20 Best TV Comedy Characters Of The 21st Century

As a queen of bureaucracy, Leslie Knope should stand as a role model to all government employees. Her determination is not something to be underestimated, a lesson she has taught us all too often.

Played by the excellent Amy Poehler (Saturday Night Live, Inside Out), Leslie is the deputy director of the Parks and Recreation department in the fictional city of Pawnee. Despite her deputy status, most of her time is spent running the department due to her boss being uninterested.

As the show progresses, her talent for all things governmental gets more and more recognition and she manages to get a seat on the city council. The only issue is, how do you help a city that doesn't want to be helped. Her entire career is a fantastic display of how trying to help everyone is impossible, despite the great ideas she comes up with.

Leslie's constant uphill battle against nearly everyone is such a relatable construct. There's few people that won't empathise with her struggles and that's a big reason why we love her. No matter what she faces, Leslie comes out on top and manages to put a smile on everyone's face in the process.