When Andy puts on his FBI windbreaker as Bert Macklin in {Are You Better Off?}, he puts it on the same way that Martin SheenMartin Sheen puts on his jacket on [The West Wing].
The episode {Leslie vs. April} is the first TV series or episode to cast Vice President Joe BidenJoe Biden
In {Leslie vs. April}, when Leslie meets Joe BidenJoe Biden, she mentions taking over former Senator Hillary ClintonHillary Clinton's job. Amy PoehlerAmy Poehler portrayed Hillary ClintonHillary Clinton several times while being a cast member of [Saturday Night Live].
In {Women in Garbage}, when Chris and Shauna discuss their relationship, they are sitting on the edge of the Smallest Park, the spot where Leslie and Ben reconciled.
Kulap VilaysackKulap Vilaysack (Ulani from the episode {Ben's Parents}) originally auditioned for the role of April Ludgate.
In {Sex Education}, when Tom is reading from his Twitter feed in the courtroom, you can see on the paper that Jean Ralphio favourited all of Tom's tweets leading up to his crash.
The map of Pawnee is a flipped version of the map of Muncie, Indiana. The exterior shots of City Hall is Pasadena City Hall in California. The exterior shot of J.J.'s Diner is actually Landmark Diner on Cheshire Bridge Road in Atlanta, Georgia.
After shooting each scene a few times verbatim, the actors then shot a few more when they improvise to make the scene funnier if possible.
The episode {Ben's Parents} is the final appearance of Pamela ReedPamela Reed as Leslie's mother.
Octavia SpencerOctavia Spencer auditioned for the role of Donna Meagle.
For his character's filibuster in {Article Two}, Patton OswaltPatton Oswalt improvised an eight-minute monologue linking Disney's [Star Wars] and Marvel movie franchises. The entire uncut take appears as an extra on the Season 5 DVD set.
One of the show's creators, Michael SchurMichael Schur, often appears in the background as an extra.
Nick OffermanNick Offerman, who plays Ron Swanson, has a woodworking hobby as does his counterpart in the show. He has released an instructional DVD in canoe building and runs a fine woodworking business on the side.
Leslie and Andy go to Washington on business--and to see Ben and April. Back in Pawnee, Ron is in charge of the employee barbecue, and Tom and Ann pretend to still be together.
Leslie faces threats and backlash if she votes in favor of a "soda tax," Ben tries to suck to his interns after he discovers that they're politically connected, and Andy's efforts to get in shape send Chris into a depression.
Leslie is forced to make a sacrifice to assure passage of a bill, Ron meets a single woman while fixing a pothole, and Ben and April are stuck in a parking lot and can't make it back to Pawnee.
Leslie gets in trouble with her initiative to teach safe sex to senior citizens, Ron tries to help Tom overcome his addiction to social media, and Ben and April suspect that the candidate they work for is a robot.
Leslie's future with Ben is on hold after he gets a new job offer, Leslie and Ann give Jerry a heart attack, and Ron's new relationship is in jeopardy because of his girlfriend's kids.
Leslie and April clash over a proposed dog park, Ben receives a slew of job offers, and Andy uses his detective skills to find out who stole his computer.
Leslie wants to reject a great park idea just because the designer comes from Eagleton, Tom begins his new business venture with a new fiscal approach, and Andy and April find a way to make Andy's new security job more exciting.
Tammy shows up at an awards ceremony to sabotage Ron's new relationship, and four of Jerry's co-workers are shocked that he's throwing a Christmas party without them.
Leslie and April volunteer to work on a garbage truck to fight sexism in city government, Ron has a frightening experience babysitting Diane's girls, and Andy and Ben try to teach basketball to Tom.
The department has to put together an last-minute fund-raising gala for the new park without Leslie, who has been called away on an emergency disaster drill. Meanwhile, Andy takes his police officer exam.
Leslie discovers that a newspaper reporter has hacked her e-mail account, Ben begins his new job, and Anne decides that she wants Chris to be her sperm donor.
Leslie runs into unexpected problems when she proposes a "bailout" of a failing movie rental store, Ann tries to make friends with April while waiting for an answer from Chris, and Tom tries to stand up to a scary new worker at Rent-A-Swag.
Ben and Leslie go to Ben's hometown in Minnesota so he can get the key to the city, an honor given to all former mayors of the town except Ben, councilman Jamm sues Ron for punching him, and Chris and Ann try to test their compatibility.
Leslie faces a roadblock while searching for a new head of Animal Control, Ann convinces Ron to go see a doctor, and Ben asks local fragrance mogul Dennis Feinstein for a charitable donation.
A concerned citizen fights Leslie's efforts to removed some outdated Pawnee laws, and April and Ron are forced to take Chris's management training course.
Leslie throws a last-minute retirement party for Jerry, Tom discovers that he's the new Jerry in the office, and Ann and Chris weigh their options for conception.
After a bill to fund a local putt-putt course is introduced, Leslie and Ron compete for Jamm's swing vote. Meanwhile, Andy decides to retire from the band, and Ann tries to help Tom break up with Mona Lisa.
A group of citizens organizes a Leslie Knope recall, Andy finds a positive pregnancy test outside Ron's cabin, and Tom considers a lucrative offer to sell Rent-a-Swag.
