Parks and Recreation has been off the air for over ten years, but I still find myself coming back to the workplace sitcom whenever I need to improve my mood. Pawnee feels like home; the characters always make me laugh, the heartwarming moments always make me cry, and I feel like I walk away from every rewatch having been taught a new life lesson.
Tom and Donna’s “Treat yo self” mantra, Leslie’s endless optimism, and Ron’s quiet way of loving and supporting those around him are just a few of the life lessons I’ve learned as a fan. As fans, we’re always more susceptible to latching on to characters and learning lessons because of how many times we’ll rewatch something; but stars themselves can also learn something from their time on a show. Case in point: Amy Poehler recently opened up about what playing one of the most beloved television characters of all time taught her.
Leslie Knope taught me a lot. Playing her really did improve my life. It made me a much better listener and more engaged person in the world. And it was really nice to come to work and, like, spend the whole day telling everybody how much you love them. I had to have a lot of energy to play her. And she gave me a lot of energy when I played her.
Parks and Rec was full of hilarious characters with big hearts, but it was Leslie who centered them all. Sure, sometimes she tried too hard and failed, but she always did things because she thought it would make a difference for the people of Pawnee. She’s definitely the reason why I always come back to the show and consider it one of the best sitcoms of all time.
To me, Poehler and Knope are basically the same person. Anyone who has ever listened to the Saturday Night Live alum speak over the years can attest to the way she seems to embody the Pawnee native. I’d never considered that she wasn’t always that way, but in listening to her mock job interview for WSJ Magazine, that wasn’t always the case.
That’s not to say Poehler was some terrible person pre-Parks and Recreation; anyone who worked with her on SNL would vouch for her kindheartedness — especially Andy Samberg, who credits Poehler with him pursuing Brooklyn Nine-Nine. There’s no denying she’s become an even better person because of Leslie. As she went on to say:;
So what I like about her and what I try to remember, and why I think I deserve this job, she never thought it was lame to care about things. So when I catch myself not caring about things, I do think about her. Because she wouldn't have that.
Not being afraid to care deeply about things is definitely the biggest message I’ve taken away from watching Parks and Rec, and it’s nice to hear the same is true for Poehler. She’s definitely taken that to heart in how she carries herself on her podcast and even with her charity endeavors, like back in 2020 when the Parks and Rec cast reunited to benefit Feeding America.
While Poehler’s time as Leslie Knope is over, I’m excited to see what parts of her she brings with her in her new show, Dig, which also stars two Brooklyn Nine-Nine alums. The complete first season of Dig will be available to Peacock subscribers on November 23 as part of the 2026 TV Schedule.
