Parks And Recreation: A Timeline Of Ron & Diane’s Relationship

Ron Swanson was always happy being alone. He never needed a partner or kids to make him happy because a life of solace in his cabin was all he needed. However, this all changed in season 5. After fighting off his ex-wife Tammy II for years, Ron eventually met a woman named Diane who changed everything.

While Leslie and Ben quickly became one of TV’s best couples on Parks and Recreation, Ron and Diane weren’t far behind with their logical and honest relationship. Diane Lewis was unlike any woman Ron had been with and seemed like the perfect person to get him to open up while also allowing him to be himself.

Ron And Diane’s Meet-Cute

In “How a Bill Becomes a Law,” the parks department helped Chris Traeger by answering calls and directing them to the correct department. When Ron got a call from a woman named Diane Lewis about an annoying pothole at the end of her driveway, he took matters into his own hands — one of the more thoughtful things Ron has done.

With Andy’s help, the two men went to Diane’s home to fix the pothole. Diane was intrigued by the job and told Ron she’d fix the next one — something that piqued his interest. Diane was a woman who didn’t need a man to take care of her, which was appealing. While they conversed, Andy played with Diane’s two daughters. Before leaving the house, Andy convinced Ron to have Diane’s kids paint his face, but he quickly left out of embarrassment.

Diane Waits For No Man

Ron left Diane’s home after completing the pothole because he was embarrassed to have paint on his face in front of the woman he had just met and crushed on. Little did he know, Andy left a note for Diane to call Ron because he was clearly interested in her.

In a shocking twist, Diane did more than that. She showed up at city hall and asked Ron out on a date. She explained she was a middle school principal and mother of two — she didn’t have time to wait around for him. Ron happily agreed to date Diane and it was the start of their successful relationship in Parks and Recreation.

A Different Life From His Time With The Tammys

Before Ron met Diane, he was married twice before — and both women were named Tammy. Tammy I was abusive and conniving, while Tammy II was devilish and toxic. As funny as the scenes between Tammy II and Ron were, a lasting relationship with her was never in the cards.

In “Halloween Surprise,” it’s confirmed that Diane and Ron are officially dating. When Diane became too busy to take her daughters’ trick-or-treating on Halloween, Ron and Andy stepped up to the plate to help out. However, a life surrounded by kids and candy was unlike anything Ron was used to. He didn’t handle a sisterly argument great, which made things awkward between Diane and Ron. After taking some time to think, Ron apologized to Diane and the girls and made her know that he was serious about a new family life with her.

Ron Chose Diane Over Tammy

Tammy I and Tammy II were horrible options for Ron, so fans were happy for his growth when he chose Diane over them. This was shown in “Ron and Diane” when Tammy II tried sabotaging their relationship at a woodworking ceremony for Ron.

Leslie tried assuring Diane that she had nothing to worry about in terms of Ron and Tammy II and in an interesting twist, Diane said the real threat was Leslie. Leslie was the closest person to Ron and Ron was more open with Leslie than he was with Diane. By the end of the evening, Leslie proved to Diane that her only intention is to be Ron’s friend. Likewise, Ron deflected Tammy II’s attempts and chose Diane.

A New Side Of Ron

In “Ron and Diane,” Ron wanted to prove to her how much he was committed to her and their life together as a unit. He took her to a jazz club where he did the unthinkable: he introduced Diane to Duke Silver.

Duke Silver was Ron’s alter-ego. Outside of working for the parks department, Ron was a successful jazz musician under the alias Duke Silver. Duke was a ladies’ man and a great saxophonist. He never intended on letting people know about Duke, but to prove his commitment to Diane, he let her in on his secret. This was a huge moment for the two.

The Pregnancy Test

In “Are You Better Off?”, the parks department went to Ron’s cabin in the woods to brainstorm new ideas for Founder’s Week. While they were there, Andy found a positive pregnancy test in the trashcan and immediately began to wonder who among them was pregnant.

While Andy and Ron weren’t always great friends, Andy conducted his own investigation to find out which woman at the parks department was pregnant. But when all five women noted they were not expecting, Andy was at a loss. That is until Diane entered Ron’s office in a tizzy, asking for a private conversation. In a shocking twist, Diane was pregnant with Ron’s first child.

An Unconventional Engagement & Wedding

At the start of season 6, Ron was shocked and excited to find out was going to be a father. He then whipped an engagement ring out of his office and proposed to Diane on the spot. This proved that he had been serious about marrying Diane for quite some time.

Not caring about an elaborate affair, Ron and Diane agreed to get married right then and there on the fourth floor of city hall. Leslie and April were their witnesses and the two women tried to make the event as special as they could, although the only thing Diane and Ron really needed was each other.

Ron Has A Minor Meltdown Over All The Changes In Life

In “The Pawnee-Eagleton Tip Off Classic,” Ron fell in love with an RV and had a dream of living in it with no set address. That way, he’d be off the grid with no mailbox.

While talking about his potential life in an RV, an angry Diane approached and asked where he’d been. She had car troubles and couldn’t get in touch with her husband. Ron apologized and mentioned that he was trying to get off the grid. Diane had to politely remind Ron that he was a husband and father; he couldn’t run away without being contacted. This was a valuable lesson for Ron and the start of his transformation.

The Birth Of John

In season 6’s ‘The Wall,’ it was revealed that Diane already had their baby and the two welcomed a son named Jonathan “Leslie” Swanson — John for short. Never the one to make a big deal of things, no one knew the baby had been born until Ron brought John into work one day.

From there, Ron found the balance between work and fatherhood. He even brought John up to the third floor to show him how different tools were used. Ron loved that John didn’t cry over the sounds of power tools.

The Unity Concert Proved How Much Ron Needed Diane And The Girls

In the long-awaited Unity Concert between Eagleton and Pawnee, Ron and Diane brought their kids to enjoy the performances. It was events like these that made fans want to live Pawnee. While they were there, Tammy II disturbed their happy family gathering by trying to flirt with Ron.

Ron told Diane and the girls to go somewhere safe while he disposed of Tammy II. Their interaction proved that Tammy II no longer had power over Ron.

About The Author

Lynn Gibbs
(1650 Articles Published)

Lynn is a nomad who travels the globe on the hunt for her next adventure with her husband. A lover of being outside (and finding the best latte in town), Lynn is typically hiking, walking, or jogging when she’s not focusing on her love of writing. When it comes to shows streaming on Netflix or anything Bravo-related, Lynn’s your gal.

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