[8.8/10] This is one of those Parks and Rec episodes that gets a little goofy, but which grounds that goofiness in character and relationships and solid comedy apart from it that makes it more than just the sum of its wacky gags. The idea of a big painting of Leslie as a topless centaur (replete with Tom as a pudgy cherub) is pretty silly stuff, but couching it in the fact that Leslie feels powerless with the Department’s no dating rule, and that goofy or not, this painting empowers her, gives the story a little more juice.
Of course, the uber-conservative person who wants it burned is a little broad (and she recurs, unless I’m conflating her with someone else) but Leslie’s defense of the painting comes from who she is and why she admired it. Little touches like her adopting the hairstyle from the painting or Chris’s very proper, positive anger, or her being further empowered by a pep talk from Jerry of all people are nice too. And her solution, while a little improbable on short notice, is a well-done subtle jab at the double standard about shirtlessness. Plus, it gives us some nice Ben/Leslie flirtation moments. Ben looking at the painting is kind of adorable.
That leads us to the B-story, where Ben moves in with April and Andy, and the odd couple business is taken to an extreme. Ben makes for such a great exasperated straight man, and his bewilderment (a.) how April and Andy live, (b.) their complete inability to act like adults, and (c.) how far into the pit of non-adulthood they’ve fallen, is an endless font of comedy here.
But it’s also grounded in character. April worrying that they’ll become to adult-y and boring, and Andy reassuring her to the contrary is sweet but very much who they are. And getting dishes in addition to a marshmallow gun (whose use is a comedic highlight) shows the way that they’re still the goofy kids they were before, but the bowl and spoon (instead of a Frisbee and a singular fork) is a sign of progress.
Overall, it’s a fun episode that takes out there or sitcommy situations and elevates them due to connecting them to the well-sketched characters on the show.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2017-03-09T04:19:12Z
[8.8/10] This is one of those Parks and Rec episodes that gets a little goofy, but which grounds that goofiness in character and relationships and solid comedy apart from it that makes it more than just the sum of its wacky gags. The idea of a big painting of Leslie as a topless centaur (replete with Tom as a pudgy cherub) is pretty silly stuff, but couching it in the fact that Leslie feels powerless with the Department’s no dating rule, and that goofy or not, this painting empowers her, gives the story a little more juice.
Of course, the uber-conservative person who wants it burned is a little broad (and she recurs, unless I’m conflating her with someone else) but Leslie’s defense of the painting comes from who she is and why she admired it. Little touches like her adopting the hairstyle from the painting or Chris’s very proper, positive anger, or her being further empowered by a pep talk from Jerry of all people are nice too. And her solution, while a little improbable on short notice, is a well-done subtle jab at the double standard about shirtlessness.
Plus, it gives us some nice Ben/Leslie flirtation moments. Ben looking at the painting is kind of adorable.
That leads us to the B-story, where Ben moves in with April and Andy, and the odd couple business is taken to an extreme. Ben makes for such a great exasperated straight man, and his bewilderment (a.) how April and Andy live, (b.) their complete inability to act like adults, and (c.) how far into the pit of non-adulthood they’ve fallen, is an endless font of comedy here.
But it’s also grounded in character. April worrying that they’ll become to adult-y and boring, and Andy reassuring her to the contrary is sweet but very much who they are. And getting dishes in addition to a marshmallow gun (whose use is a comedic highlight) shows the way that they’re still the goofy kids they were before, but the bowl and spoon (instead of a Frisbee and a singular fork) is a sign of progress.
Overall, it’s a fun episode that takes out there or sitcommy situations and elevates them due to connecting them to the well-sketched characters on the show.
(Plus, Ron’s speech at the art thing is awesome!)