Tonight's episode used one of my favorite comedic storytelling techniques: put the whole of your cast in one location, for roughly the same reason, and as things start to spin out of control, use this common surrounding as a backboard for emotional exploration and/or growth.
Tonight we FINALLY got to the Harvest Festival, the plot element that has been driving the past six episodes. (Though considering how long the pit was a ever-present plot device in season one and early season two, this was actually a fairly quick and breezy plot, and far better executed at that.) While everything has been planned down to a T, Leslie accidentally incurs the wrath (and fake threats of a curse) of the local Indian tribe by hosting the festival on an sacred Indian burial ground. And since Joan, the bulldog “journalist” with a seething hatred of Leslie (and a soft spot for Tom) is there, you just know the shit's gonna go down. And sure enough, Lil's Sebastian, the famous mini-horse, goes missing, and as the gang is looking for him, the power goes out, stranding them on top of the ferris wheel. (The fact that Leslie has to go back to the same Indian tribe - at their casino! - in order to borrow their generator? Gold.)
It's in all of this anarchy that the show was able to deliver some nice character beats. Though perhaps the slightest of the hour, my favorite was Ben's fears that all of these terrible things were happening because of him, that he was still the cursed eighteen year old whose Ice Town idea failed miserably. Ben is still a relatively new character, and though the show has played similar beats for him before, and even though they will have to eventually move on to something else about Ben's personality, for now his past failure is still a rich enough character motivation to justify the show continuing to explore it. But what made all of this even better is that they couched these fears within Ben's continuing flirtations with Leslie. (Who wants to start a betting pool on when he's going to kiss her? I'm saying sometime before the season is out.)
In other relationship-based storytelling, we got to see Andy and April's first fight as a couple, as they went through the trite “one said 'I love you,' and the other didn't reciprocate” plot. Yet even though I groaned when it was first introduced, it somehow won me over, most likely through the goodwill this show has built up for this couple, they way the plot was couched it in their individual personalities, and the skill with which Chris Pratt and Aubrey Plaza played their scenes together. Or maybe it was the ferris wheel scene, complete with some helpful analysis/direction from Ron Fucking Swanson, wherein it was revealed that Andy does love April, but much like his ability at other basic life skills, he has trouble saying how he feels. Now that's a personalized twist on an old formula.
Though I am going to hold off on final judgment on the Ann storyline for now, I must admit that I like where the show seems to be going with the Ann/Chris relationship. Of course she is the kind of woman who would go stir-crazy after being broken up with. And it also makes sense that as a generally in-control, type-A personality, she would let loose and have a one-night stand with a guy as some sort of last resort, and only with Donna's nudging. Though a bit slight like Ben's story, I have a feeling this is the start of something, a plot that may develop over the next few weeks. We'll see....
There was one final character who got his moment in the sun: Jerry. Ever the lovable (from out viewpoint) punching bag (from that of his co-workers), the show has been a bit hard on Jerry as of late, as it keeps finding ways to increase the emotional abuse that is inflicted on him by the rest of the Parks Department. But tonight the show gave the character a break, letting him bask in the glory of being Lil' Sebastian's primary care-giver, receiving spill-over love that didn't make it to that adorable mini-horse. (Seriously, how Ben not see what the big deal is?)
Tonight's episode was the first of season three that wasn't filmed early, when the show was still on the roll from season two. So for those of you who were worried that they may have be a dip in quality after the show went on break, relax. Parks & Rec is as good as it's ever been.
What did everybody else think?
Additional Thoughts:
Ron laughing at Lil' Sebastien? Adorably cute.
“Son, this horse has an honorary degree from Notre Dame.”
“I got to be honest, I don't see what the big deal is.” “Get out.”
“There's a lot of people who don't consider salad 'food.'”
“With Pawnee's history, it's very hard not to be offensive.”
White people: Love Matchbox 20, scared of curses
“Eagle-Eyed Tiger, new band name, I call it.”
“You got Tilda?”
“That is a shockingly huge mini-horse erection.”
Also adorable? Leslie eating cotton candy
“Good idea, horses love mazes.”
“Much like the house in the movie Poltergeist.” “Exactly.”
“I awesome sauce Andy.”
“And at no time was any Parks worker, quote, 'feasting on petting zoo animals.'”
“Jerry's fault! Jerry's fault!...”
“[I am not saying anything. Nobody can understand me anyway. Doobee...doobee...do.]”
“It took us four hours to solve that maze. It took the horse 15 minutes. Jerry's still out there. I suppose I should go get him. After I get a bratwurst.”
For those of you who missed Rob Lowe's Chris Teager, he'll be back next week.
A producer's cut of this episode will be available online tomorrow. Given how awesome the producer's cuts of last season's episodes were, you should check it out.
In case you didn't hear, NBC renewed P&R for a fourth season, and has set May 19th as the date for the show's one-hour season finale.
No comments:
Post a Comment