NBC's Friends and Parks and Recreation are two beloved sitcoms, with Friends still getting a reunion in early 2021. Interestingly, evidence points to the notion that both shows could exist in the same universe, evidenced in a major connection found in a certain Friends scene. The scene suggests that Friends' Rachel Green dated Parks and Rec's Ben Wyatt.

Reddit theory points out the scene, which occurs in Season 7, Episode 9 of Friends. Monica and Rachel are talking about dating, in which Rachel asserts that she, in fact, does not sleep with men on the first date. In comic fashion, Monica starts listing the names of men that Rachel has slept with on the first date, one being "Ben Wyatt." Ben Wyatt is the name of an accountant on Parks and Rec who moves to Indiana and falls in love with Leslie Knope. If this is the same Ben Wyatt, then Rachel and Ben had some type of relationship that would connect these two shows.

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The timelines match up because Rachel would be 29 years old in the year 2000, when Season 7 of Friends takes place, and Ben would be only slightly younger at 26. It actually works in the theory's favor that Ben is slightly younger because around that time, Rachel was dating Tag, the attractive younger assistant at Rachel's job. Rachel has commented that she finds Tag's butt cute, and Leslie Knope has also been known to adore Ben's "cute" bottom. If Ben and Rachel met in New York City around that time, he would be her type to date.

Ben became an accountant after his debacle as Partridge, Minnesota's youngest mayor. His job takes him to many different cities, one of which could have been New York. During this time, he could have met Rachel and the two could have gone on a date that was significant enough f0r her to tell Monica about. Ben would have then had to travel back to the Midwest where he buried himself in his work until we see his life unfold on Parks and Rec.

It is hard to imagine a very serious and scrupulous character like Ben Wyatt being interested in a vivacious woman like Rachel, but Ben was a completely different person in his early to mid twenties. It was discussed on Parks and Rec that Ben was the host and DJ for a swing music radio show at a college he attended. Just starting his career and visiting a big city could have enticed Ben to be more outgoing. Based on the outcomes of Friends and Parks and Rec, we know this date did not amount to anything, but evidence shows it's possible that Leslie Knope and Rachel Green dated the same man.

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Both shows were on NBC, making the same universe theory that much more plausible. Friends and Parks and Rec are loved for ensemble casts, hilarious antics and heartwarming moments. In light of this theory, and thanks to Rachel's avid dating habits, there's a chance that the antics and heartwarming moments take place in the same universe.

Friends was created by David Kane and Marta Kauffman and stars Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and Lisa Kudrow. All episodes currently streaming on HBO Max. Parks and Recreation was created by Michael Schur and Greg Daniels, starring Amy Poehler, Aubrey Plaza, Nick Offerman, Chris Pratt, Rashida Jones and Adam Scott. All episode are currently streaming on Peacock. 

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