The Biggest Mistake Jerry Made In Parks And Rec Isn't What You Think

As a show, Parks and Recreation was generally defined by its niceness. The characters occasionally came into conflict with one another, but it was really a show about people who were doing their best to make a difference in their small midwestern town. Although the people on the show were generally good to one another, there was one enormous exception to that trend, and his name was Jerry Gergich. 

However hard he tries, Jerry seems almost incapable of doing anything right, at least in the eyes of the other characters. Because he's perceived as inept, Jerry is often ignored, even in situations where he is clearly in the right or has created something beautiful. One of the show's biggest running gags is that, in spite of the characters' general kindness to one another, none of them can stand Jerry. That's not because he's a terrible person but because he's got a rather sunny outlook, even though he's always messing everything up. One of his biggest mistakes came in season 2, and it might not be exactly what you think. 

In general, Jerry is not a man known for feeling embarrassed or ashamed. In fact, one of the reasons he's often dismissed by the other characters is that he seems to be unaware of how his actions are being perceived. In season 2, though, there was one incident that even he knew was too embarrassing to reveal to his colleagues. 

In the second season, Jerry hurts his shoulder. After he's injured, Jerry refuses to divulge the exact way he hurt himself, saying that he got mugged. Eventually, we discover that he was lying to his colleagues and that he actually hurt his shoulder by falling into a creek while he was reaching for his burrito. It's a hilarious thing to watch, and even Jerry seems to be aware that he would be teased mercilessly if he were to explain exactly how he sustained this particular injury. 

Jerry could deal with a lot of teasing, but he knew that this incident would be too much for even him to handle. Jerry didn't always get a fair shake from his co-workers, but he was usually pretty forthcoming when he'd made a mistake. His most severe mistakes are the ones he keeps hidden, which is how we know that the creek incident must have been devastating for him.