[8.3/10] Very nice episode. Anytime you can fit Patton Oswalt onto your show, you're doing something right. I like the theme of the episode -- that Leslie is inclined to uphold the historical traditions of the town, but sees that anachronisms can be harmful too and works to repeal the town's old, out of date laws (like the "Ted" dumping). Oswalt's character makes a great foil, playing up the actor's nerdy persona in an old timey standoff. Anytime two characters on a sitcom get into a big wager, it's a recipe for a certain amount of cheese, but the reveal that Oswalt's character has no friends, and Leslie's ensuing push to get him on the Historical Society Board is a nice way to resolve it. Lots of funny stuff from both comic pros playing off one another.
The B-story, with Chris and Ron having a similarly cheesy wager about whose managerial style works better was good for some laughs. Again, Ron and Chris and their conflicting personalities usually generates some comedic sparks, and this was no exception. Their attempts to motivate Jerry had some good humor to it, and the reveal that April played them against one another to avoid having to do a leadership seminar was the perfect button.
The C-story was serviceable, with Ann and Ben fighting over an old waffle-maker from JJ's diner to give to Leslie for each of their hyper-specific Leslie-invented holidays. It's the kind of thing that makes Leslie seem a little too cartoony in her friendliness and preparedness for my tastes, but there's some good humor in the pair's competition and attempt to cut this off at the pass together.
Overall, a very funny episode with solid stories in each part.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2017-04-18T01:33:40Z
[8.3/10] Very nice episode. Anytime you can fit Patton Oswalt onto your show, you're doing something right. I like the theme of the episode -- that Leslie is inclined to uphold the historical traditions of the town, but sees that anachronisms can be harmful too and works to repeal the town's old, out of date laws (like the "Ted" dumping). Oswalt's character makes a great foil, playing up the actor's nerdy persona in an old timey standoff. Anytime two characters on a sitcom get into a big wager, it's a recipe for a certain amount of cheese, but the reveal that Oswalt's character has no friends, and Leslie's ensuing push to get him on the Historical Society Board is a nice way to resolve it. Lots of funny stuff from both comic pros playing off one another.
The B-story, with Chris and Ron having a similarly cheesy wager about whose managerial style works better was good for some laughs. Again, Ron and Chris and their conflicting personalities usually generates some comedic sparks, and this was no exception. Their attempts to motivate Jerry had some good humor to it, and the reveal that April played them against one another to avoid having to do a leadership seminar was the perfect button.
The C-story was serviceable, with Ann and Ben fighting over an old waffle-maker from JJ's diner to give to Leslie for each of their hyper-specific Leslie-invented holidays. It's the kind of thing that makes Leslie seem a little too cartoony in her friendliness and preparedness for my tastes, but there's some good humor in the pair's competition and attempt to cut this off at the pass together.
Overall, a very funny episode with solid stories in each part.