The WORST episodes of Parks and Recreation

Every episode of Parks and Recreation ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Parks and Recreation!

The series follows Leslie Knope, the deputy head of the Parks and Recreation department in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana. Knope takes on a project with a nurse named Ann to turn a construction pit into a park, while trying to mentor a bored college-aged intern. However, Leslie must fight through the bureaucrats, problem neighbors, and developers in order to make her dream a reality, all with a camera crew recording her every gaff and mishap.

Last Updated: 2/19/2024Network: NBCStatus: Ended
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Make My Pit a Park
star
7.20
5026 votes

#1 - Make My Pit a Park

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 4/9/2009

Indiana government worker Leslie Knope is given the assignment to convert an abandoned quarry pit into a community park. A documentary film crew follows Leslie through her mishaps and gaffes as she tries to make her assignment a reality.

Directors: Greg Daniels
Watch Now:Apple TV
Canvassing
star
7.22
4033 votes

#2 - Canvassing

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 4/16/2009

Leslie decides that she and her committee need to go door-to-door to gain support for the park project as well as support for an upcoming town hall meeting, but their mission does not go as planned. Meanwhile, Tom wanders away from the canvassing group and uses his own creative recruitment tactics.

Directors: Seth Gordon
Writer: Rachel Axler
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Reporter
star
7.24
3589 votes

#3 - The Reporter

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 4/23/2009

Leslie arranges for a reporter to do a story about her park project, but she and her committee have the worst time staying on topic. She then calls Mark to help her save the story, but it ends up hurting more than helping. Meanwhile, Tom does all he can to suck up to his boss.

Directors: Jeffrey Blitz
Writer: Dan Goor
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Banquet
star
7.37
3227 votes

#4 - The Banquet

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 5/7/2009

During a banquet honoring her mother's public service, Leslie tries to convince a local zoning official to support her proposed park project. Meanwhile, Mark and Tom try to meet some ladies.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Boys' Club
star
7.44
3440 votes

#5 - Boys' Club

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 4/30/2009

Leslie attempts to break into the political "old boys' club," causing an ethical dilemma. Meanwhile, Andy plans a surprise for Ann.

Writer: Alan Yang
Watch Now:Apple TV
2017
star
7.48
1624 votes

#6 - 2017

Season 7 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/13/2015

Leslie launches a competition with tech company Gryzzl for a large parcel of land, which she wants to turn into a National Park. April and Andy try to regain their spontaneity. Ben is recognized at a Bicentennial gala, where Tom delivers a speech in his honor.

Directors: Dean Holland
Watch Now:Apple TV
Kaboom
star
7.53
2953 votes

#7 - Kaboom

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/22/2009

Leslie, Ann and the rest of the Parks Department volunteer to help the organization KaBOOM! build a playground for a neighboring town. After building an entire playground in one day, Leslie gets frustrated at the lack of progress with the pit, and takes some advice from Mark to cut through the red tape.

Watch Now:Apple TV
William Henry Harrison
star
7.60
1538 votes

#8 - William Henry Harrison

Season 7 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/20/2015

Leslie's team tries to strengthen her case that the Newport land should be turned into a National Park. Ron's team, fighting back, brings on a celebrity as a minority owner.

Directors: Tom Magill
Writer: Megan Amram
Watch Now:Apple TV
Beauty Pageant
star
7.61
3199 votes

#9 - Beauty Pageant

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/1/2009

Leslie gets to judge a beauty contest, but ends up having conflicting opinions on "the ideal woman" with the other judges. While on a date with Mark, Ann learns Andy has been living in the pit.

Directors: Jason Woliner
Watch Now:Apple TV
Galentine's Day
star
7.62
2683 votes

#10 - Galentine's Day

Season 2 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/11/2010

When Leslie hears her mom’s story about an old flame, she and her boyfriend Justin track him down and reunite them on Valentine’s Day. Meanwhile, Andy and his band are nervous about playing a gig at the Senior Center.

Directors: Ken Kwapis
Watch Now:Apple TV
Park Safety
star
7.62
2702 votes

#11 - Park Safety

Season 2 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/18/2010

After Jerry gets mugged by a bunch of kids, Leslie meets with the head park ranger in hopes of improving park safety. Meanwhile, everyone tries to be nicer to Jerry once he returns to the office.

Directors: Michael Trim
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Possum
star
7.63
2845 votes

#12 - The Possum

Season 2 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/11/2010

When a possum bites the mayor's dog on a golf course, Leslie is asked to form a task force to catch the pesky animal. Meanwhile, Ron is upset when Mark refuses to bend the rules for him.

Writer: Mike Scully
Watch Now:Apple TV
Sister City
star
7.64
3074 votes

#13 - Sister City

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/15/2009

Leslie plays host to the Parks and Recreation department from Pawnee’s sister city, Boraqua, Venezuela, and is shocked at the cultural differences. Tom becomes an errand boy, and April plays hard to get.

Directors: Michael Schur
Writer: Alan Yang
Watch Now:Apple TV
Woman of the Year
star
7.65
2857 votes

#14 - Woman of the Year

Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/4/2010

Leslie is outraged when Ron wins a “Woman of the Year” award for a project she started. Meanwhile, Tom is desperate to find some money to invest in a local Pawnee club.

Directors: Jason Woliner
Writer: Norm Hiscock
Watch Now:Apple TV
Sweetums
star
7.66
2723 votes

#15 - Sweetums

Season 2 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/4/2010

The Parks Department forms a partnership with a local company to sell energy bars at the parks in Pawnee, but Leslie tries to stop the deal when she discovers how unhealthy the snacks are. Mark reluctantly agrees to help Tom move out of his house.

Directors: Dean Holland
Writer: Alan Yang
Watch Now:Apple TV
Christmas Scandal
star
7.66
2713 votes

#16 - Christmas Scandal

Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/10/2009

Leslie designs the Pawnee Winter Wonderland Festival, but has to hide from the press when a meeting with a disgraced Councilman lands her in the middle of a sex scandal. Meanwhile, Ron offers to cover for Leslie for the day, and quickly discovers how much work she really does.

Directors: Randall Einhorn
Watch Now:Apple TV
Rock Show
star
7.67
2977 votes

#17 - Rock Show

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 5/14/2009

Leslie attends what she believes is a business meeting with an elderly local government bigwig, unaware that her mother has secretly set her up on a blind date. Andy plays his first gig since breaking both of his legs in the pit.

Directors: Michael Schur
Writer: Norm Hiscock
Watch Now:Apple TV
Tom's Divorce
star
7.67
2635 votes

#18 - Tom's Divorce

Season 2 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/3/2009

After Leslie finds out that Tom is getting a divorce, the department takes him out on the town to cheer him up. Meanwhile, Andy tries to hustle Mark in a game of pool.

Directors: Troy Miller
Watch Now:Apple TV
New Slogan
star
7.69
1921 votes

#19 - New Slogan

Season 6 - Episode 16 - Aired 3/13/2014

Leslie aims to create a new town slogan, but runs afoul of local shock jocks. Andy scouts bands to play the Unity Concert and discovers an interesting secret about Ron, while Tom looks for a restaurant locale with Donna and April.

Directors: Dean Holland
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Camel
star
7.69
2915 votes

#20 - The Camel

Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/12/2009

After one of the murals in City Hall is defaced, Leslie and the Parks Department compete to come up with a new design. Meanwhile, Andy and Ron share an uncomfortable moment at the shoeshine stand.

Writer: Rachel Axler
Watch Now:Apple TV
Greg Pikitis
star
7.71
2829 votes

#21 - Greg Pikitis

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/29/2009

Leslie enlists the help of Dave and Andy in order to catch a local teen vandal. Meanwhile, Ann struggles to make her Halloween party fun, and ends up getting help from an unlikely source.

Directors: Dean Holland
Watch Now:Apple TV
Swing Vote
star
7.73
2333 votes

#22 - Swing Vote

Season 5 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/25/2013

Leslie deems Ron's budget-cut proposals unacceptable. Andy and Ben celebrate a big donation made to their charity. Ann tries to solve Tom's girlfriend troubles.

Directors: Alan Yang
Watch Now:Apple TV
Leslie's House
star
7.73
2681 votes

#23 - Leslie's House

Season 2 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/21/2010

After an amazing date with Justin in Indianapolis, Leslie tries to impress him with a dinner party at her house.

Directors: Alex Hardcastle
Writer: Dan Goor
Watch Now:Apple TV
Galentine's Day 2
star
7.73
1942 votes

#24 - Galentine's Day 2

Season 6 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/20/2014

Leslie throws a hasty Galentine’s Day in an attempt to find a replacement for Ann. Tom and Ben look to finalize a deal on tents for the Unity Concert, while Ron finds himself looking after Andy.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Pawnee Zoo
star
7.74
3357 votes

#25 - Pawnee Zoo

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/17/2009

When Leslie decides to marry two penguins to promote the local zoo, she inadvertently causes an uproar when both penguins turn out to be male. Meanwhile, Mark puts Ann in an awkward situation when he asks her to go see a movie.

Directors: Paul Feig
Writer: Norm Hiscock
Watch Now:Apple TV