Parks and Recreation(akaParks and Rec) is one of the greatestsitcomsof all time. Its mockumentary style, array of interesting characters, and legendary jokes are contributors to the show’s stellar success. CreatorsMichael SchurandGreg Danielshad previous experience withThe Office, applying a similar formula toworkplace sitcomParks and Rec.The show follows public officials in Pawnee, Indiana, focusing on Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), deputy director of the Parks and Recreation department, and her colleagues.
The show has seven seasons and numerous nominations and awards– though the biggest crime is 16 Emmy nominations and no wins. Plenty of the nominations went to Poehler forthe role of the wholesome Leslie Knope, but she’s hardly the show’s best character.Parks and Rechasa great main castand perhaps an even more iconic list of side characters, who deserve recognition as a big part of making the show a cult series. There are plenty of them, but the best side characters ofParks and Recare just special.
Parks and Recreation
The absurd antics of an Indiana town’s public officials as they pursue sundry projects to make their city a better place.
10Jeremy Jamm
Played by Jon Glaser
Pawnee’s most punchable dentist, Jeremy Jamm (Jon Glaser), is also an important part of the Pawnee City Council. He seems to hate Leslie, who ruined his chances of selling a Pawnee community lot to a burger franchise, stopping his chances to earn money. Jamm sabotages Leslie by arranging unethical situations and being infuriating in general. He’s unlikable but also likable because of that;Jamm gets a redemption arc by the end of the show, becoming friendly with Leslie and her Parks and Rec department.
Jamm sabotages Leslie by arranging unethical situations and being infuriating in general.
Jeremy Jamm is played by Jon Glaser, who has longtime experience in comedy. He was awriter forComedy Centraland a big part of numerous comedy and variety showsaround the 2000s, soon becoming more present as a guest actor and a cast regular (Girlsis one of them). Though Jamm is not meant to be a likable character, he can still count as one of the best side characters onParks and Recbecause of that. Still, Jamm is unintentionally hilarious and just needs to be heard.
9Li’l Sebastian
Played by Gideon
Miniature horse, maximum legend –that’s how Li’l Sebastiancould best be described.His role in Pawnee is essential because he’s very important to its residents; in fact, he’s more or less the biggest and most famous attraction they have. Li’l Sebastian is likeElvis, likeBeyoncé, like a fuzzy messiah. After he dies in Season 3,Andy (Chris Pratt) writes himone of the greatest memorial songs of all time, “5,000 Candles In the Wind (Bye Bye Li’l Sebastian).”
Li’l Sebastian is like Elvis, like Beyoncé, like a fuzzy messiah.
Li’l Sebastian’s debut appearance– according toParks and Reclore– was at the 1987 Pawnee Harvest Festival. Apparently,the miniature horse also has an honorary Notre Dame degree– in the show– and an IRL tribute from the university in their DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. Li’l Sebastian is an iconic tiny horse with huge energy and is one of the best side characters ofParks and Rec, if only because ofRon Swanson’s (Nick Offerman)excitement whenever he sees him.
8Ethel Beavers
Played by Helen Slayton-Hughes
Ethel Beavers (Helen Slayton-Hughes) is the iconic court stenographer and a secret badass. Her dry, deadpan sense of humor is memorable, and it seemingly came with age for her;she’s been around long enough, she’s tired of nonsense, and she’s seen it all. You can’t impress her. Her most iconic moments include her betting on the outcome of a case she was a stenographer for andthe dynamite eulogy she gavefor the mayor of Pawnee at his funeral.
Her dry, deadpan sense of humor is memorable, and it seemingly came with age for her.
Ethel’s laid-back attitude is contrary to many characters on the show, especially Leslie, but that’s why she’s one of the best side characters.Helen Slayton-Hughes, who plays Ethel, had a long and lucrative career; before passing in 2022, besidesParks and Rec, she starred inArrested Development,Malcolm In the Middle, andNew Girl, among many other shows. Her most iconic role, though, must be as Ethel Beavers, the badass stenographer with some legendary one-liners.
7Ken Hotate
Played by Jonathan Joss
Ken Hotate (Jonathan Joss) is an underrated but brilliant character onParks and Recand the leader of Pawnee’s Wamapoke tribe. The sarcastic king keeps Pawnee humble with a mix of facts, dry humor, and (light) curses,rounding up a personality that’s as wise and patient as it is kind of terrifying. His most iconic moment is threatening to curse Leslie’s festival inSeason 3, Episode 7, “Harvest Festival,“because it’s held on the Wamapoke sacred grounds. He shouts gibberish to place the curse and lift it, thus succeeding in getting his way.
The sarcastic king keeps Pawnee humble with a mix of facts, dry humor, and (light) curses…
Ken wasn’t often seen inParks and Rec, buteach of his appearances was full of great one-liners and trolling peoplearound him, making him a memorable side character in the show. Jonathan Joss, who plays Ken, is also known for voicing John Redcorn inKing of the Hill, a show by one of theParks and Recco-creators, Greg Daniels. He also recently appeared in a guest role inTaylor Sheridan’sTulsa King.
6Joan Callamezzo
Played by Mo Collins
The talk show host and walking scandal, Joan Callamezzo (Mo Collins), makes all of her live TV meltdowns feel like TMZ moments. She’s arguably drunk most of the time but doesn’t let anyone take her off-air even when she passes out from drinking. This daytime TV diva is one of the funniest side characters onParks and Recand a huge driving force behind the show’s humor and uniqueness.Having a blend of characters with dry humor and chaotically funny ones gives the show an edge over the others, and Joan Callamezzo may be the one to tip the scales.
This daytime TV diva is one of the funniest side characters onParks and Recand a huge driving force behind the show’s humor and uniqueness.
Joan’s best moments include her being herself on air, though that means she’s often messy and unpredictable. She’s still very funny,mainly thanks to Mo Collins, who plays her perfectly. Collins was so likable as Joan that her role was extended to be much larger; she was only meant to appear in one episode, but the reception to her character was thrilling, and she soon became one of the best side characters onParks and Rec.
Played by Eric Isenhower
Orin (Eric Isenhower) is the embodiment of existential dread. He isApril Ludgate’s (Aubrey Plaza)friend, matching her offbeat personality and often dark character, despite being lovable overall.Orin is a goth, but he might also be supernatural; we don’t know. Orin’s superpower is the ability to unsettle people, which he does frequently and in the best ways possible. His resume simply says “Orin,” and he’s the originator of the art setup called “Human Farm,” in which he portrayed a sheep that moos. He was dressed as an Easter Bunny and Leslie’s mom, too.
Orin’s superpower is the ability to unsettle people, which he does frequently and in the best ways possible.
Orin is a great side character because of Eric Isenhower, the actor who portrays him. He is another character that was meant to be there only in spirit,but the screenwriters found the idea of him appearing hilarious, and Isenhower got the chance to elevate Orin’s creepy presence to a major level. There are around nine Orin appearances throughout the show, and each one is better than the last.
4Perd Hapley
Played by Jay Jackson
Every small town needs that one iconic anchor with a great catchphrase, and Perd Hapley (Jay Jackson) is that guy for Pawnee.Perd is kind of a rockstar, in a sense– he’s the busiest anchor on local TV, hosting shows like “Ya Heard? With Perd!” discussing the latest news, and “The Perdples Court,” where he’s a sort of judge Judy for the people of Indiana. Perd’s awkward delivery on TV often borders on genius, despite often being confusing and redundant.
…Jackson made sure Perd’s greatest hits became famous and definitive phrases in plenty ofParks and Recepisodes…
The verbal jazz of Perd Hapley was immortalized by Jay Jackson,whose delivery and devotion to making Perd an iconic character really went a long way. This memorable character is another in a row that was only meant to be in the background, but Jackson made sure Perd’s greatest hits became famous and definitive phrases in plenty ofParks and Recepisodes; he’s had the most appearances out of all the recurring characters, which were 31 episodes throughout the show’s run.
3Bobby Newport
Played by Paul Rudd
Bobby Newport (Paul Rudd) is Leslie’s political opponent in her race for City Council. A nepo baby and a toddler-like person,Bobby’s privilege often shows when he speaks or addresses other people. Regardless of his being absolutely unqualified to run for City Council, he has the help of his campaign manager, Jennifer Berkley (Kathryn Hahn),who is as iconic as Bobby, only for being his exact opposite. Bobby is also the heir to the Sweetums manufacturing, being the son of Pawnee’s most powerful family.
…Very often, this silly character turns out to be kind of sweet, giving off a golden retriever energy but with a trust fund.
It’s hard to hate Bobby because of Paul Rudd, who portrays him; very often, this silly character turns out to be kind of sweet, giving off a golden retriever energy but with a trust fund.Rudd’s comedy work is famous, and he even ventured into superhero territorywith his role as Marvel’sAnt-Man. Despite all that, Rudd’s comedic roles are remembered the most, andthat includes Bobby Newport, who is, in turn, one ofParks and Rec’s most memorable side characters.
2Craig Middlebrooks
Played by Billy Eichner
The emotionally intenseCraig Middlebrooks (Billy Eichner)is Eagleton’s former Parks and Rec office manager. For those unfamiliar, Eagleton is the neighboring town and rival to Pawnee, with Craig having beenintroduced as Donna’s (Retta)“doppelgänger” in the same-name episode.Later in the series, Craig starts working in Pawnee, and his intense and emotional outbursts,often expressed very loudly, are some of the most iconic scenes in the show.
Craig feels things perhaps too much sometimes, but his passion and loyalty always overcome the panic he feels…
Craig feels things perhaps too much sometimes, but his passion and loyalty always overcome the panic he feels; Craig is also a skilled negotiator and understands city politics well. In some ways,the anxiety and rage he often lets out fuel and help him function, which is kind of common in managerial roles. He’s nothing more than a very likable office manager, which can be odd in itself. Eichner broke through with this role andhis show,Billy on the Street, became one of the most watched of the 2010s, so being the overly dramatic Craig worked out well.
1Jean-Ralphio Saperstein
Played by Ben Schwartz
Musical prodigy, genius entrepreneur, fast thinker, and even faster fraudster, Jean-Ralphio Saperstein (Ben Schwartz) is one of the greatestParks and Reccharacters, period.He’s the man of the hour during all hours in his head, which doesn’t leave much room for any other forms of healthy self-awareness. Useless in every practical way but also completely unforgettable, Jean-Ralphio— together with his sister Mona-Lisa (Jenny Slate)—has some of the best lines in the show. He is Tom Haverford’s (Aziz Ansari) friend and associate, with whom he’s entered several dodgy but, actually, kind of brilliant business opportunities.
Jean-Ralphio is portrayed by an underrated force in comedy, Ben Schwartz. Schwartz brings a unique charisma to all his roles,delivering fast and ridiculous lines at the drop of a hat. He can pull off smart and dumb characters and even thrill in more dramatic roles, like his lead role inHappy Anniversary. His approach to portraying Jean-Ralphio, the human equivalent of a glitter bomb with a checkbook full of bounced checks, was iconic, making his every appearance a welcome sight.
