Parks And Recreation: The 20 Best Characters, Ranked!

Throughout seven seasons of Parks and Recreation, Leslie Knope has taken on city councilmen, a burger joint, and even her former intern and boss. Now, she's throwing down with every single resident of Pawnee in TVLine's ultimate Parks and Rec character ranking!

In this list, we've broken down 20 of the city's finest, from the series' lovable mainstays like Andy Dwyer, April Ludgate and Tom Haverford, to a few of Pawnee's press parodies and some annoyingly lovable oafs who are in strict competition for being THE WOOOOOORST! (Did you just sing that in full Jean-Ralphio voice? We sure hope so.)

Some of the show's most smashing guest stars landed top spots (including Paul Rudd and Kathryn Hahn's campaign duo), and yes, there's even one beloved, four-legged friend whose appearance at the Harvest Festival turned everyone's heads — even the stickler host of Pawnee Today, Joan Callamezzo. (Spoiler alert: IT'S LI'L SEBASTIAN!!)

If you desperately miss the gang from Pawnee's Parks and Rec department, you're in good company. Grab a plate of your favorite waffles, top it with all the bacon (excuse me, we said... all of the bacon), and revisit some of your favorite Parks pals. Then hit the Comments section with your thoughts, favorite quotes, Parks eulogies, etc.!

Dammit Jerry! Or Larry... or Garry... to be honest, we still don't know what his real name is. From his weird comments about Tom's body to his frequently fumbled phrases, gross oversharing and awkward bodily functions, Jerry is just the worst. And that says a lot for a list that includes a character with the signature phrase, "You just got Jammed." Speaking of...

Jamm, a Pawnee orthodontist-turned-councilman, goes out of his way to annoy Leslie, including shooting down any proposal she brings to the table. His snide disposition whenever he one-ups her is only topped by his inflated ego and obnoxious attitude. When Leslie was elected to city council, this little weasel made his hatred for her abundantly clear. Plus, he constantly used Leslie's private bathroom without her permission — that's a big "nope" for Knope!

Look, we realized we can't place a miniature horse that only appeared in three (ish) episodes too high on this list, but like his obituary read, Li'l Sebastian will never leave our hearts. Although he had "the legs of Tom, the endurance of Jerry and the diseases of Jerry" (Oh, Ron!), there were so many things about Li'l S. that made him a cherished member of the Pawnee community. May he continue eating carrots and urinating freely in that big horse-filled arena in the sky.

Let's be real: The fact that Ron's third wife was played by Lucy Lawless earns Diane some brownie points, but we also love that she's the anti-Tammy. Following his failed marriages with two masterful manipulators, we're glad Ron was finally able to find someone cool, calm and collected to shack up with... even if his new love came with two unexpected daughters!

Let's begin this blurb by... starting it! TV journalist Perd Hapley was one of Pawnee's comically strange talking heads. Host of Lights, Camera, Perd, The Perdples Court and more, he often spoke in awkward redundancies and cadences, delivering the local news and scandals that Pawnee residents were hungry for. Like the show's other members of the press, Perd was a hilarious parody of the media... and not the only journalist to make our list, either!

Jean-Ralphio's "twin sister from the same mister" was, by his definition, "the worst person in the world," but to us, she's one of the best. Sure, she lacked any real work ethic, displayed many sociopathic tendencies, napped on the job to sleep off the previous night's drug binge, and was known to steal cash from the Rent-A-Swag register (OK, maybe she is insufferable), but as long as we don't have to deal with her IRL, consider us highly entertained. (Plus, the "don't be suspicious" clip is a true gift that keeps on giving.)

Joan may have been a thorn in Leslie's side, but the often drunk and/or hungover host of Pawnee Today always left us in stitches. Her "gotcha" journalism put Leslie in some tricky political situations — like the coverage of Councilman Dexhart's affair allegations and Pawnee's infamous gay penguin marriage. Though her work was fueled mostly by quackery and rumor-mongering, we can't picture Pawnee without her.

Parks and Rec's ribbing of local government was brought to new levels with the introduction of Paul Rudd's charmingly dumb Bobby Newport. The aloof and spoiled heir to the Sweetums fortune ran against Leslie for city council mainly to impress his rich dad. Despite some shaky public appearances (and one savage campaign manager also found in this list), Bobby's charm and blatant ignorance comes off as likable against Leslie's overly organized competency (oh, politics!). Though his arc was on the smaller side, Rudd's brand of comedy fit perfectly in Pawnee.

One of Parks and Recreations' best aspects was its pitch-perfect guest stars, and securing Kathryn Hahn for the Washington-bred political whiz Jennifer Barkley certainly added some spark to the show's fourth season. Though she started out as an adversary to Leslie during the Knope vs. Newport battle, Jennifer became slightly more affable post-election, consulting Leslie to reach for her political dreams and recruiting Ben for a position in Washington. Hahn was an exceptional choice to deliver Jennifer's blunt pretention and burns, and the Hahn/Rudd duo was the absolute chef's kiss of casting.

As any Will & Grace fan would tell you, Megan Mullally is the queen of being "extra," making her a glorious fit for the enigma that is Tammy 2. This librarian was both conniving and manipulative, frequently using Ron's lingering feelings against him. She exploited him whenever possible with her sexual power of seduction, often bringing out the worst in the Parks department director. Though she always spun Ron six ways from Sunday, we were glad the actors' real-life romance brought Tammy back to our screens in this year's special. (Also, we thank thee, Tammy, for bringing Ron's cornrow jailbird 'do into existence.)

Think we'd forget about Jean-Ralphio Saperstein? Well, why don't you turn that frizzown upside-dizzity? He may be a mix between an egomaniac and a con-man, but we can't deny the dude's cocky confidence and pseudo swag. He crushed hard on Leslie, struggled to end his raps on the rhyme, and helped co-found Entertainment 720, a company with absolutely zero business model and revenue streams. Delusional? Yes. One of our favorite Pawneeans? Also, yes.

Ben Wyatt was the perfect support guy to Leslie. He's calming, kind-hearted and passionate about local government. Sure, he may have accidentally bankrupted a city when he was an 18-year-old mayor, but he certainly redeemed himself with his work as a Pawnee city official. Plus, his Cones of Dunshire skills were the best in town, bar none, even if he did have the unfair advantage of being its creator.

Ben may be Leslie's partner in love, but Ann is her hetero life mate. Having gotten involved in local politics thanks to a dangerous pit near her home, she and Leslie became fast friends as they fought to get funding to turn the pit into a park. Ann grounded Leslie's unbridled passion and occasional habit of flying off the handle. On the flip side, Leslie always had her back and would probably step in front of a moving train if it meant protecting Ann. Everyone deserves a friendship as lovely and strong as these two ladies.

Donna, office manager extraordinaire, is a Benz-driving connoisseur of the finer things in life, perfectly exemplified by her and Tom's annual "Treat Yo' Self!" celebration. She's a woman of many layers, constantly surprising her co-workers by whipping out fluent French, and enlightening them about her Italy's Got Talent and NASCAR experiences. Donna had the perfect amount of sass, and the right amount of impatience for Pawnee's more ridiculous oddballs. Cool points, too, for being Ginuwine's cousin and never mentioning it.

Chris Traeger is — literally — Pawnee's most cheerful and energetic resident. To call Chris "health conscious" would be a gross understatement. He'll gently fill you in on his 2.8 percent body fat and desire to live to 150, but by no means is he condescending about his fitness routine. Despite a bout of depression following a rough breakup with Jerry or Larry or Garry's daughter, Chris remained an optimistic cheerleader for everyone around him, and we were pleased as pie from J.J.'s Diner to see him and Ann reunited by series' end.

Tom Haverford was always a man with a plan. Leslie's go-to guy used his lofty, yet creative mind to brainstorm businesses like Rent-A-Swag and Entertainment 720, and later, his own bistro. He was sharp with his digs and often mischievous around the office, planning pranks on Jerry with cohorts Donna and April, and teasing easy targets like Ben whenever possible. Though Tom's cockiness sometimes got the better of him, the guy had heart, and when push came to shove, he frequently did the right thing, even if begrudgingly.

Consider April Ludgate to be the antithesis of Chris Traeger. Enjoyer of things like regularly napping at her desk and texting on the job, April was the Parks department's dark overlord of sarcasm. While she thrived on being extremely dry toward her co-workers, using deadpan humor and goth-like behavior to stave off outsiders, she softened over time thanks to her relationship with the playful Andy Dwyer. Though she's bored and uninspired by mostly everyone around her, Leslie's positive work ethic slowly chipped away at April's indifferent demeanor.

Formerly known as Ann's slacker boyfriend-turned-lackluster shoe-shiner, Andy was a lovable doofus who spearheaded his often-renamed band Mouse Rat. Despite his extremely short attention span, his razor sharp memory made him an idiot savant, of sorts. He loved playing pretend with his two alter egos: Johnny Karate, which netted him his own children's TV show, and FBI agent Burt Macklin, who he turned into to solve local mysteries. (Yeah, that sounds way weirder in print than it played out on TV.) Is it a surprise to anyone that he and April named their first child Burt Snakehole Ludgate Karate Dracula Macklin Demon Jack-o-Lantern Dwyer? Didn't think so!

Leslie Knope was the Parks department's most ambitious, hard-working official who believed government should provide a service for its citizens. Though she sometimes annoyed her co-workers with her incessant overachieving, her good attitude and optimism helped her put a positive spin on all her efforts, even when she came up short. With the help of her team, Leslie became a city councilwoman who remained loyal to her friends and colleagues, always going to bat for everyone close to her. Aside from being Li'l Sebastian's number one fan, she was also a diehard lover of waffles. (She would've wanted us to mention that.)

The lovable mustached misanthrope Ron Swanson was Leslie's steely superior, and at times, polar opposite. Lover of stiff whiskey, crispy bacon and the good ol' U.S. of A., Ron preferred to be alone and unbothered, though his eccentric colleagues often made that impossible. From his jazzy alter ego Duke Silver to his appreciation for fine woodworking, Ron followed no man. Rather, he lived on instinct, abiding by the virtues declared on the Swanson Pyramid of Greatness. His many quirks were cemented by his conviction, which only led to greater humor whenever he broke his own rank (see: drunk dancing Ron, or any of his rare giggle fits). Ron's distrust in government and general apathy toward the public made his position as the head of the Parks department that much more unfitting — and hilarious — as he reluctantly led Pawnee's most well-intentioned gang of misfits.