[7.1/10] It’s the main story that really saves this one. I love the idea of Leslie struggling with the idea of Leslie still smarting from it being her last day on the City Council, and concocting a hare-brained scheme to take Councilman Dexhart’s seat in her frustrations. The way that everyone pushes back on her, and her incredulous reactions to that (especially with Ron) is pretty funny, and Jerry thinking it’s a good idea being a cincher is surprisingly amusing too.
Plus, the ending absolutely kills it. Bringing back Jennifer Barksdale as Ben’s consolement gift is an inspired move, for the character and the show. Her telling Leslie to aim higher, and that Leslie can believe her because Jennifer doesn’t care about her enough to lie is a great way to keep Barksdale in character and still lift Leslie up. The trip to Paris veers a little too far into the wish fulfillment that the show would eventually devolve into, but it’s still heartwarming to see Leslie and Ben romancing it up out there.
The B-story, with Tom taking his Rent-a-Swag money and trying to go Shark Tank with things was pretty weak on the whole. The applicants didn’t have the same flair as the town forum attendees the show goes back to when it needs rapid-fire laughs, and Tommy’s Tissues wasn’t as funny as the show seemed to think. Still, the running gags about Andy’s sleep deprivation were a nice way to introduce him back into the cast. And the ending was great, with Tom, inspired by April, inventing a new title for himself, “Business Liason” that both plays to his strengths and plays into Ron’s free market predilections.
The weakest story in the episode, however, was Ann and Chris’s. The pregnancy jokes with Ann being hungry/crazy/etc. is the hackiest vein of humor. And the couple not being able to read their baby’s gender on the doctor’s note while racing to get him to clarify is a cheesy sitcom plot. This one really dragged the episode down.
Still, overall, the A-story wins the day on this one, and Tom’s story ending on a satisfying note cleanses some of the meh parts of it away.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2017-05-24T02:10:14Z
[7.1/10] It’s the main story that really saves this one. I love the idea of Leslie struggling with the idea of Leslie still smarting from it being her last day on the City Council, and concocting a hare-brained scheme to take Councilman Dexhart’s seat in her frustrations. The way that everyone pushes back on her, and her incredulous reactions to that (especially with Ron) is pretty funny, and Jerry thinking it’s a good idea being a cincher is surprisingly amusing too.
Plus, the ending absolutely kills it. Bringing back Jennifer Barksdale as Ben’s consolement gift is an inspired move, for the character and the show. Her telling Leslie to aim higher, and that Leslie can believe her because Jennifer doesn’t care about her enough to lie is a great way to keep Barksdale in character and still lift Leslie up. The trip to Paris veers a little too far into the wish fulfillment that the show would eventually devolve into, but it’s still heartwarming to see Leslie and Ben romancing it up out there.
The B-story, with Tom taking his Rent-a-Swag money and trying to go Shark Tank with things was pretty weak on the whole. The applicants didn’t have the same flair as the town forum attendees the show goes back to when it needs rapid-fire laughs, and Tommy’s Tissues wasn’t as funny as the show seemed to think. Still, the running gags about Andy’s sleep deprivation were a nice way to introduce him back into the cast. And the ending was great, with Tom, inspired by April, inventing a new title for himself, “Business Liason” that both plays to his strengths and plays into Ron’s free market predilections.
The weakest story in the episode, however, was Ann and Chris’s. The pregnancy jokes with Ann being hungry/crazy/etc. is the hackiest vein of humor. And the couple not being able to read their baby’s gender on the doctor’s note while racing to get him to clarify is a cheesy sitcom plot. This one really dragged the episode down.
Still, overall, the A-story wins the day on this one, and Tom’s story ending on a satisfying note cleanses some of the meh parts of it away.