What I’m Watching: Parks and Recreation

Parks and Recreation: Season 5, Episodes 19 and 20 “Article Two” and “Jerry’s Retirement” (B+)

I’ve said it before, and this time is no different. There are few things that I look forward to more than two new episodes of this show on the same night. These two installments also focused on two longstanding, hilarious mythologies of the show: the town of Pawnee and the incomprehensible existence of Jerry. I love that Pawnee still participates in a ritual throwing of “Ted” into the water because of a spelling error in their constitution, and it was great to see new TV guest star MVP Patton Oswalt as Leslie’s episode-long nemesis, who did a formidable job both of outwitting her in terms of colonial living and of filibustering with a magnificent synopsis of his hypothetical seventh “Star Wars” film. Leslie obsessing over Jerry’s retirement was no surprise, and it’s a good thing that Ben knows who Leslie is and is willing to indulge her in her priorities. It’s great that Jerry didn’t actually retire, mainly because it represented Ron actually do something to help someone else, Tom in this case. When he stepped in to try to spare April Chris’ seminar, April was the definite victor in that amusing situation. Ben and Ann’s war over the waffle iron was terrific, highlighted by Ben’s reaction (and Donna’s) to Ann’s lack of knowledge of the “Game of Thrones” universe. Ann and Chris realizing their continued passion for each other during the process of having a baby has been wonderful to watch, and though they have their differences and it may not ultimately work out, I look forward to seeing them go further down this road.