Tag Archives: parks and recreation

Daily Dose of Feelings #24

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In less than one month, Parks and Recreation will return to our TV screens, and I don’t think I’m alone in my longing for some Pawnee sunshine to come back into my life. So to celebrate the impending return of my favorite television show, let’s go back in time and remember a season premiere before Ben and Leslie were married, before they could even be openly in love, and before Leslie won the city council election.

You have to check it out on NBC’s website because apparently their video player doesn’t like being embedded here. But I promise it’s worth the extra click! 

Even this early on in Ben and Leslie’s relationship, the foundation was there for them to ascend to their current status as the best couple on TV. Ben’s unwavering support of Leslie’s dreams, Leslie’s appreciation for everything he is, and their realistically sweet chemistry were there from the start—or in this case, the end—of their first attempt at a relationship.

This scene is incredibly bittersweet. There’s sadness, but there’s no angst, which is so refreshing and also so beautiful. Your heart breaks for this couple, but there’s just enough warmth and love in this scene to keep that heartbreak from being oppressive.

This is the first moment where I really started to see just how incredible Ben Wyatt is as a character. He’s willing to give up something he wants and has wanted for a long time because he also wants Leslie to be happy—and he knows that running for city council is going to make her happy. Ben fell in love with Leslie for her passion and her drive, and he doesn’t want her to have to sacrifice those things in order to be with him. He respects Leslie’s hard work so much that he doesn’t want anyone else to question whether or not she earned everything she’s been given—because he knows how much she deserves every success she’s ever had. So he’s willing to step back and let the woman he loves chase her dream—because that dream won’t be there forever, but in this scene you can already tell that Ben will be.

Amy Poehler and Adam Scott absolutely kill me in any scene where they get to be soft and gentle and emotionally honest with one another. I love the way Poehler’s eyes have tears in them through so much of this scene because it feels real—the same way Scott’s shaky voice feels real. Those aren’t the kind of overdramatic hysterics that are going to be noticed by most people, but they’re the kind of realistic details that can make a comedy the most emotionally affecting show on television.

This is the first use of the box that has come to mean so much for this couple, and its meaning can be traced back to this scene. The box represents the leaps of faith Ben and Leslie take together and the knowledge that they will always be the other’s biggest supporter. It holds symbols of their dreams: first Leslie’s dream, then Ben’s, and finally their dream of beginning a life together.

While this scene is technically a “breakup scene,” it’s filled with more hope and love than most “love scenes” on TV today. It’s a scene about the sacrifices we make for love and for our own dreams. It’s a scene about the reality of love not always being enough to conquer all (at least not right away). And it’s a scene about a woman who makes campaign speeches in her sleep and a man who looks at her like those speeches are the most perfect things he’s ever heard in his life.

Like the opening line to Leslie’s speech, this scene is simple—but I like it.

Daily Dose of Feelings #20

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I gave myself an extra day to pick this one, so I wanted it to be a good choice—and a happy choice. After last night’s finale of The Bachelorette and its beautiful proposal (I know this ending surprised a lot of people—myself included—but I think Chris was the perfect choice, and I think Desiree was finally able to see that), I started thinking about my favorite television proposals of all time. Of course there are the ones from The Bachelor and The Bachelorette that make me cry every season (I’m such a softie), but there are plenty of fictional ones too: Monica and Chandler, Jim and Pam, Ryan and Jenny, Chuck and Sarah, Seth and Summer, Meredith and Derek…

And Ben and Leslie.

Ben proposing to Leslie isn’t just my favorite proposal scene in television history; it’s one of my favorite television moments ever. The acting, the writing, and the element of surprise all combined to create something truly special—something that makes me cry just thinking about it (so you can only imagine how hard I still cry while watching it).

The thing I’ll remember most about this moment is just how surprised I was by it. This happened in the fifth episode of the season—not a premiere, a finale, or any kind of sweeps episode. I started crying as soon as Ben walked into the room because it meant he was choosing Leslie instead of a job in Florida, but little did I know just how committed he was to choosing this woman as his future. When he got down on one knee, my reaction mirrored Leslie’s: Oh my God, what are you doing?

At that point, I couldn’t stop crying if I wanted to. Sometimes a scene just makes you feel so warm, happy, and hopeful that all you can do is cry. From a pure performance standpoint, Amy Poehler and Adam Scott have never been better than they were here. From the little cracks in his voice to the unshed tears in her eyes, they both gave themselves over to this moment, and we as an audience reaped the benefits. Scott’s delivery of each line is filled with a kind of sincerity that makes you believe everything Ben is telling Leslie. And Poehler reduces me to a blubbering mess every time I watch the part where Leslie looks away and takes a deep breath (around the 0:57 mark in the video), as her happiness overwhelms her. Leslie’s reaction is so perfectly true to this character, and Poehler makes that reaction resonate with a kind of quiet joy so radiant it’s impossible to look at through dry eyes.

This scene is more than just emotionally powerful—it’s important. Part of the reason it makes me cry so hard is the hope it makes me feel as a young woman who believes it’s not crazy to find a man who will support your dreams and love you for being ambitious, intense, and more than a little ridiculous at times. I have always identified with Leslie, and I am forever grateful to Parks and Recreation for creating this beautiful character who doesn’t have to sacrifice one dream (love) for another (career). That a genuinely nice, hard-working, ambitious woman exists as a main character on television is a great thing in and of itself, but the fact that she is loved to the extent that she is loved by a genuinely nice, hard-working, intelligent man is incredible.

I don’t think I can articulate my thoughts on the importance of this scene and what it says about this relationship any better than I did in my review of the episode, so I’ll stop trying and leave you with these thoughts:

My favorite thing about Ben and Leslie’s relationship has always been that Ben never forces Leslie to give up any of her dreams—to curb any of her ambitions—to be with him. In fact, it’s Ben who—once again—makes a sacrifice for love because that’s the man he is, not because Leslie demands it of him, either. He loves helping other people make their dreams come true—that’s why he excels at managing political campaigns. But the person whose dreams he most wants to help bring to fruition are Leslie’s. There’s never any resentment or any indication that it’s strange or revolutionary for this male character to sacrifice so much for the woman he loves; it’s just who he is. He’s not at his happiest managing campaigns; he’s at his happiest with Leslie. She’s his future.

Daily Dose of Feelings #13

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Parks and Recreation is my favorite show on television. I love that it’s a show about fundamentally good people who do nice things for each other. I love it for its optimism, its warmth, and its belief in wearing its heart firmly on its sleeve. And I love that it consistently manages to make me cry happy tears.

As Leslie Knope is so fond of saying, “No one achieves anything alone.” That’s the theme at the center of Parks and Rec, and it’s been reflected time and again in scenes where all of the characters pitch in to help one of their own. The most affecting of these scenes comes at the end of Season Four’s Christmas episode, “Citizen Knope.”

Because apparently this scene is too perfect for the Internet to handle, I have no video clip of it for you, but here are two sets of GIFs from Tumblr which should give you a taste of why it’s is so beautiful:

Open this set first…

…And then this one.

This is one of those scenes where, as it was unfolding, all I could do was stand with my hand over my mouth, smiling and crying at the same time. As each person offered Leslie their help with such perfectly in-character responses (Andy offering his duties at “javelin…if need be,” Donna offering up her Benz, Tom volunteering as “Swagger Coach,” Jerry having no idea about the plan), I found myself getting more and more emotional—until Ron completely stole my heart with his offer to do any other damn thing Leslie might need.

Parks and Rec is a show about love: the love between a woman and her city and between that same woman and the wonderful people she surrounds herself with every day. This scene captures that perhaps better than any other so far (except, of course, Leslie and Ben’s wedding). Ron’s right, Leslie is always there for her friends, but the beautiful thing about her is she never expects them to do anything in return. That’s what makes it so special when they turn around and give back to her the support and love she gives them every day.

Amy Poehler’s reaction at the end of this scene shows what makes her such a damn good actress and such a perfect Leslie. There’s a beat when her eyes fill with tears and her voice breaks when she says, “I don’t know what to say.” That reaction is so honest. I admire and adore Poehler for so many reasons, but one of the biggest reasons is her fearlessness when it comes to playing a scene not for laughs but for happy tears. It takes a special kind of actor to make you cry for their character because you’re so happy for them, but Poehler does it again and again with Leslie. This scene is so emotional because the gesture feels earned; we truly believe Leslie deserves this act of kindness.

I love when Parks and Rec puts us in Leslie’s shoes, letting us be surprised by the wonderful moments in her life right along with her. That sense of surprise has been the driving force behind some of the show’s most memorably emotional moments, and it’s certainly a big part of why this scene is so affecting. It was the perfect Christmas gift for Leslie, and it was also a great Christmas gift for fans of Parks and Rec—a show that is never afraid to aim for the audience’s heart in the best possible way.

Five Reasons the Emmys are the Worst

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Okay…The title of this post may be a little hyperbolic, but let’s call a spade a spade: The 2013 Emmy nominations (which were announced yesterday) weren’t exactly exciting. In fact, they left many (myself included) disappointed. I know I shouldn’t get my hopes up for the majority of my favorite shows and actors getting nominations, but that should be part of the fun of nomination day. But I guess “fun” and “nomination day” are two words that only go together for the Critics’ Choice Television Awards.

Over at Media Through a Mom’s Eyes, you’ll find some great reactions and analysis of the Emmy nominees, especially in the dramatic categories. Here, I just want to point out five reasons I’m convinced the Emmys are out-of-touch with what’s actually going on in the world of television.

1. I don’t love you, and I don’t like you. Once again, Parks and Recreation was left out of the running for Best Comedy, with only Amy Poehler securing a nomination in a category which I’m sure she’ll be overlooked in once again. I’ve grown sadly jaded about Parks and Rec’s chances of ever getting nominated again, but I really thought they stood a chance this season. While it wasn’t the strongest season overall, it had two of its most compelling episodes ever with “Halloween Surprise” and “Ben and Leslie.” To see such a heartfelt, well-acted, genuinely funny television show go without any recognition (beyond its fabulous leading lady) continues to break my heart and make me wonder what exactly voters are looking for. If you don’t love Parks and Rec, I don’t think you’re the kind of person I want to know—or the kind of awards show I want to watch.

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Grading the Season Finales 2013: Parks and Recreation

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It’s that time of year again—season finale time! Last year, I had a lot of fun grading the season finales for all the shows I watched, so I decided to try my hand at that again this year, starting with the season finale of Parks and Recreation.

Title Are You Better Off? (5.22)

Written By Mike Schur

What Happens? Leslie celebrates the conclusion of her first year as a city council member with a town forum where she asks the people of Pawnee, “Are you better off now than you were a year ago?” Unfortunately for Leslie, most of the townspeople feel they aren’t better off, and they launch into a litany of complaints aimed at her perceived attacks on their personal freedoms (campaigning against giant sodas, keeping Lot 48 from becoming a Paunch Burger location) and moral indecency (teaching sexual education to senior citizens, turning the video rental store into a porn store). This impassioned group of angry Pawnee citizens then begins a campaign to recall Leslie from her office, but Ben encourages her to stand strong in the face of this adversity because he knows she truly believes Pawnee is in a better place than it was before.

While Leslie is fighting her detractors, her friends all face various other long-term challenges. Andy finds a positive pregnancy test in the garbage at Ron’s cabin, and he resurrects his Bert Macklin persona in order to discover the identity of the mother-to-be (with Ann’s help, as we soon learn the test isn’t hers). With Leslie and Donna eliminated from the hunt, Andy is led to believe the woman is Mona-Lisa. Tom is initially terrified of the idea of his unstable girlfriend brining a child into the world. (Plus, he already has problems of his own with a new competitor for Rent-a-Swag—who may or may not be Diddy—opening a store across the street.) Thankfully for all involved, the test isn’t Mona-Lisa’s, but then Andy is left with only one other option—April. However, April also isn’t pregnant, though she does have big news: She got into veterinary school in Bloomington, and Andy is more than happy to support her as she chases her dream. In the end, Andy believes his detective work was all for naught—until Diane enters Ron’s office and asks to talk to him.

Game-Changing Moment The end of this episode featured two big moments that set up major changes for some of the most beloved members of Parks and Rec’s supporting characters. First, the news of April’s acceptance into veterinary school was surely a shock to many (including myself) who’d assumed she was going to be the woman behind the pregnancy test. I have to admit it; I liked this plot twist a lot better than the idea of April and Andy being parents because both of them clearly aren’t ready for that yet. However, April’s new career path felt right after a season of watching her grow, and I loved seeing Andy be so supportive of her.

The second of these major moments was the reveal of Diane’s pregnancy. I did not see that twist coming at all (although my mother did!), and I loved being so surprised by it. For most of the episode, I was wondering why there was such a lack of Ron after he’d been on the receiving end of some really great storylines this season, and then I got my answer. After that ending, I found myself already getting excited to see where this will take Ron next season. His relationship with Diane was a welcome addition to Season Five, and I can only imagine that impending fatherhood will be a welcome addition to Season Six as well.

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TV Time: Parks and Recreation 5.21

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Title Swing Vote

Two-Sentence Summary Leslie and Ron fight over the funding of a Pawnee miniature golf course, and both attempt to win Councilman Jamm to their side. Meanwhile, Tom tries to end is relationship with Mona-Lisa, and Andy contemplates quitting music.

Favorite Line “Well, math is worthless in real life. There’s an app for calculating tips—that’s all you need. [Quietly] Math is really important, especially for young women. Stay in school.” (Leslie)

My Thoughts After both of last week’s thoroughly enjoyable episodes of Parks and Rec, this week’s episode was a bit of a letdown. While it did have some genuinely funny moments and one scene guaranteed to tug at the heartstrings (or maybe just mine because I’m a sucker for Leslie and Ron’s relationship), the major plotlines in this episode didn’t seem to lead to any new ground or reveal anything new about these characters. This week’s episode featured a lot of “been there, done that” storytelling, which, while still ultimately entertaining, didn’t do much for me as a viewer.

While I do love Leslie and Ron’s friendship, I’m growing a little tired of their “conflicting ideologies” storylines. I thought it fell flat in “Bailout,” and it didn’t feel any fresher or more interesting in “Swing Vote.” The addition of Jamm to their storyline did nothing for me but make it worse. I had really hoped we would be rid of him after “Ben and Leslie.” While he sometimes gets funny lines, I don’t find him an interesting character. His unnecessary meanness clashes too much with the overall tone of the show. In terms of antagonists, I think last season did a much better job creating characters I cared about to work against Leslie. Jamm still feels like a character that is too one-dimensional for a show of this quality.

Although I didn’t find myself all that interested in Ron and Leslie’s story this week, I did love their scene at the end of the episode. Maybe I’m just reading too much A Song of Ice and Fire lately (Ben Wyatt would be proud of me), but Leslie talking about Ron’s code of honor and then living up to her own code of honor was very touching. There’s such a sense of respect between these two characters, and that says something so refreshing about political differences in a world where conflicting ideologies can often lead people to do horrible things to each other. Just because you may not agree with someone, it doesn’t mean you can’t respect their opinion. That’s one of my favorite things this show preaches.

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The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (4/14 – 4/21)

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There were quite a few things to choose from when it came time for me to pick the best things on TV in the past week. Last Sunday’s episode of Game of Thrones ended with a game-changing moment that begins my favorite character arc in the book series. Castle gave us a Bigfoot hunt for the ages. But my favorite moment of the week came from Parks and Recreation, which took its perfect nerd references to new heights this week. Every time this show mentions Game of Thrones, I am overcome with joy. So it goes without saying that Donna’s newfound passion for the show (and its plethora of attractive cast members) was one of the highlights of my week. Retta is always flawless in her delivery, but I don’t know if she’s ever been better than this scene (maybe it’s because Donna sounded exactly like Retta’s Twitter feed). And how wonderful was Ben’s eBay name being TallTyrionLannister? In a week that featured a lot of sad things in the news, it was nice to have something light and fun to turn to—and that’s exactly what Parks and Recreation gave us.

 

What was the best thing you saw on TV this week?

TV Time: Parks and Recreation 5.19/5.20

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Title Article Two/Jerry’s Retirement

Two-Sentence Summary In “Article Two,” Leslie battles a staunch traditionalist over outdated portions of Pawnee’s town charter, while Ben and Ann get into a bidding war over a waffle iron they both hope to give Leslie. “Jerry’s Retirement” focuses on Jerry’s last official day as a Pawnee government worker as both Ben and Leslie and Ann and Chris think about their future families.

Favorite Line from “Article Two” “Have you seen those Dothraki? They can get it. Everybody on that show can get it.” (Donna, talking to Ann about Game of Thrones)

Favorite Line from “Jerry’s Retirement” “I went back to check Season One of Fringe for plot holes. As I suspected, airtight.” (Ben)

My Thoughts This has been a hard week, a sad week, and a week that’s been filled with more tension than any in recent memory. During times like this, I find it important to have breaks from the news, the Twitter feeds, and the endless cycle of anxiety. During times like this, it’s important to have something that allows you time to escape, to laugh, and to feel happy. For me, that something was last night’s hour of Parks and Recreation. In a dark week, visiting Pawnee was the little bit of sunshine I (and I’m sure many others) needed.

I don’t have much to say specifically about these episodes. I’m happy that Ann and Chris seem to be moving towards a romance because I have always loved the chemistry between Rob Lowe and Rashida Jones. I liked that Leslie showed Jerry some real kindness, and I liked that she was able to see just how beautiful his home life is. (Amy Poehler’s facial expressions during that breakfast scene were beyond priceless.) I loved Patton Oswalt’s appearance more than words can say. And if you haven’t watched his entire filibuster, then you haven’t really felt joy.

Ultimately, I went into these episodes simply wanting to laugh and to feel good. And that’s exactly what I got. Parks and Rec is like a security blanket for me; when I feel stressed or sad about the state of the world, I reach for Leslie Knope and her idealism and optimism. On a night when I looked for one TV show to make me happy, I was rewarded with so many little gems of happiness.

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The Best Thing I Saw on TV This Week (4/7 – 4/14)

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I’m sorry that this post is a little late…I’ve been spending way too much time traversing Westeros from the pages of A Feast for Crows lately, and I let time get away from me this weekend. (And yes, there will be some A Song of Ice and Fire essays on here as soon as I’m done with A Dance with Dragons—whenever that may be.) 

This was a solid, if not outstanding, week in the world of television. There were no instant-classic episodes to be found, but most things (with The Office being the lone exception) made me feel good about where the shows I watch are heading as finale season draws near. New Girl gave us a fun episode that featured some of the best Schmidt material in Season 2. Game of Thrones set the stage well for the chaos that’s to come this season, and it continued to build upon my favorite relationship from the books (Jaime and Brienne).

However, the best thing I saw on television in the last week came from Parks and Recreation. Ron Swanson ate a banana, and it was truly one of the funniest things I’ve seen on TV this year. It takes a great actor to make something so simple on paper so hilarious in execution, and Nick Offerman is truly a great comedic actor.

 

What was your favorite moment from the last week in the world of television?  

 

TV Time: Parks and Recreation 5.18

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Title Animal Control

Two-Sentence Summary Leslie and her fellow city council members attempt to find a capable person to run the animal control department in Pawnee after Harris and Brett are fired. Meanwhile, Ron gets sick, and Ben tries to convince cologne mogul Dennis Feinstein to donate to his charity.

Favorite Lines
(while Ann is helping Ron fill out his paperwork at the hospital)
Ann: Sexual history?
Ron: Epic. And private.

My Thoughts Although “Animal Control” didn’t really cover any new ground (except for April’s newest story development), it took classic Parks and Rec themes and jokes and showed why they still work five seasons after the show began. It gave us moments that reminded us why we love these characters. And it showed once again that when you need a TV show to simply make you feel good, there’s nothing better than a half-hour spent in Pawnee.

I really love what the writers are doing with April’s character this season. There’s always been a sincerity underneath her blasé attitude that usually only came out around Andy, but I love that we’re getting to see more and more of her passion as this season has gone on. She’ll never be Leslie (and thank God for that because Pawnee can barely handle one Leslie), but watching her stand up for the things she cares about in her own way has been one of the most rewarding things about this season. I really liked that she was the one to come up with the idea of moving animal control into the parks department, and I loved how proud Leslie was of her. Having a plaque made long ago simply because Leslie believed in April’s future was such an in-character thing for her to do. I love when this show honors its characters in little details like that.

Another standout part of the A-plot was the inclusion of Harris and Brett, two of my favorite citizens of Pawnee. Their brand of stoner comedy works like a charm to make me laugh every time they’re on screen. I loved the way so many recurring townspeople showed up in this episode because it reminded me that one of my favorite things about this show is how well-developed even the background characters have become over five seasons. From Orin to Dennis Feinstein, some of my favorites came back to play this week, and it made me all kinds of happy to see them.

Speaking of Dennis Feinstein, there were some hilarious moments of comedy in that plot as well. Ben’s reaction to the cologne is another reason why Adam Scott should win an Emmy for Best Facial Expressions to Ever Exist. He is owning all the material he’s been given this season, and I’m going to be sorely disappointed if he’s not recognized by some fancy award committee for that. Another great comedy moment was Tom’s reaction to Dennis Feinstein’s “Most Dangerous Game” offer. I don’t know what it was, but something about Aziz Ansari’s delivery of “I think that guy wants to hunt me!” made me laugh until I was in tears. And, like so many episodes of Parks and Rec, this plot went from hilarious to heartwarming with Tom offering to give money from Rent-a-Swag to Ben’s charitable efforts. This show does such a good job of making small acts of kindness like that one feel genuine and integral to a certain character’s development. Learning to be nice is an important part of characters’ emotional educations on Parks and Rec, and I love that—because that’s the way it should be in the real world, too.

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