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Parks and Recollection

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Jul 19, 2022 • 47min

The Bubble (S3E15)

The hilarity is popping in Pawnee, when Rob Lowe and Alan Yang discuss S3E15 of Parks and Recreation! In "The Bubble" Leslie's mom makes a pass at Ben, not knowing that he and Leslie are dating. On today's episode the team share how fun it is to have Chris interacting with all of the parks department, Greg gives insights on his first writing credit, and why it took so long to get Marlene back in an episode! All of this and some surprising data about opening credits. Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall? Send us an email: ParksandRecollectionTownHall@gmail.com Or leave a 30-Second voicemail at: (310) 893-6992  The Parks Department welcomes Ann Perkins to her new office at Pawnee City Hall and fills it with balloons, much to the chagrin of her cranky officemate Stuart. Leslie and Ben are dating, but they are keeping their relationship a secret due to a no-dating policy at work. They are enjoying what Leslie calls "the bubble", or the beginning of a relationship when everything is simple and fun.  The Bubble is threatened when Ben has a meeting with Leslie's mother Marlene Griggs-Knope, a notoriously tough politician in the Pawnee school system, who wants Ben to approve the purchase of four new school buses despite a difficult budget season. Afraid of ruining the bubble, Leslie initially tells Ben she is not related to Marlene. Right before Ben's meeting, however, Leslie admits Marlene is her mother, making him nervous and causing him to capitulate to all of her demands during the meeting. Marlene considers Ben weak, so Leslie becomes determined to prove that he is a tough boss to impress Marlene.  Chris has enacted numerous changes to the Parks Department: he promotes Jerry to Public Relations Director, appoints April as everyone's assistant, places Tom Haverford on the nightmarish fourth floor with Andy as his temporary assistant, and makes Ron sit in the middle of a circular desk after the removal of his office, to force him to interact with people. Ron believes everything will eventually go back to normal as it has with past city managers that implemented changes. However, Donna is concerned that the overly-determined Chris will not do so and demands that Ron talk to him. On the fourth floor, Tom's attempts to charm some of the elderly women, including Ethel Beavers and Muriel into doing his work but fails miserably, as they ignore him and all adore Andy and April.  Leslie trains Ben for his next meeting with her mother. He impresses Marlene so much with his tough negotiation skills that she becomes flirtatious with him. An uncomfortable Ben tells Leslie they should tell her about their relationship, but Leslie does not want to lose the bubble. Fed up, Ben storms into Marlene's office and tells her that he is dating her daughter and asks her to keep it secret. Marlene laughs off the situation and tells Leslie that she approves of Ben.  Ron tells Chris the changes do not play to his staff's strengths and decides to compromise: if Chris returns everything to the way it was, he will remain at/in the desk for another week. Chris complies. Nevertheless, Tom is frustrated with the experience and begins to contemplate leaving his City Hall job to pursue his own entrepreneurial interests.
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Jul 12, 2022 • 52min

Road Trip (S3E14)

Grab your banjo and put on your seatbelts because today Rob Lowe and Alan Yang are watching S3E14 of Parks and Recreation! In "Road Trip" Chris sends Leslie and Ben on a trip to the capital while Tom's new game creates tension between April and Andy. In this episode you'll hear why the rare bonding moment between Ann and April was important, Mike Schur's love of Neutral Milk Hotel and hate for hot fruit, how RoLo's Banjo improv came to be, and why creating a mix CD is a true artform. All of this and a subtle lesson in mainland Mandarin! Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall or do you eat Cheez-its with raisins? Send us an email: ParksandRecollectionTownHall@gmail.com Or leave a 30-Second voicemail at: (310) 893-6992 Leslie still harbors strong romantic feelings for Ben, but cannot date him due to Chris Traeger’s strict policy against workplace dating. Just as Ann suggests to Leslie that she should avoid being alone with Ben, Chris asks Leslie and Ben to drive to Indianapolis to pitch Pawnee as the next host of the Indiana Little League Baseball tournament. Leslie and Ann devise numerous boring conversation topics for the trip to prevent it from becoming romantic. After an awkward drive to Indianapolis, Leslie and Ben speak before the Little League Commission, which seems reluctant to choose Pawnee for the tournament. Ben delivers a heartfelt speech about the town, but also appears to be secretly speaking about his feelings for Leslie. Meanwhile, Tom asks Andy, April, Jerry and Donna to participate in a new game show called Know Ya Boo, that he is hoping to pitch to networks; he admits that it is a rip-off of The Newlywed Game. It quickly becomes clear that Jerry and Donna know much more about each other than the recently married Andy and April. When April reveals her favorite band is Neutral Milk Hotel and not Andy's band Mouse Rat, Andy angrily leaves the game. April and Andy have a big fight which causes him to quit his music. April seeks advice from Ann because, although she dislikes her, Ann previously dated Andy for several years. Ann tells April she has to be supportive of Andy no matter how she feels. The next day, April brings the other members of Mouse Rat to city hall and surprises Andy by singing one of his songs. A thrilled Andy reconciles with April. In a separate C Story, a young girl named Lauren (Alyssa Shafer) asks to interview Ron for her school's field trip assignment to city hall. Ron initially resists, but soon espouses his libertarian beliefs to her. He illustrates the concept of taxes by eating 40 percent of Lauren's lunch, to compare his actions to those of the government. She eagerly accepts his anti-government views. The next day, Lauren's furious mother reveals her daughter's assignment was "Why Government Matters", and that Lauren simply wrote "It doesn't". Ron apologizes, and later tells Lauren she should keep her views on government to herself until she gets older. Ben’s speech clearly impresses both the judges and Leslie, and Pawnee is ultimately selected for the tournament. Leslie reluctantly accepts Ben's invitation to a celebratory dinner that night, where Ben brings up his feelings for her. She slips away to call Ann for advice, and Ann urges Leslie to act on her feelings. Just as Leslie decides to do so, she is surprised to find Chris has arrived at the dinner to congratulate the two personally. He insists they sleep at his home in Indianapolis, ruining their night. The next day, Leslie and Ben run into each other alone and Ben reveals Chris is out for the day. Ben then immediately kisses her, to which Leslie reciprocates, leaving her simultaneously delighted and nervous about their future.
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Jul 5, 2022 • 46min

The Fight (S3E13)

Pawnee is full of clearances and apologies when Rob Lowe and Alan Yang tackle S3E13. In The Fight Tom invites everyone to the Snakehole as he debuts a new drink, and Leslie encourages Ann to apply for a job with the city. On today's episode find out how front loading the B-story helped the slow burn of the A-story, why Janet Snakehole has a Mid-Atlantic accent, and which actors improvised their drunk talking heads. All of this and some interesting talk about agents! Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall? Send us an email: ParksandRecollectionTownHall@gmail.com Or leave a 30-Second voicemail at: (310) 893-6992  Chris Traeger has fired Dennis Cooper, the former health department public relations director, who hung posters around city hall to publicly condemn his adulterous wife. Leslie suggests Ann replace him, but her ulterior motive is to spend more time with her friend. Although reluctant, Ann agrees to attend the job interview—and Leslie provides her with an overwhelming amount of reading material to prepare for it.  Tom encourages the parks department to attend the Snakehole Lounge, for the unveiling of his new alcoholic beverage, Snake Juice—He also requests that they use guerrilla marketing techniques via word of mouth promotion. April shows little interest in attending, until Andy suggests they make a game of it by role-playing as different people at the bar. April pretends to be Janet Snakehole, an aristocratic widow with a dark secret, while Andy poses as his frequent alter-ego, FBI agent Burt Macklin.  That night, at the Snakehole Lounge, Leslie is surprised and annoyed to find Ann partying on the dance floor instead of preparing for the job interview. Ann introduces Leslie to her latest boyfriend, local radio host "The Douche" (Nick Kroll). As Leslie and Ann become increasingly drunk from Snake Juice, Leslie insults Ann's current dating lifestyle. This prompts Ann to insult Leslie for moving too slow with Ben. The fight escalates throughout the night, and Leslie ultimately claims she always has to keep Ann motivated or Ann would not go anywhere. Both declare it best that Ann not work with Leslie after all and they storm off.  The Snake Juice proves delicious and popular with the rest of the parks department employees, all of whom become extremely drunk, with the exception of Donna who is on a juice cleanse. Chris arrives to warn Tom that using government employees to promote his own personal ventures is a breach of ethics. He tells a disappointed Tom that he must sell his shares of the Snakehole Lounge if he wants to keep his job.  The next morning, everyone who drank Snake Juice is extremely hungover except for Ron—and Tom sells his shares the next morning to Jean-Ralphio, but not before Ron tries to convince Chris to let Tom off the government “teat.” Leslie deeply regrets how she treated Ann. Ben visits Ann at her home and asks her to forgive Leslie. Ann, who also regrets the fight, is touched by Ben's gesture and reveals that Leslie likes him. Ann decides to attend the job interview, during which she and Leslie apologize to each other. After a second interview with Chris, Ann is given the job on a part-time basis so she can continue her work as a nurse. April tries to reprise her role of Janet Snakehole and have Andy reprise Burt Macklin, but a hungover Andy claims Burt is dead, but creates Kip Hackman, Burt Macklin's brother. He then vomits onto Kyle's shoes.
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Jun 28, 2022 • 46min

Eagleton (S3E12)

Call your friends and welcome them to Pawnee. Today Rob Lowe and Alan Yang are watching S3E12. In "Eagleton" Leslie is forced to deal with a former beloved colleague-turned bitter enemy when a neighboring town separates a shared park with a fence. On this episode find out how amazing it was to work with Nicole Holofcener, why a trash fight convinced Parker Posey to be in this episode, what in this script made Rashida cry, and why Alan never keeps ice cream in his home! Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall? Send us an email: ParksandRecollectionTownHall@gmail.com Or leave a 30-Second voicemail at: (310) 893-6992  Eagleton, a more prosperous neighboring town of Pawnee, has erected a tall fence in the shared Lafayette Park to keep Pawnee residents at a distance. Leslie’s theory is that it’s the work of Lindsay Carlisle Shay (Parker Posey), The Eagleton equivalent of Leslie. Lindsay is a former Pawnee parks department employee and used to be Leslie's best friend. While dealing with the fence, Leslie also discovers Ron's upcoming birthday, a date he has kept secret for years. Leslie promises a horrified and annoyed Ron that she will throw a surprise party for him. In the standard style of a disorderly public meeting, the citizens of Pawnee call for the fence to be removed. Leslie meets with Lindsay, who refuses to take the fence down and insults Pawnee in the process. Leslie, Tom, and Ben attend a catered Eagleton town meeting inside a country club to plead their case to its citizens. The people of Eagleton are wealthy and civil, but also incredibly condescending. Citing the poor maintenance of Pawnee's side of Lafayette Park, the Eagleton citizens would like the fence to stay up. Leslie reveals to Tom and Ben that she was offered the job of Eagleton parks director five years ago but turned it down. At the time, Leslie and Lindsay both promised to remain in Pawnee. However, Eagleton then offered Lindsay the job and she accepted, turning her back on Pawnee and worse… Leslie. Ron becomes increasingly paranoid of Leslie's birthday party, especially after he overhears April and Andy discuss outrageous plans. When Ron learns what a huge party she threw for Ann’s birthday, he becomes so paranoid that he resorts to sleeping in his office to avoid any potential surprises at home. While this is happening, Leslie seeks revenge against Lindsay by getting her parks employees to throw garbage over the Eagleton side of the fence. When Lindsay arrives to stop it, the two get into a fight amid the garbage bags. The police arrive and arrest both women: Lindsay is jailed in Pawnee, while Leslie is jailed in Eagleton's pristine holding cell.  After Ann bails Leslie out of jail, she tells her that Lindsay built the fence to get a rise out of Leslie, because she is jealous that Leslie was offered the Eagleton job first. Ann suggests that Lindsay should be hit with a baseball bat, which gives Leslie the idea to turn Pawnee's side of Lafayette Park into a wiffle ball field, with the fence serving as the outfield wall. Lindsay is impressed by how fast Leslie turned the fence into something positive, and remembers why she and Leslie joined the parks department in the first place. With their relationship on the mend, the two agree to get a drink together.  Later, Leslie returns to the office to throw Ron's party: she takes him to an empty room with steak, whiskey and his favorite movies waiting for him, and reveals that April and Andy's duties were red herrings. Leslie explains she made a party that he would want and leaves a content Ron alone to enjoy his birthday.
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Jun 21, 2022 • 39min

Jerry's Painting (S3E11)

You never know when inspiration will strike while visiting Pawnee—and today Rob Lowe and Alan Yang are inspired by S3E11 of Parks and Recreation! In "Jerry's Painting" Chris deals with community uproar over Jerry's new painting, and Ben tries to help teach Andy and April responsibility after he moves in with them. On today's episode you'll hear why Ben couldn't just live alone, how it was important for Chris to deliver non-jokes in a humorous way, and how a misbehaving Leslie strengthened the character. All of this and a grammar lesson from Mario! Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall? Send us an email: ParksandRecollectionTownHall@gmail.com Or leave a 30-Second voicemail at: (310) 893-6992  Leslie Knope feels powerless at work because a policy set by Chris Traeger, which forbids workplace romances, is preventing her from dating Ben Wyatt. Meanwhile, now that he is staying in Pawnee permanently, Ben decides to move out of the motel where he has been living. Andy Dwyer and April Ludgate offer him a spare room in their house, since their previous roommate moved out and left the house to them. Although the two have been living by themselves for only a week, the house is a complete mess with no everyday items like plates or utensils available. Ben decides to teach a reluctant Andy and April how to properly live like adults.  Meanwhile, the parks employees attend an art show exhibiting paintings that will later be hung in government buildings. Jerry displays his painting of the fictional topless centaur Greek goddess Diaphena, which looks exactly like Leslie. Jerry explains he subconsciously painted Leslie while thinking about powerful women. Instead of being embarrassed, Leslie feels empowered by the painting. Tom, however, is humiliated because a pot-bellied cherub in the painting shares his likeness. The next day, local conservative activist Marcia Langman (Darlene Hunt) compares the painting to bestiality, deems it unsuitable for a government setting and demands it be destroyed. Leslie goes on the news program Ya Heard? With Perd! to rouse public support for the painting by portraying it as a depiction of a powerful woman. However, she is undermined when reporter Perd Hapley also has on adult film actress Brandi Maxxxx, who defends the painting by comparing it to pornography. Chris convenes a meeting of the Pawnee Public Arts Commission to rule on whether the painting is acceptable. Despite Leslie's eloquent defense, the commission fears the nudity is offensive and decides to destroy it instead of risking public backlash. Leslie retaliates by stealing the painting. After cleaning up around the house, Ben gives Andy and April money to buy common household items. Although they almost waste their money on frivolous items, Andy insists they need to take Ben's advice. April admits she is afraid of growing up because she does not want them to lose their unique personalities, but Andy assures her they will not change.  Chris angrily demands Leslie bring the painting to city hall the next day to be destroyed. When Leslie reluctantly agrees to do so, Jerry expresses disappointment that she would give up so easily. Feeling empowered again, Leslie asks Jerry to quickly paint another, similar painting, only this time with Tom as the centaur. Leslie tells Marcia the new painting is the original one but painted over. With no more nudity in the painting, a frustrated Marcia gives up her quest to have the painting destroyed. Ben later confides to Andy he likes Leslie but is unable to ask her out because of Chris, but Andy tells him if they truly care about each other, then it will eventually happen.
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Jun 14, 2022 • 41min

Soulmates (S3E10)

Grab your food rakes because today Rob Lowe and Alan Yang are swiping right on S3E10! In "Soulmates" Leslie is matched up with Tom on an Internet dating website, while Chris and Ron compete in a hamburger cook-off. On today's episode find out why clarity in comedy helps the audience laugh, how copyright trouble helped make better comedy, and why RoLo loves this episode! All of this and why Danny Glover's love for prop food is rivaled only by Chris Pratt's. Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall? Send us an email: ParksandRecollectionTownHall@gmail.com Or leave a 30-Second voicemail at: (310) 893-6992  Chris enacts a government-wide health initiative in Pawnee, starting by banning red meat from the city hall commissary, much to the displeasure of Ron. He challenges Chris to a burger cook-off to prove red meat is superior to Chris' preferred lean meat, with red meat staying on the menu if Ron wins. Meanwhile, Leslie invites Ben out to dinner, but he turns her down, leaving Leslie confused because she was sure Ben was attracted to her. Ann, who is now dating multiple men after taking Donna's advice to be more adventurous, tells Leslie to join an online dating website called HoosierMate.com and helps set up her profile.  Leslie finds a match that is 98 percent compatible with her – a "soulmate" rating – but is horrified to discover that it is Tom. Additionally, the crude sewage department employee Joe makes a romantic advance toward Leslie, prompting her to launch a "douche-vestigation" to find out why she attracts the wrong type of man. Meanwhile, Chris takes Andy, April, and Ron to a health food market called Grain 'n Simple, where he gathers numerous ingredients for the perfect turkey burger, but Ron is unfazed, simply buying a pound of red meat from his favorite food market, Food and Stuff.  In her investigation, Leslie quickly learns Joe merely hits on any woman as long as she is not elderly. She takes Tom out to lunch to learn more about him. He responds to all of Leslie's questions with his usual chauvinistic answers, annoying her to the point that she admits she took him out because they matched on HoosierMate. A delighted Tom teases Leslie the rest of the day by pretending they are a couple, but she finally silences him by kissing him. Chris notices the kiss and warns Leslie that he has a strict policy against workplace dating.  At the cook-off, Chris prepares his meticulous turkey burgers for the judges: Tom, Donna, Jerry, and Kyle. They all love it, but give much higher praise to Ron's simple hamburger on a bun. Initially surprised, even Chris comes to admit the burger is superior after trying it, so he agrees to reinstate red meat on the commissary menu. Chris later tells Leslie his dating policy has affected others, explaining that he earlier warned Ben not to ask out a co-worker. Leslie realizes that is why Ben rejected her and is glad when Ben asks her to eat in front of her favorite city hall mural. Leslie deletes her profile on HoosierMate, and is relieved to learn that Tom has 26 different profiles on the site to match himself with any type of woman, although the one Leslie matched with was his "nerd" profile. 
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Jun 7, 2022 • 37min

Andy and April's Fancy Party (S3E9)

Today Rob Lowe and Alan Yang are celebrating love in this landmark Parks and Recreation episode! In "Andy and April's Fancy Party" April and Andy's dinner party turns into a surprise wedding. On today's podcast you'll hear why this unwieldy script gave the actors more drive, how airconditioning can be funky on set, the silliness of a rare Donna and Ann B-story, and why Tom Cruise had a tooth removed in The Outsiders. All of this and the first appearance of Orin! Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall? Send us an email: ParksandRecollectionTownHall@gmail.com Or leave a 30-Second voicemail at: (310) 893-6992 The episode begins with Ron horrifying the entire parks department by pretending to pull his own tooth out with a pair of pliers. After everyone flees the conference room, and Tom passes out, Ron admits to camera that it was a prank and that a dentist had removed the tooth the previous day. In the next scene, April and Andy invite everyone to a dinner party to celebrate their one month anniversary, while Ben explains a job offer dilemma to Leslie which could potentially take him away or keep him in Pawnee.At the party, Leslie discovers that Andy and April’s dinner party is actually a surprise wedding.  Leslie spends most of the party trying to dissuade April and Andy; however, Ron believes it is not Leslie's place to interfere with their decision. Tom is thrilled when Andy makes him his best man, but his excitement quickly fades when Andy also asks Ron, Chris, Ben, and Derek to be his "best men". In an effort to “best” the other best men, Tom tries to throw an impromptu bachelor party to set himself apart, but ends up falling short.In a surprisingly touching ceremony, Andy and April officially become husband and wife. With the help of some sturdy advice from Ron, Leslie accepts their decision and realizes that there’s no right way to do things when it comes to love. The ceremony is followed up with equally heartwarming moments of April telling Leslie how much she means to her and Andy makes a speech to the guests, claiming Tom as his "best" best man and explaining that life is short and that he and April simply did what made them happy. Inspired by Andy’s honesty, Leslie asks Ben to stay in Pawnee, and is pleasantly surprised when he reveals that he had already accepted Chris’ offer that would keep him in Pawnee. In a B story, Ann goes to a singles event at a bar where she runs into a very territorial Donna. At first Donna views Ann as competition, but after witnessing Ann’s painfully awkward social skills, Donna takes Ann under her wing and teaches her some player moves. When Ann hears about Andy getting married from Leslie, she feels deflated and wants to leave, but Donna tells Ann to forget her past and enjoy herself in the present, which Ann ends up doing.
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May 31, 2022 • 44min

Camping (S3E8)

Pack your bags because Rob Lowe and Alan Yang are heading to the Disney Ranch to recap S3E8 of Parks and Recreation! In "Camping" Leslie takes the whole department camping in order to brainstorm new ideas. On today's episode find out how this episode mirrored the writer's room retreats, why team building exercises didn't always help build the team, and some insider knowledge on a filming technique called the Texas Switch. Come for the Parks and Rec recap, stay for the NCIS lore! Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall? Send us an email: ParksandRecollectionTownHall@gmail.com Or leave a 30-Second voicemail at: (310) 893-6992  The episode opens with Pawnee’s city manager, Paul, touting the success of the Pawnee harvest festival, then immediately collapsing from a massive heart attack. While Paul recovers from Octuple bypass surgery, Chris is brought back to Pawnee from Indianapolis to fill in as City Manager and tasks Leslie with coming up with some new large-scale revenue producing ideas for Pawnee.  Always up for a challenge, Leslie organizes a mandatory camping trip for the less than enthusiastic Parks Dept to help brainstorm ideas to generate new revenue. Ann tags along in an attempt to avoid an awkward run in with Chris—and Andy decides to join the trip in order to have a romantic getaway with April out in the woods.  Once at the campsite, Tom reveals his audacious camping set-up complete with a large screen TV, fro-yo machine, and of course DJ Roomba. As the group settles in and everyone starts pitching their ideas, Leslie starts to panic and it becomes clear she cannot think of anything that would top the harvest festival. Meanwhile, Andy has set up his love nest in the wrong campsite miles away, forcing him to trek through the wilderness and leaving April miserable and stuck with the rest of the group without Andy.  As night falls, the group sits around the campfire listening to Ron tell ghost stories about government bureaucracy. Chris emerges from the woods during his evening jog and Ann decides to go for a walk with him to clear the air of their recent and confusing breakup. With morale low, everyone decides to scrap the trip and go home, but much to their dismay, due to Tom’s siphoning of electricity from the group’s van for his many Skymall luxury camping amenities, the van’s battery is now dead and they have no way to get home.  Luckily, Jerry remembers seeing a small bed and breakfast down the road. The group hikes to the creepy cat infested Quiet Corn run by a strict old lady named Elsa Clack, where Leslie reveals to Ron that she’s totally blocked. Ron reacts by locking Leslie in her room to get a good night’s sleep. Meanwhile, Andy finally catches up with the group at the inn and recreates his romantic tent setup for a smitten April. After a restful seven hours of sleep, Leslie emerges recharged with a fresh set of new ideas that Chris ends up loving. The episode ends with Ben revealing straight to camera that the bed and breakfast owner Elsa Clack, died the night before shortly after playing the group a song on the piano.
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May 24, 2022 • 49min

Harvest Festival (S3E7)

It's a festival of massive proportion on today's episode, when Rob Lowe and Alan Yang recap S3E7 of Parks and Recreation. In "Harvest Festival" the day before the fest, a local Native American leader places a "curse" on the event because Leslie refuses to give in to his demands. On today's episode find out what happens when the entire town of Pawnee comes together, the origin of Li'l Sebastian, we get to the bottom of the Matchbox 20 / Rachel Ray mystery, and why a drone shot was necessary for worldbuilding. Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall? Send us an email: ParksandRecollectionTownHall@gmail.com Or leave a 30-Second voicemail at: (310) 893-6992  With the Harvest Festival days away, Leslie surprises everyone by booking Li’l Sebastian, a miniature horse and legendary Pawnee celebrity. Everyone is thrilled except Ben, who doesn't understand the fascination. The chief of the local Wamapoke tribe, Ken Hotate (Jonathan Joss), visits the Parks department and requests the Harvest Festival be moved, as it is built upon the site of a Wamapoke massacre. When Leslie explains it is too late, Ken warns them the festival may become cursed, although he privately tells the documentary crew that he knows white people are terrified of curses.  Ann works the Harvest Festival first aid tent, where she confides in Donna that she has not taken the break-up with Chris well. April tells Andy that she loves him, but grows angry when he replies, "Dude, shut up! That is awesomesauce!" Joan Callamezzo arrives to report on the festival and is determined to find a negative story, although she does show excitement over Li'l Sebastian. She initially fails to find a scandal, but then overhears Leslie and Ben discussing the curse. It becomes the focus of her story, especially after Tom tells Leslie that Li'l Sebastian escaped his pen. Tom blames Jerry, although it was entirely Tom's fault.  The Pawnee media swarms the festival to cover the curse, endangering its opening the next day with the bad press, with one reporter likening Ben's past as a failed teen mayor with the curse. Now believing himself to be the curse, Ben leaves the festival. As Leslie reassures the reporters there is no curse, the power generator blows out, leaving the festival dark and stranding most of the parks department on a Ferris wheel. Using the blackout as an excuse, Ann takes Donna's advice to make out with Kiley (Joey Russo), her dumb but attractive patient.  On the Ferris wheel, with April and Andy arguing below him and Tom and Jerry arguing above him, an annoyed Ron clears the air by announcing the obvious: April is mad at Andy for not telling her that he loves her back, and the missing Li'l Sebastian is Tom's fault. Andy tells April that he clearly loves her and they hug, and Tom apologizes to Jerry. Later, everyone spots Li'l Sebastian in the corn maze and they recover him. Leslie learns the power outage was due to television crews plugging into the grid and overloading it. The only replacement generator in Pawnee is at the Wamapoke casino, and Leslie humbly asks Ken to loan it to her in exchange for placing a Wamapoke cultural exhibit near the Harvest Festival entrance. Ken agrees, and during the festival opening the next morning, he performs a meaningless ceremony to remove the fake curse.  People begin to swarm into the festival, and Leslie cheerfully greets them. Ben returns to apologize to Leslie for leaving, admitting that he is not over his past. She reassures him the festival is as much his accomplishment as hers, and even has Ken break Ben's "curse", although Ken's gesture is also completely meaningless. At the end, Ben appears to have been won over by Li'l Sebastian, but admits to the camera crew that he still fails to see the appeal and remains as baffled as ever.
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May 17, 2022 • 48min

Indianapolis (S3E6)

Today we're taking a trip, as Rob Lowe and Alan Yang recap the sixth episode of Parks and Rec's third season! In "Indianapolis" Leslie and Ron journey to Indianapolis to receive a commendation from the state. On today's episode find out why S3E6 could have been the last episode for Chris Traeger, how the Ron Swanson meat meme evolved, how blocking for tv works, and the rare dramatic turn in this episode that raised the stakes! All of this and your host's favorite steakhouses! Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall? Send us an email: ParksandRecollectionTownHall@gmail.com Or leave a 30-Second voicemail at: (310) 893-6992 Leslie and Ron head up to Indianapolis to receive a commendation at the Indiana Statehouse for reestablishing the Pawnee Harvest Festival. On the way, it is clear that Ron has only agreed to come for the opportunity to eat at Charles Mulligan's Steak House. Ann, worried about the state of her and Chris’ relationship, asks Leslie to look for signs of whether Chris is cheating on her while she’s there. Leslie and Ron stop at Chris' apartment to pick him up for dinner, where Leslie discovers a woman's razor and a pink swimming cap in the bathroom. Upon hearing this, Ann decides to drive up to Indianapolis to confront Chris and his cheating ways. Back in Pawnee, Tom convinces the Parks Dept (including a reluctant Ben) to attend Dennis Feinstein’s cologne launch party at the Snakehole Lounge. Tom hopes to pitch his new cologne “Tommy Fresh” to Dennis, but Dennis is disgusted by the scent and tells Tom the cologne industry is not for him. And back in Indianapolis—to Ron's horror, when he, Chris, and Leslie arrive at Charles Mulligan's Steakhouse they discover it has been shut down by the health department. Chris invites everyone back to his place to eat, but to Ron's further horror, Chris has prepared a vegetarian meal. Ann eventually shows up at Chris' apartment and accuses him of cheating. Chris explains he shaves his legs with the lady’s razor for swimming and that the pink shower cap is from his participation in a breast cancer awareness triathlon. More importantly though, Chris tells Ann that they actually broke up over a week ago. Ann realizes that Chris was so positive in how he ended the relationship that she was totally oblivious to the breakup and is completely mortified. At the Snakehole Ben cheers up a down-trodden Tom and tells him not to give up on his dreams, admitting that he considers Tom his friend. Andy and April, now dating and both broke, hold a contest to see how much free stuff they can get at the party. They earn $218 by posing as staff and accepting tips, but end up feeling guilty and put the money in the bartender’s jar at the end of the night. Seeing how distraught Ann is, Leslie decides to let Ron attend the commendation ceremony solo and instead cheers Ann up with embarrassing dating stories of her own as she drives Ann back to Pawnee. They and the rest of the Parks Dept end up at the Snakehole Lounge and Ben begins to realize that he is in fact making friends with the folks at the Parks Dept. As the night winds down, Ben avenges Tom by pouring "Tommy Fresh" all over the inside of Dennis' parked SUV and a starving Ron goes to a diner in Indianapolis and orders all of the eggs and bacon that they have.

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