[7.4/10] Not a big fan of the A-story here. Leslie having a personal concern and transmogrifying it into a professional concern that she goes overboard with is a tack Parks and Rec will return to regularly. In some places, I like it, but here, it’s mostly an excuse for Leslie to be kind of obnoxious and for Tom to be creepy. Her trying so hard to prevent the Newports from tearing down an old gazebo is fine as Leslie transferring her feelings onto something over which she has greater control, but chaining herself to the fence just feels like a bridge too far.
I do like her realization that she’s projecting her feelings about Mark and Ann, and also that it’s not a romantic or jealousy thing, but stems from a worry that she’ll lose two of her best friends. Still, the path to get there is a little too rocky.
Thankfully, the rest of the episode is outstanding. April accidentally scheduling every meeting for Ron for the same day and the whole team having to pitch in made for some great comic sketches. Ron dealing with guys who yell at sporting events for five-year-olds or wear too revealing clothing at pools was quite funny. Andy trying to join ultimate frisbee leagues and say yes without actually saying the word yes was amusing. April pretending to be Ron’s daughter enacting his last wish or being an operator like Leslie was fun. And even Ann having everyone show her their medical problems when they realize she’s a nurse is well-done.
But there’s meat on the bone too. Ron yelling at April, April quitting, and then him asking her to come back is a nicely done story. Getting a glimpse of April’s Crate & Barrel home life is fun, and the emotional side of April feeling like she’s not good at her job and that Andy doesn’t care about her, so why stay, is done in a nicely understated way. Plus I love that she knows that Ron’s Duke Silver and keeps it under her hat because they get each other.
Overall, the Leslie’s insecurity stuff doesn’t really play well with me, but the business with the rest of the cast, particularly April, is both very funny and good character-based storytelling, which lifts the episode up.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2017-07-23T01:40:26Z
[7.4/10] Not a big fan of the A-story here. Leslie having a personal concern and transmogrifying it into a professional concern that she goes overboard with is a tack Parks and Rec will return to regularly. In some places, I like it, but here, it’s mostly an excuse for Leslie to be kind of obnoxious and for Tom to be creepy. Her trying so hard to prevent the Newports from tearing down an old gazebo is fine as Leslie transferring her feelings onto something over which she has greater control, but chaining herself to the fence just feels like a bridge too far.
I do like her realization that she’s projecting her feelings about Mark and Ann, and also that it’s not a romantic or jealousy thing, but stems from a worry that she’ll lose two of her best friends. Still, the path to get there is a little too rocky.
Thankfully, the rest of the episode is outstanding. April accidentally scheduling every meeting for Ron for the same day and the whole team having to pitch in made for some great comic sketches. Ron dealing with guys who yell at sporting events for five-year-olds or wear too revealing clothing at pools was quite funny. Andy trying to join ultimate frisbee leagues and say yes without actually saying the word yes was amusing. April pretending to be Ron’s daughter enacting his last wish or being an operator like Leslie was fun. And even Ann having everyone show her their medical problems when they realize she’s a nurse is well-done.
But there’s meat on the bone too. Ron yelling at April, April quitting, and then him asking her to come back is a nicely done story. Getting a glimpse of April’s Crate & Barrel home life is fun, and the emotional side of April feeling like she’s not good at her job and that Andy doesn’t care about her, so why stay, is done in a nicely understated way. Plus I love that she knows that Ron’s Duke Silver and keeps it under her hat because they get each other.
Overall, the Leslie’s insecurity stuff doesn’t really play well with me, but the business with the rest of the cast, particularly April, is both very funny and good character-based storytelling, which lifts the episode up.