Children’s author, magazine editor, and generally excellent tweeter Darran Stobbart made a stunning discovery today that has us all contemplating where our favorite Parks and Recreation characters will spend eternity. Stobbart connected the dots to show Parks and Rec is set in the same universe as The Good Place.
Just discovered that The Good Place takes place in the Parks and Rec universe and now by whole brain is crying. pic.twitter.com/UjtJLSclrA
— Words From Darran (@ShinraAlpha) February 6, 2018
A magazine Eleanor is browsing has two ads that point to Pawnee ties: Champagne by Jean-Ralphio and Glyde cologne by the loathsome Dennis Feinstein (played by Jason Mantzoukas, who also plays Derek in The Good Place).
So many questions arise from this revelation. For one thing, did Janet’s inspiration for Derek come from Feinstein? What is the value of Ann Perkins’ mortal soul? For how many infractions is Jerry/Gary/Larry Gergich directly responsible? Do animals ever reach the Good Place, and if so, how much real estate did Li’l Sebastian inherit the moment he traded his legs for angel wings? I racked my brain and determined which Place is best suited for each of our most beloved Pawnee citizens. Before you get angry, remember how mean everyone was to Jerry; I was merciful and ignored many transgressions with regard to Gergich. But not all of them.
TOM HAVERFORD: THE BAD PLACE
Tom’s defining characteristic is self-aggrandizement. That’s enough on its own. (Points for food nicknames, though.)
ANN PERKINS: THE GOOD PLACE
If Ann has a defining characteristic, it’s inoffensiveness. The worst thing she ever did was consider The Douche as a sperm donor, and if I’m being honest, that wouldn’t even come close to the worst thing I’ve ever considered.
CHRIS TRAEGER: THE BAD PLACE
Chris isn’t self-aggrandizing, but he is self-absorbed, so laser-focused on keeping himself in peak physical and mental condition that he barely spends any time thinking about anyone or anything else. He’ll have plenty of time to reflect on that in between torture sessions conducted by Dax Shepherd.
DONNA MEAGLE: THE GOOD PLACE
Aside from the whole “B*tch Boss/Boss B*tch†incident and the trail of ex-boyfriends she leaves in her wake, Donna is a loyal friend, straightforward and supportive in equal measure. She deserves to treat herself in the heavenly realms.
APRIL LUDGATE: THE BAD PLACE
Loath as I am to admit it, April’s goodness in the latter seasons of the show can’t cancel out what a monster she is earlier on, particularly to Ann.
BEN WYATT: THE GOOD PLACE
Post-Ice Town, all Ben’s ever really wanted to do is make Indiana a better place, and he does a bang-up job of it without losing sight of his principles. We could all learn from the guy who created the Cones of Dunshire.
RON SWANSON: THE BAD PLACE
Like April, the growth you see in Ron over the course of seven seasons can’t fully undo the damage of the past, especially when the past involves so many Tammies.
ANDY DWYER: THE GOOD PLACE
They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions, but they never met Andy Dwyer, who always genuinely means well. Even when he’s not nice to Jerry, it has an air of sweetness to it. He’s a lovable goofball who would remain that way through eternity.
LESLIE KNOPE: THE MEDIUM PLACE
Leslie has all the hallmarks of a great protagonist, and one of those is not always being a great person. I envision Leslie’s Medium Place as somewhere she can make binders she’ll never share with anyone and read Jonathan Franzen novels she’ll never be able to discuss with Ann (who never read them anyway). She’ll be fine but not awesome. And given how much hell she sometimes put her department and city through in effort to make it a better place, that’s what she deserves.
JERRY GERGICH: THE (NEWLY CREATED) BEST PLACE
Can you name a single thing Jerry Gergich did to intentionally harm someone else? Because I sure can’t. In fact, Jerry is so pure that he exceeds the expectations of a typical Good Place dweller. The architects who designed the Good Place (and I hope we meet them someday soon) would have no choice but to create something anew: a Best Place, where Jerry and, eventually, his beautiful wife and daughters spend time together, hosting parties for holidays we don’t have on Earth and allowing his Bad Place buddies to stop by every now and then. If you argue against the existence of a realm just for the Gergiches, then you yourself may have just sealed your own fate, but I won’t spoil that for you.
Where would you put your favorite Parks and Rec character? Let us know in the comments!
Images: NBC
More from Pawnee and the Good/Bad Place!
- Throwing a magnificent Galentine’s Day party.
- How The Good Place offers hope.
- The wisdom of Ron Swanson.
