6x12 Ann and Chris

[6.0/10] Ehhhh, there’s some interesting ideas in this one, but the execution is pretty off throughout.

I love the idea of the A-story, that with Ben as Leslie’s boss, there are inevitably going to be professional conflicts between them that they’ll need to work out, and making a firewall between their home and work lives isn’t going to solve that. But Leslie goes a little cartoonishly overboard here (which, in fairness, isn’t totally out of character), and the conflict gets taken to I Love Lucy-like ridiculousness and extremes.

The entire standoff where they’re arguing over what is and isn’t government property and thus where work can be discussed escalates to absurdity when they’re both standing in a fountain, and not in a good way. The whole sexy chard booth guy is an amusing catalyst for the conflict, and again, the premise has promise, but the show explores it in an unsatisfying way.

The B-story is another bit of the doldrums of Chris and Ann this season. Ann complaining about pregnancy stuff and how Chris is too helpful rather than being vocally supportive is lazy stuff that isn’t especially well performed by Rashida Jones. The lesson is trite, and while there’s amusing the Tom and Donna’s annoyance, and Ron listening to Willie Nelson to ignore it all and his giddiness over the “very good rectangle” he uses for music is great, but the core of the story is weak broth.

The best bit in the episode is April coaxing Andy to perform at Craig’s nephew’s birthday. It makes total sense that the childlike Andy would connect to kids, and April recognizing that and bringing it out in her husband is a neat little story that puts both of them in their element and shows both growth and humor. The only downside is more of Craig’s unfunny shtick, but you take what you can get.

Overall, a supremely meh episode, but with some redeeming stuff with the idea behind Leslie and Ben’s story, and the mostly great April-Andy story.