One Last Ride
"One Last Ride" | |
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Parks and Recreation episodes | |
Episode nos. | Season 7 Episodes 12, 13 |
Directed by | Michael Schur |
Written by | Michael Schur Amy Poehler |
Production code | 712/713 |
Original air date | February 24, 2015 |
Guest appearances | |
| |
"One Last Ride" is the two-part series finale of the television sitcom Parks and Recreation. It serves as the 12th and 13th episodes of season 7 and the 124th and 125th overall episodes of the series. It was written by lead actress Amy Poehler and series co-creator Michael Schur, the latter of whom also directed the episode. The series finale first aired on NBC in the United States on February 24, 2015, when it was watched by 4.15 million viewers, making it the most-watched episode of the season and the highest-rated episode since "Campaign Ad" of season four.
With the majority of the season being spent closing long-running storylines, this episode serves as a standalone plot while also saying goodbye to both the characters and the city of Pawnee. The episode received acclaim from critics.
Plot
Present (2017)
The gang all gather inside the parks department before business hours, as many of them are leaving Pawnee, to reminisce about their time together there. A citizen comes in, saying that a swing set behind his house on a playground has been broken for about three months. Leslie (Amy Poehler) sees this as an opportunity for them all to go on one last mission together as she is worried these people will never be together again in the same room at the same time. The gang agrees, with Leslie saying goodbye to everyone on the way to getting it fixed. After fixing the swing, the group gathers for a picture together and Ben asks Leslie if she is ready. In the last shot of the series, Leslie smiles at the camera, and says "Yes. I'm ready."
The Future
Following his interim term,
In Washington D.C. in 2022,
At the
In 2035, Leslie makes a commencement speech at Indiana University during her second consecutive term as Governor of Indiana. The university announces the renaming of its library after Leslie; she is privately unimpressed by the gesture due to her long-standing antipathy towards Pawnee's library department.
In 2048, an elderly Leslie and Ben attend Garry's funeral; he was repeatedly named mayor of Pawnee until his death on his 100th birthday. The two are surrounded by Secret Service members, implying that one or both of them is either President or Vice President of the United States. Leslie is disgruntled when Ben observes that Garry’s wife Gayle (Christie Brinkley) is still stunningly beautiful. After the funeral, the couple notice that the inscription on Garry's tombstone misspells his last name, but neither cares enough to inform anyone of the mistake.
Producer's cut
In the producer's cut of the episode,
Final frame
The episode aired a few days after the death of writer and producer Harris Wittels, who also appeared on the show as dim-witted animal control employee Harris. The final frame of the series featured the message, "We love you, Harris," from the cast and crew.[1]
Reception
Ratings
The episode received ratings of 4.15 million viewers, almost double the average number per episode.[2]
Critical response
The episode received overwhelming acclaim from critics and fans alike. IGN gave the episode a 10 out of 10, calling it a "masterpiece".[3] Additionally, Alasdair Wilkins of The A.V. Club gave the episode an "A" rating, stating that "the experience of watching 'One Last Ride' was something [he's] not sure [he's] ever had before with a television show", praising the phenomenal end to the series.[4] HitFix's Alan Sepinwall also admired the episode, stating that "after this great final season, and this wonderful final episode, [he] remain[s] very much not ready for a future without Parks and Recreation, even though it ended so definitively, and so well".[5] The episode holds an "Extremely Positive" consensus on Metacritic,[6] the highest calibre of reviews an episode can receive on the database.
Accolades
Ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|
67th Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Amy Poehler | Nominated |
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation | George Flores, John W. Cook II, William Freesh | Nominated |
References
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie. "'Parks & Recreation' Finale To Pay Tribute To Writer Harris Wittels". Deadline.com. No. February 23, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
- ^ "Tuesday Final Ratings: 'The Voice' Adjusted Up; 'NCIS', 'NCIS: New Orleans', 'Fresh Off the Boat', 'New Girl' & 'TV's Hottest Commercials' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. February 25, 2015. Archived from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
- ^ "Parks and Recreation: "One Last Ride" Review". IGN. February 25, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
- ^ Wilkins, Alasdair (February 25, 2015). "Parks and Recreation: "One Last Ride"". The A.V. Club. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
- ^ "Series finale review: Parks and Recreation – One Last Ride: End of the line". HitFix. 25 August 2023.
- ^ "Reviews for Parks & Recreation Series Finale, "One Last Ride"". Metacritic. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
External links
- "One Last Ride: Part 1" at IMDb
- "One Last Ride: Part 2" at IMDb