Title Two Parties

Two-Sentence Summary Leslie spends the first half of her bachelorette party attempting to use the strained relationship between the Wamapokes and the people of Pawnee to halt construction of a new Paunch Burger where Pawnee Commons is supposed to be, and then she spends the second half trying to undo what she did. Ben’s bachelor party is far more successful, with each of the men (Tom, Andy, Jerry, Ron, and, of course Ben) being treated by Chris to the bachelor party of his dreams.

Favorite Line “Maybe it’s April. Maybe I die—skydiving explosion—and then you go marry April. And it makes me sad, but if she’s gonna be with somebody, I’d like it to be you…Only I didn’t really die. I was faking it. And I come back. I spy on you from my red Corvette, and I’m planning to kick your ass. But I see how happy you make her. And I have to walk away, I have to. And I do…slowly, in a rainstorm…But as time goes by, it eats away at me—you’re out living it up with my wife and I’m alone in a cave training…I thought you were my friend! I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIEND!” (Andy, telling Chris that someday he’ll find the girl of his dreams)

My Thoughts I am in love with this episode. More specifically, I am in love with half of this episode and in a state of pleasant “like” with the other half. Seriously, if the half of the episode dealing with the bachelor party was a man, I would ask it to be my Catan-playing, vodka-flash-consuming, Colts-loving, ice-cream-dropping, steak-eating husband right now. I want more than an extended episode, more than deleted scenes. I want to petition whoever I need to petition in order for there to be a full-length movie of nothing but these fantastically rich supporting characters having fun together, toasting each other, and singing in Chris’s car.

The half of the episode dealing with Leslie was fine, but it paled in comparison to Ben’s half of the storyline. I loved that a sexy Abe Lincoln is one of Leslie’s fantasies, and I loved everything about both Donna and April in this episode, but there was something too predictable about Leslie’s arc.

I would have much rather had an episode that featured the girls having just as much fun as the guys, but I know that’s not possible. Stories don’t exist without conflict, and this episode needed Leslie’s conflicts. I guess it all just felt a little rushed to me. And because of that, the emotional connection to this half of the story felt relatively nonexistent (but maybe that’s because I was so busy tweeting and flailing like an excited kid over the other half of the episode).

Ultimately, I actually liked that we got to see someone else take on Leslie’s role as the emotional center of a group, and I loved that it was Chris. We’ve seen Leslie at the center of so many familial-feeling moments on Parks and Rec, so it was refreshing to see this episode take the time to show that men can have those familial bonds with their friends, too. Group hugs aren’t just for girls.

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Title Ron and Diane

Two-Sentence Summary As Ron attends a woodworking awards ceremony, his relationships with the women in his life (Diane, Tammy, and Leslie) reach turning points. Meanwhile, the holiday spirit (and one very surprising Christmas party) causes Tom, April, Andy, and Donna to rethink the way they’ve been treating Jerry.

Favorite Lines
Leslie: I know you didn’t, but if you had gone to Hogwarts Academy, which House do you think you would have been in?
Diane: Well, obviously I want to say Gryffindor, but I’ve got to go with Hufflepuff.
Leslie: I respect your honesty. Gryffindor. Seeker on the Quidditch team.

My Thoughts About halfway through “Ron and Diane,” I realized that I was just going to end up disappointed if I tried to compare it with “Citizen Knope,” last season’s Christmas episode, and one of my favorite Parks and Rec episodes of all time. Nothing could possibly compare to the way the ending of that episode made me feel, and the sooner I accepted that, the better. I’m glad I decided to lower my expectations a little bit because this was a good episode of Parks and Rec, but it wasn’t a great one. It was missing the warmth that was so prevalent in “Citizen Knope” and has shown itself at various points during this season as well.

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Title Leslie vs. April

Two-Sentence Summary Leslie is thrilled to learn of April’s passion for creating a new dog park in Pawnee, until she discovers that this park would be built on Lot 48, which she has been working for years to make into something worthwhile on her own. Meanwhile, Ben helps Tom look for Rent-a-Swag investors and makes a big career move of his own; Andy hits a snag in his police academy enthusiasm; and (in case you haven’t heard by now) Leslie meets Joe Biden.

Favorite Line
“You don’t let anything happen to him. You understand me? He is precious cargo!” (Leslie, speaking to Biden’s security team)

My Thoughts
Even without Joe Biden, this was a solid episode of Parks and Rec. With Joe Biden and his fabulous cameo, it was one of my favorites of this season so far. For the last few years, I’ve been amazed at how this show can operate at such a consistently high level, and it doesn’t show any signs of falling short of its own high standards anytime soon. “Leslie vs. April” may not have had as many ensemble moments as the best episodes of this show, but it did have plenty of moments of genuine laughter, character development, and earned sentiment.

Let’s start with the reason this episode was so highly-anticipated: the presence of Mr. Happy Warrior himself, Vice President Joe Biden. All politics aside, I think Biden did an excellent job in his scene, especially when you consider the fact that Amy Poehler most certainly ad-libbed a lot of Leslie’s reactions to meeting her ultimate celebrity crush. Leslie’s obsession with Biden has always been one of my favorite little character quirks of hers, so I had high expectations for this meeting from the moment I first heard about it. As it usually is with this show, I was not disappointed. It was awkward, it was hilarious, and it was played to perfection by everyone in the room.

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Title Ben’s Parents

Two-Sentence Summary Ben and Leslie’s engagement party—and Leslie’s homemade unity quilt—are almost ruined by the open hostility between Ben’s long-divorced parents. Meanwhile, Chris’s emotional state goes into a tailspin after the engagement announcement, and Tom starts to wonder if Jean-Ralphio is a good choice for a business partner if he wants Ron to invest in Rent-a-Swag.

Favorite Line “Ann, you are such a good friend. You are a beautiful, talented, brilliant, powerful muskox. Thank you, ox, for keeping this ship afloat.” (Leslie)

My Thoughts For as much as I loved last week’s episode (and will be watching Ben’s proposal on a continuous YouTube loop for the rest of my life), I think this was my favorite Parks and Rec episode of the season so far. Every single character had at least one strong moment, and the guest stars were fantastic, as is usually the case with this show. “Ben’s Parents” had all of my favorite things about Parks and Rec wrapped up in one fantastic half-hour: an abundance of Ben/Leslie love, Leslie being her wonderfully determined self, interactions between all of my favorite characters, Champion, Jean-Ralphio, lots of Tom Haverford, and amazing guest star appearances.

The side plots in this week’s episode were especially strong. I don’t know why, but I laughed embarrassingly hard at almost everything that came out of Chris’s mouth from the beginning of the episode until the end. I especially loved April and Andy’s tactics for balancing his emotions (the “Dave Matthews Band” exchange was a standout moment in an episode filled with them). Champion licking Chris’s tears was another great touch, and kudos to Rob Lowe for not breaking character at all while it was happening.

Tom’s storyline was also a very strong one. I don’t know if I’ve admitted this here yet, but Tom is—besides Leslie and Ben—my favorite character on Parks and Rec. I love absolutely everything about him, and just when I thought I couldn’t love him more, this episode happened. His initial Rent-a-Swag pitch to April and Andy was classic Tom; I loved that little bit of Entertainment 720 style reappearing (along with Jean-Ralphio). However, I also was happy to see Tom grow up in a major way by the end of this episode. The real Tom Haverford underneath all of the flashy bravado has always intrigued me, so I appreciated such a big focus on his character development this week. That’s something I really love about Parks and Rec; every character develops and has their own stories to tell.

The main plot reminded me what a dream team Ben and Leslie really are together. These two are such a perfect match. Ben’s pessimism about the party was hilarious (“Well, if there’s anyone who can bring my parents together, it’s… no one!”), and I love the way Leslie’s determined optimism pushed back against that. Leslie is never one to take no for an answer in any aspect of her life; if she wants something to happen, she makes it happen through sheer force of will and hard work. That’s something Ben needs, and something I love that he appreciates about her. There was something surprisingly sweet and very surprisingly hot about the way Ben was so obviously hot and bothered in the face of Leslie’s indomitable will. He wants her the most when she’s being nothing but her slightly pushy, passionate, stubbornly hopeful self, and that’s such a great thing to see. Ben loves Leslie for everything that she is as a person, and theirs is probably the healthiest, most realistic love story I’ve ever seen on TV.

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Title Halloween Surprise

Two-Sentence Summary On Halloween in Pawnee, Ron experiences the challenges of dating a single mother when he’s left to take Diane’s daughters trick-or-treating, and Jerry suffers a mild heart attack (or “fart attack”). Meanwhile, Leslie and Ben reach a major turning point in their relationship after he’s offered a new job in Florida heading up a gubernatorial campaign.

MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD. I REPEAT: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD 

Favorite Lines
Leslie: Oh my God, what are you doing?
Ben: I’m thinking about my future…I’m deeply, ridiculously in love with you. And above everything else I want to be with you forever. So Leslie Knope, will you…
Leslie: Wait. Wait. Okay? I need to remember this. Give me a second.
Ben: Okay…Leslie Knope…
Leslie: No, no no. Hold on. I need another second, please. I need to remember every little thing about how perfect my life is right now at this exact moment.
Ben: Are you good?
Leslie: Yeah I’m good.
Ben: Leslie Knope, will you –
Leslie: Yes!

My Thoughts

This is the only accurate way to describe how I feel about last night’s episode of Parks and Rec. I’ve watched the ending about eight times in the last 24 hours, and I still cry every single time.

This episode was titled “Halloween Surprise,” and never has an episode title been so perfect. I’ll admit it; I didn’t see Ben’s proposal coming at all. In fact, there was a brief moment where I really thought he was going to take the job in Florida. When Leslie was getting ready to back out of the lease on their house, my sister turned to me and said that she had a feeling Ben was going to show up. I told her, “If he does, I’m going to start crying.” So as soon as he walked in, my eyes got misty.

And the crying only got worse from there.

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Title Sex Education

Two-Sentence Summary Leslie’s attempts to teach Pawnee’s senior citizens about safe sex (in response to their surprisingly high rate of STDs) falter in the face of a law that prohibits anything but abstinence-only sex ed. Meanwhile, Ron tries to teach Tom to live without technology, and Ben’s congressman boss proves to be the very definition of a robotic politician.

Favorite Line “It’s not my favorite shirt, but it is my least favorite shirt.” (Donna)

Honorable Mention: “There’s a Party in Your Pants and No One Is Invited” (chapter title in the pro-abstinence pamphlet, “So You Think You Know More Than God”)

My Thoughts Now that is the Parks and Rec that I love. It wasn’t a perfect episode, but let’s face it, the bar for perfection on this show was set incredibly high with a handful of episodes in Seasons 3 and 4. However, it was an episode that used genuinely funny comedy to expose some real facts about an important issue in our country, and it had strong moments for most of my favorite characters. That’s all I really want in an episode of Parks and Rec, and I got that last night.

This episode’s A-plot was both hilarious and highly relevant (and, dare I say, educational?). I liked that the writers used real stats about sex ed and what works/doesn’t work in terms of what we teach about sex. The satire was wonderful in this episode (see the aforementioned pamphlet), and it worked because it was actually funny rather than just trying to be funny to make a point. It didn’t feel like I was being beaten over the head with a message; it felt like I was enjoying an entertaining storyline that happened to make me think about an issue.

While a couple of moments in this plot fell flat to me (I just didn’t care for the “over-the-top, closeted gay husband” part of the storyline), it provided some of the biggest laughs this show has given me so far this season: Leslie and the parks department asking Ann sex questions as if they were senior citizens; Andy’s facial expressions when the actual seniors started asking questions; the responses given by the seniors to Leslie’s question about what happens when you don’t practice safe sex (“Your partner dies on top of you!” was my personal favorite); Leslie awkwardly trying to pin her censure to her lapel…

I also loved seeing Leslie—once again—say Screw it! to antiquated rules and do what she knows is right for the town. She is a character with tremendous courage of conviction, but what I love about the way she’s written and the way Amy Poehler plays her is that we can see the struggle between that courage of conviction and the reality of the way the world works. Leslie Knope has always felt like a real person to me, with flaws and moments of self-doubt, but she also feels like a real person that I aspire to be like. Leslie’s determination to do the right thing could come off as self-righteous, but in the hands of these writers and Poehler, it comes off as earnest and admirable.

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Title How a Bill Becomes a Law

Two-Sentence Summary As Leslie works to pass a bill to help a Pawnee youth swim team, Chris creates a 311 system to deal with queries from citizens, which leads Ron to a single mother and possible new love interest. In Washington, April and Ben’s spur-of-the-moment trip to Pawnee is derailed when a presidential motorcade leaves them stuck in a parking garage.

Favorite Line “Ron and Diane, sittin’ in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-s-s-i-p-p-i. Did you hear that bird?” (Andy)

My Thoughts This episode helped me see that Parks and Rec is back on the right track after a slow start to the season. Though it still felt a little disjointed at times (I just really need Ben back in Pawnee with Leslie), it was the funniest episode of the season so far—and the one that felt most like the Parks and Rec that I love.

I have such a strange soft spot for Tom (he’s probably my favorite character besides Leslie and Ben), so I can never get enough of seeing him interact with Leslie. Their A-plot was well-executed and found a nice balance between celebrating Leslie’s idealism and showing the challenges that idealism faces in her new role in the government. I love when we get to see Tom’s good heart, so it made me smile to see him defend Leslie the way he did in the end.

There were some details I loved in Leslie’s storyline and some that I wasn’t so crazy about. I adored her photos of inspirational women in her office, but what I adored even more was that she included herself (you inspire me too, Leslie Knope). I laughed out loud at Councilman Milton originally running on a platform to de-integrate baseball. And Leslie’s porpoise sounds cracked me up (anytime Leslie interacts with kids I find myself thoroughly enjoying it). However, I didn’t care for the overused bathroom humor (just not my style). And I thought the half-perm sight gag was trying a little too hard to be funny.

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Episode Title Soda Tax

Two-Sentence Summary As Leslie struggles with whether or not to vote for a tax on soda in Pawnee, she leans on Ann for support, and Ron motivates her with some surprising information about his impression of her during her first year working for him. Ben has struggles of his own with his interns in Washington, and helping Andy train for the police academy brings back feelings of loneliness for Chris.

Favorite Line: “I’m never gonna be a cop. I’m gonna have to be a robber.” (Andy)

My Thoughts Though it was funnier than last week’s premiere, this episode showed me that Parks and Rec still has some growing pains to work through before it reaches the near-perfect levels of television comedy it was consistently producing for the last two seasons. The show still feels too fractured, too segmented. I love Parks and Rec the most when all of the characters have the opportunity to interact with each other, and that’s still missing right now. I especially miss the warmth and humor between Leslie and Ben. The wonderful chemistry (both comedic and romantic) between Amy Poehler and Adam Scott was one of the things that really got me hooked on the show, and I missed getting to see that in any capacity this week.

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