| "One Last Ride" | |
|---|---|
| Parks and Recreation episodes | |
| Episode nos. | Season 7 Episodes 12, 13 |
| Directed by | Michael Schur |
| Written by | Michael Schur Amy Poehler |
| Production code | 712/713 |
| Original air date | February 24, 2015 |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"One Last Ride" is the two-part series finale of the television sitcom Parks and Recreation . It serves as the 12th and 13th episodes of the seventh season and the 124th and 125th overall episodes of the series. It was written by lead actress Amy Poehler and series co-creator Michael Schur, the latter of whom also directed the episode. The series finale first aired on NBC in the United States on February 24, 2015, when it was watched by 4.15 million viewers, making it the most-watched episode of the season and the highest-rated episode since "Campaign Ad" of the fourth season.
With the majority of the season being spent closing long-running storylines, this episode serves as a standalone plot while also saying goodbye to both the characters and the city of Pawnee. The episode received acclaim from critics.
The gang all gather inside the parks department before business hours, as many of them are leaving Pawnee, to reminisce about their time together there. A citizen comes in, saying that a swing set behind his house on a playground has been broken for about three months. Leslie (Amy Poehler) sees this as an opportunity for them all to go on one last mission together as she is worried these people will never be together again in the same room at the same time. The gang agrees, with Leslie saying goodbye to everyone on the way to getting it fixed. After fixing the swing, the group gathers for a picture together and Ben asks Leslie if she is ready. In the last shot of the series, Leslie smiles at the camera, and says "Yes. I'm ready."
Following his interim term, Garry (Jim O'Heir) is officially elected mayor after a massive write-in campaign. In 2019, Craig (Billy Eichner) continues to work at Tom's Bistro, where he is reintroduced to Typhoon, Donna and Ron's hairdresser. The two are soon married (with Ron as their best man) and live a long and happy life together. Elsewhere, Tom (Aziz Ansari), now married to Lucy (Natalie Morales), decides to franchise his restaurant after careful consideration, only to lose almost all his money due to an economic recession. However, his experiences with failure inspire him to write a book, and he becomes a successful self-help author and motivational speaker.
In Washington D.C. in 2022, Andy (Chris Pratt) longs to be a father despite wife April's (Aubrey Plaza) reluctance. However, with advice and support from Leslie and Ben (Adam Scott), April reconsiders and comes round to the prospect of motherhood. Elsewhere, Jean-Ralphio (Ben Schwartz) and his sister Mona-Lisa (Jenny Slate) fake the former's death so they can use the insurance money to leave the country and fund a casino, but are caught spying on Jean-Ralphio's "funeral". After resigning from the Very Good Building Company amidst its outstanding performance, Ron (Nick Offerman) visits Leslie in Washington for guidance, as he is at a personal crossroads. Leslie offers him the superintendency of the Pawnee National Park; he accepts, officially making peace with working for the federal government, and spends his days patrolling the parkland. In 2023, Donna (Retta) and Joe (Keegan-Michael Key) are living happily in Seattle, where Donna's real-estate firm is thriving due to a resurgence in the housing market, but teacher Joe is despondent after the increasingly streamlined national curriculum cuts math. With her commission money and help from April, Donna sets up an online learning initiative called "Teach Yo' Self", allowing Joe to stay true to his values in teaching. On October 31, 2023, Andy supports a fully costumed April as she gives birth to their first child, Jack, in Pawnee's hospital.
At the Biden family home in 2025, Leslie is approached about running for the governorship of Indiana, while Ben is simultaneously approached by Jennifer Barkley (Kathryn Hahn) about the same position. To decide which one of them should run, they head back to Pawnee for inspiration, where they find the entire gang – and their respective children – gathered at the Parks department to support them, including Ann (Rashida Jones) and Chris (Rob Lowe). While there, April and Andy reveal they are having another child, and Ann and Chris announce that they are moving back to Pawnee. Leslie and Ann are also secretly conspiring to spark a romance between their teenaged children, Oliver and Sonia, and the plan appears to be succeeding. Ben and Leslie still cannot decide who will run, and decide to officially consult their friends; however, as they prepare to announce their news, Ben tells everyone that it is Leslie who will be running, as he knows she has dreamed of being in executive government her entire life. Leslie immediately reappoints him as her campaign manager, and notes that they (like Ann and Chris) can now return to living full-time in Pawnee.
In 2035, Leslie makes a commencement speech at Indiana University during her second consecutive term as Governor of Indiana. The university announces the renaming of its library after Leslie; she is privately unimpressed by the gesture due to her long-standing antipathy towards Pawnee's library department.
In 2048, an elderly Leslie and Ben attend Garry's funeral; he was repeatedly named mayor of Pawnee until his death on his 100th birthday. The two are surrounded by Secret Service members, implying that one or both of them is either President or Vice President of the United States. Leslie is disgruntled when Ben observes that Garry's wife Gayle (Christie Brinkley) is still stunningly beautiful. After the funeral, the couple notice that the inscription on Garry's tombstone misspells his last name, but neither cares enough to inform anyone of the mistake.
In the producer's cut of the episode, Shauna Malwae-Tweep's (Alison Becker) and Jeremy Jamm's (Jon Glaser) futures are explored. In 2018, Shauna's fiancé leaves her at the altar, and Bobby Newport (Paul Rudd) sees her crying on a park bench. Shauna and Bobby end up getting married five hours later. In 2020, Jamm is working in a hibachi restaurant in Florida.
The episode aired a few days after the death of writer and producer Harris Wittels, who also appeared on the show as dim-witted animal control employee Harris. The final frame of the series featured the message, "We love you, Harris," from the cast and crew. [1]
The episode received ratings of 4.15 million viewers, almost double the average number per episode. [2]
The episode received overwhelming acclaim from critics and fans alike. IGN gave the episode a 10 out of 10, calling it a "masterpiece". [3] Additionally, Alasdair Wilkins of The A.V. Club gave the episode an "A" rating, stating that "the experience of watching 'One Last Ride' was something [he's] not sure [he's] ever had before with a television show", praising the phenomenal end to the series. [4] HitFix's Alan Sepinwall also admired the episode, stating that "after this great final season, and this wonderful final episode, [he] remain[s] very much not ready for a future without Parks and Recreation, even though it ended so definitively, and so well". [5] The episode holds an "Extremely Positive" consensus on Metacritic, [6] the highest calibre of reviews an episode can receive on the database.
| Ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 67th Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Amy Poehler | Nominated |
| Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation | George Flores, John W. Cook II, William Freesh | Nominated |
Parks and Recreation is an American political satire mockumentary television sitcom created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur. The series aired on NBC from April 9, 2009, to February 24, 2015, for 125 episodes, over seven seasons. A special reunion episode aired on April 30, 2020. The series stars Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope, a perky, mid-level bureaucrat in the Parks Department of the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana. The ensemble and supporting cast features Rashida Jones as Ann Perkins, Aziz Ansari as Tom Haverford, Nick Offerman as Ron Swanson, Aubrey Plaza as April Ludgate, Chris Pratt as Andy Dwyer, Adam Scott as Ben Wyatt, Paul Schneider as Mark Brendanawicz, Rob Lowe as Chris Traeger, Jim O'Heir as Garry "Jerry" Gergich, Retta as Donna Meagle, and Billy Eichner as Craig Middlebrooks.
"The Reporter" is the third episode of the first season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on April 23, 2009. The episode was written by Daniel J. Goor and directed by Jeffrey Blitz. In the episode, Leslie enlists a local reporter to write an article about the park, but the interviews go poorly, and the problem escalates after Mark gets romantically involved with the journalist.
"Media Blitz" is the fifth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 35th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on February 17, 2011. In the episode, the parks department tries to draw media attention for the upcoming harvest festival, but the press becomes fixated on Ben's past political mistakes. Meanwhile, Andy Dwyer takes on all of April Ludgate's errands with the hopes of convincing her not to move to Indianapolis.
Leslie Barbara Knope is a fictional character portrayed by Amy Poehler and the main protagonist of the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation. For most of the show's run, she serves as deputy director of the Parks and Recreation Department of the fictional city of Pawnee, Indiana. An overachiever, Knope believes the government should serve the people and is unceasingly optimistic about the potential of her role within it. For her performance as Knope, Poehler has been nominated for several awards and won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy.
The second season of Parks and Recreation originally aired in the United States on the NBC television network starting September 17, 2009, and ended on May 20, 2010. The season was produced by Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, and series co-creators Greg Daniels and Michael Schur served as executive producers. Like the first season, it focuses on Leslie Knope and her staff on the parks and recreation department of the fictional Indiana town of Pawnee. The episodes were approximately 22 minutes long each, all of which aired at 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays. The season stars Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Paul Schneider, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, and Chris Pratt.
"The Set Up" is the 13th episode of the second season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the nineteenth overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on January 14, 2010. In the episode, Leslie is set up on a blind date with an MRI technologist, played by Poehler's then-husband, comedic actor Will Arnett.
Thomas Montgomery "Tom" Haverford is a fictional character on the NBC series Parks and Recreation. He is a sarcastic, underachieving government official for the city of Pawnee who—in his own mind—is revered for his high levels of confidence and unmatched entrepreneurial skills.
Ann Meredith Perkins, RN, portrayed by Rashida Jones, is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. She is a nurse and Leslie Knope's best friend.
"The Master Plan" is the 23rd and penultimate episode of the second season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 29th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 13, 2010. In the episode, Pawnee's major budget problems result in state auditors arriving to make major cuts, much to Leslie's horror and Ron's delight. Meanwhile, Andy contemplates asking April to be his girlfriend, and Tom seeks a new girlfriend.
"Road Trip" is the fourteenth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 44th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 12, 2011. In the episode, Leslie and Ben are sent on a road trip together and struggle to keep their romantic feelings for each other at bay due to a policy that forbids office romances. Meanwhile, a Newlywed Game-style game show hosted by Tom leads to a fight between Andy and April.
"The Fight" is the thirteenth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 43rd overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 12, 2011. In the episode, the parks department employees become very drunk during a bar outing, where Leslie and Ann have their first major fight. Meanwhile, Chris tells Tom he must sell his share in the bar due to a conflict with his government job. According to Nielsen Media Research, "The Fight" was seen by an estimated 4.55 million household viewers, a drop from the previous original episode, "Eagleton".
Jean-Ralphio Saperstein is a fictional character played by Ben Schwartz in the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation. He is the cocky friend of Tom Haverford and, like Tom, sees himself as a pickup artist and "baller", although he is looked upon with contempt by most people around him except Tom. Ron Swanson happily invests in Tom's "Rent-A-Swag" venture when he learns that for once Jean-Ralphio is not involved. He tries to dress stylishly, makes up and raps spontaneous rhymes but usually fails due to adding an extraneous word after the rhyme, and often speaks in slang terms, such as variations of the suffix -izzle as popularized by American rapper Snoop Dogg. For example, while comforting Tom at one point, Jean-Ralphio encourages him to "Turn that frizown upside-dizzity."
"I'm Leslie Knope" is the first episode of the fourth season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 47th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on September 22, 2011. In the episode, Leslie Knope faces trouble telling Ben Wyatt that she is running for public office, which will cause them to have to end their secret relationship. Meanwhile, Ron braces himself for the arrival of his first ex-wife, "Tammy I".
"Win, Lose, or Draw" is the twenty-second episode and season finale of the fourth season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 68th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 10, 2012.
"How a Bill Becomes a Law" is the third episode of the fifth season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 71st overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on October 4, 2012.
The sixth season of Parks and Recreation originally aired in the United States on the NBC television network, from September 26, 2013, with an hour long premiere, and concluded on April 24, 2014, with an hour-long finale. It premiered in its new Thursday 8:00 pm timeslot. This season consisted of 22 episodes. It stars Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Adam Scott, Rob Lowe, Jim O'Heir, and Retta. The show moved to Thursdays at 8:30 pm beginning with its 100th episode.
The seventh and final season of Parks and Recreation aired in the United States on the NBC television network from January 13, 2015, until February 24, 2015. The season consisted of 13 episodes. It stars Amy Poehler, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Adam Scott, Jim O'Heir, and Retta, with a supporting performance from Billy Eichner.
"End of the World" is the sixth episode of the fourth season of the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation and the 52nd episode overall. It originally aired in the United States on November 3, 2011. "End of the World" was written by Michael Schur and was directed by Dean Holland. The episode features a doomsday cult, the Reasonabilists, who predict that the world is coming to an end.
"A Parks and Recreation Special" is a special episode of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation and the 126th episode overall. It was originally broadcast on April 30, 2020, on NBC. It was written by series co-creator Michael Schur with Megan Amram, Dave King, Joe Mande, Aisha Muharrar, Matt Murray, and Jen Statsky, and was directed by Morgan Sackett. Set during the COVID-19 pandemic, the episode shows Leslie Knope and her friends as they handle life during quarantine.
