Tuesday marked the final season of the popular television sitcom, “Parks and Recreation”, in which we have followed beloved characters and their comedic lives. The end of a television series is the time in which writers have the most creative freedoms.

Television shows depend on some level of consistency. The doctors on “Grey’s Anatomy” will stay at Seattle Grace Hospital and the friends from Friends will continue living across the hall from one another. That is, until the end is near.

The final season is a time to set the characters on their way down new paths, even if those paths take them away from one another.

The seventh and final season of “Parks and Rec” was set in 2017, three years after the previous season left off. The characters are no longer working at the Parks Department and have become, as Ron Swanson says, “independent people who have moved on to better things.”

Tom is busy running his business, Leslie and Ben are raising terrifying triplets while also working high stress jobs, Ron has left government work to open a private contracting firm and Andy is the host of a children’s’ television show. Most importantly, the cast has drifted apart.

In the first episode, Leslie and Ron are enemies. This seems to be due to something only referred to as “Morningstar.” After Ron and Leslie are locked inside the Parks Department offices by the rest of the gang, the mystery of “Morningstar” is revealed. After arguing, dancing, a sprinkler incident and a incredibly accurate timeline, Ron and Leslie rekindle their old “workplace proximity acquaintanceship” or as Leslie calls it, “friendship.”

During the season, we also see April and Andy struggle to become fun again as they realize they have turned into boring adults, excited over purchasing renter’s insurance. Donna is engaged, and gets married during the season, with tons of “Meagle family drama.” Ben decides to run for Congress, a career move that sends his life in a whole new direction. April takes a job in Washington D.C., and her and Andy prepare to leave Pawnee.

“Parks and Recreation” did an amazing job of wrapping up the series and rather than focusing only on endings, it opened up new beginnings for the cast as well, leaving us wondering what will happen next.

In 13 episodes the creators have managed to blow our minds and keep us guessing with every new episode. By setting the show so far into the future, they have managed to add unexpected twists and turns throughout the season. Although the characters of Parks and Recreation will be missed, it’s good to see them go out with a bang.

Katie Haines is a staff writer for The Dakota Student. She can be reached at [email protected].