Parks & Rec: 10 Of The Best (& Most Hilarious) Citizens Of Pawnee Everyone Forgets
Parks and Recreation has an ensemble full of unique personalities, making for interesting stories and great character dynamics. This extends beyond the main cast, though, and to citizens of Pawnee that aren't always remembered as much as those with larger roles in the show.
The use of "best characters" is not necessarily meant to represent the nicest people, but rather those Pawnee inhabitants with the most distinctive personalities, which adds to their overall humor and helps boost their characterization, even when they have minimal screen time.
10 Orin
Friend to April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza), the intense Orin (Eric Isenhower) first appears in season 3's "April and Andy's Fancy Party", where he succeeds in deeply unsettling Ben (Adam Scott). Whilst he rarely speaks, Orin's mere presence in the background of shots is enough to provide laughs.
A memorable episode featuring Orin, "Animal Control" has him applying to be head of that department, but his interview is decidedly unsuccessful. On a parallel with some of April's stranger moments, he also pretends to be her mother in season 6's "Prom," in a scene that proves why the two remain such good friends.
9 Garth Blundin
With only a single appearance in the show, Garth Blundin (Patton Oswalt) still manages to make a big impression during season 5's episode "Article Two," where he opposes Leslie's (Amy Poehler) proposed changes to the Pawnee town charter, viewing its nonsensical and outdated laws as historically significant.
Referring to one of these laws - which states that as long as he keeps talking, the Pawnee council must take notice of him - Garth proceeds to outline his vision for then-unreleased movie Star Wars Episode VII, a scene filled with frustration and humor, even as it shows some Pawnee citizens at their worst.
8 Ethel Beavers
One of Pawnee's elder citizens, Ethel Beavers (Helen Slayton-Hughes) continues to work as the town's courtroom stenographer, who was also given the task of showing Tom (Aziz Ansari) and Andy (Chris Pratt) around City Hall's chaotic fourth floor in season 3's "The Bubble", where she had worked as office manager.
With her disgruntled personality and dry humor, any episode with Ethel is sure to have audience's laughing, whether she's discouraging Leslie in her ethics hearing during "The Trial of Leslie Knope" or begrudgingly agreeing to be Andy and April's adoptive grandmother in "Leslie and Ben."
7 Annabel Porter
She may be a former resident of rival town Eagleton, but once the towns are combined, Annabel Porter (Erinn Hayes) becomes a fixture in Pawnee as CEO and founder of the trend-spotting app Bloosh, of which Tom and Donna (Retta) are big fans.
With a character design and company name that seems to parody certain outlandish wellness businesses, Annabel's lines are full of hilarity, whether through their own absurdity, or in contrast to her unlikely muse Ron Swanson's (Nick Offerman) no-nonsense replies to them.
6 Kelly Larson
Although he only appears in one episode - season 3's "Time Capsule" - Kelly Larson (Will Forte) leaves an impression on both the Parks department's staff and audiences alike, with Forte's performance perfectly capturing the lengths a parent will go to in order to impress their child.
With the department putting together a time capsule, Kelly is adamant that a copy of Twilight should be included in its minimal space, and when met with a polite dismissal from Leslie, he handcuffs himself to her office radiator. Whilst his motivations are later made clear, his supposed devotion to the books in the meantime (and his encyclopedic knowledge of them) make both a memorable character and storyline.
5 Greg Pikitis
Even if he doesn't have a long enough storyline to become one of Parks and Recreation's low-key villains, Greg Pikitis (Cody Klop) remains a nemesis of Leslie's throughout the show's run, first appearing in the season 2 episode that bears his name, where Leslie hopes to catch the teen vandalizing one of the town's statues on Halloween.
There's a great dynamic between the pair, which extends to include Andy when Leslie tasks him with interviewing Greg, in a scene that quickly turns against Andy, showcasing Greg's manipulation and talents. He makes a surprise return in season 6, forever at odds with Leslie in a way that remains entertaining.
4 Brandi Maxxxx
Local celebrity and adult film star Brandi Maxxxx (Mara Marini) considers herself a friend of Leslie's, and draws many parallels between the two of them, much to Leslie's confusion. Brandi even runs against Leslie for city counsillor in season 4.
Her presence in Pawnee provides a surprisingly sex-positive counterpart to some of the town's more conservative citizens, and whilst she's a part of some fantastically funny moments, they tend to come from her inability to read Leslie rather than her job. In fact, series finale "One Last Ride" includes a flash-forward scene that shows her as a Pawnee councillor.
3 Barney Varmn
Barney Varmn (John Balma) is an accountant in Pawnee who absolutely adores Ben Wyatt. He laughs at all of his jokes, relishes in accounting-based puns no matter how dreadful, and consistently offers Ben a job, which develops into something of a running gag, with Ben repeatedly first accepting and later quitting for a whole host of reasons.
Whether he's calling to the off-screen character of Ted, begging him to come and hear one of Ben's jokes, or exciting in a game of Cones of Dunshire, Barney becomes Ben's most devoted fan and a selfless friend.
2 Perd Hapley
One of Parks and Rec's funniest reporters, Perd is a staple of Pawnee's local news shows, with many of their titles containing his name. His distinctive way of presenting makes his lines funny no matter their content, and truly captures the absurdity that sometimes comes with the profession's measured way of speaking.
As a fixture in the show whenever a local scandal breaks out, his continued presence only serves to highlight his hilarity, and the more that is revealed about his backstory, the more it seems there is to still be uncovered.
1 Marlene Griggs-Knope
Leslie's mother and a great source of her inspiration, Marlene Griggs-Knope (Pamela Reed) has been part of Pawnee politics for many years, and serves as the Director of the Education Department.
In great contrast to Leslie, Marlene is happy to approach politics with deceit and cunning, known by locals to be unyielding in her stances. She gives Leslie underhanded advice on how to blackmail various political figureheads, and the two's opposing tactics make for interactions full of funny moments, even when they are frustrated with one another.