![]() ![]() ![]() The episode is a standout for showing both the lengths Leslie is willing to go for Ron, as well as the lengths Tammy II (Megan Mullally) is willing to go just to keep control over her ex. This episode is at its best when it's showcasing just how extreme and over-the-top the town can truly be and how above and beyond Leslie and her team will go to give them the parks they deserve. Soon, she can't help but get swept up in the festivities when the apparently vibrant gay community in the town heralds her as a hero. At first, she wants to get the political stink off of her. Suddenly, she finds herself thrust into the debate over gay marriage. When Leslie tries to manufacture a photo opportunity by presiding over the wedding of two penguins at the local zoo, she's shocked by the political fallout that arises when it's revealed the animals were both males. It sets up the contrast of Leslie and those around her being incredible at their jobs, but to a completely indifferent and ungrateful community. Sure, there was the occasional town meeting that demonstrated how wacky the local government can be, but "Pawnee Zoo" gave the little Indiana town its own personality for the first time. This episode is one of the first to feature the most underrated character in Parks and Rec: the town of Pawnee, Indiana. However, the best part comes when the typically apathetic Ron Swanson comes alive for the first time to tell the official investigation committee that Leslie has never broken a rule in her life, "to the point that it's annoying." In his first of many strangely endearing tough guy moves throughout the series, Ron tells the investigators that they'll have to go through him if they want to do anything more than give her a slap on the wrist. While Leslie had always thought being good at her job meant blending into the boys' club, she learns here that she can do right by Pawnee in her own way, regardless of what the men in government do, say or think.Īnother bright spot in this episode is the loyalty the team shows for one another, with Leslie accepting her first official reprimand in order to defend April, who foolishly posted an old video of herself drunk at 19 on a public website. ![]() What ensues is an ethical dilemma in which the audience learns just how much Leslie cares about her job. When Leslie and Ann try to crash the guys' regular party, she opens up a gift basket filled with wine to keep the party going. NBCĪ running theme throughout Parks and Recreation is the uphill battle women face trying to make it in a government largely run by men. However, if there's one thing that Leslie and the gang proved, it's that anything can be done if you just find your team and get to work. Whether it was the impossibly optimistic Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), stern libertarian Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), swag-obsessed Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari), indifferent April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza), loveable dimwit Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt), incomparable Donna Meagle (Retta), level-headed Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott), relentlessly positive Chris Traeger (Rob Lowe), rainbow-infused space unicorn Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones), and even perpetual prank victim Jerry Gergich (Jim O'Heir), each character was good at what they did in their way and always tried to help their fellow citizens.įor a series as uneven yet frequently brilliant as Parks and Rec, singling out the top 25 episodes can be a challenging feat. In a world packed with cynicism about government and the people that run it, the 2009-2015 NBC comedy endures not only for being funny, but for providing hope that, with the right public servants in place (especially at the local level), America can be a truly nice place to live, quirky high jinx and all. Parks and Recreation didn't come out of the gate as one of the best sitcoms of the last decade, but, over the course of seven seasons and 125 episodes, the citizens of Pawnee, Indiana, amassed a loyal fanbase in some pretty unexpected ways. ![]()
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