joke being that she is the gloomiest person in the building.

In the Parks and Recreation finale, April gives birth to her and Andy's first child on which holiday?

Halloween: April goes through the birth in full costume in 2023, and the boy, Jack, gets a string of spooky middle names that includes Dracula and Demon Jack-o'-Lantern.

During Leslie's season four ethics trial, Jerry reveals under oath that his real first name is what?

Garry: sworn in at 'The Trial of Leslie Knope', he admits his name has been Garry all along, yet colleagues keep calling him Jerry, then Larry and Terry, until he becomes mayor.

Which supermodel plays Gayle, the impossibly glamorous wife of Jerry Gergich?

Christie Brinkley plays Gayle Gergich from season five on; Jerry's idyllic home life with her and their beautiful daughters is the running counterpoint to his misery at work.

Jerry Gergich, later Pawnee's mayor, dies peacefully on which occasion?

His 100th birthday: the finale's last flash-forward shows his funeral in 2048, with Secret Service agents shadowing Leslie and Ben among the mourners.

Li'l Sebastian, the Pawnee celebrity mourned at a lavish memorial, was what kind of animal?

A miniature horse: the whole town adores Li'l Sebastian, and the newcomer Ben alone cannot see why, which marks him as an outsider.

What is the title of Andy's tribute song for Li'l Sebastian's memorial?

5,000 Candles in the Wind: Leslie asks for something like Elton John's 'Candle in the Wind' but 5,000 times better, and the cast sang it again in the 2020 reunion special.

At Li'l Sebastian's memorial, what goes wrong when Ron lights the eternal flame?

A fireball singes his mustache: Jerry had bought lighter fluid instead of propane, yet the crowd cheers because it assumes the blast was part of the show.

Which actress, Nick Offerman's real-life wife, plays Ron Swanson's terrifying second ex-wife?

Megan Mullally: one drunken night with her character is enough to leave the stoic Ron in cornrows and married to her all over again.

Which 1990s fantasy-series star plays Diane Lewis, the school vice principal Ron Swanson marries?

Lucy Lawless, TV's Xena, plays Diane from season five; Ron meets her when he turns up to fill the pothole outside her house, and they marry once she tells him she is pregnant.

What does Ron Swanson name his own company in season seven?

Very Good Building and Development Company: Ron's flatly named firm puts him on the opposite side from Leslie in a season-seven fight over the Newport family's land.

What is Ron Swanson's middle name?

Ulysses: when a process server asks for Ronald Ulysses Swanson, Ron claims the man has stepped out, then gives himself away the moment a free steak dinner is mentioned.

In the Parks and Recreation finale, which federal job does Leslie arrange for a restless Ron?

Superintendent of the Pawnee National Park: Ron has quit his own thriving company and feels lost, so Leslie finds him a federal job out on the parkland.

Jobless and restless in season four, Ben Wyatt spends weeks making what?

A claymation film: Ben proudly screens 'Requiem for a Tuesday' for Chris, finds that weeks of work have produced only a few seconds, and admits he is miserable without a job.

In a Parks and Recreation flash-forward to 2035, Leslie is serving her second consecutive term as what?

Governor of Indiana: Leslie and Ben are each courted to run in 2025, and Ben settles it by announcing her candidacy and signing on as her campaign manager.

After the National Park Service hires Leslie in season six, what is her new title?

Regional Director, Midwest Region: Leslie takes the National Park Service post in the season-six finale on condition that its office moves to the third floor of Pawnee City Hall.

What is Pawnee's official town slogan in the early seasons of Parks and Recreation?

First in Friendship, Fourth in Obesity: Leslie reads it out as the current slogan in 'Time Capsule', after a run of far worse ones, and the town votes in a new motto in season six.

Which wealthier neighbouring town does Pawnee absorb in season six after it declares bankruptcy?

Eagleton was founded by Pawnee's richest settlers, who moved uphill to get away from it; two centuries later it goes broke and is absorbed back into the town it looked down on.

Pawnee's fictional history begins with its 1817 founding, followed by the expulsion of which Native American tribe?

Wamapoke: when Leslie stages a big event on the site of a Wamapoke massacre, tribal chief Ken Hotate warns that it may be cursed, and the local press runs with the story.

What is Sweetums, the company that dominates Pawnee's economy?

A candy manufacturer: Sweetums passes off its sugary NutriYum bars as health food, and wins a deal to sell them from the concession stands in Pawnee's parks.

Which sleazy Pawnee nightclub hosts many of the parks department's after-work functions?

Snakehole Lounge is where Tom launches his liquor Snake Juice, which gets the entire department blackout drunk in 'The Fight'.

The season three story arc stakes the parks department's future on the success of which event?

The Pawnee Harvest Festival: Leslie proposes reviving a tradition killed off by budget cuts, and the staff agree that if it flops the parks department shuts down.

Which actor plays Bobby Newport, the clueless Sweetums heir who runs against Leslie for city council?

Paul Rudd plays Bobby Newport, who is so used to getting his way that he simply asks Leslie to drop out of the race, and sulks when she refuses.

The 2020 Parks and Recreation reunion special, filmed over video calls in lockdown, raised money for which charity?

Feeding America: the special supported its COVID-19 response fund and was made in three weeks, with every cast member recording at home.

Ann Perkins and Chris Traeger leave Pawnee in season six to move to which state?

Michigan: Ann and Chris leave for Ann Arbor to be near her family and start their own; their son Oliver is born soon after, and a daughter named Leslie follows.

In the Parks and Recreation finale, Jean-Ralphio and his sister fake his death in order to fund what?

A casino: the pair mean to collect the insurance money and leave the country, but they are caught spying on his 'funeral'.

Parks and Recreation never won an Emmy, but its lead actress won which award for the role in 2014?

A Golden Globe: she won best actress in a TV comedy at the January 2014 ceremony she was co-hosting, while the show's many Emmy nominations never produced a win.

Early in Parks and Recreation's second season, Leslie causes a scandal by marrying off which two new zoo animals?

Penguins: Tux and Flipper both turn out to be male, and Leslie ends 'Pawnee Zoo' driving them to a zoo in Iowa, where same-sex marriage was legal in 2009.

In 'Flu Season', which enormous burrito does Andy tempt Ron with?

The Meat Tornado: Andy warns that the burrito killed a man last year, and Ron replies 'You had me at Meat Tornado', a nod to Jerry Maguire.

Who has replaced Ron Swanson as director of the Pawnee parks department by 2017?

Craig Middlebrooks, Billy Eichner's perpetually shouting office manager, is the one newcomer kept on after two parks staffs merge, and he takes over once Ron leaves to start his own company.

Which R&B singer is Donna Meagle's cousin in Parks and Recreation?

Ginuwine: Tom is stunned to learn that the 'Pony' singer is Donna's cousin, and he later appears as himself to play the Unity Concert and again in her wedding episode.

After season one, the writers reworked Leslie Knope because she came across as too what?

Ditzy: the show's co-creator said that was never the intention, so from the second season Leslie is written as smarter and far better at her job.

Which actress plays Ron Swanson's first ex-wife, who returns to pick through his tax records?

Patricia Clarkson plays the first ex-wife, who delivered Ron as a baby and later taught him, and whose return has him shaving off his moustache within a week.

April Ludgate later becomes Deputy Director of which Pawnee department?

Animal Control: after Chris fires the whole incompetent department, it is April who suggests folding it into Parks, and she is put in charge of it.

Who plays Leslie Knope?

Amy Poehler, then leaving Saturday Night Live, was cast before the concept was settled, and the start of filming was pushed back until after she gave birth in October 2008.

Which Indianapolis steakhouse does Ron Swanson revere, only to find it shut by health inspectors?

Charles Mulligan's Steakhouse: with his favourite restaurant shut, Ron is stuck with the vegetarian dinner Chris cooks for everyone and has to go hunting for meat afterwards.

Why was Leslie Knope born in a rival town rather than Pawnee?

The hospital was overrun by raccoons: her mother admits it only after Leslie's own book about Pawnee is found to have her birthplace wrong.

Which comedian plays Dave Sanderson, the police officer Leslie dates in season two?

Louis C.K. plays Dave Sanderson in season two and returns in 'Dave Returns'; Dave asks Leslie to move to San Diego with him, and she stays for Pawnee and her job.

Who plays Jeremy Jamm, Leslie's stink-bombing nemesis on the Pawnee city council in Parks and Recreation?

Jon Glaser plays Councilman Jeremy Jamm, the dentist who drunkenly crashes Leslie's fundraiser wedding in 'Leslie and Ben' and takes a punch from Ron for it.

What overturns Bobby Newport's 21-vote election-night lead over Leslie?

A recount: the margin is small enough to trigger one automatically, as Ben points out, and the second tally gives Leslie the seat by the same 21 votes.

Ben Wyatt was elected mayor at 18 and impeached two months later in which town?

Partridge: years later the Minnesota town offers Ben the key to the city, but the ceremony is a joke at his expense and the key is made of ice.

What was the name of Ben's swing-music radio show at Carleton College?

Zoot Suit Wyatt: Ben's Carleton College radio show played swing, its name riffing on the Cherry Poppin' Daddies' 1997 hit 'Zoot Suit Riot'.

What do Leslie and Ben name their triplets?

Stephen, Westley and Sonia: two boys and a girl, born during the three-year jump, who reduce the once-tireless Leslie to a frazzled working mother in season seven.

Ben Wyatt's ruinous Ice Town was based on a real sports complex championed by which politician as mayor?

Sarah Palin: the show's co-creator has said Ice Town was based on the hockey rink she championed as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, before her 2008 run for vice-president.

Adam Scott left his starring role on which Starz comedy to play Ben Wyatt?

Party Down: Scott played failed actor Henry Pollard on the Starz comedy, which Starz cancelled in June 2010, weeks after his Parks debut in 'The Master Plan'.

As a baby, Chris Traeger was not expected to survive because of what?

A rare blood disorder: doctors gave him only weeks to live, which is why Chris sees every day he is alive as a gift.

What does a starving Ron Swanson famously order from a diner waiter?

All the bacon and eggs you have: Ron gives the order after a steak that disappoints him, at the end of a day when the dinner he had been looking forward to fell through.

What is wrong with Mayor Gergich's gravestone in 2048?

Misspelled surname: the stone reads 'Girgich', Ben points it out, and Leslie decides that it is close enough.

Which comedy legend plays Walter Gunderson, Pawnee's long-serving and rarely seen mayor?

Bill Murray plays Mayor Gunderson, who is never seen until the final season, when he turns up in an open casket and leaves a video admitting how little attention he paid.

When Parks and Recreation begins, what is April Ludgate's role in the parks department?

An intern: April says she landed in the parks department only because she overslept on sign-up day, and she stays on to become Ron's assistant.

What happens every year on Pawnee's Ted Party Day?

Throw a man named Ted into a lake: the old charter's script makes the 'tea' of a tea dump look like 'Ted', and one soaked Ted's complaint sets Leslie rewriting the town's outdated laws.

Which of the show's screenwriters also plays bass in Andy's band on screen?

The band played live during filming rather than miming to a recording, with drummer Mark Rivers writing most of the songs.

Which retired NBA star does Entertainment 720 pay just to hang around its office?

Detlef Schrempf, the former Pacer who had already appeared in 'Telethon', is paid by Entertainment 720 to do nothing, alongside Roy Hibbert, spending that helps bankrupt the company.

According to Ron, Li'l Sebastian held an honorary degree from which university?

Notre Dame: Ron offers the honorary degree as proof of Li'l Sebastian's greatness when a baffled Ben asks what he actually does.

What does Tom Haverford call the cologne he creates?

Tommy Fresh: cologne mogul Dennis Feinstein tells Tom it smells terrible, so Ben avenges him by emptying the whole bottle inside Feinstein's parked SUV.

Ron Swanson knows Julia Roberts only as the toothy girl from which film?

Mystic Pizza: Ron, no follower of popular culture, can place one of the world's biggest stars only by a 1988 film she made before the hits everyone else knows.

In October 2020, Parks and Recreation left Netflix and Hulu to stream exclusively on which service?

Peacock: NBCUniversal pulled the series back from rival platforms to help launch its own streaming service that year.

Which tech company gives Pawnee free Wi-Fi and then mines its residents' data in season seven?

Gryzzl: Ben wins the town its free Wi-Fi by beating the company at his own board game, and its drone-delivered gift boxes later reveal how much it knows about everyone.

What job does Andy take at Pawnee City Hall in season two?

Shoe-shiner: Leslie gives Andy the stand as part of his settlement after the pit is filled in with him inside it, and it is where he and April grow close.

In Parks and Recreation, Leslie Knope has a famous crush on which real politician, who later appears on the show?

Joe Biden, then vice-president, is the crush; Ben arranges a meeting as an engagement present, and Biden plays himself in season five and again in the series finale.

Which First Lady made a cameo appearance in Parks and Recreation?

Michelle Obama appears as herself in the season-six finale 'Moving Up', where she urges a starstruck Leslie to take the National Park Service job.

Which holiday does Leslie Knope host for her closest friends every February 13 in Parks and Recreation?

Galentine's Day is, in Leslie's words, a holiday for "ladies celebrating ladies". The idea escaped the sitcom and is now marked by real friends each February.

Which actress plays April Ludgate, the deadpan intern, in a Parks and Recreation role written specifically for her?

Aubrey Plaza inspired the part herself. A casting director who had just met her told the producers she was the weirdest girl she had ever met and belonged on their show.

Which Pawnee institution, run by Ron Swanson's ex-wife, does Leslie Knope's team loathe in Parks and Recreation?

The library is, to Leslie, a "diabolical, ruthless bunch of bureaucrats". Her loathing seems fair when its new director tries to seize the vacant lot she wants for a park.

In which city does Andy Dwyer take a temporary job in Parks and Recreation, because Chris Pratt was filming there?

London hosted the first two episodes of season six because Pratt was there shooting Guardians of the Galaxy, so the writers found Andy work with a British charity.

What is the day job of Ann Perkins, who becomes Leslie Knope's best friend in Parks and Recreation?

Nurse Ann Perkins only meets Leslie because she turns up at a town meeting to complain. She later takes a second job with the city's health department.

In Parks and Recreation, Ron Swanson coaches youth basketball using a chart called the Swanson Pyramid of what?

Greatness is the goal, with honor at the top and buffets, wood working and deer protein further down. The chart sends up coach John Wooden's real Pyramid of Success.

Which Pawnee eatery, saved from closure in the final season, is Leslie Knope's favourite in Parks and Recreation?

JJ's Diner is where Leslie orders her favourite breakfast in huge quantities. When businessman Dennis Feinstein buys it to tear it down, her friends rally and get it relocated.

Which stand-up comedian plays Tom Haverford, Pawnee's swaggering would-be mogul, in Parks and Recreation?

Aziz Ansari was on the creators' wish list from the earliest stages of development. His Tom eventually quits city hall to chase his own business schemes.

Which Mad Men star cameos in Parks and Recreation as Ed, a hopelessly incompetent National Park Service employee?

Jon Hamm is on screen only briefly as Ed: an incompetent employee at the end of season six, and a former one when he returns in the final season.

Which Scotch whisky does Ron Swanson love so much in Parks and Recreation that he buys into its distillery?

Lagavulin flows throughout the series, and in the finale Ron buys 51 per cent of its Islay distillery. Nick Offerman went on to front its adverts and got his own edition.

Which actress, among the first people cast back in 2008, plays Ann Perkins in Parks and Recreation?

Rashida Jones was one of the very first people hired, back when the series was little more than an idea. Her character Ann is drawn into local government through her friendship with Leslie.

Which actor auditioned to play Ron Swanson before being cast as Jerry Gergich in Parks and Recreation?

Jim O'Heir so impressed the producers that they hired him before deciding who Jerry was. The character's personality was only worked out in the second season.

Which comedian, known by a single name, plays the confident Donna Meagle in Parks and Recreation?

Retta was cast in the first season simply because the producers liked her. As with Jerry, they only worked out who Donna was as the series went on.

Which Pawnee television newsman in Parks and Recreation hosts a programme called The Final Word?

Perd Hapley also fronts a show called Ya Heard? A rattled Ben Wyatt once melted down on air with him and angrily called him "Turd Crapley".

In Parks and Recreation, haughty officials visit from Boraqua, Pawnee's sister city in which country?

Venezuela's delegation, led by Fred Armisen's Raul, sneers at Pawnee and America. They hand Leslie a golden handgun, a far pricier gift than the one she gives them.

Which figure do the Reasonabilists, a Pawnee doomsday cult in Parks and Recreation, follow?

Zorp the Surveyor's followers have been wrong about the end so often that nobody worries. Leslie lets them hold their all-night vigil in a park, a Pawnee tradition.

In Parks and Recreation, Jerry Gergich paints a topless goddess who looks just like Leslie Knope as which creature?

A centaur called Diaphena, which Jerry painted while thinking about powerful women. Leslie feels empowered by it, but a local activist demands that it be destroyed.

Which building project by Ron Swanson's firm caused his long feud with Leslie Knope in Parks and Recreation?

Morningstar was an apartment building that meant bulldozing Ann Perkins's old house. The pair only make peace when friends trap them in their old office overnight.

Which job does Chris Traeger take over in Parks and Recreation after the incumbent has a heart attack?

City manager was meant to be a stopgap: Chris stepped in as acting manager when Paul Iaresco fell ill. In the role he enforces a strict ban on workplace dating.

Which federal department hires Leslie Knope, taking her to Washington at the end of Parks and Recreation?

The Interior job means leaving Pawnee, and she is not alone. Ben, April and Andy all confirm that they are moving to Washington, D.C. as well.

What do Ann Perkins and Chris Traeger name their son, born in the sixth season of Parks and Recreation?

Oliver is conceived after Ann, fed up with dating around, decides to become a mother with a donor's help. The finale reveals that he has a younger sister named Leslie.

Which name do Jerry Gergich's coworkers start calling him in season six of Parks and Recreation, at April's urging?

Larry sticks after April encourages everyone to use it, and he meekly accepts. A season later it changes again, because a new colleague already goes by Larry.

What name is given to the park finally planned for Lot 48, the former pit, in Parks and Recreation?

Pawnee Commons gets its name in season five, when Leslie asks the public for designs. She bristles when the best one comes from an architect in the rival town next door.

Which troop does Leslie Knope found in Parks and Recreation to rival Ron Swanson's spartan youth group, the Rangers?

Pawnee Goddesses is Leslie's supportive, indulgent answer to Ron's austere camp. The two of them end up feuding over whose programme is better for children.

Which actress plays Jennifer Barkley, Bobby Newport's ruthless campaign strategist, in Parks and Recreation?

Kathryn Hahn's Jennifer admits she took the job for the money and thinks Bobby is stupid. Years later she is the one who urges Ben to run for Congress.

Which sketch comedian plays Joe, the teacher Donna Meagle marries in the final season of Parks and Recreation?

Keegan-Michael Key's Joe gets a happy ending. In the finale Donna spends her real-estate commission on an online learning project so that he can keep teaching his own way.

Which actress plays Mona-Lisa, Tom Haverford's wildly unstable ex-girlfriend, in Parks and Recreation?

Jenny Slate's Mona-Lisa is summed up by her own twin brother as "a klepto, and a nympho, and a pyro". Her father's one-word excuse for her is "pills".

In Parks and Recreation, April and Andy Dwyer drive to which landmark, where he asks to see the presidents' faces?

The Grand Canyon was the last item on Andy's bucket list, ticked off in case the world really was ending. He had been picturing Mount Rushmore all along.

In the Parks and Recreation finale, which small last job does Leslie Knope rally her old team to do together?

Fix a broken swing: a citizen reports that the one behind his house has been out of action for three months. The group poses for a photo once the job is done.

To prove a point about sexism in Parks and Recreation, Leslie Knope and April Ludgate spend a day doing which job?

Collecting garbage on a real route was their reply to sexist Pawnee officials who doubted that women were qualified. The episode is titled Women in Garbage.

Which senator and former presidential nominee appears as himself in the Washington episodes of Parks and Recreation?

John McCain filmed his cameo in Washington in July 2012, alongside his fellow senators Barbara Boxer and Olympia Snowe.

To which city does Donna Meagle move with her husband, taking her thriving real-estate firm, in Parks and Recreation?

Seattle is announced as their new home in the same episode in which Pawnee's mayor dies. By the finale's flash-forward her firm is riding a housing boom there.

Newly unemployed in Parks and Recreation, Ben Wyatt explores his interests by making which kind of film?

Stop-motion films were among the hobbies he tried at home. His friend Chris was so alarmed by how useless they seemed that he stepped in to help.

Which title was considered for Parks and Recreation but dropped for fear the network would seem to mock the idea?

Public Service lost out to the eventual title. The premise itself was partly inspired by the portrayal of local politics in the HBO drama The Wire.

Which Portland indie-rock band plays itself in the season six finale of Parks and Recreation?

The Decemberists used the appearance to help announce their return to action. They were not the only real band on the bill: Letters to Cleo also turn up as themselves.

The final frame of Parks and Recreation carried a message to which writer-producer, who had died days earlier?

Harris Wittels, who also appeared on screen as a dim-witted character named Harris, died five days before the finale aired. The message read: "We love you, Harris."

Which actor plays Ron Dunn, the mustachioed opposite number Ron Swanson first admires, in Parks and Recreation?

Sam Elliott's Ron Dunn seems a kindred spirit: taciturn, mustachioed and named Ron. Then he turns out to be a hippie with New Age ideals, and Swanson finds him insufferable.

Which NFL team's players and owner cameo in Parks and Recreation during a run of belated bachelor parties?

The Colts' Andrew Luck, Reggie Wayne and owner Jim Irsay all appear, in scenes shot at Lucas Oil Stadium as Chris throws a bachelor party for each of his friends.

Which conference do recently split Leslie Knope and Ben Wyatt lead, and nearly wreck, in Parks and Recreation?

Model United Nations is something both of them were excited to lead. Instead their recent break-up becomes the major crisis of the whole event.

Which office does Leslie Knope name as her ultimate career goal in Parks and Recreation?

US President is her stated aim from the start. The finale never confirms it: the agents surround both her and Ben, so either of them could be the one in office.

Which college course does Andy Dwyer take in Parks and Recreation, with Ron Swanson and April's support?

Women's studies is the class Andy settles on after trying a beginners' guitar class and one on lasers, and Ron offers to pay for it. Both Ron and Chris later take an interest in his professor.

Ron Swanson's red sweater and chair-throwing in Parks and Recreation pay homage to which basketball coach?

Bobby Knight is a hero of Ron's, who professed great admiration for him back in the pilot. Ron's temper on the sideline is modelled on the coach as well.

Which kind of firm spends two years courting Ben Wyatt with job offers in Parks and Recreation?

Accounting keeps calling him back. Laid off in season six, he finally accepts the firm's offer, then gives it up to return to city hall.

Which actor plays the globe-trotting lawyer friend of Ann Perkins whom Leslie Knope dates in Parks and Recreation?

Justin Theroux's character, also called Justin, loves telling stories. Leslie is so keen to impress him that she abuses her power to staff a house party with town employees.

Which actor plays Mark Brendanawicz, Leslie Knope's old flame, in the first two seasons of Parks and Recreation?

Paul Schneider's Mark had a one-night stand with Leslie six years before the series begins. She never quite got over him, though he did not return her affections.

Which comedy veteran plays Ned Jones, the senior-citizen powerbroker Leslie Knope courts in Parks and Recreation?

Carl Reiner's Ned Jones ends up endorsing her rival instead. He is won over by a plan for electric lifts that had been swiped from Leslie's own idea for ramps.

Which former Secretary of State is among the real political figures who cameo as themselves in Parks and Recreation?

Madeleine Albright joins a guest list of real politicians that also includes Newt Gingrich, Cory Booker and Orrin Hatch.

Which school tradition, cut from the budget, does Leslie Knope bring back in Parks and Recreation?

The senior prom had been cut from the budget before Leslie brought it back. Andy spends the night trying everything to get April, who hates prom, to go with him.

Which honour did Parks and Recreation win in 2012, cited for exploring the good side of American democracy?

A Peabody Award came at the 71st annual ceremony. A Golden Globe followed two years later, for its star's performance in the lead role.

Under which brand name does Tom Haverford finally sell fluoridated water to Pawnee in Parks and Recreation?

H2-Flow succeeds where his first rebrand, T-Dazzle, had failed. A rival councilman had scared the town off fluoride and pushed an unhealthy drink instead.