Knope. We. Can.
Parks and Recreation's series finale was many things, but perhaps above all else, it was a heartfelt celebration of one of the most inspirational, ass-kicking female characters on TV: Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler).
Whether she went on to become the President of the United States (our theory), a senator, or something else grand, Leslie Knope proved that optimism CAN prevail, despite all the suckiness life may send your way.
Below, we have our own celebration of TV's most kick-ass women who inspire us to do better and be better, every single day. It's clearly a FANTASTIC time for strong female TV characters and we are all about it.
But first, these words from Parks and Recreation boss Mike Schur on what makes Leslie Knope so very kick ass:
"First and foremost, Amy Poehler. Mostly. I mean Amy Poehler is that person in real life to me. The way that she comports herself and her passion and her interests and her talents and her overall just persona are magnetic and fascinating and super cool and kick ass and great.
"And then beyond that, it was very important to Amy that whatever happened to her, that she not give in to cynicism and irony. And that she not get a charred, blackened soul by the boring grindstone of beaurocracy and all that sort of stuff that takes people down. That was the single most important thing was that she remain Leslie Knope, and she remain optimistic and dogged and determined and passionate in her beliefs. That was our foundation and that was where we always went back to.
"She had low moments, certainly. She had miserable, unhappy days or weeks or months. She got kicked around as everybody does in life, but the important thing was that she always, with the help of her closest friends and advisors and herself, she always got back up and she started working again and she figured out how to make things better. That was the central thing of the show, that she was never gonna get brought down by the stuff that usually bring people down. Leslie never gave up."
Take a look at the other TV women who never give up, and inspire us so very deeply…