The One Thing Parks And Recreation Fans Think Ben Does Better Than Any Other Character
There are many reasons why fans say the worst season of "Parks and Recreation" is Season 1. Deputy Director of the Parks Department Leslie Knope's (Amy Poehler) character had not been fully defined, and it took some time for the show to smooth out the kinks. But one of the biggest downfalls of the season is that it is devoid of the show's best character: Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott). Introduced in Season 2 along with overly positive Chris Traeger (Rob Lowe), Scott's portrayal of the awkward but lovable budget manager became a shining point in the series.
At first a no-nonsense rule-follower, Ben goes on to buck protocol and become the love of Leslie's life during his tenure on the show. Many can agree that "Parks and Recreation" is not complete without Ben's wry observations, but that is not the only reason that fans seem to love him. There is one aspect of Ben's character that is the best out of all the characters in the series.
Ben's camera looks are priceless
One hallmark of mockumentary-style shows is, of course, gleaning at the camera. This trope seemed to be popularized by Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) on "The Office," king of coming across as uncomfortable. But while these camera looks may be due to some of the cringiest moments on "The Office," Ben's expressions toward the camera on "Parks and Recreation" are far more nuanced. Fans on Reddit, such as u/ReverseFlash_94, notice that Ben's camera stares are some of the most gratifying aspects of the series. Many other Redditors were quick to jump on the train, noting one look of Ben's in particular.
"His look to the camera when the lil sebastian hologram appeared kills me every time," posted u/wxmanify, with a helpful link to YouTube. What makes Ben's reactions so perfect is how he is essentially a stand-in for the audience. The clip points out Ben's disbelief that anyone could love a tiny horse so much — let alone create an entire memorial concert around him. U/pittman1375 and u/mickandrorty137 were just some of numerous "Parks and Rec" that posted their favorite Ben glances. From exasperation to abject horror, the many faces of Ben are almost too abundant to count. This is just one of Ben Wyatt's traits that makes "Parks and Recreation" such a treat to watch.
Parks and Rec would be nothing without Ben
In the world of workplace comedies, "Parks and Recreation" is an outlier. Instead of showing audiences what they know, it shows them what they can be. The characters of "Parks and Recreation" are actually likable, unlike many other shows in the genre. Everyone genuinely wants to do good, an especially shocking idea as they work in government. Even Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), whose libertarianism motivates him to try and dismantle the government within, legitimately cares about the people that he works with.
Collider, in particular, is one to sing praises for the series, most notably Adam Scott's contribution. His razor-sharp wit is a welcome addition to the colorful cast of characters. It is hard to imagine a world where we never get the comedy stylings of Ben Wyatt, even though that came very close to happening. Scott shared with GQ that getting cast as Ben was an uphill battle.
"I actually auditioned for it before it was even on the air," Scott confessed. "I really wanted it and didn't get it. I actually kind of blew it, and so I was obviously pretty upset — I really wanted to be a part of it from the beginning. So when the opportunity popped up again a couple years later, I was really excited." Perhaps things happen for a reason because if he was cast initially, Leslie never would have had one of the best husbands in the world.