44 replies to this topic

[Thom Wade]

It has been interesting gaging reactions to this season of Parks & Rec. There seems to be dual ideas competing with each other out there. I see people are think this season is continued greatness, and I see another faction that is crying out about how terrible this season is and how out of character everyone is being and that the show jumped the shark and caved to corporate pressures to be more palatable to the masses. Which I find odd, as I don't think P&R had nearly such a challenge in that arena as, say, a show like Community.

[Tyler]

Yeah, there are more storylines this season that I don't like (Entertainment 720, Chris/Jerry/Millie, whatever Andy and Amber are doing) than there have been in other years.

[Ryan H.]

Nezpop, on 04 November 2011 - 07:33 AM, said:

It has been interesting gaging reactions to this season of Parks & Rec. There seems to be dual ideas competing with each other out there. I see people are think this season is continued greatness, and I see another faction that is crying out about how terrible this season is and how out of character everyone is being and that the show jumped the shark and caved to corporate pressures to be more palatable to the masses. Which I find odd, as I don't think P&R had nearly such a challenge in that arena as, say, a show like Community.

I can see why some would grumble. I'm kind of between both groups. For me, the previous season was perfection, and this one is a bit rockier. I don't see it as "caving" to corporate pressures, but it does wade into storylines I'm not particularly fond of (Entertainment 720 being the big culprit here, though the Chris/Jerry/Millie one is getting there), but there is still so much delightful stuff in this season that I feel a little churlish complaining.

[Josh Hurst]

It definitely isn't quite as seamless as last season-- which was, indeed, absolutely perfect-- but the only thing that's really crossed into over cartoonishness for me is Chris-- and as of the last episode, he was a lot better, a lot more human, a lot more like the Chris we know. Really, the Zorp episode struck a perfect tone that reassured me about the show. If this were, say, The Simpsons, the whole town would have joined the Zorp cult, but here the citizens of Pawnee pretty much just laughed it off.

Really, we've had two episodes in a row now that were perfect Parks and Rec, combining hilarity with sweetness and sincerity. Those episodes, combined with the uproarious Ron/Tammy/Tammy episode, are enough to make me think this season is a winner, if an imperfect one, thus far.

[Thom Wade]

Truthfully, I always feel out of step with folks on many shows. When people are complaining, I rarely tend to feel a show is in as dire straights as other internet denizens. Example? I don't hate the current season of the Office. It is flawed, but I don't hate it.

[Josh Hurst]

Last night's episode may have been the funniest ever.

Leslie and Ben going completely ballistic during the Model UN-- all while remaining true to their characters, mind you-- and then Leslie's coalition with the moon... genius.

Anne and Chris's storyline was maybe the funniest Rashida Jones has ever gotten to be, and, like last week, it pulled Chris back from the brink of cartooniness.

Ron walking very fast is always funny.

And Andy trying to buy up all the world's lions... well, gosh.

[Ryan H.]

Josh Hurst, on 11 November 2011 - 07:28 AM, said:

Last night's episode may have been the funniest ever.

It was pretty funny, but, AFAIC, the "Snake Juice" episode still reigns supreme.

Edited by Ryan H., 11 November 2011 - 06:21 PM.

[Tyler]

Tonight's episode was directed by Nicole Holofcener. It was also the worst of the season, except for the last scene.

[Ryan H.]

The worst episode of the season? Wow. Well, I loved tonight's episode, and thought it was stronger than the last few.

[Tyler]

Ryan H., on 17 November 2011 - 09:45 PM, said:

The worst episode of the season? Wow. Well, I loved tonight's episode, and thought it was stronger than the last few.

The "Andy goes to college" plot was annoying (though I think pretty much everything with him is these days), the Tom/Jerry thing didn't do much for me, and while the dragging out the park concept was a nice reversal of the first season's arc, I didn't really like the execution for some reason.

Also, why is Anne still on the show?

[Ryan H.]

The episode won me over with the opening scene, which, as far as I'm concerned, is the funniest opener of the season. And this is coming from a guy who doesn't find Jerry-related jokes all that funny. That put me in a good mood for the rest of the episode, which didn't have any really grand moments, but nevertheless lots of little character bits that had me laughing out loud. I don't mind Andy, and thought the college stuff was funny (Ron's contribution was a big part of the appeal), and was happy to see the big romance finally come to a head. It was nice to see an episode that wasn't burdened by many of the annoying subplots that have carried through some of the preceding episodes.

Tyler, on 17 November 2011 - 10:37 PM, said:

Also, why is Anne still on the show?

She's very extraneous, but I suppose they want Leslie to have a genuine gal pal.

Edited by Ryan H., 17 November 2011 - 10:45 PM.

[Josh Hurst]

Well, I have loved every episode of the season except, perhaps, for the first one-- which was fine, just too plot-heavy. As for this one... I think that, within the context of sitcom romances, the Leslie/Ben one has been handled PERFECTLY thus far, and the payoff in this episode was just incredible.

As for Anne, I love the character and the actress; the problem is just that they haven't given her much to do this season, I think, but I agree that she's important as a sounding board for Leslie, and also loved her post-mortem of her Chris relationship (last week's episode) and her palling around with handyman Ron in the Halloween episode.

Edited by Josh Hurst, 18 November 2011 - 11:34 AM.

[Tyler]

Josh Hurst, on 18 November 2011 - 11:07 AM, said:

her post-mortem of her Christ relationship

[Josh Hurst]

Okay, I admit that was unfortunate. Nothing Freudian about it, though, I assure you.

[Josh Hurst]

Hard to fight back the tears during last night's very moving, and very funny, Christmas episode. "Ron Swanson: Any other damn thing you might need." Just killer!

[Thom Wade]

Yeah, initially, I thought the writers had become uncertain where to take "Leslie Runs for Office", and were just trying to wrap the story up. And then they showed they had a different plan. I like that this allows for reasonable reasons for her to continue her interaction with everyone when she runs.

"Nobody told me we were doing this!"

[Ryan H.]

The last two episodes of the season before the break were stellar. Chris suddenly became a wonderful character once again, and the Leslie/Ben romance went somewhere very satisfying.

Edited by Ryan H., 15 December 2011 - 10:40 PM.

[Josh Hurst]

Ryan H., on 15 December 2011 - 09:46 PM, said:

The last two episodes of the season before the break were stellar. Chris suddenly became a wonderful character once again, and the Leslie/Ben romance went somewhere wonderful.

YES!

The Ben/Leslie romance has become my favorite sitcom romance of all time, I think.

[Ryan H.]

Josh Hurst, on 15 December 2011 - 10:30 PM, said:

The Ben/Leslie romance has become my favorite sitcom romance of all time, I think.

It's mine, for sure.

[Josh Hurst]

You know, I said before that this season has not used Ann very well, but I think her role in the Knope campaign is really bringing out a good side of her-- and certainly, the glare she gave Ron for not remembering her name last night was priceless!

Plus: Pleased with the resolution of the Chris/Milly plot, if only because of a great April scene at the end.