4x09 The Trial of Leslie Knope

[9.6/10] One of Parks & Rec's finest hours. Focusing on one story and involving every single character in it is a bit of a different tack than usual for the show, but it pays off, and given how big the event is, it’s certainly warranted.

Though it precedes it, it definitely works in a “Trial of Tyrion Lannister” fashion, to where events involving a character we like can be recontextualized to show wrongdoing, or at least that in the right light, they don’t look as innocent as they profess to be.

While I got a little tired of Chris’s relentless herbal and exercise-based efforts to stay positive amid a trying time, and while sometimes his dogged routine came off a little too harsh, I liked the fact that the show acknowledged this wasn’t just “Chris’s rule” but rather a rule across all governments and any company worth a damn. We know what’s in Leslie and Ben’s hearts so it feels unjust, but there’s a reason there’s rules against employees dating the people who supervise them, and the episode taps back into ways that, despite those good intentions, Leslie and Ben did skirt the rules and cause problems.

Everybody gets a great comedic moment in the courtroom, from Ron groaning over his address being read, to Andy not understanding what files need to be where, to the general friendship and support of the whole crew. (And a great appearance from Tammy 2 to boot!)

But it mostly comes down to the turn – that Ben accepts full responsibility for the bribe and resigns, because his relationship with Leslie is 100% worth it. Ben and Leslie professing their love for one another through Ethel Beavers’s reading of a transcript is so them, and so dorky, and so adorable. It’s one of those events that puts Ben and Leslie through their paces, but which also shows how resilient, loving, and great they are for each other. One of the show’s absolute best.