What A Treat Yo' Self Day Would Look Like For Parks And Recreation's Jerry
Jerry was far too often the butt of jokes (not to mention a scapegoat) at Pawnee's Parks and Recreation department, but the mild-mannered office manager had a sweet life outside of work. Still, after putting up with so much negativity from his co-workers, Jerry (err... Garry) deserved a Treat Yo' Self day even more than sad Ben did.
In an interview with TV Insider, actor Jim O'Heir shared what Jerry's dream Treat Yo' Self day might look like for his lovable character, and it's pretty much exactly what Parks and Recreation fans would expect. According to O'Heir, his character's day would have been all about celebrating his family (and ice cream, because Jerry is a simple man who knows how to appreciate the small things in life).
"First of all, it's with the family — it's with Gayle (Christie Brinkley) and his beautiful girls," O'Heir said. "It's a no brainer. My guess is they'd go to the sundae shop. Jerry would get his cone that most likely would fall. They would replace it. Probably sit down, read a good book. And of course the ultimate Treat Yo' Self Day would be if it happened while they were in Muncie at the timeshare because nothing's better than that. And Lord Sheldon would be around. It would definitely be a family day. It would be about Jerry doing something with the people closest to him."
So basically, Jerry's dream day would involve spending time with his family and adorable Corgi Lord Sheldon, eating ice cream, and reading a good book. Sorry, Leslie, but Jerry might just be the most relatable Parks and Rec character of them all.
Jerry's simple Treat Yo' Self day is a reminder that he was Parks and Recreation's most underrated character
Parks and Rec was very close to being a perfect sitcom, but one of its biggest flaws was its treatment of Jerry. The poor guy was clumsy, but he was also exceedingly kind and patient, which made Leslie, Ron, Tom, and the rest of the Parks department's mistreatment of him all the more frustrating. While he did get some justice by the time the series ended — having him serve as mayor of Pawnee for more than 30 years was a nice touch — the show definitely overindulged in Jerry jokes.
O'Heir's description of Jerry's Treat Yo' Self day serves as a reminder that good old Garry Gergich really was the show's most underrated character. His day is all about simple pleasures, which stands in sharp contrast to Donna and Tom's love for all things luxurious (and even Ben's adorably geeky Batman dreams). Ultimately, Jerry was a key member of the ensemble, who stood out by being unassuming and normal even as his co-workers teased him incessantly.
Let Pawnee's mayor's Treat Yo' Self dreams be a reminder that we should all be a little more like Jerry, and find some joy in life's little pleasures.