How Parks & Rec Foreshadowed Leslie’s Fate In Season 2

Parks & Recreation had its fair dose of foreshadowing throughout the series, and there was one in season 2 about Leslie’s fate. Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, Parks & Recreation aired on NBC in 2009 and came to an end in 2015 after seven seasons. The series followed eternal optimist Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and her friends and co-workers from the Parks Department in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana.

Viewers followed the main characters through many moments in their lives – break-ups, weddings, failed businesses (Tom Haverford knows what that feels like), starting their own families, and more. Leslie eventually found her partner in Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott), and the two got married in season 5. In the following season, the audience (along with Leslie and Ben) learned that Leslie was pregnant… with triplets.

The news surprised viewers as much as Leslie and Ben, but as it turns out, this part of Leslie’s life was foreshadowed in season 2, though in a weird and kinda creepy way.

How Parks & Rec Foreshadowed Leslie’s Pregnancy

In season 2’s episode “The Set Up”, Ann arranged a blind date for Leslie with an MRI technician named Chris (played by Will Arnett). The date quickly turned awkward as Chris was not exactly the nicest nor most interesting man in Pawnee, and when he learned that Leslie had never received an MRI, he took her to the hospital to receive one. Once there, Chris made some truly uncomfortable comments, among those one about Leslie’s uterus, saying she had a “great oven” and could have “triplets right off the bat”. Needless to say, that was the first and last date between Leslie and Chris.

Fast forward to season 6’s episode “One in 8,000”, where Dr. Saperstein (yes, Jean-Ralphio’s father) told Leslie and Ben they were having triplets. It’s unlikely Chris’ comment in season 2 was setting up Leslie’s future, mainly because Ben wasn’t part of the show yet, and it’s unlikely the writers knew at that time exactly what Leslie’s fate was going to be. However, it’s possible that they went back to Chris’ weird observation and used it to their advantage, giving Leslie’s weird date a (different) value, and Chris’ appearance more relevance. Chris never appeared again, but at least his weird, out of place comment came in handy. It’s details like these what make rewatching Parks & Recreation a fun, different, and interesting experience, as you start noticing things you didn’t when you first watched it.

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Adrienne Tyler
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Adrienne Tyler is a features writer for Screen Rant. She is an Audiovisual Communication graduate who wanted to be a filmmaker, but life had other plans (and it turned out great). Prior to Screen Rant, she wrote for Pop Wrapped, 4 Your Excitement (4YE), and D20Crit, where she was also a regular guest at Netfreaks podcast. She was also a contributor for FanSided’s BamSmackPow and 1428 Elm. Adrienne is very into films and she enjoys a bit of everything: from superhero films to heartbreaking dramas, to low-budget horror films. Every time she manages to commit to a TV show without getting bored, an angel gets its wings.

When she’s not writing, you can find her trying to learn a new language, watching hockey (go Avs!), or wondering what life would have been like had Pushing Daisies, Firefly, and Limitless not been cancelled. Breakfast food is life and coffee is what makes the world go round.

Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once. It was great.

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