Parks and Recs had some fantastic supporting characters, but Jenny Slate’s evil Mona-Lisa might be the most underrated. The 2000s produced some all-time classic TV comedies, ranging from Arrested Development to 30 Rock, The Office and It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. The latter show debuted back in 2005 but is still going strong, with its most recent season airing in 2019, making it one of the longest-running live-action sitcoms in TV history.
Parks And Recreation blossomed from a show with something of a mediocre first season to become one of the finest sitcoms of the last decade. It also featured an incredible ensemble cast, including Amy Poehler, Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza, and Rob Lowe. The show gave everybody a chance to shine, even supporting players like Nick Offerman’s Ron Swanson, who had a habit of stealing every scene he appeared in.
Another regular scene-stealer in Parks And Rec was Mona-Lisa Saperstein, played by Jenny Slate (Venom). She’s the sister of Jean-Ralphio Saperstein (Ben Schwartz, Sonic The Hedgehog), and her brother sums her up as “the worst person in the world.” She doesn’t do anything to disprove this when Tom hires her to work at Rent-A-Swag, where she regularly steals money, takes naps and leaves early because she doesn’t like working. They end up starting a relationship after he tries to fire her, which proves to be something of a nightmare for Tom and includes a pregnancy scare.
Mona-Lisa also interviews as a candidate for interim mayor, interrupting her father Dr. Saperstein’s (Henry Winkler, Scream) interview. It doesn’t go great, since after Ben (Adam Scott) tells her there’s no money involved she smashes a glass display and comes back demanding money again. Mona-Lisa is an agent of chaos on the show and Jenny Slate owns the role. She and Jean-Ralphio are also an amazing comic duo, with the latter faking his death at the end of Parks and Rec with the help of his sister and running off to open a casino in Tajikistan.
Jenny Slate’s Mona-Lisa didn’t appear in that many episodes of Parks And Recs, but even with the character’s limited screentime, she became a fan favorite. While the show is flooded with great supporting players, Mona-Lisa had so many memorable lines and moments she has to be considered one of Parks And Recs’ most underrated characters. An easter egg in the finale “One Last Ride” revealed Jean-Ralphio became a champagne manufacturer and given how closely tied he is with his sister, it’s easy to imagine they went into business together.
Next: Parks And Rec: Why Mark Brendanawicz Only Lasted 2 Seasons
