Parks and Recreation’s Jerry: The Most Disrespected Sitcom Character... Ever?

Parks and Recreation is celebrated as a relentlessly optimistic, kindness-centered show, but that’s not how it treats one of its main characters: poor Jerry Gergich. It may seem like he’s just a stock “sitcom punching bag” and there’s not a lot of meaning in this joke, but looking back, it’s strangely nasty bullying from characters who otherwise come across as so well-meaning, sweet and idealistic. Here’s our take on why the persecution of Jerry is one thing that hasn’t aged so well about Parks and Recreation, and if it secretly revealed a flaw in the show’s attitude.

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CHAPTERS
00:00 Why Jerry was done dirty
01:10 The sitcom punching bag trope, explained
05:31 The woes of a public servant
09:36 How sitcom family members get "roles"

CREDITS
Executive Producers: Debra Minoff & Susannah McCullough
Chief Creative Director: Susannah McCullough
Associate Producer: Tyler Allen
Writer: Eric Thurm
Narrator: Alani Waters
Video Editor: Kat Olenick

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