Parks and Recreation 2x25 - "Freddy Spaghetti"

Bittersweet finale considering how long we have to wait to go back to Pawnee. But maybe by the time we get back there, the government will be up and running again.

We reaffirmed how vital Leslie is and what a great character she has become this season. Michael Scott would never have the universal respect from co-workers for work ethic, loving the job, and caring about people Leslie Knope has.

I love how protective Ron is of Leslie, and the crazy bump he took on the grass when he ran to the park to warn her "They're coming!" They can't fire Leslie. I would have suggested giving Gerry a raise and a promotion and then firing him.

The good cop/bad cop dynamic between Rob Lowe and Adam Scott cracks me up every time.

I can't believe I'm actually going to miss Mark. I wouldn't have thought so before, but he had a very subtle and graceful exit. Plus he was a quiet voice of sanity. I guess Adam Scott is sliding into that role for however long he sticks around.

Tom playing Boys II Men "On Bended Knee" during sex is so perfect. As was Ron's bacon wrapped turkey leg and how impressed Tom's new girl was.

The tag at the end - Ron got it on with Tom's ex-wife! I almost missed it because of NBC's stupid timing issues where my DVR cuts off the tag every week.

April and Andy - they found a way to deny us the coupling we've been wanting all season, but still keep both completely lovable.

Andy: "There's an old saying in show business: The show must go wrong. Everything always goes wrong, and you just have to deal with it." Profoundly true. Certainly has been the case of every movie or video shoot I've ever been a part of.

I miss these people already. It's going to be a long however long until they're back on television.

I think maybe I'll eat a Swanson in the meantime.

Parks and Recreation 2x24 - "The Master Plan"

Is there a non-gay way I can ask Adam Scott to go camping with me?

Andy's intentions were never as 100% clear as they were last night. I feel like it would be in April's character to force the camera man to show her the footage of Andy singing the November song, if she knew such footage existed. But like The Office camera people, those documentary filmmakers have hearts of stone.

Jean-Ralphio is always welcome. "That Ralph Macchio guy's a douche." But what a heartwarming story of how he stood outside the house of the woman he wanted to drill.

I will miss these people the most over the summer.

Parks and Recreation 2x19 - "Park Safety"

Or... The One Where They Make Fun of Jerry The Whole Episode.

This week made it pretty clear making fun of Jerry is pretty much the only thing they can do with Jerry. Sure, they're dicks, but it turns out the guy is a clown.

Aubrey Plaza's reaction shots pretty much ruled this episode. Especially when Jerry was giving his presentation and when Andy and Ron were demonstrating self defense.

Loved Andy trying to use his neck to break out of a bearhug and then passing out.

Ann is just now learning of Andy's capacity for selflessness. She doesn't know he gave Tom $1000 to realize his dream of being part owner of the Snakehole. I don't like Ann sniffing around Andy again. She'd better not ruin this Andy-April thing that has yet to happen.

Leslie's Tom impression is spot on.

Andy Samberg should replace Paul Schneider next season.

The video of Jerry falling in the pond chasing after the burrito really really was great. "He refused to share with a dog!"

Parks and Recreation 2x18 - "The Possum"

Ann pulled a Lois Lane in Superman III - showed up in the beginning, went on a trip, showed up again at the very end. I'm not sure how letting April watch her house while she's away was going to bring them closer toge--

April: "I don't like Ann."

"The Possum" was another Andy tour de force. Shoeshine head. Sleeping in the hallway. "We're here by special order of Mayor Gunderson's dog!" Andy catching the possum and the post interview literally kissing his own bicep. "I lived in the pit for the better part of last year and made some vermin friends. No, not friends, colleagues." Plus he wasn't even aware of how he upset April but he won her back over lickety-split.

It was also an April tour de force. I liked her and the possum watching the nature show and her asking the possum: "Do you know them?" And her blaming the possum for the ring on Ann's coffee table.

I hope the NBC store sells the sign outside of Ron's workshop, because I really want one:

I hope the possum did lay eggs in Ann's bed.

Parks and Recreation 2x17 - "Woman of the Year"

"The IOW are a bunch of sexist jerks who need to get back in the kitchen where they belong, and leave the real feminist work to actual feminists like Ron Swanson - Oh my God! What is happening...?"

"I still think awards are stupid, but they're less stupid if they go to the right people." Ron succinctly summarized my exact feelings about the Oscars, the Emmys, the Grammys, the Slammys and every other awards show.

The relationship between Ron and Leslie is one of the best things about this show. Ron was completely up front about how he does no work, lets Leslie do everything because she wants to and loves it, but didn't hesitate to completely screw with her just to see her grit her teeth and make that Leslie face.

Deputy Director Barbie should be sold in stores. That's a Barbie little girls should aspire to.

Meanwhile, Jean-Ralphio is back! What a phenomenal tool that guy is. Tom's presentation was the bomb. And like Jerry, I have also wondered if Lady Gaga, Snooki, etc. are real people.

I thought April was going to volunteer to move in Andy when they were apartment hunting. Her offer to car pool to work with him was the sweetest she's ever sounded.

Mark blew it. If he part-part owned that club, he'd never have to beg for sex again. I think he's lying; he begs for sex now.

A whole episode without Ann. Didn't miss her.

Parks and Recreation 2x16 - "Galentine's Day"

The writers couldn't have known how timely Leslie's warning to "stay away from John Mayer" would end up being this week. That was a lucky break.

The "most romantic story ever told" about Leslie's mother meeting the lifeguard ending with "and a few years later, she met my father" was awesome.

So much depth and character work this week.

April's growth where she sees the Parks and Rec group as her real friends, her softening and her sentimentality showing, her making moves toward Andy, cockblocking (not the right term) Ann, and finally breaking up with her gay boyfriend only made her dreamier.

Andy and his band Mouse Rat were just awesome. Everything Andy related - especially yelling at the guy who was waiting for his shoe shine - was awesome.

Ann finally started to realize what I've thought about her and Mark since they got together - they are one boring ass couple. I did like that among Mark's barrage of cliched Valentine's Day gifts, he gave her the Heart of the Ocean.

They resolved Tom and his ex-wife but more importantly, Tom and his man crush on Justin continues, even after Leslie realized Justin is a selfish douche and dumped him. (Man, do I miss Louis CK.)

The regular crew is so good, they didn't even really need John Larroquette nervously puking every few minutes. He'll always be Dan Fielding to me.

And a DUKE SILVER reference!

Just like Duke Silver, Mouse Rat has a website!

Parks and Recreation 2x15 - "Sweetums"

Parks and Rec hadn't done a community forum scene since the Venezuelans visited Pawnee and this week's didn't disappoint.

I just saw Food Inc. a few weeks ago and the outrage over corn syrup being in just about everything sold in a supermarket or in fast food restaurants is pretty fresh in my mind. This episode was a really good tackling of the issue, with the (stupid) public of Pawnee getting what it wants. (A snack bar made from corn, corn syrup, and sunshine.) But it also was reminiscent of The Simpsons episode from a few years ago when a snack company put sugary snacks in every Springfield Elementary vending machine, causing Bart to become super fat.

The ideological battle Ron waged with Leslie over her butting into everyone's business and his right as an American to destroy himself as if he chooses was great. Plus Ron was doing double duty fighting against the government and for privatizing everything.

Tom was so over the top in the moving scenes, I almost thought it was too much, but the scene with Wendy helped re-humanize him. But the hell with that, even. DJ Roomba was the shit! I want to make one with my Roomba. (The ghost of DJ Roomba may have been even better.)

April distancing herself from Andy is such an obvious stall. They don't want to pull the trigger on getting them together yet and they're stalling. What does she see in her gay boyfriend, anyway?

Parks and Recreation 2x14 - "Leslie's House"

I never realized we'd never seen Leslie's house until this episode. For some reason, when she was planning her dinner party, I just assumed it would take place in Ann's house.

I get impatient during episodes now waiting for April to visit Andy at the shoeshine place. April's smooth winning Andy back from her "betrayment" of him was excellent. (I also liked her facial mocking of Leslie's attempt at speaking Spanish.)

I miss Officer Dave, but Justin was a really good choice of a character 180 degrees from Dave as a Leslie love interest.

I also loved the Leslie logic of getting a government form that proves her party was a success. And the metaphor of Justin being a white stallion and Tom being a little brown pony. And Ron pressuring Leslie into five courses and then bringing deviled eggs.

You know who would have been a really interesting party guest? Councilman Dexhart.

Parks and Recreation 2x13 - "The Set Up"

OH MAN, DID I MISS THIS SHOW!

"In eight years, I've saved the taxpayers over 150 grand. Now, I need the taxpayers' money to save me from the taxpayers."

Tom interviewing the candidates for Ron's assistant could have gone on even longer and I wouldn't have complained. It was obvious April would get the job, but the way they got there was awesome.

Is it me or could both Mark and Justin play Vulcans if the new Star Trek needed some guys for Sylar Spock to hang out with? Or maybe they could be the grown up version of the kids who bullied young Spock.

Andy was amazing! "You have to choose, either me or Justin." "Wait, I'm dating Mark!" "That close!"

Loved April's explanation for coming in late and her glee at Anne doing something wrong. April could replace Britta in that fantasy Buddy had on Community. By could, I mean should. (Incidentally, Chris Pratt said on Conan last week he's married to Anna Faris in real life. Good for him!)

Oh yeah, Will Arnett guest starred too.

Parks and Recreation 2x12 - "Christmas Scandal"

Another great one that made Leslie even more sympathetic while showcasing how no one, not even Ron Fucking Swanson, can fill her shoes. It's a shame Louis CK was written out so soon (it's not a shame he's getting another show, though.)

I liked Tom and Mark's talk about getting Ann a blood diamond. "Yea bitch, get me somma that blood diamond. Make 'em extra bloody!" Mark and Ann are kind of a boring couple, but they're kind of boring people, so they're well matched.

The Councilman was a real piece of work. Really funny commentary on 24 hour news cycles and gotcha "journalism."

LESLIE KNOPE: DEFINITELY DEXHART'S MISTRESS?

Andy to April: "I've been thinking about your gay boyfriend all day..."

Who doesn't get a little giddy each time April looks into the camera and shy/excitedly smiles?

Parks and Recreation 2x11 - "Tom's Divorce"

Wow, where to begin? I guess I'll start at the back of Ron's head with the hair grown in from being shaved after the hunting trip but not at the same length as the rest of his hair.

Ron in the strip club hitting the breakfast buffet and doing a crossword (and using his jacket to protect his food from the falling glitter) = awesome. Simply awesome.

The look on Ron's face when Leslie said her stripper name would be "Equality" = double awesome.

Andy is so overwhelmingly funny that I have to give props to Paul Schneider for how understated he is as Mark playing against Chris Pratt's sweaty zaniness. Seemingly ending Andy's attempts to steal Ann from Mark hopefully means they explore the potential Andy-April hook up.

I would so eat at Jurassic Fork, at least once. I haven't wanted to visit a fictional TV restaurant that much since Casa Bonita on South Park. [I forgot: Casa Bonita is a real place.]

Parks and Recreation 2x10 - "Hunting Trip"

The shot of the back of Ron Swanson's head at the very end was amazing.

Strange how Mark kind of disappeared in the second half of the episode.

Great cameo from Officer Jay from The Sarah Silverman Program.

I liked the Andy/April team up in the office while everyone else was away. A lot. The multiple hickeys was great.

And for once, no one shat on Jerry.

Another fine episode to continue the streak.

Anyone else who privately or publicly bonerizes for Aubrey Plaza should watch this:

"This is BULLSHIT!"

Parks and Recreation 2x9 - "The Camel"

There was nothing I laughed harder at on Thursday night than "the moan" Ron Fucking Swanson emitted from Andy's shoeshine, and Andy's reaction. "I talked about it with the woman in line after you for 30 minutes."

Close second was Tom's emotional reaction to the shapes. "I had an emotional reaction to art. Has that ever happened before?"

I liked the story of the gang coming together over the mural, or murinal, and everyone ripping on everyone else's idea. It really brought everyone's personality out, especially April.

One day, there might have to be an episode when Jerry finally goes postal from the years of abuse. Although in everyone's defense, Jerry did say "murinal."

Parks and Recreation 2x8 - "Ron and Tammy"

This episode was awesome!

Library bashing! 

Andy as a shoeshine boy! 

Ron Fucking Swanson's evil librarian ex-wife! 

"Liebary ServicRs"! 

Ron Fucking Swanson dressed like Tiger Woods! 

Ron Fucking Swanson fucking!

"That woman really knows her way around a penis."

Tom: "I've never taken the high road. But I tell other people to. 'Cause then there's more room for me on the low road."

Right up there with the Venezuelans episode as the best of the season so far.

Parks and Recreation 2x7 - "Greg Pikitis"

They cast the right kid. I hated Greg Pikitis.

Finding a new purpose for Andy on the show as Leslie's new friend/employee/Smithers was a smart move. Andy is gold. Both characters named Andy on Thursday night NBC comedy are comedy gold. (Conversely, Alison Brie's Annie on Community is funny while Rashida Jones' Annie is not really.)

Best line was the meta-line when they were looking at the statue:

Andy: "He looks like Ron Swanson. Is that who this is based on?"

April and her boyfriend and her boyfriend's boyfriend made a hilarious comeback. Something I forgot to mention last week was April and the black woman's absence; presumably because they were still in Venezuela. April's back, but is the black woman still with the Venezuelans?

Also, both Parks and Rec and 30 Rock made jokes about how awesome gay Halloween is. It must be true.

Parks and Recreation 2x6 - "Kaboom"

Andy took a couple of weeks off but he came back with a vengeance. I loved the line "He couldn't find a place on the surface of the Earth to live in so he decided to live below it."

I also liked taking off your thinking caps and putting on your doing caps. Tom: "I have two in my wallet. That's what I call condoms."

Mark: "Are you willing to break the rules?"
Leslie: "I won't murder."

I really like Leslie now. She's come so far from being a female Michael Scott clone. Even at the start of the season, she was still iffy but she quickly evolved in a very likeable lead character in the last few episodes.

Big leap forward in the main storyline of the series that they got the pit filled in. I wonder if the park will actually be completed by the end of the season?

Parks and Recreation 2x5 - "Sister City"

Bringing in Fred Armisen and the Venezuelans was a great vehicle to bring out Leslie's idealism and protectiveness over her town and country. This was the most sympathetic and admirable Leslie has been yet. And then Tom shows a heart by giving his money anonymously to the park fund.

The jokes were on point with the commentary on the merits and problems with the democratic system. I especially liked Tom's willingness to be a gopher for the Venezuelans' money and April shooting down the Intern's pleads to go away with him. The tag at the end of April and the black woman the Venezuelans all wanted in Venezuela was awesome. As was Ron playing with the golden gun.

My favorite line was probably the line from Leslie about Hillary Clinton being a punching bag. "She's the world's strongest, smartest punching bag."

I thought everything really came together beautifully this week. This was the best all-around episode of the season - and the series - so far in my book.

Parks and Recreation 2x2 - "The Stakeout"

The hernia humor and those two scenes with Ron and April the intern killed me. Might have been the funniest things the whole of Thursday night.

"It's a minor medical procedure."
"AIDS?"
"No."
"What is it?"
"It's a hernia."
"Is it syphillis?"
"I just said it's a hernia."
"You can have two things."

Amazing. So was "Motion sensors." and "I was born ready. I'm Ron [BLEEEP!] Swanson." 

For me, Ron's hernia was the breakthrough comedy moments of this series. The "Homer falls down Springfield Gorge" moment that puts this show on the comedy map.

Louis CK as the cop who likes Amy Pohler was great. "Parking while Indian." was killer. And so was the kiss on the cheek on Rashida Jones. "Now we both have herpes." 

I'm glad I stuck with Parks and Recreation. It's paying off.