Parks And Recreation: Top 10 Guest Stars

Michelle Obama's soon set to appear in Pawnee, but she's hardly the first celebrity to come knocking...

Parks and Recreation has been almost universally praised as "the little sitcom that could". This is no exaggerative phrase: Parks and Rec started off bumpy and, despite Poehler's status (in America, at least) as reliably hilarious, it didn't initially appear to get the recognition it truly deserved. However as the more who people watched it and then had to tell their friends about it €“ in the US and UK alike €“ means it has gained a cult-turned-mainstream following via recommendation rather than network support alone. This very much works with the values that Parks and Recreation holds, as inside and outside the show is community-driven and community-supported. Now, it's no secret that the luminous First Lady, Michelle Obama, is set to guest star in the season six finale. However, Parks and Recreation (whilst still being considered by some as a cult phenomena) is no stranger to having huge names pop out of nowhere within the halls of Pawnee. Political heavyweights (of both parties) have guest starred several times over the past few years, not to mention the great comedy actors that regularly make hilarious cameos. Missed a couple along the way? Well, let's have a look at some of the best shall we?

Honourable Mention: Megan Mullally

Megan Mullally, who plays Ron's second ex-wife Tammy Two, incredible, hilarious, and outrageous as she is, didn't quite make the cut as she has appeared often enough for her to essentially be a series (ir)regular. However, she has to get a mention for the sheer hilarious power that her every line, action, and even facial expression brings to any scene. Tammy Two is librarian, which in Pawnee automatically renders them "mean, conniving, rude, and extremely well read which makes them very dangerous", to quote Leslie herself. Tammy Two is no exception to this rule. Mullally is just damn perfect, and her power over Ron is excellently escalated by the fact that Mullally and Offerman, who plays Ron, are married in real life. Tammy Two regularly manages to take advantage of the generally stoic and unmovable Ron, using him for her own nefarious means and generally ruining his life along the way. The two often indulge in extremely public passionate behaviour, which is just one part of Ron's personality transformation when Tammy Two comes on the scene. In "Ron and Tammy: Part 2" we see the extent of her power when she and Ron end up in prison, Ron sporting cornrows and a kimono. Mullally takes Tammy Two by the horns and convincingly, outrageously plays her as a "manipulative, psychotic, library book pedalling, sex-crazed she-demon" to, again, quote Leslie (that woman just has a way with words).
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