Parks and Recreation - The Johnny Karate Super Awesome Musical Explosion Show & Two Funerals - Review

Andy’s Goodbye

Continuing with the trend of giving all the Parks players their happy endings, this past week focused on sweet moments for a couple of the characters. First up was Andy Dwyer in “The Johnny Karate Super Awesome Musical Explosion Show.” The episode is presented as an actual episode of Andy’s public access children’s show, full of karate chops, learning lessons, and being nice. It is, in fact, his very final episode of the show, as he’s getting ready to move to Washington D.C. with his wife for her new job.

First of all, “The Johnny Karate Super Awesome Musical Explosion Show,” should be an actual kids’ show. I’ve seen some of the kids’ shows on TV nowadays, and “TJKSAMXS” would be a “super awesome” addition to the lineup (although it’s got a ridiculously long name even in initialism form. It’s such a perfect way to make good use of Andy’s general childishness, and more specifically his earnestness. That is the way in which he has always been the complete opposite of April -- where she would mask any true feelings with sarcasm and refuse to engage, Andy has always worn his heart on his sleeve and never hesitates to celebrate that which excites him. Undoubtedly, this openness is part of what attracted April to Andy in the first place. It’s the most endearing part of his character. Sure, he may be a little dumb, but he is also incredibly honest and kind, and those are great qualities to encourage in children. The goodbye song in the show is so in tune with who Andy is as a character, which great lines like, “Karate’s not about fighting…it’s about being kind and honest while you’re kicking for the stars!”

One of the segments of the show is about being nice to someone, and Andy chooses to be nice to April for his final show. However, April’s immense guilt over pulling Andy away from something he loves, brings her to tears and causes her to run backstage. At which point Andy (and a camera) follows her and reassures her that she is what he loves, and he’ll just find the next cool thing to do when they’re in D.C. -- and I don't doubt it. His unfailing kindness and optimism shine through always -- it's basically like he runs through life knocking things off the walls unintentionally and smiling. Andy is sometimes like a human tornado of smiles.

Parks has always been a show with a lot of heart, that hasn’t been afraid to embrace things with 100% enthusiasm, and Andy Dwyer is like the poster boy for that. He’s excited to work with his friends, he has fun taping straws together, he gives people hugs to show them he cares, he works hard to apologize when he’s done something wrong, and he throws himself into a project full-on (sometimes literally) even if he doesn’t actually know what he’s doing. Andy occupied a bit of an awkward position at the start of the show, as the “loser boyfriend” of Leslie’s Pit-Park Catalyst/New Best Friend, Ann Perkins. He didn’t work in the Parks Department, he didn’t have any real connections to the Parks Department, he just happened to fall into a dangerous pit, which then set in motion the story of the first season. But Andy found his way more organically into the Parks family, and the show would be very different without his puppy dog-like enthusiasm standing in stark contrast to the doldrums of local politics. And where would Parks and Rec be without Chris Pratt’s killer improvs? He gets the credit for one of my favorite lines of all time, “Leslie, I typed your symptoms into this thing up here, and it says you may have network connectivity problems.”
Thank you, Andy Dwyer, for showing that “talent” is not the only thing that’s important. Sometimes you just need a big heart and a big smile.

Tom’s Goodbye

The episode “Two Funerals” features the funerals of two important Pawneeans – the oft-discussed and much-beloved, Mayor Gunderson, and Ron’s barber of 40 years, Salvatore. But it also features Tom’s big final moment, as he prepares to propose to his girlfriend, Lucy. A wistful Leslie, looking to create some more beginnings in the wake of so many endings, (and unable to figure out how to organize an underground dance competition), decides to help Tom propose to Lucy. She’s so enthusiastic about the idea that she goes along with Tom’s very Tom-like (re: extravagant) proposal plan; a multimedia experience where Tom plays a Bond-like agent with a mission. Together they organize an elaborate film shoot, complete with handsome stunt doubles and ambiguous accents. The whole proposal scheme is scrapped though, as soon as Tom meets Lucy at the airport. He sends Leslie to go get a few supplies and redirects the whole proposal into a much simpler and more meaningful affair. Tom’s decision to switch directions with the proposal shows his growth over the years. Instead of focusing on the flash that he craves, he realizes that the proposal is about his relationship with Lucy, and not just him showing off. Turns out to be a good move, because she accepts!

The development of Tom and Lucy’s relationship over the season has been really quick, but in all fairness to the show, they’re trying to tie things up for everyone, and time is one thing they do not have. So that aside, Tom and Lucy are a pretty good pair, because while she does enjoy Tom’s flash on occasion, she also seems to ground him a lot. Also, she just seems like a pretty cool gal. Having enjoyed Lucy’s arc on the second and third season of the show, it was nice to see her come back for the wrap-up. Tom has come a long way since his early days on the show, when he was in an unhappy green card marriage, floundering away his money on failed business ventures like Snake Juice or Entertainment 720. Some people haven’t grown up quite as much though… *cough* Jean-Ralphio *cough*

Back to the funerals. Mayor Gunderson finally makes his first on-screen appearance! Dead. And of course, he’s played by Bill Murray. Because it was Murray or Bust. They must have a whole lot of miracle juice over that Parks to pull off what they have done over the years, so somehow it doesn’t even surprise me that they actually managed to get him. It just makes sense. And of course Mayor Gunderson had an open marriage and a 40+ year old relationship with Ethel Beavers, who delivers a eulogy for him as he lies in state in the council room. The search for a new (interim) mayor provides the returns of some other great Pawneeans, including Bobby Newport, Joan Calamezzo, and The Douche.  Oh Pawnee, I am really going to miss your wild and crazy citizens. Including Salvatore, may he rest in peace.

The start of this season had a small arc, with the Newport land and Gryzzl and all that jazz, but this second half of the season has mostly focused on the individual futures of the characters that viewers have grown to love over the past seven years. Ben decided to run for Congress, Donna got married, April found her calling, Leslie got promoted – and then in the last two episodes Andy wrapped his show, Tom proposed to Lucy, and Garry Gergich became the Mayor of Pawnee, Indiana. (Very fittingly as everyone else is getting ready to leave. What better time, right?) It’s very odd to see all these stories wrapping up, but although Leslie is thrown off by the large amount of endings, it’s clear that there really are a lot of beginnings coming for these characters. Ben’s dipping his toes into federal politics, Andy and April are moving, and April’s starting a brand new job out from under Leslie’s wing for the first time, Leslie is moving out of Pawnee, Donna’s starting her new life with Joe in Seattle (where presumably she’ll become a real estate mogul), Tom’s going to get married to Lucy and is looking at expanding some of his business, and Garry’s the mayor. Sure, maybe some of their Pawnee stories are coming to a close, but they’ve got new and exciting stories just beginning for them elsewhere. We may not get to see much or any of them, but based on the last seven years of what I have seen, I can only imagine they’re going to have some fun times. The only one who hasn’t really gotten much of a “wrap-up” in this second half is Ron -- maybe he’ll get something in the final two episodes, or maybe he’s got his simple life all figured out, and doesn’t have anything new coming around the bend. We’ll see…

I can’t believe the final episodes of Parks and Recreation are almost upon us! Although it’ll will certainly be sad to say goodbye to the show, considering the amount of fantastic potential series finales they’ve served up over the years, I can’t wait to see what they’ve got for their big finale. Presumably it’ll be filled with some familiar faces, oodles of laughs, and quite a few on and off-screen tears.

What did you think of this penultimate block of episodes? Are you ready for the finale two-parter? Is there anything you really hope to see before the show fades to black for the last time? Let us know below!

About the Author - Kimberly

Kimberly is a big TV nerd - willing to talk any show, any time. Her tastes are various and sundry, but she’s got a soft spot for comedy. She currently writes the SpoilerTV reviews for Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and About a Boy.

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