Now that Coach and Tammy are gone, and Joe and Allison, we need another solid couple on primetime. The type of couple that we all envy; the type of couple that makes us want to be better and find someone better. In Parks and Rec‘s Ron and Leslie, I think we may have found them.
Sure, they’re not married, nor are they involved in any way. this is not an article written by a Ron and Leslie shipper, because, no. Just. No. Regardless, every single episode of Parks and Rec seems to take Ron and Leslie deeper into the pantheon of great TV relationships. Who else is more caring and supportive of each other than these two? No matter who they may actually be involved with, Ron and Leslie always have each other’s backs.
It happens every time one of the Tammys comes into town, or when the government is threatened. They spring into action for each other, without thought of themselves. This week’s episode is no different. Even though they started off, as they so often do, on opposite sides, they both sacrificed to make the other one happy.
The Pawnee Goddesses sounds like an awesome organization; after all, who can resist s’mores and puppy parties? Plus merit badges for prettiest eyes? Come on. I want to start my own branch right here. So it’s no wonder that kids, especially today’s kids, were drawn to it. It’s a ton of fun and full of positive reinforcement. If kids are already being torn away from their video games and cell phones, the least you can do is give them trophies for having amazing pillow fights.
For most kids, there’s no room for Ron’s brand of no-fun self-sufficiency. Kids are soft, and unlike Ron, are no longer born with fully-functioning mustaches. It was sad to see Ron come to this realization; to see him almost start to believe that his way of life, which he holds so dear, is becoming obsolete. Enter Leslie Knope.
Leslie isn’t going to just bullshit Ron into making him feel better. She’s not going to try to get him to adapt and join her group. Ron needs to stand on his own; he needs to dig trenches in the woods. So what better way to do this than start a band of mini-Swansons, thus ensuring the perpetuation of his pioneer spirit? If you didn’t get a little choked up as Leslie was reading the newspaper ad that she made for him, then you may, in fact, be missing a part of your soul. Even though I’m still mourning the loss of Leslie and Ben, knowing that she’ll always have Ron helps.
Clacked by Kona Gallagher 
on Oct 14, 2011 @ 13:42 EST5EDT
I totally agree- while Ron and Leslie disagree on almost every topic, they both hold immense respect for the other, and the final scene at the end of this week’s episode where Leslie has created Ron’s own group “The Swansons” was the perfect example of how much they genuinely care for each other.