Review: Parks and Recreation - Hunting Trip
(S02E10) This episode is nice, because Leslie finally gets what she's wanted since the very beginning of the series: to be one of the guys. I know I talk about this a lot, but it's just because the writers have done such an exceptional job: I love how Leslie is actually competent in some areas, instead of being the bumbling fool they wrote her as at the beginning of the first season. When she says she's an excellent hunter, it's not just self-delusion: she's actually an excellent hunter. Well, we really don't see enough to determine whether or not she's "excellent," but she totally bagged a quail on her first try and she didn't shoot Ron in the head, so she's at least pretty good compared to the rest of her hunting party.
This week's episode, along with last week's, are among the few that manage to make pretty good use of all of the characters. Oftentimes, Donna and Jerry especially are left out, but here, they each had some funny moments, with Donna tackling Leslie and Jerry finally being able to pee standing up. I could have used a little more Tom, but that's really the case during any episode: Aziz Ansari never fails to completely crack me up.
Here's the funny thing about April and Andy (besides the array of hickeys he ended up with): I'm sure no one ever thought, now that's a pair that needs to get together. However, when they were practicing their spit-takes and throwing the football around, they displayed more chemistry and sexual tension than Mark and Anne have all season. Yes, it's a weird pairing, but they're weird people. It totally works for me.
I do like how Parks and Rec doesn't feel the need to inundate us with relationship storylines all the time, and I appreciate how they just continue to grow in the background. However, they've got to do something with Mark and Anne soon, don't they? With Mark and Leslie's history, as well as Ann and Andy's, I feel as though this has to come into play more, but so far, they are the most boring couple ever invented. I see absolutely no point to the relationship, and in fact, if you haven't seen the episode where they got together, there's almost nothing in their interactions that would indicate that they are even more than casual acquaintances. I just really don't see the point.
However, here's something I do see the point of: Leslie's explanations to the park ranger of why she shot Ron in the head:
"I got that tunnel vision that girls get."
"I let my emotions get the best of me."
"I cared too much, I guess."
"I was thinking with my ladyparts."
"I was walking and it felt icky."
"I thought there was gonna be chocolate."
"I don't even remember!"
"I'm wearing a new bra, and it closes in the front, so it popped open and it threw me off."
"All I wanna do is have babies!"
"I'm just going through a thing right now."
"I guess when my life is incomplete, I wanna just shoot someone."
"This would not happen if I had a penis!"
"Bitches be crazy."
"I'm good at tolerating pain; I'm bad at math, and... I'm stupid."
Fact: I now have a list of excuses for everything. Thanks, Leslie!

4 Comments