When Parks and Recreation debuted back in 2009 to luke-warm critical reception, I knew it would get better. I knew it. It just needed time to find itself. Just like The Office did (The first season of The Office is funny but not as funny as subsequent seasons.). So I stuck with it and kept watching. Then came season 2, episode 4: Practice Date, which aired on the night of The Office wedding episode and would require a "Moment of Truth" (The moment when I realize I love a show and will never stop watching it no matter how bad it gets in case you didn't read the Glee or Community opinions.) to make a lasting impression on me. Practice Date was my Parks and Rec "moment of truth". The whole thing. From that point on the series got progressively better and better. By season 3, a lot of my friends finally saw what I saw mid-way into season 2: this show was amazing. Maybe even Office-level amazing. And going into season 4, it hasn't become any less amazing.
We start where things have left off. Leslie has been approached to run for City Council and has claimed she has no scandals, even though she's secretly dating Ben. And Ron has just learned his ex-wife Tammy has returned. So Leslie is not sure what to do about her thing, but Ron Swanson knows how to handle his situation: he flees City Hall, taking an emergency kit he's stashed in the ceiling and announcing to Leslie (who he drags across City Hall while she's in a chair) that he's taking all 223 Personal Days he's saved up and she's in charge in one of the episode's funniest scenes. We then move three weeks later where Leslie hasn't told Ben that they'll probably have to break up yet, but is still meeting with the people who want her to run. After a inappropiate picture (Think the Anthony Weiner scandal) is sent to all phones in City Hall, Leslie gives a stellar interview to Perd Hapley (still as awesome as ever) and is told she has to announce her candidacy on Friday to capitalize on it.
This leads her to finally try and break up with Ben, but when Ben seems to think the relationship is about to go to the next level, she flees to a full bearded Ron Swanson's retreat, who is an expert in running away from their problems. This leads to one of the best scenes in the episode where Leslie asks Ron for advice and he tells her that you can't run away from her problems (and apparently, he only has 9 toes because he waited to go to the doctor when one was shot with a nail gun as a kid.). This leads to another great scene where Leslie finds out that Ben knew about her plans all along (she gives speeches in her sleep) and the box she was running away from as a Knope 2012 pin. So the two break it off for now in a very sweet scene between the two of them, that didn't feel forced at all.
There's other stories too though, that make the episode even more worth watching then it already is. Ann diagnoses the owner of the lewd photo (Joe from sewage. Of course) and when Chris tells people this, her phone is flooded with photos (Chris: "Your e-mail is literally full of penises"). And when she gets a male doctor to give exams, we learn Jerry is suprisingly well-endowed. Huh. And Tom has started his new company, Entertainment 720, but it's still unclear what exactly the company does other than make lots of swag (including a bra with Tom and Jean-Ralphio's faces on it that Donna wears over her clothes). He tries to get Andy to join, but Andy (who wants to follow his dreams but his dreams don't involve Tom's company) declines. April promises him that he won't be a shoeshinist in a year though and then she gets him hired as Leslie's assistant, once she agrees to run for city council. And lastly we get our first glimpse of Tammy 1 when Rdecides he won't run away from his problems either and she is terrifying.
Oh Parks and Recreation. You are in for another fantastic season.
Grade: Totally Awesome! (Great.)
Memorable Moments
-Before quitting the shoeshine stand, Andy gets one last chance to abuse Kyle. When Kyle points out that only half of one shoe has been polished when Andy tries to get him to leave, Andy pours Pepto Bismo on his shoe and declares: "Now I haven't done anything!"
-April somehow becomes acting manager when Ron is gone. When Jerry points out she's not the boss, she talks him down.
-There's a bunch of good quotes but I'm running out of time to post this so I will omit that part this time. I'll make it up for you faithful readers next time though. Promise!
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