Stop. Pooping.
The whole concept of everyone getting sick feels like basic sitcom material, but Parks and Recreation tackles the concept and makes it work while moving the Harvest Festival plot along nicely. A terrible case of the flu runs amok and takes down April, Leslie, and turned out to be the Kryptonite for the finely tuned microchip of a superman that is Chris. The plot for this episode breaks nicely into April vs. Ann and Leslie vs. The Flu, with some fun side bits by Tom, Andy, and Ron to round out the episode nicely.
Ann’s character in past seasons stuck out quite a bit in the previous seasons, and the threads that tied her to our Parks Department have been cut off. The pit is now a lot, which is not as dangerous, and she is no longer dating Mark. It was also very convenient how whenever anyone was sick or injured and had to go to the hospital, they always ended up with Ann as their nurse. Must be a small place? Anyways, in this episode it felt good to finally see her being utilized in a way that makes sense, and pitted her against April. There was a lot of open and unresolved tension between the two from last season, and it’s nice to get that aired out so early in the season. Ann is normally a very mellow and balanced character, to see her unhinged by April added a new dimension to her role that previously didn’t exist. Also, sick April was priceless.
The idea to have Andy replace April as Ron’s assistant was brilliant, began the start of a what could be the most awesome bro pairing yet of Andy and Ron. Bonding over Meat Tornado Burritos, sports, and running away after hitting a car and setting off the alarm.
Leslie is naturally silly and goofy, so adding the flu dialed the character up to ten. The delivery is key, and Amy Poehler manages to take an assortment of ridiculous lines and deliver them without going over the top, which is impressive. I also really like the initial denial, saying that she just had allergies even though she had also thrown up five times that day. And of course after she is admitted to the hospital she can’t stop working, tries to escape, and then steals everyone’s flu medications to OD on them so she can go and deliver her speech. When held up against other instances of insane dedication from past seasons, I’d say this moment was sandwiched in between chaining herself to a gate to stop a gazebo from being torn down and mooning Pawnee on cable access to prove she didn’t sleep with Congressman Dexhart. Crazy? Yes. But to anyone who’s watched all of Parks and Recreation, to quote Ben, that was Leslie Knope.
Could there have been anything funnier than Tom soaking in a spa with the old white guys? The contrast was hilarious, and the idea that Tom could work his unconventional magic and end up with donated vans for the harvest festival reminded me a lot of Michael Scott from The Office. That sort of secret genius mentality, anyways way off topic there. Also, calling a Spa place in Pawnee ‘Spawnee’? Brilliant. Also how funny was the plug for the Snake Hole? Which is the worst double-entendre name for a club ever.
And what would an episode of Parks and Rec be without some April and Andy? We all know they’re going to end up together eventually, hopefully sooner rather than later, so the journey there is predictable but still sweet. They are an odd couple that really has chemistry, unlike the coming Ben/Leslie pairing which I am very worried about. The chicken soup bit was sweet, but the idea of them together still doesn’t sit right with me.
Leslie gets up to the podium and delivers a perfect speech, and did we as an audience expect anything different? Nope. But sometimes predictability is a good thing. This episode was pretty standard, no major surprises or plot twists, yet it was immensely enjoyable anyways thanks to the amazing characters and dialogue. I watch a lot of TV, and yet this is the show that I look forward to most on Thursday nights, hopefully for years to come.
I’m starting some new things this week, Favorite Screenshot from the Episode! This week it’s from then end, with Leslie nibbling on a waffle like a chipmunk.
Also I’ve been writing down my favorite quotes from the episode!
- “Except that no one dresses up like a janitor when they want to be slutty”
- “You look tired and sweaty all the time what’s your excuse, you wanna go there Jerry?”
- “They have one called Meat Tornado. Literally killed a guy last year.”
- "Oh my God. The microchip has been compromised.”
- “I’m surrounded by a lot of women in this department. And that includes the men.”
- “Give it up everyone for Scott Bakula from Quantum Leap.”
