Parks & Recreation: 10 Continuity Errors & Plot Inconsistencies We Didn’t Notice

Hilarious sitcom Parks and Recreation inspired thousands of viewers thanks to Leslie Knope’s undeniable dedication and love for the government. For seven seasons, we saw Leslie make Pawnee a better place while inspiring those who worked with her (even though they didn’t always care about the work they were doing).

Over the course of the series, we saw her hatred for Eagleton, her love for JJ’s Diner waffles, and her friendship with Ann Perkins outrank any other BFF duo on TV. However, along the way, eagle-eyed fans noticed a few continuity errors in prop placement, dates, and little tidbits about the characters. Keep reading to find these 10 errors so you can spot them on your next rewatch.

10 Ron Should Care About Having The Proper Hunting License

In the second season, the entire Parks and Rec. department joins Ron on his hunting trip, much to his dismay. It was supposed to be a guys-only weekend but Ann, Leslie, Donna, and April weren’t going to let that sexist behavior slide in the workplace.

With everyone hunting together, Ron made sure they all had their hunting badges and reminded them about safety. His little speech obviously didn’t work because Tom accidentally shot him in the head. Later in the episode “Filibuster,” Ron laughed about hunting licenses and didn’t seem to care if people had them. After getting shot in the head five seasons earlier, don’t you think Ron would have cared?

9 Jerry’s Flag Moves On Its Own

In the episode “Jerry’s Retirement,” it’s Jerry’s last day at Pawnee’s Parks and Recreation Department. As he’s saying his goodbyes, he takes a box full of goodies from his desk as he tells the office how much his time with them has meant to him.

As always, though, no one knew what Jerry was talking about and had no idea he was retiring. But if viewers take a look at the box he’s holding, they’ll notice that the small flag changes positions throughout the scene. Sometimes it’s there and other time’s it’s no longer in the box.

8 Does JJ’s Diner Have Different Waffle Irons?

Every Parks and Rec. fan knows how much Leslie loves her waffles, especially from JJ’s Diner. To her, waffles are the best thing on the menu, and it doesn’t hurt that they’re her favorite food. However, one fan pointed out that the waffles at JJ’s used to be square but later throughout the series, they’re circular. When Leslie is gifted the retired waffle iron from Ben and Ann, it should have been square (to match the older square waffles from the earlier seasons) but, in fact, it’s circular.

7 Palm Trees Are Not Abundant In Indiana

With Pawnee being in Indiana, it’s not typical to see palm trees lining the streets, and yet there are a few scenes where we see palm trees in the background. In this scene, we see the trees when the camera is zoomed out, assuming the producers didn’t think viewers would catch the tropic-like background.

6 The History Of Eagleton

We all know how much Leslie despises the city of Eagleton. We’ve been told time and time again that Eagleton is just the town over, and that they throw Pawnee under the bus when they’re in need. This is why it was a huge deal when Leslie realized she was born in Eagleton.

However, in the earlier seasons, the Pawnee Parks and Rec. Department volunteered with Kaboom to build Eagleton a new playground. In the episode, it was said that Eagleton was two towns over, but it doesn’t make sense that Leslie (or the rest of the parks department) would help Eagleton on her downtime. She despises Eagleton! It was also a slip to say it was two towns over when it’s actually just next door.

5 The Layout Of April & Andy’s Kitchen

Before Andy and April got married, they were roommates, and we saw how the two of them lived — which was disturbing. Their house had an open layout with the kitchen leading into the living area. We saw this when Ben moved in with them, and began making calzones in his free time.

However, at Andy and April’s wedding, April and Leslie are having a private conversation in the kitchen, and it appears to be closed off. In later scenes, we see that the kitchen is not closed off, so it makes you wonder what kitchen they were in when they were having this private moment.

4 Cassidy & Allison Are Played By The Same Person

We meet Cassidy in Season 4 during Leslie and Ben’s Model U.N. debate. Cassidy represented France in “The Treaty,” and was very candid about her distaste for Leslie and Ben’s antics. But if we fast forward two seasons, we meet her as a student named Allison. Leslie loves Allison’s spirit but it goes downhill when she realizes Allison is dating Greg Pikitis.

3 When Exactly Was Pawnee Founded?

The seal hanging above Leslie’s desk in her office states that Pawnee was founded in 1816. However, if you notice the seal in various parts of the city, it says the city was founded in 1817. It’s not often that the dates on official seals change, so does this mean Pawnee made a mistake in their own history, or was this a mistake in continuity?

2 Jerry Vs. Gary

Ah, poor Jerry. In the fourth season, fans learn that Jerry isn’t his real name — his name is actually Gary. The name Jerry spread throughout the office after his former boss got his name wrong and no one ever corrected him. However, when Leslie visits Jerry’s house after he retired, his wife and family call him Jerry, too! Did they also forget that his real name is Gary, or did Jerry just spread like wildfire?

1 Does Leslie Really Hate Libraries As Much As She Says?

Leslie despises libraries. More specifically, she hates the Pawnee Public Library. For starters, Ron’s ex-wife Tammy 2 works at the library, and has been butting heads with the Park department for years over the open lot. Leslie also thinks those working at the library are snooty and “well-read, which makes them dangerous.”

However, did Leslie really hate libraries as much as she claims? In the finale of Season 1, Leslie’s mom mentioned that Leslie spent a lot of time in libraries, which is how she was always so educated. Considering we see Leslie push over bookshelves in the library in later episodes, it’s obvious that this was a plot continuity issue.

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Lynn Gibbs
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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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