Kristen BellandAdam Brody’s Netflix hitNobody Wants Thisis returning for Season 2in October, and we couldn’t be more excited. Bell, in her Emmy-nominated role as Joanne, an unlucky-in-love podcast host, mixes her comedic timing with heartfelt emotion effortlessly, and her chemistry with Brody is wonderfully charming.
Long beforeNobody Wants This, Bell was a completely different kind of hilarious as Eagleton councilmember Ingrid De Forest on the NBC sitcomParks and Recreation. Helping continue to establish the animosity between the rival fictional towns in the series, Ingrid fit like a glove, calmly powering overAmy Poehler’s upbeat and optimistic Leslie Knope in every way. Despite Bell’s character joining the series late in the game during Season 6, she made quite the impression as the newcomer antagonist.
Amy Poehler’s Leslie Has Major Problems With Eagleton in ‘Parks and Recreation’
Parks and Recreationtakes placein the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana, where Leslie Knope serves as deputy director of the Parks and Recreation Department (yes, hence the name of the series). Right next door is well-off Eagleton, which, according to Leslie, is “the land of rich, snobby jerks.” The town was said to have been founded after a group of condescending citizens thought Pawnee smelled unpleasant. They eventually headed west and established the supposedly superior town for themselves. It was from this point in time that the epic feud began.
The town’s bitter opposition was a central plot in the mockumentary series. Because of this, there were countless digs directed towards the neighboring city, often from Leslie, who couldn’t keep her disdain to herself.This frequently found her in many unprofessional and compromising situations. Season 3 offered one of Leslie’s most iconic moments within the rivalry, and it also featured guest star,Parker Posey. When Knope discovers Eagleton built a fence through a bordering Pawnee park to further distance themselves, Leslie gets fired up. The constant back and forth eventually culminates, finding Leslie and Lindsay Carlisle Shay (Posey) literally fighting in piles of garbage.
After nearly spanning the length of the entire series, the feud comes to a head in Season 6. With another huge cameo,Bo Burnhamguest stars in the episode as famous local Western singer, Chipp McCapp. Tapped to be the headliner at the Pawnee-Eagleton Unity Concert, Leslie, uncharacteristically, attempts to bridge the gap between the two towns. McCapp eventually pulls out of the concert, but that doesn’t stop the event. Despite continued animosity among the citizens of each town at first,the concert eventually does the trick and unites them. This storied rivalry’s ups and downs are part of what made the series so entertaining.
Who Is Eagleton’s Ingrid De Forest in ‘Parks and Recreation’?
Bell’s character made her debut in the 2013 episode “The Pawnee-Eagleton Tip Off Classic” in Season 6 (the series ended with Season 7). Going toe to toe,she and Amy are comedic equals as Pawnee-Eagleton rivals. This was made clear when the pair went head-to-head, exhaustingly trying to best each other out the gate at the Pawnee-Eagleton basketball wager press conference. At the podium, the pair volley back and forth like in a tennis match. Always trying to be one step ahead of the other, Bell and Poehler’s roles are literally like comparing apples and (Swarovski crystal) oranges. Coming off like a caricature of an egotistical version of Leslie, Ingrid was the perfect counterpart to Knope. Bell’s effortless ability to appear arrogant and snobby gave the performance its life. Matching theSaturday Night Liveicon’s comedic skill was essential to the role — and Bell nailed it.
In that debut episode,Bell’s character needs Pawnee’s help to get her town out of financial ruin. Despite how much Leslie despises Ingrid, she reluctantly helps her. which is the major difference between the two women in this situation. And thus Eagleton and Pawnee became one, upsetting both town’s populations. In her second appearance in her short run in Season 6, Episode 6, titled “Filibuster,“Ingrid reluctantly confesses to Lesliethat she is running against her in the town’s recall election for city councilwoman. However, because of Pawnee’s help (via Leslie) to save Eagleton, the opponents eventually became friendly towards each other, putting their egos aside.
Bell’s arc ended with her third episode in Season 6, Episode 10, titled “Second Chunce,” with Leslie showing Ingrid the ropes as the newly minted council member. Describing in great detail the other council members to Ingrid, Leslie honorably admits defeat. In her short run on the hit series, it was clear that Bell was the perfect choice for the role. According to the show’s creator and showrunner,Michael Schur, Bellwas only contracted for one episode, but he loved her as an actress and comedian so much, he brought her back for two more episodes. The pair famously went on to team up foranother NBC staple,The Good Place. In the end, in a series full of comedic heavy hitters, Bell fit right in.
Parks and Recreation
