I've never been a big fan of the Artie character on The Sopranos. He's a little bit too dumb to live, and in a lot of ways he feels out of place, not in the sense that he's not a mob guy (Melfi and Adrianna and even Charmagne fit into the show without being in the mob), but more that he feels kind of like a bumbling sitcom dad transplanted into a more grounded, weighty show. There's space in 'The Sopranos' for a character to idolizes and envies the mafia guys while being a bit too much of a muppet to ever hack it as one of their soliders, but his shtick tends to be a little too broad and predictable to really work for me. And his ill-fated attempts to collect his money in what was an obvious scam were pretty weak.
By the same token, I wasn't a huge fan of Gloria either. She was initially kind of interesting, since we'd never really seen Tony at the beginning of a relationship before (short of Melfi), but the crazy woman/mother substitute business got tiring quickly.
That said, I love the effect that both of these characters have on Tony in this episode. The popular narrative about the character of Tony Soprano is that he's a sociopath, but I don't think that's true. He's obviously not a good person, but he still has good impulses and feels the weight of some of his moral choices, even if he disregards them or acts on them in misguided ways. I love how the episode goes over how guilty Tony feels about Gloria's death. How he dreams about her, talks to her old colleagues, obliquely bounces his feelings off of Janice, gets angry at Melfi, and how, ultimately, it motivates him to potentially save Artie's life.
Now it's still all a little selfish. Twice Tony asks if people think he's a toxic person, and it reflects an insecurity, possibly a realization, that by the nature of who he is and what he does, he sows destruction and discord wherever he touches. When he's talking to a hospitalized Artie, Tony asks him what it would be like for him to have to find Artie dead and live with that guilt. Tony is narcissistic, but also sees himself as benevolent, as the kind of guy who would at least try to help if the people he considers close to him would come. He's clearly regretful that he (in the gross oversimplification of the situation that tortures him) turned away from Gloria's cries for help. It's an interesting, more vulnerable, even considerate side of Tony than we've seen on the show -- one who would willingly call 911 to save his friend's life.
There's other interesting stuff in the episode. Carmella is sublimating her feelings for Furio by setting him up with a dental hygenist she knows. Adrianna is trying to extricate herself from as many activities as possible so she doesn't have anything to tell the FBI. Even AJ gets a bit of a story, as we see him living high off of his dad's reputation, but finding himself feeling awkward about when he realizes that the reality doesn't match the popular image for mob life. It's not one of the sharpest storylines the show ever did, but like most AJ stories, it's simple enough and to the point. But the meat of it is Tony, who shows a side rarely seen.
This episode is a default winner of my heart just because this is the episode where Andy and April get married. It's done in the perfect, carefree, beautiful, true-to-character fashion and in doing so, completely overrides every single cliche in this popular sitcom trope storyline. It's a perfect representation of who April and Andy are, as people first and as lovers second and it manages to wring out so much affecting drama within a single episode and makes the episode so much more than a wedding episode.
Andy and April have a surprise in store for everyone who attends their dinner party: they are not at a dinner party but in fact, their wedding. While everyone at the party seems genuinely happy for them, Leslie has second thoughts on it all and fears that two people who are very close to her may just be making a tumultuous mistake in their early lives. By the ending of this episode, it's clear that while she is moved by the simple but sweet nature of their wedding ceremony and their pure love for one another, she continues to have her fears that an impulse decision could spell trouble in the future. That's one of the greatest things about this episode, maybe one of the greatest of the series. Things do not necessarily wrap up in a neat little bow and it's thematically, all the more powerful for it.
Leslie is just so perfect in this episode. While Ron tells her that it isn't her place to try and correct April and Andy, she tries nonetheless even if she does not actively try and stop the wedding. Amy Poehler is absolutely sensational in this role and she manages to take the script and wring out every bit of humour while capturing the nuances of the drama too. Her performance during the wedding is absolutely fantastic because it captures both a joy and a disappointment and Amy Poehler has gotten to a point with this show where it's sailed way past Leslie being a Michael Scott copy.
April and Andy are probably one of my favourite television couples and I'm not one to generally focus too much or even care too much about television romances because I find most of them, in the sitcom format, tend to run stale at a point. I feel that way about Jim and Pam for example but April and Andy are an exception because they are exceptional circumstances for characters. In a show full of eccentric and wacky personalities, they might just be the two wackiest. The generally apathetic April and the goofball Andy to vaguely characterize them seem to find pure content in each other and the chemistry between Aubrey Plaza and Chris Pratt is so strong that they capture so flawlessly this oddball love their characters have for one another.
Everything else in this episode is perfect to my eyes too. The introduction of Orin, onscreen at least (previously Leslie voiced her disapproval to April regarding Orin being her friend) is amazing and another reminder or indicator of the sheer number of great side characters the show was able to squeeze out over the years. The interactions that Ben and Chris have with the character are hilarious in the sheer contrast in their attitudes. Ben is terrified of Orin (one of my favourite moments is the "are you asking me or telling me?" bit) whereas Chris terrifies Orin with his positive outlook on life!
I love seeing Jean Ralphio again and the sheer sleaze and arrogance he brings with him is brilliant. The very brief scene he has here provides plenty of laughs. It's also great to see April's parents and her sister again and the utterly apathetic speech she makes after the wedding and turning April into tears are just other lovely touches to this episode.
I love Ron's simple but profound interactions at the wedding. He first tells Leslie that it's not in her place to stop their wedding and after the ceremony, tells Leslie that the reason she didn't do anything drastic was because she knew it would be futile to stop those crazy kids. The dance between April and Ron is perfectly awkward and really highlights a relationship that is very strong with the show. It's so beautiful.
Elsewhere, Ann is trying to hit on guys to little success. There she sees Donna, who initially warns her off but upon seeing how helpless she is, coaches her in the dating world. As Andrew says in his review, I don't feel too strongly with Ann's love life on the show but a storyline like this really brings out some levity and humour out of that situation. Donna is particularly brilliant in this episode.
Simply, I love, love, love this episode. Virtually any episode that focuses heavily on April and Andy will at least leave me happy and at its best, like here, feels like transcendent television. The simplest of wedding gestures here is more powerful than the many grand weddings we've seen in other sitcoms. It is so true to the characters and it could never have worked in any other way.
I liked this one pretty well. There's a lot of what feels like table setting here, but there are some fun moments and there's a lot to everyone knowing more about deception than the people who are doing the deceiving think.
I'll add that I love the parallelism in the scene with Jackie Jr. and his goon holding a "sit down" with the drug pushers, that immediately cuts to the scene with AJ's principal and the school priest holding a "sit down" with The Sopranos in the exact same position.
There's also a lot about what Tony and Carmella want for their daughter. Even though the episode never comes right out and says it, there's a sense from Carmella that she's worried about Jackie Jr. not because he seems like a bad influence or an inherently poor choice (though, unbeknownst to her, he is), but that she doesn't want Meadow to end up living the unfulfilling life that she has. The show does a great job of putting Carmella's dissatisfaction just below the surface, but still visible enough to come through when necessary. The way she asks Tony if there's anything he needs to tell her after he gives her an enormous ring tells the audience that Carmella has been through this before, and her subsequent purchase of the earrings show that she has subtle ways of lashing out when she's weary of the dalliances she has every reason to suspect Tony is engaging in.
There's also a great deal of mileage out of Tony wanting similar things, though for different reasons. Sure, his chats with Jackie Jr. could be chalked up to him simply wanting the best for his daughter, but there's a corresponding sense that Tony sees Jackie Jr. as himself, and wants him to be a better man than he became. He doesn't want Meadow to escape the same way Carmella seems to, but he does want his daughter to end up with someone better than him.
The two's fears about their children also come through in the AJ storyline. There's a certain fear in Carmella, that is subtle, but palpable, that AJ will take the lesson from his lack of punishment (which pretty clearly arises due to his skill on the football field) that he can do bad things and escape any consequences because of the value people place on his extracurricular activities, which would make him exactly like Tony. Tony too is able to commit bad acts (obviously on a scale much greater than vandalism) but never faces punishment because of an understood conspiracy. Tony seems troubled too, but seems generally relieved when he realizes that the punishment won't take AJ off the football team - the one thing that Tony sees as making his kid into someone assertive like himself. It's interesting as AJ is mostly a cipher at this point, and it's hard to know how much of all of this he's absorbing, but I suspect it'll bubble up again sooner rather than later.
(As a side note, the little Dragnet homage was kind of fun, but also distracting.)
Love this episode. The twin storylines in this episode, featuring Leslie/Tom on the one hand and Ron/Chris/Andy/April on the other hand are each so brilliant and charming. To start with the A story, Leslie tries her hand at online dating after a particularly distressing experience with Sewage Joe (great to see these wonderful side characters pop up every now and then. More on that in the next episode too), fearing that she seems to keep landing sleazy guys and to her great horror, she finds herself a soulmate match with none other than Tom Haverford.
I've made it clear in the past that I think Tom is, among the main cast of characters, the most problematic so it says something when this A-story not only works but is hilarious start to finish and this is one of Aziz's finest outings yet as he really shines here comedically speaking. There's not too much more than him teasing and humiliating Leslie at every possible turn once he finds out that they were paired up by an online dating site and yet, it's so entertaining to watch because the episode completely embraces all of Tom's worst qualities, plays it for every ounce of comedy and at the same time, transfers the audience's total sympathy onto Leslie.
The B-story features a grilling competition between health conscious Chris and meat loving Ron. In the previous episode, there was a great moment of tension when Chris showed up to the "dinner party" with a vegetable loaf for a cake much to Ron's chagrin. So, in a way, one can almost view it as a continuity of an ongoing tension. Anyways, this storyline is absolutely fantastic too. The highlights are the visits the group make to firstly, Grain N Simple and secondly, Ron's favourite store, the Food N Stuff. The Grain N Simple scene really gets the most out of the dynamics at play between Chris/Andy on the one hand and April/Ron on the other. The hippie by the food barrel and the vegan food sample moments are highlights, as is Andy emptying a container of grain and Chris immediately walking away inconspicuously.
It's also nice to see another appearance by Kyle, who we find out is someone that even Jerry picks on. It's amusing to see the ladder if you will extended by another rung and who knows, perhaps Kyle has his own punching bag.
Do you have comfort shows or media? Whenever I am overtired, too tired to think or just need a brain vacation, I retreat into favourite movies an TV series. This is one of those. I fell in love with this movie when it was first released (1991), bought and wore out the VHS tape (how we “streamed” in the olden days), bought the DVD, even bought and read the book (Fannie Flagg writes beautiful books). The casting for this is amazing, Kathy Bates and Jessica Tandy (who was nominated for an Oscar in this role) forging an unlikely but transformative friendship in the present and Mary Stuart Masterson and Mary-Louise Parker as Idgie and Ruth, the relationship at the heart of Ninny’s story within the story, then add Cicely Tyson - Perfection! I didn’t realize, until I read the book, what a brave adventure it was to take this book to screen. It bravely took on many themes that challenged the norms of the time with grace and power without alienating the audience from the deep emotional bonds of the characters. Of course, I love everything about this film and give this film a 10 (perfect) out of 10. [Drama with humour]
[9/5/10] Leslie Knope is a problem solver. She has thoroughly demonstrated that with her boundless energy, her wits, and her persistence, she can tackle anything – anything, that is, sans the slippery, insane logic of April and Andy. And that’s why I love this episode.
I’m not sure if I agree with Ron’s message at the end of the episode – that you find someone you like and roll the dice, at least to the point of marrying somebody after dating them for a month (man, could that have led me to some trouble or misery) – but I definitely love his point that it wasn’t a problem Leslie would be able to solve. April and Andy are who they are, and were going to do what they were going to do, all she could do was stand by and try to appreciate it.
Then, by god, Leslie actually takes something from the behavior of Andy and April. Ever hesitant about her growing attraction to Ben, she tells him to stay in Pawnee and take the job Chris offered him, after waffling early and ending with a handshake. It’s an arc for Leslie – learning to be a bit more willing to go after what she wants in her personal life the same way she is in her professional life – and it lands with a great deal of force.
Plus, you know, April and Andy get married! A surprise wedding is so absolutely them, and it’s done in such a ramshackle, “never give up, never think things through” spirit that it’s absolutely adorable. Chris Pratt has become a superstar now, and it’s not hard to see his talents as an actor beyond the big goofy puppy he plays. When he looks at April, there is such love and joy in his eyes that it absolutely sells the moment. (That and Paul Simon’s song.) For her part, Aubrey Plaza shows the joy and affection that pierces through her typical sullen demeanor. It is as affecting as it is ridiculous.
What’s more, there are so many wonderful little touches and details at the margins. Orin is done perfectly (as his conversation with Chris). April’s gay boyfriends throw flower petals. Andy gives a completely Andy speech about defending April and April gives a completely April speech about hating most things but not him. Jerry has a “party shirt”! Chris does a wacky dance! Some guy can’t remember that April just got married and asks Ben if she’s available! It’s all just so hilarious and well-crafted.
The piece de resistance is April telling Leslie that she admires and respects her. It’s a touching moment, and Leslie’s simple “oh” in response is perfect. Amy Poehler is an amazing actress here, and the way she goes from frustration to acceptance to downright melting with all of this stuff is wonderful.
Even the C-stories are great. Tom asking to be a best man and then feeling stymied as the position gets more and more watered down, only to get a shout out and endorsement at the end is slight but amusing. And even Ann’s love life, which hasn’t been my favorite part of this season, is made fun and amusing with Donna to lead the charge and coach her up.
Overall, it’s one of Parks and Rec’s finest episodes, that is true to the characters and their lunacy, but which shows enough growth and sweetness to make it stand out.
[7.7/10] The theme of this one works – not running away from your problems and facing your difficulties head on. The Leslie-Ron is one of the strongest platonic relationships in all of television, and so having them each escaping their (very differently) problematic paramours and realizing that that’s no way to be is a good way to go. Ron’s first ex-wife is more in the cartoony vein (though the fact that she works for the IRS makes for a nice foil to his libertarian leanings), but it works well enough with Ron’s more outsized qualities. (His insta-step, go bag, bushy beard, and warning about the quantities of ground chuck he keeps in his desk are all classic Ron.)
But Leslie’s is more understandable, albeit a bit sitcom-y. The notion of wanting to avoid telling Ben about her campaign, so as to avoid having to end this great thing they’ve been enjoying, is a very human impulse, even if it’s realized with “ladies yacht club” excuses and emergency s’more supplies. [spoiler]The scene where she does face the difficult thing, and Ben reveals the button[/spoiler] is one of the signature moments of the whole show. Revealing how perfect they are for each other – given how Ben immediately understands why they can’t be together and founding it on how important it is that Leslie get the respect and esteem she deserves – and making it tragic but sweet that they have to break up.[/spoiler] The campaign arc is one of the high water marks for P&R as a whole, and this was a lovely way to kick it off.
The “text your dong” B-plot is peak Ann comedy, with her deadpan and justifiably creeped out response to everyone being pretty perfect. It’s an absurd way to go, but everything from her reaction to Chris’s description of testicles as the “ears” of the crotch area, to the guy talking about watching women’s golf and having a few glasses of wine, to the “your inbox is literally filled with penises” bit, it’s a great sendup of the ridiculousness and creepiness of sending pictures of your penis.
Otherwise, the episode is pretty tame. Tom handing out pointless Entertainment 720 swag is a nice indication that the company doesn’t do anything but pointless branding. (Andy summing it up as “you put logos on things?” is a nice bit.) And Andy’s minor internal conflict over whether to accept Tom’s job offer, with April getting him a job as Leslie’s assistant instead, is an abbreviated story but one that works well for what it needs to do.
Overall, it’s a quality episode, one that still includes a bit more setup than knocking things down, but the kickoff of the Knope campaign (and the personal costs associated with it), plus the whole texting bit make it enjoyable.
[9.4/10] This was the first Parks and Rec I ever watched, and it’s not hard to see why it led to my interest in the show. It does a great job at introducing most of the characters and their dynamics, both the A-story and the B-story work like gangbusters, and it’s truly hilarious.
Let’s start with the B-story. Ron and Chris having a cook off to decide whether beef hamburgers stay in the commissary is a fairly sitcom setup, but the war of culinary ideologies takes on such comedic force with its two champions. Chris’s boundless positivity, coupled with Andy’s doltish charm makes for a great deal of fun around the office and the Whole Foods knockoff where they shop. Ron’s matter-of-fact demeanor (aided by April’s flat affect) makes for a nice contrast, and the revelation of Food-N-Stuff is a hoot. Ron prevailing despite Chris’s attention to detail is a nice resolution (with Donna, Jerry, and Kyle as judges) and the whole enterprise is a lot of fun.
The A-story is great too. The notion of Leslie feeling like she only gets attention from sleazy guys – the peak of this being matched up with Tom on an online dating site – is a nice premise. It gives her time for some good heart-to-hearts with Ann, some hint-worthy interactions with Ben, and a great little bit with Tom. Her lunch with him, followed by his asshole behavior, is great comedy, both in terms of Leslie’s bewilderment that anyone could think like Tom does and then her frustration at his idiocy when he thinks she likes him. The fact that a kiss is what shuts him up (followed with a perfect retort of “you should be so lucky”) is brilliant stuff.
And it dovetails nicely with the path toward Ben and Leslie’s attraction being fulfilled. The whole wildflower bit is a little easy, but it’s still a nice way to dramatize the way that they think alike and are well-suited for one another.
Plus it’s just such a hilarious episode all around. Tom’s nicknames for various food-related items is a great sequence. The tag with Donna shutting up Tom by kissing him too is great. The guy from sanitation is pitch-perfect in his skeeviness. And Ron’s “nature is amazing” scene with the hippie at the store is silly but hilarious stuff.
Overall, this is a great episode to introduce someone to the show. It has something for all the major characters to do; it has simple but effective plots, and it’s damn funny in the process.
[9.7/10] Such a great episode. It would be so easy to turn something like Ron excluding girls from his scouting group and Leslie having her own rival faction into a hackneyed battle of the sexes. Instead, it goes a completely different direction – understanding that equality isn’t about competition or winning, but about everyone getting the chance to follow what drives them, no matter what’s between their legs.
Oh yeah, and it’s extraordinarily funny to boot. I get caught up in the maturity and legitimate complexity of the issues Parks and Rec is willing to address and the way it addresses them, but bits like tots shushing Ann or Leslie talking about her “70/30” pride to annoyance ratio, or Andy going gaga for puppies is just great stuff. Amy Poehler is on fire as well, from her silly southern belle impression to her overcompetitive bent at the campsite to her legitimate heart-to-heart and understanding of Ron.
The B-story of this one is great too. Treat Yo Self has become one of the show’s most iconic bits, and leaning into Tom and Donna’s more outsized yuppie couture qualities lends itself to plenty of fodder for comedy on its own. But as usual, throwing in Ben to be the straight man baffled at all the insanity around him pays humorous dividends.
But here again, the show doesn’t go just for laughs, using it as a way for Tom and Donna to help Ben through the rough time he’s having with the break up. Him crying in the Batman suit is simultaneously hilarious and heartbreaking (especially with Tom’s response), and the two Treaters pumping Ben up and telling him to let it out is a sweet character moment.
It also dovetails nicely with the A-story. Donna realizes that treating yo self is an individual thing, not a one size fits all endeavor, and following the spirit of the holiday means changing up its practices for the person celebrating it. The same goes for Ron and Leslie.
Leslie is never going to abide gender segregation, but it takes winning and the entire boys ranger group wanting to become “Pawnee Godesses” for Leslie to realize that Ron didn’t believe in gender segregation, he just wanted to do wilderness training his way, and when faced with young men and women who are willing to be a “Swanson” he’s as happy to train them, because getting to do something that’s “no fun at all” is far more important to him than the rules he didn’t put in place but didn’t object to. Leslie reveling in winning, getting her own “Little Leslie Knope” monsters coming back at her for a bit of hypocrisy, and both her and Ron finding joy in their own non-gender-specific group is a great story for both of them.
The only bit in this episode that doesn’t do much for me is Chris dating Jerry’s daughter. I know they needed something for these characters to do, and there’s a mild bit of comedy from Jerry’s uncomfortableness at Chris’s forthrightness, but it’s just not as strong as the rest of the material.
Still, a fantastic A-story that understands its characters and has empathy and perspective on both, coupled with an almost-as-good B-story that is iconic but also emotional makes this one of P&R’s finest half hours.
[7.6/10] I go back and forth on the Ben-Leslie stuff here. On the one hand, the first half of it is near-perfect. The pair of them having to take a trip together, whilst trying to avoid one another so as to avoid temptation, is a classic setup that leads to a lot of great things. First and foremost, Leslie’s efforts to project unsexiness and platonic conversation are pretty great, from the banjo music to conversations about Johns Hopkins dorms to inviting random photographers to play third wheel.
It also leads to Ben talking about how great Pawnee is to the bigwigs in Indiana, which is possibly the sexiest and most endearing thing a man can do in Leslie’s book. The episode plays her conflictedness well, between her harried excuse to call Ann (whose half-hearted admonitions and joy when they’re ignored are superb), her clear affection for Ben, and her fear of losing a job that she cares about. It’s all very well done, and Amy Poehler and Adam Scott do great work at showing the chemistry between their characters.
Then Chris shows up and it turns into a wacky sitcom game of three’s company. It’s not my favorite use of Chris, as his blithe but pestersome qualities get to be too much here, and the entire bit is a little hackneyed. Still, that frustration and separation heightens the catharsis when Ben finally kisses Leslie, Leslie kisses Ben, and then there’s the perfect reaction to it – “Uh oh.” So well done, and such a great payoff to a season of teasing.
The B-story of April and Andy’s mini-fight from Tom’s proto-version of “Know Ya Boo” is nice enough. Tom’s entrepreneurial spirit and showboating come into play well, and Donna and Jerry doing surprisingly well at the Newlywed Show-esque game is a cute gag. The conflict between the actual newlyweds, however, is a bit easy, with the Mouserat vs. Neutral Milk Hotel argument being one of the sillier bits. Still, April going so far as to seek help from Ann, and rectifying things by covering a Mouserat song adds a nice emotional punch to the finish. And the whole thing centers around Andy and his devotion to his band, which is another nice way the show roots these things in character.
But speaking of which, the best thing in this episode is the part where Ron instructs a little girl about his libertarianism. It’s hard to articulate why this bit is so hilarious and adorable, but something about seeing the middle-aged, solitary grump finding a kindred spirit for his political views in an elementary schooler is utterly delightful. His lessons (particularly the lunch-eating) is great, and the fact that the little girl’s mom makes him recant, but that he wants an autographed copy of her essay anyway is the perfect finish.
Overall, it’s an episode that serves as the culmination of a lot of Leslie-Ben stuff, but stumbles a bit along the way to the finish line, with a nice enough April-Andy story and an all-time great Ron story in support.
[7.2/10] This is a pretty good, but not great episode. The main plot, about Ben meeting Leslie’s mom, is one of those typical sitcom plots that the show can breathe new life into with its execution. Details like Leslie and Maureen’s simultaneous head tilts are great stuff. Still, the twist that Maureen makes a pass at Ben doesn’t really work for me, as it feels a little too contrived a monkey wrench to throw into “the bubble.”
Still, the whole “bubble” thing resonates, with the universal desire to prolong that initial burst of carefree euphoria invoked, and that gives it a bit more pep. At the same time, after being initially flummoxed by Leslie underpreparing him, and then doing too good a job after Leslie overprepares him, the fact that Ben finds the middle ground (and backbone) on his own initiative to tell Maureen that he and Leslie are dating is a nice resolution.
The B-story with Ron reacting to Chris shaking up the department is a mixed bag as well. The various changes lead to some funny scenes (like the woman who made tea with sprinkler water chasing Ron around his swivel-desk), but gets a little broad for my tastes. Still, Ron perfectly assessing his team to Chris to try to undo the shakeup, and stomaching a week at the dreaded swivel desk as a sacrifice for the return to normalcy are nice looks for him.
The C-story with Tom and Andy helping to digitize the archives on the fourth floor is similarly hit or miss. Andy’s clueless enthusiasm is always funny, but Tom’s stymied schemes don’t do much for me, and the exaggerated gags about how horrible the fourth floor are a bit too much as well. (Though the guy who pour out coffee and then smashes the pot is a nicely surreal moment.) It’s a decent enough way for Tom to start feeling the tug of his leash in local government, but moment-to-moment it’s just not that great.
Overall, it’s an episode with some evident flaws, but still a largely enjoyable one due to the comedy and characters.
[6.2/10] This is a weird episode, in that it combines this down to earth, very real emotional beats and real talk with unpleasant, broad, traditiona sitcom-level conflict.
Take the main story about Ben and Leslie helping out with Model U.N. There’s plenty of room for great comic stuff, like the pair dorking out in adorable fashion, April’s fascination with representing the moon, Andy trading militaries for lions, and April and Leslie’s high school-esque heart-to-heart. There’s also room for some good, real-feeling character stuff, with Ben feeling put on hold by Leslie, and Leslie feeling that Ben isn’t understanding enough of the position she’s in. That’s good stuff, and the heart in it almost carries the day.
But the Model U.N. war gets so bad and childish (which the show at least acknowledges) that it takes much of the punch out of the human element. It’s supposed to be “they get carried away and realizes how they’ve gone too far” bit, and it works to some degree, but the Model U.N. childishness is just too much, and cuts against the solid relationship material at the core.
The same definitely goes for Chris’s little pow-wow with Ann, Jerry, and Donna. Ann giving Chris “real talk” about how he needs to give his romantic partners space to be themselves and not overwhelm them is solid, and despite the broad elements of it, feels like a real conversation at times. But returning to the well of Jerry’s uncomfortableness, and the whole “focus group on my relationship” tack is strange and hurts the epiphany at the center of it.
Tom and Ron’s story works the best of the three in the episode, possibly because it’s the most straightforward, but even it is trying at times. Ron’s a noble guy, and his trying to let Tom save face and have his old job, alongside a cavalcade of hilariously underqualified candidates (including a young Kyle Mooney!) is a nice storyline. Tom pushing his nobility too far, until Ron basically manhandles him into accepting makes Tom look pretty awful (though I love Ron’s angry walk), but it’s still the most effective bit in the episode.
Overall, this is one of the more uneven episodes of Parks and Rec you’re likely to find, one that has many of the ingredients that make the show great, but which mixes them in with strange choices or unpleasant stuff that makes it a mishmash of good stuff and stuff that just feels off.
[7.3/10] There’s some cool moments in this episode, but mostly it stumbles by feeling more like a setup for S4 than a conclusion to S3. L’il Sebastian’s memorial service creates a big enough set piece to send the season out in fine fashion, but the stories feel more disjointed and incomplete than usual, and that hurts the proceedings.
On the one hand, the main story is pretty good, even if the resolution is saved for S4. The notion that Leslie and Ben are playing with fire is a good one, particularly with Ron finding out and providing a convincing demonstration as to why they’ll get caught and fired and there’ll be nothing he can do about it.
The love vs. job routine is an old one, but the episode nicely underlines how these two career-focused people may very well be able to do their work and have a relationship at the same time, but that it’s too much for them hide it at the same time. All the screw-ups and rearranging at L’il Sebastian’s funeral are a great illustration of that, and Ron being the voice of reason and suffering the brunt of their on-the-fly retooling is a nice touch and wake up call.
The rest of the episode has mini-stories, few of which get particularly tied off, but which point things in new directions for S4. The biggest is Tom and Entertainment Seven-Twenty, which is pleasant enough, and has the same deal with him deciding whether he’s done all he can in government, but there’s more seed than tree here.
Andy’s song is great, and his asking April to be his manager after she gets him 50 bucks and helps him with songs is kind of cute, but it’s also very slight. The same goes for the hints at Tammy 1’s return and the shitstorm to follow.
The best of them, oddly enough, is Chris and Ann’s bit. Chris seeing tendonitis, coupled with L’il Sebastian’s death, as a harbinger of death is a good choice for the episode. The endlessly positive guy facing a minor setback and having it all crumble down for him emotionally made me laugh and even pity Chris. But it also gives Ann a chance to regain some standing in their (platonic) relationship, to help him and be a bigger person, and that’s a nice beat and resolution to Ann’s story throughout the season. Really, hers is the only one that gets closed out in a satisfying fashion here.
Still, even if it’s open-ended, I do love where they leave things with Ben and Leslie. Job vs. love is, again, a little trite even if it’s been done well in the back half of S3. Still, now we’re talking about love vs. dream, and that’s a miniature horse of a different color. It’s more cliffhanger than anything, but it raises the stakes in a believable and compelling way, and that give it a lot of credit. I don’t like the way this one just seems like part 1 to the S4 premiere, but in an age of binge watching and streaming that doesn’t matter as much I suppose. It’s a good enough episode, it just feels a bit incomplete.
