Sam Malone and Diane Chambers. Sam Malone and Rebecca Howe. Sam Malone and his hair. American sitcoms have had their fair share of legendary lovers over the years, some of them even from shows other than Cheers. But 2013 is all about the Pawneean power couple, Leslie Knope and Ben Wyatt, who are getting married on this Thursday's highly-anticipated, and appropriately named, episode of Parks and Recreation, "Leslie and Ben."
Yes, I'm well aware that Valentine's Day was last week, but it's not my fault that NBC decided to cliffhang us and split up all the feels over two weeks. So I hope you guys still have your love hats on (that's a thing now!) because it's about to get mushy up in here.
Assistant Parks Director Leslie and former kid-Mayor turned budget slashing bureaucrat Ben started their relationship off in the traditional TV fashion - as bitter enemies. Ben came in to clean house and trim the fat while Leslie was determined to show him the importance and majesty of community parks. Needless to say, many arcs were arc'd.
So consider this feature a pre-wedding toast modern television's most adorable, loving and hilarious couple. Two peas in a pod who, defying most conventions, are better together than they are apart. To Super Nerd and Panic Attack (if we're to use their Wamapoke names). To Leslie and Ben! Here's why they rock:
Characters hooking up on TV is always a bit of an unstable rope bridge. Most will tell you the the real meat is in the courting. In the flirting. In the time-honored trope called "Will They?/Won't They?" But more and more these days (Chuck, Nikita), it's become "Will They?/They Will!" and the two characters who fans want to see come together become a couple and then stay a couple. Sure, they squabble and for a few episodes they'll be on the outs, but typically storylines fizzle out and interest wanes once the prize is no longer a prize. Most often, people reference the ABC '80s series Moonlighting as an example of a TV show that was hot when the masked sexual tension between the two leads (Bruce Willis & Cybill Shepherd) was in play, and then experienced a major freeze up once they landed in bed together.
But Parks and Rec has created something magical. They've given us a couple that have made the show better by them being together. Their story isn't coasting, it's thriving.
There was a moment when these two did the predictable TV thing of splitting up, but it was against their will. And then the two of them, romantic as all s***, put their careers on the line to be with one another. Ben even sacrificed his own job to be with Leslie, and since then the writers haven't had to scramble to figure out what to do with them. Not only did Ben manage Leslie's campaign for Pawnee city council, but their projects and interests regularly criss-cross with one another showing us a loving support system like no other. The show not only survived the two of them predictably falling into one another's arm, but it was all the better for it.
The notion of soul mates isn't that far-fetched when you think of Leslie and Ben. Neither is the phrase "Who would love me but for you," which I just totally made up for the sake of this piece. But it sounds right. Feels right.
Though it took time to get to know Ben, he was slowly revealed to be a cop-fearing, claymation-creating, Calzone-loving, incredi-nerd who loves to sit on benches alone and eat soup. He might be a sorcerer with numbers, but he completely melts into puddles on national TV and radio.
Ben writes Star Trek fanfic, he can't dance, he makes painfully awkward small talk and has a penchant for sobbing while wearing a full Batman costume. Namely, he is us.
Meanwhile, Leslie, as we all know, is a hoarder/organizational freak (???) who gets easily rattled by conflict, forgets to breathe when she rants about neighboring town Eagleton and has an unhealthy confidence in our broken political system. Oh, and she totally wants to do it with VP Joe Biden.
But even though Leslie thinks calzones are about as pointless as Ron Swanson sees cats, she's always there to support Ben. Even if it means uttering sexy phrases in Dothraki.
So while he geeks out on sci-fi and fantasy fare, she revels in sugar highs, strong female leaders and color-coded idea binders. And neither one gets annoyed with the other's idiosyncrasies. They're both beautiful disasters - a match made in Tumblr heaven.
More from Leslie and Ben on page 2, including the MOST ROMANTIC LINE OF ALL TIME!
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