The last two episodes of
Parks and Recreation deserve a "#ThrowbackThursday" hashtag.
"Prom" let the audience reminisce in a lot of wonderful ways. Not the least of which was the tone of the episode - enthusiastic with a hint of awkward - which harkened back to the show's glory days in the second through fourth seasons. Season 6 has felt somewhat uneven, so I was glad to watch as my favorite show delivered a solid episode and hoped this was a harbinger of good ones to come.
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April and Andy prove opposites attract.
Source: nbc.com |
As the students at Pawnee Central High enjoyed a prom thrown by the staff of the Parks and Rec Department, the characters gave us throwback stories of their own proms through confessionals and conversations. Not only did this offer some the audience some great lines that will no doubt soon be turned to
gifs to be pinned and tumblr'd everywhere, but it also offered an interesting subplot for April and Andy. I loved this chance to see the Parks Department's first married couple in conflict, and more importantly, the chance to see them resolve conflict. April and Andy work well together because they are opposites, but to ignore the friction her gloom and his glee would inevitably cause would have been a betrayal of their characters. April's concern that she and Andy never would have gotten together had they met in high school was both adorable and easily remedied by some kind words from her ever-happy hubby.
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Allison Gliffert and Greg Pikitis return in "Prom."
Source: nbc.com |
In another sort of throwback, two high school students from episodes gone by reappeared in this episode. Prom coordinator - and the subject of a Leslie/Ron squabble - Allison Gliffert, appeared in the Season 4 mock UN episode "
The Treaty," in which she was known only as "France" for the majority of the half hour. (Yes, she eventually introduced herself as "Cassidy," but I'm going to call that a continuity error, because the same unmistakable
young actress portrayed them both.) Then, in the surprise ending, Leslie's greatest nemesis - other than the City of Eagleton - returned, reprising the role of Greg Pikitis from the
Season 2 episode of the same name. Despite his limited screen time, Pikitis delivered his trademark blend of cute and conniving, no small feat for the
young actor.
By its title, "Flu Season 2" was billed as a sequel, but it was a sequel in name only, as the flu had very little to do with the plot of the episode. As it turned out, the apparent misnomer was actually some effective misdirection, and the payoff was worth the deceit. The episode didn't have any lines as amazing as Chris Pratt's
improvised joke from the original "Flu Season," but new(er) character Craig, played by Billy Eichner, continues to crack me up with his
loud, uninhibited one-liners.
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Ben may be running, but it's Ron who wants to
escape the conversation.
Source: nbc.com |
A throwback in this episode was Ron's reluctance to participate in the personal lives of those around him. It's usually been Leslie asking Ron for guidance, but this time, the person coming to him for advice was a very drunken Ben. The interference of the Eagleton Ron may have been the low point in a still very good episode, but Swanson's parting words to Ben were sweet, and, in true Ron Swanson style, they were much more poignant than they seemed at first.
Another aspect of the episode that hearkened to earlier seasons was the character combination swapping. One of the best things a sitcom with a large - or even moderate sized - cast can do is pair characters in new or interesting ways. "Flu Season 2" accomplished this not only with the Ron/Ben storyline, but with Craig's vying to impress Tom, Leslie and Andy's efforts to get a Unity Concert headliner, and a nice continuation of the Donna/April relationship as the former bankrolled the latter's wine country connoisseur contrivance.
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Congratulations, Ben and Leslie!
Source: nbc.com |
In the end, the best part of these two episodes, particularly "Flu Season 2," was not the #throwbacks but the indications of things to come. Tom's new business is sending the character on his way without sending him far away. April and Andy are growing closer through little moments of friction in their marriage.
After
the departures of Chris and Ann, the characters I worried most about were Leslie and Ben. Leslie's job offer, if it meant she left Pawnee, could mean the end
Parks and Rec, and I'm not ready for that. On the other hand, I want to see these characters grow. And while Leslie's exciting news
alone wasn't enough to convince me that her destiny remains in the
Greatest Town in America, her almost involuntary blurt that her hometown is a good place to raise a family gives me hope. Growing the characters of Ben and Leslie by growing their family is a way to keep them in Pawnee without holding them back.
Tonight's episode is the last one before Season 6's two part finale. While I never thought that a season that began (by very nearly jumping the shark) in London would end on a strong note, these past two episodes have me feeling confident that it will.
