The seventh season of Parks and Recreation is set in 2017. The season jumps forward three years from the events of season six, creating a near-future setting for the show’s final storyline.
This time jump changes the characters’ professional and personal circumstances. Leslie Knope is working as a regional director for the National Park Service, while Ben Wyatt is pursuing political and public-service opportunities. The season also follows the rise of Gryzzl, a fictional technology company whose plans create a major conflict for Pawnee.
The season aired in 2015, which can cause confusion between its broadcast year and its fictional setting. Its premiere is itself titled “2017,” making the in-story year especially explicit. The season contains 13 episodes and was broadcast from January 13 through February 24, 2015.
The time jump is part of the show’s larger closing arc: rather than continuing directly after season six, the final season explores how the Pawnee group has changed and where their careers may lead.