A show with a happy beginning and a happy middle gets a happy ending. Check out our recap and share your thoughts on Parks and Rec’s final episode, “One Last Ride.”

“That’s what government work is all about: small incremental change every day,” Governor Leslie Knope says during her speech for her honorary doctorate at Indiana University. Governor Knope is exactly right. That’s what government is all about. But that’s also mostly what everything is about. At the very least, that’s what great television is all about. And that’s what Parks and Rec was for seven years: great television.

Tonight’s series finale was no exception. It wasn’t the funniest hour of the show by a longshot and at times it’s “everyone accomplishes their dream” conceit flirted with self-parody. And you know what? That’s fine. If there were ever a show where characters deserved to realize their dreams, it was Parks and Rec. It’s considered “high art” for a character to be really nice, really talented and work really hard but still get to their hopes crushed by the universe in the end. In the universe created by Michael Schur on Parks and Rec, hard work and talent are rewarded, no more so than they were in “One Last Ride.”

Leslie, Ben, April and Andy are about to depart Pawnee to Washington, D.C. while Donna will be leaving for Seattle. Instead of sitting in the Parks office, reminiscing about old times and hearing Jerry’s coffee decision song*, the gang decides to reunite for “one last ride.” That last ride is merely fixing a swingset near an annoyed citizen’s house.

*“Come on, Larry, you’re the mayor now. Have some dignity.”

This swingset journey serves as a framing device to flash-forward to each character’s future. As Leslie goes through the mundane government work necessary to get a simple swing fixed, she connects with all of her friends and lets each know what they mean to her. And as though she has a magic touch, each time she touches someone, we flash-forward to their future. It’s a little corny, but hey, you shouldn’t even be able to notice that through your tears. Everyone’s future is as follows.

Donna

Donna and Joe are living in Seattle in 2023. Her career in real estate is going really well, while Joe’s career as a teacher is floundering. The schools in 2023 have cut math altogether and now they don’t know if they can even afford a vacation to “Middle Korea.”

Donna enlists the help of April’s company to create a non-profit for Joe to run called “Teach Yo’ Self.” D’awww.

Craig

Craig in present day (well, 2017) runs the Parks department. In 2019, while singing at Tom’s Bistro he finally decides to give in to the advances of Ron’s hair stylist, Typhoon. They are married almost immediately and grow old together with Craig still yelling in his poor husband’s ear.

April and Andy

April and Andy are living it up in Washington, D.C. Andy wants kids but April doesn’t. April turns to Leslie to convince her that having kids is a good thing. Leslie won’t go that far. All she says is that “You and Andy are a team and you want to bring in some new team members.” When baby Jack is born one year later on Halloween (obviously), Leslie whispers to him: “Welcome to the team, little guy.”

Jean-Ralphio

Jean-Ralphio fakes his own death for insurance money. I mean…of course.

Tom

Tom’s Bistro is going very well. After consulting with Ben, Ron and Donna, Tom decides to expand Tom’s Bistro to 20 franchises. Unfortunately, the economy takes a dive due to a beef shortage and Tom loses almost everything. He’s devastated after being through so many failures. The experiences, however, inspire him to write his massively successful book: “Failure: An American Success Story.” The book teaches you how to be an April, Andy, Ben, Leslie, Donna, Ron or Tom but NEVER a Garry.

Jerry

Jerry is only supposed to be mayor of Pawnee for two more weeks. Somehow, however, he wins the actual mayoral campaign due to a flurry of write-in votes. Then he wins the next 10 elections and lives to age 100 with a happy job and beautiful family. Damn it, Jerry.

Ron

In 2022, Very Good Building Company has had an amazing year despite the economy’s downturn. CEO Ron Swanson responds to the news by resigning as CEO. Ron has accomplished everything he’s wanted to in life. His kids are growing up and going to college, his business was a success and his marriage is happy.

He feels like something is missing. Ron wants one last cause he can take up and not only be happy with but also feel like he is making a difference. He enlists the help of his favorite former workplace proximity partner, Leslie. Of course, she comes up with the perfect solution. Ron will now run the Pawnee National Park and spend his days around nature, talking to bears.

Leslie and Ben

It doesn’t take long for Leslie and Ben to become Washington fixtures. By 2025, Ben’s a congressman and Leslie works in the office of the interior still. At one of Joe Biden’s house parties, a D.N.C. member tells Leslie that she should run for Indiana governor. Jen Barkley tells Ben he should run for Indiana governor at the same time. Leslie and Ben decide to return to Pawnee and then decide who between them should actually run.

Upon arriving in Pawnee, Leslie is surprised to see that Ben has arranged for Tom, Ron, Andy, April and Andy to be there. And if that wasn’t enough: BEAUTIFUL TROPICAL FISH ANN PERKINS…and Chris Traeger. Leslie and Ben have a wonderful time with their friends and Leslie decides that they should just flip a coin to decide who should run for governor. They’re about to make the announcement when Ben cuts in and says that Leslie will be running for governor. It’s a level-10 feels explosion that only Parks and Rec is capable of.

By the end of the episode, a swing-set is fixed and everyone’s dreams are realized.

Michael Schur is a smart writer and a keen observer of television history. He had many models to draw from for Parks and Recs‘ final episode. What he and the writers seem to have settled on is a Six Feet Under, only if it were unreservedly optimistic. It’s not necessarily the strongest artistic choice but it may have been the only rational choice. Parks and Rec is a show that deserved not just a happy ending but an uncommonly, once-in-a-lifetime, wildly unrealistic happy ending. “One Last Ride” is exactly that.

Goodbye, Parks and Rec. We liked you and we loved you. For everyone else…

“Go find your team and get to work,” Governor Leslie Knope.

Related:

– The 50 best Parks & Rec supporting characters
– Parks & Rec’s most iconic moments