Parks and Rec: "Soulmates"

Season 3, Episode 10

An inevitable relationship inches closer to hot, fiery passion

“I think I’ll stick with what I have”

-Leslie

I could start off this review with some sort of meta-textual spiel about how will they/won’t they dynamics on TV are a tricky business, about how running that gambit too long tends to go against all logic and turns viewers off to a potential relationship that they had once championed. Instead, I’ll just say this: I like what P&R has done with the Ben-Leslie pairing so far. It’s only been 11 or so episodes (about half a traditional season, going by episode count) and the two seem almost cognizant of how they feel about each other, to the point where their hooking up seems quite imminent. However, if Chris’ rule against government employee fraternization continues to be an obstacle (though I think it won’t), or some other roadblock comes up, I’m gonna get pissed. The momentum on this storyline has been strong so far, the pace just right, and I would hate to see it get derailed.

But all of that larger-view stuff shouldn’t take away from what was actually a fairly awesome episode. There was just so much to love about the Leslie plot tonight, from the way Ann spiced up Leslie’s dating profile on the internet, to the faux-date that Leslie and Tom had on their lunch break. And the fact that Tom was Leslie’s match? Somehow, I did not see that coming, yet looking back, no other pairing would have yielded such high results. (Though admittedly, I am curious to see what a date between Leslie and Joe would have looked like. There would have been a whole lot of talk about toilets and waste-water pipes, to be sure.)

A lot of the humor in this story played off of Tom’s douchier side, and I’m not sure if that sits entirely well with me. Yes, Tom is a huge tool, and I laughed a good deal of the time at Tom’s behavior tonight. (Particularly funny was the section where Tom laid out all of the various words in his own made-up lingo. Surprising, given how montages like these have historically fallen flat for the show.) Yet the show has also showed us just how sweet Tom can be, let us know that there is a good person under is crude exterior, and I would have liked to see the show acknowledge that a little. I’m not trying to say that Tom would in any way be right for Leslie, but he has had some actual relationships with women in the past, and for the show to throw all of that under the bus for the sake of some jokes irks me just a bit. Though, to paraphrase Homer Simpson, I laughed, so I guess that means I have to let the show off the hook for this one.

The B-plot tonight was highly predictable (OF COURSE Ron would win the cook-off), yet also one that was highly enjoyable, mostly as it just let the character bounce off of one another. Admittedly, April didn’t get much to do, especially considering how many scenes she was in tonight, but Chris teaching Andy about health food, and all of Ron’s derisive comments about the health food store more than made up for it. Plus, I like the idea that Ron’s pride in his cooking/general love of meat is so strong that he would actually spend department time and resources (something a good bureaucrat would never do) in order to prove Chris wrong and save his daily hamburger lunch. (Also, is this “health initiative a full-fledged plot? Because if not, it totally should be. It could be the next Harvest Festival.)

Though it clearly didn’t amount to much, I kind of enjoyed the sight gag of Anne’s parade of various one-night stands. I do however have to wonder what the show has in store for her going forward. Ann is such a great character who the show could do so much with, and as I said last week, the idea of Ann just banging every dude that moves has a short shelf-life. Here’s to something grand in the season finale.

Any other opinions?

Quotes, Etc.:

“Soon to be #3. We’re coming for you, San Antonio.”

“I will be running backwards up the big hill behind the Wal-Mart.”

“Why don’t come on down to the toilet party?”

“Still got it, Joe.” “No you don’t.”

“Is that a fried turkey led inside a hamburger? If so, then yes.”

“…and then he walked into an office that wasn’t his.”

“Crap on creamfish, that really stings.”

“Fuck you, Ann.”

“That’s my husband.”

“Turtles?” “No opinion….They’re condescending.”

“I came here for the same reason people go to the zoo.”

“Eh, he kinda lives in a barn.”

“And as I have before mentioned, you have a killer dumpster.”

“I call it ‘Andy’s Mouth Surprise.’”

“And I call forks ‘food rakes.’”

“One, zero, negative a billion. Just stop.”

“I love Food ‘n’ Stuff. It’s where I but all my food, and most of my stuff.”

“Talkin’ ‘bout sex with my boss.”

They should really fix those fire alarms.

“This tastes as delicious as Beyonce smells…I’m guessing.”

Apparently Kyle is Jerry’s punching bag.

“I’m going to have to jog while I digest this.”

“His favorite movie is books.”