Welcome to a new Sitcom Tuesday! This week, I’m concluding my coverage of Parks And Recreation (2009-2015, NBC), which is currently available on DVD/Blu-Ray and streaming.
Parks And Recreation stars AMY POEHLER as Leslie Knope, AZIZ ANSARI as Tom, NICK OFFERMAN as Ron, AUBREY PLAZA as April, CHRIS PRATT as Andy, ADAM SCOTT as Ben, JIM O’HEIR as Jerry, and RETTA as Donna. With BILLY EICHNER as Craig.
The tough thing about Parks And Rec’s shortened final season is that the show has already ended twice — spiritually with Six’s midseason loss of Ann (the personification of the premise), and then narratively at Six’s closing, which tied everything up for the main characters and felt like a textbook series finale. Given all this, plus a time jump into the future, Seven simply plays like a postscript — building to another finale that has to extra definitively provide closure, indulging a grandness that I’m afraid I don’t love as much as most fans do, for reasons I’ll get into below (related both to the two-part episode itself and the sheer law of diminishing returns inherent to Seven’s existence). But if I’m not thrilled about the finale, and I’m down on this season relative to others, I’ve still got quite a bit to celebrate. For starters, I see the wisdom in jumping three years ahead — not only to avoid having to deal with Leslie’s babies, but also to create fresher ideas for the leads by giving them new status quos. And specifically, I actually enjoy the opening hook regarding Leslie and Ron’s fallout, for now that Ann has departed, Leslie and Ron have the most seminal relationship in this situation. Oh, yes, Ben is more important to Leslie, but the premise and her character are better displayed when she’s opposite Ron, whose ideological differences accentuate the central tenet of her being, which defines the entire series. This conflict, which gets fully explored in the year’s only great half hour, spotlights their bond and, accordingly, the show at large, for it’s their biggest clash yet — the one that, in some ways, represents all — and it’s appropriately climactic for a final season. I’m glad this year exists for that alone… Additionally, I also think Seven gives more thoughtful closure than anything in Six to the secondary members of the ensemble — April and Andy, Donna, Tom, etc., and for them, there are moments that make Seven clearly worthwhile. And to that point, I must say that I find Parks And Rec to always be worthwhile; it’s always “feel good.” Sure, the series has seen better days (Six and Seven aren’t great), but there’s no post-Michael Office drop here, and I still feel good watching this — the quintessential ensemble workplace comedy of the 2010s.
01) Episode 114: “Ron And Jammy” (Aired: 01/13/15)
Leslie and Ron temporarily set aside their feud to split up Tammy II and Jamm.
Written by Harris Wittels | Directed by Dean Holland
Season Six’s finale set up the jokey notion of Leslie’s nemesis Jamm (Jon Glaser) being romantically paired with Ron’s psychotic ex Tammy II (Megan Mullally) and this entry, amidst the Leslie/Ron feud, is fun because it forces the two former pals to work together for the common goal of splitting up this hellacious duo. This promises some big, broad comedy that attempts to raise the ante on what came before, utilizing two of the show’s funniest and most well-known recurring players. But it also sits smartly in this early Leslie/Ron arc, where they’re both well-deployed in a thankfully brief yet dramatically novel conflict that spotlights them both. (That is, it makes sense that their fundamental differences would eventually lead to a major rift, but since we know the show’s ethos and basic status quo won’t allow them to be at odds forever, the fact that it only spans four outings, initially aired over two weeks, keeps it buoyant.) Incidentally, the best part of this excursion is Amy Poehler’s imitation of Mullally — a riot!
02) Episode 116: “Leslie And Ron” (Aired: 01/20/15)
Leslie and Ron work out their differences after their friends lock them in their old office.
Written by Michael Schur | Directed by Beth McCarthy-Miller
Although the series finale is obviously the most memorable sample of the year and the point around which this whole collection hinges, nothing in Seven is better than “Leslie And Ron,” which is the funniest, most character-rooted, premise-supported offering that the show has produced since at least Season Five, which means it’s a no-brainer as my MVE (Most Valuable Episode). It’s the culmination of the feud between Leslie and Ron, whose relationship gets singularly explored in this narratively straightforward installment that puts the two together and forces them to work out their differences — it’s Archie/Mike trapped in the storeroom, or Jack/Furley locked in the freezer: a classic setup that’s inherently theatrical, confining two characters in a unity of time, place, and action, which then gives this script no choice but to rely entirely on them and how they interact. As we know, this is great, because Leslie and Ron are crafted in positional opposition, with a fundamental ideological disagreement about government’s function that in turn defines the entire series, for Leslie’s belief in her capacity to do good for other people is the key attribute of her personality, which speaks to an optimism that has permeated Parks And Rec’s very tone. And in the absence of Ann, the embodiment of Leslie’s desire to help others, Ron has become the most potent member of the ensemble for extracting Leslie’s basic characteristics and therefore the local government premise that, again, is central to the entirety of the situation. Theirs is now the nuclear relationship — oh, Ben is important to Leslie and he affirms her depiction, but he doesn’t provide the comic tension and contrast that sharpens and accentuates her, like Ron does (and in fact, I think even before Ann left, Ron was already superseding her as Leslie’s most reflective scene partner). That’s why this arc, by putting Leslie and Ron in their biggest rift yet, due both to their core differences and a breakdown in communication related to the fact that they were emotionally invested in each other and thus let down, is so rewarding. It’s the ultimate manifestation of their contrasting characterizations and their rich bond, which remains supreme when it’s repaired in this simple yet brilliant half hour that, by sheer design and with support from these sublime characters, is excellent sitcommery and the best encapsulation of Parks And Rec in its back half.
03) Episode 122: “The Johnny Karate Super Awesome Musical Explosion Show” (Aired: 02/17/15)
On the final episode of his kids show, Andy is surprised by a tribute from his friends.
Written by Matt Hubbard | Directed by Dean Holland
With a one-off break from the series’ usual form rendering this a gaudy stunt that can’t be an accurate reflection of what the show usually is, “Johnny Karate” is something I’d have been unlikely to highlight ten years ago. However, after studying over 20,000 sitcom episodes, I now believe a good example of a series doesn’t always have to be archetypal… instead it can just be enjoyable and memorable (even gimmicky), which is the case for this tribute to the funny Andy, as this is structured like a broadcast of his local kids show where the rest of the regulars come in as support when they take it over and offer a “This Is Your Life” surprise, with his character — and the entire ensemble — getting venerated in the process. So, while I don’t think it’s the finest play towards the series’ situation, it respects the leads and their relationships, with an eye to the emotional closure enabled and required by this final season, which is rapidly approaching its close. And I’d miss it if it wasn’t here. (John Cena and Peter Serafinowicz appear.)
04) Episode 123: “Two Funerals” [a.k.a. “Viva Gunderson!”] (Aired: 02/17/15)
Ben searches for an interim mayor while Leslie helps Tom propose to his girlfriend.
Written by Jen Statsky | Directed by Craig Zisk
This is the final half hour before the finale and it notably features a brief but delightful cameo by Bill Murray as Pawnee’s late mayor — a fun casting for this installment that seems dedicated to honoring the richly comic world of Pawnee, bringing back many of our favorite peripheral presences — like Joan, Bobby Newport, Ron from Eagleton, all the Sapersteins, Ethel — and in that regard, while it’s a bit like a “greatest hits” or a parade of homages to the show’s history, the simple truth is that this inevitably does become a presentation only Parks And Rec could make, reiterating many of the unique things it’s discovered within its situation over the years. Also, most of all, I appreciate the connection between Leslie and Tom here — theirs is an underrated friendship that goes all the way back to the pilot and therefore has structurally strong stakes.
05) Episode 125: “One Last Ride (II)” (Aired: 02/24/15)
Leslie and Ben gather the team together one last time before they go their separate ways.
Written by Michael Schur & Amy Poehler | Directed by Michael Schur
Parks And Rec’s finale seems widely beloved, but I’m afraid I must dissent — I feature it here because it defines the season, not because I think it’s great. In fact, it’s a prime exhibit of why I typically don’t like series finales; specifically, I don’t consider this an ideal representation of the series at large. Although I’ve gotten more willing lately to honor finales (see: 30 Rock), you’ll note I only laud what I believe genuinely reflects, and delivers earned closure to, a show’s situation or some crucial aspect of its identity. The best I can argue for Parks And Rec’s is that its tone captures the series’ feel-good, sentimental vibe, with a pronounced emotionality that stems from Leslie Knope’s big heart and the sincerity of her regard for others. However, I could say the same thing about Ann’s last outing and Six’s finale, whose gravitas was only hindered by knowledge that it wasn’t final. To that point, there’s a law of diminishing returns — the premise already took a huge hit when Ann, its personification, exited, and Six’s closer was narratively perfect for its lead, as Leslie got a dream federal job without having to leave the people she loved. So, what more do we need? Well, the show’s answer is a focus on everyone — expanding out, breaking form, and employing a string of flash-forwards divided by character, providing us sketch-like glimpses into everyone’s future over the next several years. For the most part, a lot of what’s shown makes sense for each person and mindfully gives closure, with an affability due to the optimistic displays. But this innate bigness, and the fact that it’s a conceptual gimmick, with disconnected scenes that take us even further away from the present timeline where the series mostly existed (prior to Seven), means it all feels even less like a regular sample of Parks And Rec than its two previous (de facto) finales. In that regard, its bigness is a hinderance — stemming, of course, from the need to outdo what came before — and it ultimately overshoots the moon in a way that, for me, doesn’t serve the series any better. I don’t hate it — but it’s not good situation comedy, just as most sitcom finales aren’t. And that’s too bad, because I think Parks And Rec was good (and sometimes great) situation comedy for most of its run.
Other notable episodes that merit mention include: “Donna And Joe,” an amusing ensemble entry that’s a great showcase for several of the regulars, especially Donna, along with “Ms. Ludgate-Dwyer Goes To Washington,” a cameo-heavy D.C. entry where April makes a key decision about her future, and “One Last Ride (I),” the other half of the series finale featured above, dealing more with the lower ensemble (while Part II focuses on the core leads). Also, “Pie-Mary” is a nice encapsulation of Leslie and Ben’s compatibility in their marriage — it just derives its comedy and drama from outside the characters themselves.
*** The MVE Award for the Best Episode from Season Seven of Parks And Recreation goes to…
“Leslie And Ron”
Come back next week for more sitcom fun! And stay tuned tomorrow for a new Wildcard!