Parks and Recreation

Ron does love strong women - he attends a shocking number of WNBA games.

WOMEN'S LASERS. Andy, I heart you so much.

I read spoilers so I knew the Ben/Leslie thing was going to happen*. Just because I was spoiled though doesn't mean I wasn't still bouncing in my seat when he kissed her. I didn't spoil myself on anything further thankfully, so I'm looking forward to seeing how they handle the whole issue, re: her campaign and Chris' stupid no dating rule.

*When will I learn to NOT read spoilers?!

I just...adore this show. It's like a half-hour of sunshine in sitcom form. And I've really grown to love Ben, although it took awhile.

I could do without Chris, though. For the most part, the character adds nothing to the show. Rob Lowe is sometimes funny in the role, but everyone in the cast, and even the lunatics at the public meetings, are so funny that he seems to provide the least value. I mean, if he's cutting into screentime for Ron, Donna, Andy, or Jean-Ralphio, no. Just no.

I have been home sick today, and I MAY have watched this episode 4 times. And the ending like, 9. But I blame it on the cold meds.

(Note: I haven't actually taken any cold meds.)

Oh my: Sheen and Swanson. Macros of Ron Swanson with quotes from Charlie Sheen's crazypants period.

They sound almost reasonable when matched with Ron fucking Swanson.

My favorite two jokes this year are the skeevy sewage department guy went to Sarah Lawrence and Donna asking Ben if Game of Thrones had been canceled.

The Dude wrote:My favorite two jokes this year are the skeevy sewage department guy went to Sarah Lawrence and Donna asking Ben if Game of Thrones had been canceled.

"They would never cancel Game of Thrones! They're telling real stories in a fantasy world."

Casting Spoiler!

Spoiler:

I am THRILLED about this.

Spoiler:

You guys, this show. This show! I can't even with this show!

I am this close to getting a Beslie tattoo. I laughed and cried and laughed and cried and then melted into a giant puddle.

SERIOUSLY. I love them like one loves things on an astral plane.

Also, I heart Andy so much. "Okay, my book doesn't have pictures."

ARHHHHHHGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG. I kept yelling out loud. I... I don't know where to begin. But dang yo, that was romantic. And hilarious. And heart-breaking. and OMG BESLIE FOREVER.
Excuse me while I am not rational.

The opening with Ron/April was enough laughs to sustain any episode. But the rest was so gloriously charming.

Though I would still like show to acknowledge that the person who has wasted most of the tax payers money on personal romantic stuff is Chris with his meeting about dating Jerry/Gary's daughter and finding tall brunettes to hook up Ben both during work hours. Hell Ben and Leslie working together would lead to the tax payers benefits because they would work on Pawnee's problems on off hours.

biakbiak wrote:
Though I would still like show to acknowledge that the person who has wasted most of the tax payers money on personal romantic stuff is Chris with his meeting about dating Jerry/Gary's daughter and finding tall brunettes to hook up Ben both during work hours.

Honestly, I kind of expected the hearing to end with Ann or someone announcing on the stand about Chris dating Jerry's daughter, torturing him on the job with details he didn't want to know, and having city employees spend their workday as a therapy group for Chris about the relationship.

Alright, so now that I am able to form coherent sentences again (OMGSQUEEOMG!!! doesn't really count), I have some specific thoughts on why exactly I am such a nutbar shipper re: Ben & Leslie. Because seriously, I don't think I've ever shipped a couple this hard in all my years of entertainment consumption. They turn me into a twelve year old girl, y'all.

Okay, specific thoughts. I read something in the Washington Post Book World ages and ages ago about how there are really three varieties of successful love stories: Type 1, where the characters themselves aren't particularly believable or interesting, but their love is so compelling that you just get swept up in it despite yourself (think Romeo and Juliet); Type 2, where one character might be kind of a cipher but the other one is so richly drawn and lovable that you just want that person to be happy, even if their choice in romantic partners is maybe the least awesome thing about them (I believe the example given in the column for this was Anna Karenina and her feelings for Vronsky, but to me Emily Starr and Teddy Kent are my go-to example); and finally Type 3, where both characters are fully developed and wonderful and their love is awesome and squee squee squee. It's hard to pull off Type 3, since it requires not one but two great characters AND it can easily go to dullsville because who the hell wants to read stories about happy people being happy.

But anyway. Beslie. Type 3 all the way.

I think one of the things that I like about them is how enthusiastic they are about the other person's personality and interests. All the quirks and hang ups are intriguing. Like the whole thing with leslie being a total bossy-pants. Ann sold it so well that yes Leslie can be a total steamroller but that same part of Leslie will be the most dedicated cheerleading individual in your corner. Both have their flaws but those flaws add to why someone might love them. Be it the characters or the audience.

Yes, and that Ben got her a Little Sebastian (!!!) that he had handmade because he knew that she would love it even though he didn't get the whole Lil Sebastian thing. This episode was awesome, but what is Ben going to do now? Poor Ben.

I laughed out loud with the Ron and April opening, and then laughed and squeed and laughed again for the whole show.

Jasmine wrote:Yes, and that Ben got her a Little Sebastian (!!!) that he had handmade because he knew that she would love it even though he didn't get the whole Lil Sebastian thing. This episode was awesome, but what is Ben going to do now? Poor Ben.

We went online the second that Li'l Sebastian showed up, and sure enough, NBC was already selling it. So now I have one more thing on my Christmas list, ahem. Also, Leslie's imovie is online. And it's still hilarious.

I just assume Ben will work on her campaign, because HE CANNOT LEAVE. EVER. EVER!

This show is amazing. The minute Chris mentioned his big witness, I knew it was the maintenance guy.

Only Parks and Recreation could make declarations of love via stenographer (who sounds a little like Roz in Monsters Inc) so wonderfully romantic.

SelfAmused wrote:Only Parks and Recreation could make declarations of love via stenographer (who sounds a little like Roz in Monsters Inc) so wonderfully romantic.

Seriously. When Ethel Beavers read Ben's declaration of love, I was a little bummed that we didn't get to hear him say it. But then it totally paid off in the end, and it was hilarious and adorable. I love this show.

I thought having Ethel Beavers read the declarations of love was just the right thing to undercut what could have been too saccharine. This way it got to be not only a perfect romantic gesture for Ben and Leslie but made it funny, too.

FURTHER THOUGHTS, BECAUSE I AM A CRAY CRAY SHIPPER NOW AND THAT IS WHAT WE DO!!

Prior to Beslie, my favorite couple in all of sitcomland was Dave and Lisa on NewsRadio (apparently I really, really like to watch nerdy guys and highly-strung sassy feminists make out). Beslie is like everything great about Dave and Lisa, but funnier! And cuter! And we get to watch their relationship actually develop instead of having most of the adorable early relationship stuff happen offscreen!

I am both excited and terrified about that casting spoiler.

JEAN-RALPHIO!

Genevieve wrote:JEAN-RALPHIO!

I love how he finds new and different ways to make his hair INSANE.

Team Leslie is the greatest team on the planet. I wouldn't want to be the one running against her, that's for damn sure.