Tuesday, October 23, 2012

What I’m Watching: Parks and Recreation


Parks and Recreation: Season 5, Episode 4 “Sex Education” (B+)

There just isn’t any other character like Tom Haverford. In a sense, it’s just Aziz Ansari playing himself, but that makes him even funnier, since he could very much be a real person. His obsession with social media and being online is magnificent, and I enjoyed the judge’s punishment: being cut off from all technology for a week. Going into the woods with Ron was a perfect solution, but, as tends to be the case, he just talked too much for Ron to be able to bear. Suggesting that he speak to Leslie when he has problems in the future was an amusing conclusion to their bonding experience. Recurring characters are the sign of a good show, and it’s great to see the intolerant Marcia Langman again and to meet her equally despicable and highly gay husband Marshall Langman as they protested Leslie’s efforts to stop the spread of STDs among the elderly in Pawnee. As usual, Chris’ peacekeeper role in the situation was amusing, and I liked Ann’s involvement as well, as she got the chance to once again realize that she was allowing her life to be shaped by the men in it. Ben’s discovery that his candidate powers down completely and just stares into space when he doesn’t need to be on led to an entertaining bonding opportunity with April, who, for once, got to side with Ben in mocking someone rather than use him as her target. The best line of the episode came from Donna: “It’s not my favorite shirt, but it is my least favorite shirt.”

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