I really think that’s kind of unfair. Britta’s a way more complex character than this dismissal implies. I could describe Liz Lemon similarly, here goes:
Oh hey it’s that brunette girl working at the television station who’s smarter than all the dumb guys she works with, especially the buffoonish talent, but she has a father/friend/mentor/rival in her hawkish boss. The newest character in all showbusiness, Mary Tyler Moore.
But of course we both know Liz Lemon has many very important differences with Mary Tyler Moore, but the point is it’s damn easy to pick one thing out about a character and label it a cliche.
Leslie Knope is just Tracy Flick, right, the annoying chirpy blonde overachiever?