Ann Perkins

Living… in Pawnee, Ind. It’s strange for Ann to be living alone again, after sharing the apartment with Andy for so long. The worst thing that ever happened to her was when Andy broke his leg. Then he had an excuse to never leave the couch. Not only that, but Ann essentially became a live-in nurse. It was like another full-time job.   

Profession… nurse. Her excellent caretaking skills have worked to her disadvantage at times. She was so good at taking care of Andy that he actually kept his casts on longer than necessary. It’s almost like her boyfriends are eager to get injured. Thankfully, her new job as public relations director for Pawnee’s Health Department is less evocative for the male imagination. 

Interests… the well-being of Pawnee. Ann initially takes an interest in the Parks and Recreation Department after her boyfriend fell into a construction pit.  After that she became increasingly close to city official Leslie Knope, eventually trying to set her up on dates and even trying to restore her department’s budget. Soon, she and Leslie are best friends. 

Relationship Status… single, looking for Mr. Right. Once she broke up with Andy and started dating Mark Brendanawicz, she thought she might have found “the one.” Unfortunately, things started going too well with Mark. Always happy, always content – it was just too boring. At least Andy was entertaining; there was usually some new kernel of stupidity to deal with. Still, the difficult break-up made her hesitant to enter another serious relationship – especially with someone as seemingly “perfect” and “positive” as Chris Traeger. She should’ve trusted her instincts. 

Challenge… not becoming consumed by her love life. She always seems to get burned in the end. It took so long to overcome her image of Chris, and to be fair, it was entirely Chris’s fault. Ann wasn’t thrilled by the notion of dating “the perfect human man.” Once he came down with the stomach flu and his immaculate veneer was tarnished, she dove head-first into their romance. That’s why it burned so badly when he dumped her, even though (or perhaps especially because) he did it in such a positive way that she didn’t even realize what was happening until a week later. But for now, Ann’s still an apparent magnet for all forms of maladjusted manhood. 

Personality… impressionable. Ann has the habit of picking up the personality tics of whomever she’s dating. Andy had her into video games, Chris got her into health food, and so on. Her personality is malleable; she takes the shape of her partner. This makes break-ups all the more difficult, as a loss of her boyfriend feels like a partial loss of identity. When alone, she’s a generally friendly, occasionally awkward presence in the office.