Lucy and Ethel, Laverne and Shirley, Mary Tyler Moore and Rhoda, and now, Leslie Knope and Ann Perkins. Parks and Recreation's Leslie (Amy Poehler) and the beautiful tropical fish, Ann (Rashida Jones), have easily the best female friendship depicted on television in years, and win our vote for greatest non-romantic power couple on the small screen.
Their friendship is one we all should strive for—one in which you're not embarrassed to get wastey-faced in front of each other, one that will encourage you to be the best you can be and not ever break your heart by the other moving away. What? Sorry.
We can't help but feel that after Rashida Jones' departure from the show tonight, Pawnee, a city "first in friendship and fourth in obesity," is going to feel like a ghost town. It'll be empty and dead like our hearts once this beautiful duo is split apart.
To help us cope with our emotions (and because the scrapbook we made in honor of Leslie and Ann's BFF-hood was eaten by a Lil' Sebastian impersonator we hired in our time of need), we give you this: Leslie Knope and Ann Perkins: A Parks and Recreation BFF Retrospective.
Like most friends, Leslie and Ann's story begins when someone is way too lonely and enthusiastic to become friends.
This, of course, leads to Leslie and Ann quickly becoming heterosexual life partners.
Leslie constantly puts Ann's happiness in front of her own, including giving her permission to date a guy she used to have a thing for.
And Ann loves Leslie for her over-the-top enthusiasm and mildly insane energy, not despite it.
Even though we saw them fight while they were too turnt on Snake Juice...
That didn't get in the way of their loyalty. Like a true friend who'd clear your browser history if something unfortunate happened to you, Ann bailed Leslie out of jail.
And because she couldn't get enough of her companionship, Leslie came over with all eight movies on DVD, which Ann willingly sat through.
Sometimes Leslie needs to be reined in with a voice of reason, and Ann's proud to be just that.
Just like Leslie's proud to put aside her own Valentine's Day to play matchmaker for Ann.
As if their friendship couldn't be any closer, they celebrate each other's biggest moments, like leasing Leslie's new home.
And they celebrate...um, they celebrate every moment, actually.
It's bizarre to realize that we've been on this magical journey with Leslie and Ann from this...
To this...
Parks and Recreation has always been more than a story about Leslie Knope filling in a pit behind Ann's house, Leslie becoming elected, and Ann finding a guy that was great for her. It's certainly more than just a sitcom about the wacky office characters in local government. It's about a friendship, and it all started with one simple storyline: Leslie and Ann.
We're not ready to let that go, either.
Written by Hope Schreiber (@HopeSchreiber)
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