(#1) The Symbols On Ron Swanson's Will Are Directions To His Fortune
Ron Swanson is a rugged outdoorsman and someone who wouldn't trust traditional banks to hold his money. This is why it makes sense that his life's fortune isn't tied down to bank account – it's a stash of buried treasure. Redditor Prufrock451 decoded the symbols on Ron's will, and they appear to be directions to the exact location of where his fortune is buried.
(#2) Everyone Insults Jerry Because He's The Only One Who Is Actually Happy
You know that one friend you have who has such a perfect life that you can't help but want to knock them down a peg? According to a Reddit fan theory, that person is Jerry. It makes sense – everyone's life on the show is filled with drama, heartache, and uncertainty. Jerry has it all figured out. He's in his dream career with a gorgeous wife and beautiful children. He's also a painter and pianist with the biggest erm... member... a doctor has ever seen.
(#3) 'Parks And Recreation' Predicted The 2016 Chicago Cubs World Series Win
Some attribute this to chance, and some attribute this to something a whole lot more mysterious, but – in an episode filmed in 2015 – Parks and Recreation predicted that the Chicago Cubs would win the 2016 World Series. In Episode 2 of Season 7, "Ron and Jammy," the characters visit Chicago in the summer of 2017. One of the characters mentions the Cubs' World Series win. Spooky!
(#4) Andy Dwyer Is A Secret Genius
Andy Dwyer may be a loveable goof, but he is anything but intelligent. Redditor GosmeisterGeneral believes that it's all an act, however, and Andy is actually a secret genius. Avid watchers of Parks and Rec know that Andy got a 1500 on his SATs and 100% on his written police exam. There's also his career trajectory. He went from homelessness to having a globe-trotting career and becoming a local celebrity as a children's entertainer. Stuff like that doesn't happen by accident!
(#5) Leslie Knope Is Secretly Wealthy
Leslie Knope shouldn't be a wealthy woman since she's on a very average government salary, but one fan theory suggests that Knope, an Eagletonian on a technicality, is actually pretty rich. She certainly spends. Leslie paid for Ann's trip to London, frequently buys people gifts, donated $1,000 to the Rec Center, and even filled a pit that she couldn't get funded through the local government. Some naysayers mention the time she got pregnant, and Ben was worried about making ends meet, but it's possible she kept her wealth a secret.
(#6) Ann Is In The Witness Protection Program
There's a reason Ann Perkins seems like such a familiar character on Parks and Rec – it's because we've seen her before in The Office. This fan theory suggests that Ann Perkins is actually Karen Filippelli. The thinking basically goes that Karen testified against the Scranton Strangler, and she had to enter the Witness Protection Program. Is there a better place to hide than a small, rural town in the middle of Indiana?
(#7) Jerry Is A Sleeper Agent
What if Jerry wasn't a bumbling buffoon, but rather the smartest, most inconspicuous secret agent of all time? This Reddit fan theory from Theluckygal suggests that the reason why Jerry is so cringe-worthy at work – but so accomplished at home – is because he's hiding the fact that he's a secret agent. Think about it: his family life has zero drama and is something straight out of Pleasantville. It's all for show. In the one episode where characters dig up dirt on each other's pasts, Jerry is terrified about what they will find. Why? At one point, Ben even suspected that Jerry's wife was a spy who married Jerry for citizenship. Couple this with the fact that plenty of spies have been caught working for the government before, and it's a slam dunk.
(#8) 'Friends' And 'Parks And Recreation' Exist In The Same Universe
This creative Reddit fan theory suggests that Friends and Parks and Recreation actually exist in the same universe – but could it be? In short, the link occurs in Season 7 Episode 9 of Friends when Rachel Green is talking about how she doesn't sleep with men on the first date. Monica lists the men she's broken this rule with, and among the names is Ben Wyatt, AKA Leslie Knope's hubby and partner-in-crime. Ben would've been in his 20s at the time, which lands this theory into the realm of total plausibility.
(#9) Ron Swanson Is April Ludgate's Real Father
We all know Ron Swanson is April Ludgate's mentor, but what if Ron Swanson was actually April's father? Their personalities are extraordinarily similar, and April knows Ron's biggest secret – he moonlights as Duke Silver, a sax player at an Eagleton bar. She only knows this because her mom has his albums. One fan theory suggests that April's mom had a one-night stand with a local sax player after one of his gigs. That man was Ron Swanson. Some could argue that April's younger sister disproves this theory, but you never know.
(#10) Steve Harrington from 'Stranger Things' Is Jean-Ralphio's Father
Fans of both Stranger Things and Parks and Rec have noticed an uncanny resemblance between Jean-Ralphio Saperstein and Steve Harrington – and that's because they may be related. One popular fan theory suggests that Jean-Ralphio is the son of Nancy's not-so-nice boyfriend Steve. Jean-Ralphio was born two years after the events of Stranger Things took place and eventually settled in Pawnee. Since Pawnee is located just 90 miles from Indianapolis, and Hawkins may be even closer, it's not a stretch.
(#11) Mark Is Dead
Mark Brendanawicz left Parks and Rec at the end of the Season 2 when he decided to work for a private contractor instead of the local government. His absence throughout subsequent seasons led one fan to come to the conclusion that he must've died somewhere between Seasons 2 and 3. The theory suggests that, after Ann dumped him, he became so severely depressed that he killed himself. The other characters never brought it up because the show is technically a documentary, and they didn't want to mention his suicide out of respect.
(#12) April Ludgate Was Abused By Her Parents
Fan theories aren't all fun and games. Sometimes they're kind of dark. One somber fan theory suggests that April's personality has to do with the fact that she and her sister were abused by their parents as children. This explains why April and her sister are agoraphobic, cruel, and manipulative. It's why April married a man completely unlike her within months of meeting him and why April's sister had Andy arrested when he picked her up from work, basically saying he was a pervert. It’s also important to note that no one walked April down the aisle when she got married, proving a less-than-stellar relationship with her dad.
(#13) Pawnee Is A Sunny Version Of The Upside Down
Parks and Rec may seem like an alternative universe to some of us – a nice, good woman does well in politics without ever having to let go of her liberal ideals. This all happens in an extremely conservative state where Mike Pence is Governor. A theory described on Uproxx suggests that this may be because Pawnee is actually the sunny version of the Upside Down from Stranger Things. There are an infinite number of possible Upside Down realms, and who said they all have to be dark and evil? In this version, Jean-Ralphio is the Demogorgen.
(#14) Leslie Knope Is Actually Tracy Flick From The 1998 Film 'Election'
Any Parks and Rec fan who's seen the 1998 film Election knows there are too many parallels between Leslie and Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon) to be merely a coincidence. Both are only children with single moms who work in the government, and they have almost identical personalities. This fan theory suggests that Tracy lost her job in Washington, DC, because of an affair similar to the one with her former teacher. This led her to take a lowly position in a small town. Some plot lines between the pair conflict, but it's definitely fun to think about.
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About This Tool
The audience is not a fool, how can a great TV series make them believe that the story in the show is true? This is thanks to the careful thinking of the audience's reaction and theories from the script consultant. When you watch Parks and Recreation and know Leslie and her colleagues spend a lot of time building a park, do you suspect that this is just a plot designed to pursue a comedy effect?
The Park and Recreation have been aired for 7 seasons. The comedy TV series was filmed like a documentary. After the TV show was the first broadcast in 2009, it has aroused discussions and thoughts among fans. The random tool explained 14 fun fan theories about this TV series.
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