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Parks and Recreation character guide

Who is Ann Perkins in Parks and Recreation?

A level-headed Pawnee nurse whose complaint about an abandoned pit near her house kicks off the series and makes her Leslie Knope's best friend and the target of her lavish compliments.

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Ann Perkins's Sitcomdle clue card

The five clues the game shows when Ann Perkins is the answer or a guess.

Show
Parks and Recreation
Debut
2009
Network
NBC
Role
Main
Gender
Female

Ann Perkins has not been a daily answer yet. Play today's Sitcomdle or play the Parks and Recreation Wordle.

Show
Parks and Recreation
Played by
Rashida Jones
First episode
“Pilot”Season 1, Episode 1, aired April 9, 2009
Role
Main cast
Network
NBC
Occupation
Nurse and Leslie's best friend
Show run
2009 to 2015

Ann Perkins is the calm, sensible nurse who walks into a town meeting to complain about a pit and walks out with a best friend for life. Rashida Jones plays her as the grounded center of the show's swirl of eccentrics.

On Parks and Recreation, Ann Perkins's story runs through Leslie Knope (Best Friend), Chris Traeger (Husband), Andy Dwyer (Ex-boyfriend), Tom Haverford (Ex-boyfriend), and April Ludgate (Friend).

Ann Perkins from Parks and Recreation: Sitcomdle character card

Who is Ann Perkins?

Ann is a nurse who lives in Pawnee near an abandoned construction pit. After her boyfriend, Andy Dwyer, falls in and breaks his legs, she goes to a public meeting to demand the city fix it, and Leslie Knope promises to turn the lot into a park.

That project brings Ann into the orbit of the Parks Department and makes her Leslie's closest friend. She becomes an honorary member of the office, the person everyone goes to for advice, medical help, or a calm voice in a crisis.

Personality and comedy

Ann is often the straight woman to Leslie's whirlwind energy, reacting with patience and mild disbelief as her friend overplans every part of life. One of the show's best running gags is Leslie's flood of strange, poetic compliments, such as calling Ann a beautiful opalescent tree shark.

As the series goes on, Ann gets weirder too. She struggles with dating, tries on different identities, and reveals her own quirks, which gives Rashida Jones more room to be funny on her own terms.

Key storylines

Ann's love life is a running thread. She breaks up with Andy early on, dates city planner Mark Brendanawicz, goes through an on-and-off romance with Chris Traeger, and has a brief, chaotic relationship with Tom Haverford in season five. In season five she decides she wants to become a mother on her own and starts searching for a donor, with Leslie very involved.

That search leads her back to Chris, and the two decide to raise a child together. In season six they leave Pawnee for Michigan, and their son, Oliver, is born soon after. They return in the finale, and the flash-forwards show them moving back to Pawnee with their growing family.

Behind the scenes and legacy

Rashida Jones was one of the first actors cast on the show, and the character's last name came from casting director Nancy Perkins. Jones and Rob Lowe left as regulars partway through season six and returned for the series finale and the 2020 reunion special.

Critics were mixed on Ann in the early seasons and often felt she was underused, but reviewers warmed to her later storylines, especially her romance with Chris. Her friendship with Leslie is the heart of the show, and Galentine's Day, Leslie's party for her female friends, has become a real-world celebration every February 13.

Key Ann Perkins episodes

  1. “Pilot”Season 1, Episode 1Ann complains about the pit that injured Andy and meets Leslie for the first time.
  2. “The Stakeout”Season 2, Episode 2Ann goes on her first date with Mark Brendanawicz while Leslie stakes out the pit nearby.
  3. “Freddy Spaghetti”Season 2, Episode 24Ann kisses Andy in the hospital, and his confession about it costs him his first chance with April.
  4. “Ann's Decision”Season 5, Episode 12Ann decides to become a single mother and starts looking for a donor.
  5. “Ann and Chris”Season 6, Episode 13Ann and Chris say goodbye to Pawnee and leave for Michigan.
  6. “One Last Ride”Season 7, Episode 12Ann returns, and the flash-forwards show her family heading back to Pawnee.

Season and episode numbers follow the original broadcast order.

Ann Perkins: frequently asked questions

Who plays Ann Perkins?

Rashida Jones plays Ann Perkins, from the 2009 pilot until she leaves as a regular in season six. She returns for the 2015 finale.

When does Ann leave Parks and Recreation?

Ann and Chris leave Pawnee for Michigan in "Ann and Chris," season six, episode thirteen, which aired on January 30, 2014.

Who does Ann Perkins end up with?

Ann ends up with Chris Traeger. They have a son, Oliver, and the finale's flash-forwards show them married with a second child, a daughter named Leslie.

What is Ann Perkins's job?

Ann is a nurse in Pawnee, and her medical skills come in handy for her friends throughout the series.

Is Ann in the Parks and Recreation finale?

Yes. Ann and Chris return in "One Last Ride," and a flash-forward shows them deciding to move back to Pawnee.

Test yourself: Ann Perkins quiz

5 questions about Ann Perkins. Think of your answer, then open the reveal to check it.

  1. Question 1

    In the pilot, how did Andy Dwyer end up with two broken legs?

    1. He crashed his motorcycle
    2. He fell off the City Hall roof
    3. He fell into an abandoned construction pit
    4. He tripped during a Mouse Rat concert
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. He fell into an abandoned construction pit

    Andy's fall into the abandoned pit near Ann's house is what brings Ann to the town meeting in the "Pilot," where Leslie promises to turn the pit into a park.

    See question 2 in the full quiz

  2. Question 2

    What is Ann Perkins's job when she meets Leslie?

    1. Police officer
    2. City planner
    3. Nurse
    4. Reporter
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. Nurse

    Ann is a nurse at the local hospital, which comes in handy whenever the parks department gets sick, hurt, or both.

    See question 7 in the full quiz

  3. Question 3

    What do Ann and Chris name their first child?

    1. Jack
    2. Wesley
    3. Stephen
    4. Oliver
    Show the answer

    Answer: D. Oliver

    Leslie visits Ann after baby Oliver is born in the season six "Galentine's Day." By the finale the couple also has a daughter, named Leslie.

    See question 25 in the full quiz

  4. Question 4

    Who plays Ann Perkins in Parks and Recreation?

    1. Janelle James
    2. Rashida Jones
    3. Courteney Cox
    4. Tina Fey
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. Rashida Jones

    Rashida Jones plays Ann Perkins.

  5. Question 5

    In what year did Ann Perkins first appear on Parks and Recreation?

    1. 2005
    2. 2009
    3. 2003
    4. 2011
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. 2009

    Ann Perkins debuted in 2009, in "Pilot" (Season 1, Episode 1). That year is the Debut clue in the game.

Take the full Parks and Recreation quiz (30 questions)

Sources and corrections

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