[7.7/10] Another very good episode as the show hits its stride. One of my favorite Parks and Rec plots is Leslie being disillusioned and then re-illusioned. To that end, I love that she gathers all current living Pawnee Parks directors in the hopes of embracing some received wisdom and dignified grace, only to find that one is backward fossil whose fixated on her inability to lead due to menstruation, one is a total mercenary who just wanted to screw over the last guy and didn’t care about parks, one is obsessed with pot (and presumably planted the weed in the pit!) and one is, you know, Ron!
There’s great comedy from the interactions between the four of them, and Leslie’s resulting disgust at how her would-be idols are not quite fit to be idolized and loathe one another to boot. But I also like where the show ends with it. All of these people are very different from one another, and that inspired great enmity among them. But what distinguishes Ron and Leslie is that while they’re very different, they respect one another, they expect “a good argument” from one another, and while they order different things, they share a love of breakfast foods that symbolizes their common ground. Having each of them speculate about the future is a good button to put on the story.
The B-story with Tom trying to get a shot for the front of the summer catalog is just okay. I like the subtle hints the show gives that Ann isn’t necessarily happy with Mark even if everything’s fine on the surface, but it’s the sort of outsized Tom comedy (Tomedy?) that doesn’t typically work for me. Though having Mark as his straight man pays some dividends.
But the C-story, with April and Andy bonding while helping Leslie with the picnic, is great. Again, much of it is just the two of them being weirdo goofballs together, which I find enjoyable. But the better part is Andy asking April out (kind of?) to her lightly flustered chagrin, and then the bummer when he blanches from her not being old enough to get into the bar. The finish, with Leslie’s letter emphasizing the importance of friendship and the picture of April and Andy on the cover to exemplify that is the perfect way to tie the two stories together.
Overall, the Tom/Mark/Ann stuff is a little weak, but Leslie’s story is great, and it’s another important chapter in the April-Andy story. Quality ep.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2017-07-22T15:04:46Z
[7.7/10] Another very good episode as the show hits its stride. One of my favorite Parks and Rec plots is Leslie being disillusioned and then re-illusioned. To that end, I love that she gathers all current living Pawnee Parks directors in the hopes of embracing some received wisdom and dignified grace, only to find that one is backward fossil whose fixated on her inability to lead due to menstruation, one is a total mercenary who just wanted to screw over the last guy and didn’t care about parks, one is obsessed with pot (and presumably planted the weed in the pit!) and one is, you know, Ron!
There’s great comedy from the interactions between the four of them, and Leslie’s resulting disgust at how her would-be idols are not quite fit to be idolized and loathe one another to boot. But I also like where the show ends with it. All of these people are very different from one another, and that inspired great enmity among them. But what distinguishes Ron and Leslie is that while they’re very different, they respect one another, they expect “a good argument” from one another, and while they order different things, they share a love of breakfast foods that symbolizes their common ground. Having each of them speculate about the future is a good button to put on the story.
The B-story with Tom trying to get a shot for the front of the summer catalog is just okay. I like the subtle hints the show gives that Ann isn’t necessarily happy with Mark even if everything’s fine on the surface, but it’s the sort of outsized Tom comedy (Tomedy?) that doesn’t typically work for me. Though having Mark as his straight man pays some dividends.
But the C-story, with April and Andy bonding while helping Leslie with the picnic, is great. Again, much of it is just the two of them being weirdo goofballs together, which I find enjoyable. But the better part is Andy asking April out (kind of?) to her lightly flustered chagrin, and then the bummer when he blanches from her not being old enough to get into the bar. The finish, with Leslie’s letter emphasizing the importance of friendship and the picture of April and Andy on the cover to exemplify that is the perfect way to tie the two stories together.
Overall, the Tom/Mark/Ann stuff is a little weak, but Leslie’s story is great, and it’s another important chapter in the April-Andy story. Quality ep.