Parks And Rec Win Lose Or Draw

Parks & Rec Season 4's TWO Alternate Endings Explained

Parks & Recreation's season 4 finale had two alternate endings, as the writers weren't sure where the story was going. Here's what they were.

Parks & Recreation used the good old technique of filming different endings for season 4's finale "Win, Lose, or Draw". Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, Parks and Recreation premiered on NBC in 2009 and came to an end in 2015 after seven seasons. The series followed the lives of eternal optimist Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and her friends and co-workers from the Parks Department in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana.

Over the course of seven seasons, viewers followed Leslie Knope's career and dreams closely, from her days as Deputy Director of the Pawnee City Department of Parks and Recreation, to quite possibly President of the United States, as seen in a flash forward in the series finale. Leslie also became City Councilor of Pawnee, and it wasn't an easy or smooth campaign, but in the end, she beat Bobby Newport (Paul Rudd) and won the election.

However, the writers weren't always sure Leslie was going to win, and in order to have all the options they needed to make the best decision, they shot alternate endings.

Parks & Rec Season 4's Alternate Endings Explained

The production crew of Parks & Recreation shot three endings for the episode "Win, Lose, or Draw", which are pretty self-explanatory when looking at the title of the episode: one had Leslie winning the election, another one saw her losing, and the third was a tie with Bobby Newport. It's not uncommon for TV series to shoot different endings for a season finale, as they do so to prevent spoilers from leaking, but the producers of Parks & Recreation also did it for other reasons related to the narrative.

In an interview with EW in 2012, Michael Schur shared they weren't sure which ending to choose, and the final decision was taken two weeks before it was shot, but there was a lot of indecision. Schur explained he talked to Amy Poehler and they convinced themselves of the win and lose versions many times. They found good and bad arguments for both, but in the end they decided it was best for her to win after how much her friends helped her during the campaign – it was not only fair to Leslie, but also the rest. Leslie's career didn't stop there and she later became Regional Director of National Park Service Midwest Region, Deputy Director of Operations at the United States Department of the Interior, and Governor of Indiana. Leslie Knope achieved all her goals in Parks & Recreation – from building a park in the infamous pit, to becoming a respectable figure in politics – and she did so with her friends by her side.

Next: All Of Parks & Rec's Future Timelines Explained

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About The Author

Adrienne Tyler (2846 Articles Published)

Adrienne Tyler is a features writer for Screen Rant. She is an Audiovisual Communication graduate who wanted to be a filmmaker, but life had other plans (and it turned out great). Prior to Screen Rant, she wrote for Pop Wrapped, 4 Your Excitement (4YE), and D20Crit, where she was also a regular guest at Netfreaks podcast. She was also a contributor for FanSided's BamSmackPow and 1428 Elm. Adrienne is very into films and she enjoys a bit of everything: from superhero films to heartbreaking dramas, to low-budget horror films. Every time she manages to commit to a TV show without getting bored, an angel gets its wings.

When she's not writing, you can find her trying to learn a new language, watching hockey (go Avs!), or wondering what life would have been like had Pushing Daisies, Firefly, and Limitless not been cancelled. Breakfast food is life and coffee is what makes the world go round.

Guillermo del Toro said "hi" to her once. It was great.