HitFix First Look: 'Parks and Recreation' presents the best and (mostly) worst of Jerry
The parks department's whipping boy keeps going and going and going
Jim O'Heir as Gary "Jerry" Gergich on "Parks and Recreation."
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Outside of some of the kids from "The Wire," I can think of few characters in primetime in recent years who have suffered as consistently and profoundly as Jerry Gergich on "Parks and Recreation." For starters, "Jerry" isn't even really his name (it's Gary), but no one cared enough to learn it properly. Nothing he does is good enough for his co-workers, and no one quite appreciates his many awesome traits, including a healthy and loving marriage, a fine artistic talent, and, as the doctor in the clip below explains, a tremendous anatomical gift.
Tonight's episode celebrates Jerry's 16th birthday — sort of. As Leslie explains early in tonight's episode, "Sweet Sixteen," Jerry was born on Leap Day, so his birthday technically only falls every 4 years. (This also makes Jerry significantly older than actor Jim O'Heir, but he's a good sport about so much, so why not this?) So to celebrate this milestone birthday, NBC has put together another one of its "Parks and Rec" character highlight reels, which is exclusive to HitFix for the next few hours.
Enjoy the malapropisms, the stumbles, the pants splitting, and all the other misfortunes that befall poor Gary/Jerry over and over and over again, and my "Sweet Sixteen" review will be up at 9 Eastern.
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupMike
February 23, 2012 at 3:41PM EST Reply to CommentI know it's a joke and it doesn't bother me that much, but I've never really liked the hating Jerry thing on P&R. It worked with Toby on The Office, as only Michael hated him. When everyone in the Parks & Rec Dept. office hate someone, it just comes across to me as mean.
Joey Mike, I agree; I do laugh, but then I feel incredibly guilty about it!
February 23, 2012 at 3:47PM ESTVandusan I agree. Being exasperated at his ineptitude is one thing and it's OK for everyone to kind of roll their eyes at him because every office has someone that is kind of clueless but one of the things I like about the show is that the characters have become people we really know. We have seen everyone's foibles and honestly, is Jerry more worthy of ridicule than Tom or Andy or even Leslie herself? Jerry has grown as a character too and we have seen his willingness put up a lot of annoyance without complaint. Cut him a break already. It adds nothing important.
February 23, 2012 at 4:03PM ESTGreg I just don't like when somebody says randomly "blahblahblah Jerry is stupid" (like Tom does a lot). But when it's something more elaborated, I find it funny.
February 23, 2012 at 4:07PM ESTGBK I don't see it the same way as on The Office. Michael's hating of Toby was much more mean spirited. With Jerry it seems he just gets picked on a) because it never really seems to affect him, and b) he just keeps putting himself in situations that make it hard not to make fun of him.
February 23, 2012 at 4:10PM ESTTJ The only time it ever came across as too much to me was Tom blaming him for losing Li'l Sebastian. But even then, only April (because she's April) joined along, while no one else really took Tom seriously about it.
February 23, 2012 at 4:20PM ESTjenfullmoon It does kind of bug me too. Dude's a decent guy and a fantastic artist and managed to produce at least one hot daughter. But alas, "fat" and "older than everyone else" and "kinda clumsy" pretty much wins in this world for the butt monkey award.
February 23, 2012 at 5:11PM ESTNick You all realize that it's just A TV SHOW!!!!!!
February 23, 2012 at 6:39PM ESTCraig I find it incredibly mean and when people especially on this site talk about how warm wtc this show is, I can only disagree. I have a real problem with this kind of bullying no matter what but if the regular recipient of being bullied was a Brad Pitt type or even an egomaniacal Simpn Cowell type (maybe Aziz's character on the show?) bug to consistently pick on the sweet, kind Jerry and do it for laughs really bothers me and then when j hear his nice Leslie is etc, I can't agree because if this was my office if want to stick up for Jerry
February 23, 2012 at 8:51PM ESTCK Have to disagree, every Jerry joke always has me ROLLING. In some ways, the best Jerry jokes are when out of the blue someone goes "SHUT UP JERRY" or "Jerry you suck." People have different sense of humor, but all Jerry jokes are usually uproariously funny to me.
February 24, 2012 at 2:00AM ESTJillian
February 23, 2012 at 3:46PM EST Reply to CommentWhy that background music? Why background music, at all?
Chanter Indeed, super annoying soundtrack.
February 23, 2012 at 6:30PM ESTAP Seriously, it's so out of character for Parks and Rec!
February 23, 2012 at 9:56PM ESTAP Seriously, it's so out of character for Parks and Rec!
February 23, 2012 at 9:56PM ESTJess Price
February 23, 2012 at 3:49PM EST Reply to CommentI bet he can't even blow out all the candles without running out of breath.
Dave
February 23, 2012 at 4:00PM EST Reply to CommentThey left the best one out! "Can you photoshop your life with better choices?"
TJ
February 23, 2012 at 4:17PM EST Reply to CommentThe video isn't working for me for some reason, but in trying to get it going, I wound up finding the Catch Your Dream video on NBC's website. No idea how I missed it until now. LIT-erally the greatest endeavor of human creativity in the history of mankind
DearnaMay
February 23, 2012 at 4:27PM EST Reply to CommentI find Jerry hilarious still, because I know that he's a character, not a real person.
David
February 23, 2012 at 4:29PM EST Reply to CommentI've often too felt guilty for joining in on the ridiculing of Gary "Jerry," but I think the producers made it up to the character for giving him the purportedly "biggest penis" the doctor had ever seen and for giving him such a hot daughter.
Mahmoud Fayed A hot daughter's the last thing a father wants, so I think they kinda screwed him on that front too.
February 23, 2012 at 7:50PM ESTHowever the big penis definitely makes up for all the crap he has to go through. Not that he seems to be too too bothered by it. Not nearly as much as Toby.
Farrah
February 23, 2012 at 5:00PM EST Reply to CommentThat would make Jerry 64 years old. That's too old for his character, plus didn't they have millicent right outta college or something? lol.
jenfullmoon Like everything else about Jerry, I'm guessing they got it wrong.
February 23, 2012 at 5:09PM ESTTJ And if he really is 64, then there's one more silver lining for Jerry--he looks pretty good for his age!
February 23, 2012 at 6:02PM ESTLJA
February 23, 2012 at 5:31PM EST Reply to CommentPoor Jerry.
Robert
February 23, 2012 at 6:08PM EST Reply to CommentLove it!! Gerry is one of the best parts of this show. I love the creative ways they put down Gerry (don't worry everyone- he's just a TV character). Keep it up P&R! How else can you lampoon our beloved Gerry...
louisjab
February 23, 2012 at 7:09PM EST Reply to CommentYou guys got it all wrong. Leslie got him some brown (beige?) socks for Christmas, and more than one pair! Isn't that nice?
mcspinelli
February 23, 2012 at 7:19PM EST Reply to CommentIf the hating on Jerry stopped, April (Aubrey Plaza) would hardly ever speak...and that would be sad because she is funny. The writers need to breakup Andy and April at this point. They are boring now and the characters need more to do.
Flower
February 23, 2012 at 8:20PM EST Reply to CommentAccording to that clip reel, Jerry (Gary) has been married for 28 years and lost his virginity at age 24. WIth his sweet sixteen marking his age at 48, he was married for four years before Gayle took his virginity.
No wonder he remains unfazed at all the slights against him; they pale compared to what he's already endured!
Flower Not only that, I really suck at basic arithmetic!
February 23, 2012 at 8:22PM ESTGuest
February 23, 2012 at 8:27PM EST Reply to CommentThis sounds like a fairly direct rip-off of an old Wings plotline.
AP
February 23, 2012 at 9:51PM EST Reply to CommentDamnit Gary! (I wonder how the actor feels about playing the role of the punching bag btw, 'bout to google an interview)
Clevelle
February 24, 2012 at 11:36PM EST Reply to CommentJerry loves Anita Baker? Instant winner!