Parks and Recreation delivered again last night in an episode that once again gave us an insight into Ron Swanson (in this case, his idea of what a camping weekend for young boys should be.) and an insight into the ultra competence of Leslie Knope. We also got a storyline for Jerry and Chris, where we finally met one of Jerry's daughters and Tom, Donna, and Ben got a great story, that led to one of the funniest images I've seen on this show in a while (since moustache-less Ron): Ben crying in a full Batman suit. Man, this episode was good.
The set-up is simple. Ron is a scout master for the Pawnee Rangers. Their handbook consists of three words: Be a man. Leslie is the leader of the Pawnee Godesses, which exists because a girl was rejected from the rangers 5 years ago. Leslie wants to have the better group and the two have their events close to each other. The boys have to make their own shelters out of a tarp and a box. The girls have a nice cabin. The boys eat beans by a fire. The girls eat nice Korean food. The girls have a bunch of great activities planned (including a puppet show about the bill of rights set to Party in the U.S.A ). The boys have one activity planned: Try not to be killed. Pretty soon one of the boys wants to defect to the Godesses. And when Leslie rejects him, her girls point out that that's just like what happened when the Godesses were formed. Knowing they're right, Leslie holds a debate about the thing and eventually lets all the boys in for their puppy party. Ron chooses to stay by himself though, even when Leslie apologizes for maybe going too far and invites him in. Because he's happy where he is. So Leslie starts a group for kids just like Ron: The Swansons. And they set off to learn how to dig a perfect trench. It's a funny story, that once again shows how Ron and Leslie get along, even though they are quite different people.
Elsewhere Donna finally gets to be part of a story in more than a "the whole ensemble gets their moment" way as she and Tom set out on their annual "Treat Yo Self" day, where they indulge in things like shopping sprees and massages. Donna has noticed that Ben seems to be stretched incredibly thin and needs to relax. So she makes Tom take him along with them. Of course, Ben is very different from Tom or Donna (That's why him and Tom are such a stellar combination actually) and the spa doesn't help him at all, especially when he tries Acupuncture. And when they go to a posh mall in Eagleton, Ben only buys socks. White socks. So Donna gets him to say what he would buy to treat himself with big money. Cut to Ben in a full Batman suit. As he realizes he needed to treat himself, he breaks down and starts to cry. Batman can't cry, but Ben in a Batman suit certainly can and it's hysterical. This does lead Ben to confess to Donna and Tom that he recently ended a relationship and has been feeling down. Again, another good story.
And in a last plot, Chris goes out to lunch with Jerry and his daughter, Millicent. Chris and Millicent hit it off (They both like charity bike rides, are both really positive, and use the word literally a ton). So Chris decides he is going to court her. However he also decides that not only is he going to ask Jerry permission (When he gets it, he hugs Jerry and Jerry's expression before he returns the hug is priceless), he's going to give Jerry details about every part of the process. Including informing him when Millicent stays the night at his house. The idea of Chris unknowingly, subtly torturing Jerry by giving him all this information is priceless, and it sealed the deal on this winner of an episode.
Grade: Totally Awesome! (Great)
Memorable Moments
-Ann has a funny runner, where she just can't impress Leslie on the Goddess camping trip. ("I wasn't competing for that", says Ann after getting the badge for 2nd Flyest Hairstyle. "I'll say", Leslie replies)
-“And I am Mother Nature’s brother, Brother Nature. But you can call me Andy. Or Brother Nature. Your call.” Andy can't decide on what the boys should call him.
- Ron: “On principle, I never say anything that another person is obviously trying to get me to say. My first wedding ceremony took two hours because after the priest said, ‘Repeat after me,’ I fell silent.”
-Donna wonders if they cancelled Game of Thrones and that's why Ben's upset. Ben's defense of why they would never cancel Game of Thrones takes his nerdiness to new heights.
-Leslie: “I’ve taught them too well. I’ve created a mob of little Leslie Knope monsters. I’m so proud. And a little annoyed. But mostly proud... 70/30.”
-Donna: "Uh oh. Batman's crying."
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