“I know you said no strippers because they make you sad.” – Parks and Recreation Recap

Parks and Recreation
Season 5, Episode 10: Two Parties
– Posted by Sage

The wedding of the century is almost here, and the girls and guys of Pawnee are sending their friends Leslie and Ben into marriage with style. Well, they’re trying to, anyway.

Maid of Honor and beautiful nurse, Ann Perkins, has bought up all the penis-shaped novelties in three towns. She booked Babe Lincoln, professional historical stripper. But planning a party in honor of the ultimate planner is completely stressing her out.  Meanwhile Chris Traeger, literally the Best Man anyone has ever had, is supporting Ben’s choice to have a beer and boardgames bachelor party. And maybe some Homeland on the DVR, if we have enough time.

**Head canon sidenote: before coming to Pawnee, I don’t think that Ben Wyatt would have called Chris Traeger his best friend. Old Ben drew a line between work and his personal life, and Chris’s status as his coworker would have trumped any familiar relationship they had. Also, thanks to Pawnee and Leslie, Ben’s come to appreciate the unique weirdness in everyone he meets. Thus, the coworkers become true bros. Head canon sidenote complete.**

But the boys can’t compete with a nationally ranked Settlers player and Tom Haverford isn’t going to let Jello Shot’s night go down like that. Andy, Ben, Chris, Ron, Tom, and Jerry move the festivities to Essence, Eagleton’s new “molecular mixology” bar, where Ron is served his drink via a whiskey-infused lotion hand massage. Turns out, none of the married or formerly married among them ever had a true bachelor party. So, new plan: this night is now about all of them, and each bachelor boy gets to pick one thing they want to do.

Female friendships often take center stage on Parks, so it was a complete joy to watch the boys bonding in this one. Again, Parks avoids the worst of tired and sexist sitcom tropes: These bachelor parties are about the guys celebrating their friends, not mourning their single lives. Tom gets his vaporized drinks. Andy gets to catch a touchdown pass thrown by the Colts’ Andrew Luck. Jerry gets a couple of ice cream cones and called by his actual name. And, of course, Ron gets a steak. With a rasher of bacon on the side. Chris is thrilled just to be the facilitator, but Ben wants to find some way besides a Best Man trophy to thank our lonely fitness guru.  Then Pawnee reporter extraordinaire/former hole in the Beslie ship Shauna Mulwae-Tweep shows up, wanting to do a story on the rotating bachelor party. Ben hardly thinks it’s news, but Shauna disagrees. She thinks that people want to read about “a group of good friends, having fun, doing nice things for each other” and that she wants to write about it. (Ahem – practically Parks and Rec‘s reason to exist and brighten up our sad, desperate lives.) A light comes on in Ben’s mind, and he takes Shauna to Chris’s office to get the story – over lunch.

Let’s be real: this episode was all about the boys. I was disappointed with the girls’ storyline, mostly because my hopes for the return of my personal hero Drunk!Leslie were foiled. Of course it’s in character for Leslie to let work ruin her bachelorette party, but her lack of concern for Ann and the rest of her ladyfriends was a reversion to the Steamroller!Leslie of seasons past. None of them want to see another Paunch Burger location in old pit surely, but was it really worth digging Wamapoke artifacts out of the dirt in the middle of the night using penis hats for shovels? Just…Ann worked SO hard! And, sue me, I wanted the girls to have a little fun. On the bright side, now that this story has happened, hopefully the writers won’t let any Pawnee business get in the way of Ben and Leslie’s actual wedding. DON’T YOU DARE TAKE THIS AWAY FROM ME, SCHUR. I NEED THIS.

Random Thoughts/B-Stories:

• The accidental murder/blood oath bachelorette party April imagined is probably what Donna’s will actually look like.
• I’m always tickled by Leslie’s wide-eyed admiration of Ken Hotate’s ability to guilt and generally fuck with white people.

• “Boop. That’s me hitting the snooze button. Don’t talk again for another 10 minutes.”
• Ben, trying to solve the mystery of Jerry and Gail: “Did your father witness her father committing a crime?”
• There’s one moment in every Parks episode when I ask myself how anything so wonderful can even exist. In this one, it was the “Shoop” car singalong.
• I’m no fan of Newt Gingrich, but the fact that this show seems to have supporters on both sides of the aisle gives me hope. Naturally, making a cameo is self-serving to a degree. But Parks has always valued public service over politics and when powerful people to appear on the show, they’re endorsing that message.
• This week in Chris Pratt, You Wonderful Genius You: Andy’s incredible daydream revenge fantasy monologue.

But really, what this all means is that we’re getting closer to the wedding. And when I see Leslie Knope in a white dress, I will dissolve into a puddle of fandom tears and die. So, it’s been nice knowing all of you, please make sure someone takes over my recaps.

Posted by Head Over Feels in Comedy, Parks and Recreation, Recap, Sage's Post, Television Tags: Adam Scott, Amy Poehler, Andy Dwyer, April Ludgate, Aubrey Plaza, Aziz Ansari, Ben Wyatt, Chris Pratt, Chris Traeger, Donna Meagle, Jerry Gergich, Jim O'Heir, Leslie Knope, Nick Offerman, Parks and Rec, Parks and Rec Recap, Parks and Recreation, Parks and Recreation Recap, Rashida Jones, Retta, Rob Lowe, Ron Swanson, Tom Haverford, Two Parties