Review: Parks and Recreation ‘Two Parties’ – Our Sluts Are Downright Filthy

What’s always impressed me about Parks and Recreation over the years is the show’s ability to evolve its characters and develop a narrative within the structure of a half hour comedy. Characters are constantly changing jobs and relationships – and in the last couple seasons, we’ve seen characters like April and Chris enter new phases of their life, maturing and learning from their experiences in Pawnee.  ‘Two Parties’ is a half hour dedicated to the on-screen history of these characters, hilarious and full of reflective moments.

‘Two Parties’ begins as its name suggests: bachelor and bachelorette parties for Leslie and Ben. Of course, they quickly escalate into the usual ridiculousness that is Parks and Rec, as their celebrations take completely different trajectories through the episode. The bachelor party starts out as a boring night with Ben kicking everyone’s ass at some strategy board game (that he’s nationally ranked in, by the way), but turns into five different parties when they all realize they never really had any themselves.

Their half of the episode is chock full of self referential jokes (Tom’s weird club obsession, Ron and meat, Andy’s love of the Colts) and numerous guest stars – Roy Hibbert, Andrew Luck, Newt Gingrich, and Reggie Wayne among them – as their boring night of ‘Board Game Madness’ turned into a celebration of manhood.

There’s meaning to the madness; the different parties show how much these guys – who on other shows, would constantly be competing or undermining each other to comedic effect – have each other’s backs. When Chris doesn’t get to have a party (being the only one in the group to never be married) the guys try to cheer him up with thoughts of fitness loving, vegan women who are waiting somewhere to be his wife.

And what Chris realizes is one of the reasons why I love this show so much: his perception of what he wants in a woman has gotten him nowhere in his life. And as he watches his best friend get married, he’s realizing his approach to love and life might not be the healthiest thing for him. It’s a fantastic moment when Chris talks to the group after getting his Best Man award: as people, a cathartic scene for a guy who’s had a pretty depressing run the last couple seasons.

Leslie’s party naturally parallels Ben’s: their party starts out great with penis hats and candy, but quickly dissolves when Leslie’s newest problems with Lot 48 (formerly known as The Pit) finds her digging out Native American artifacts she threw in it, to try and stop Councilman Jam’s plan to sabotage the Wamapoke Park (being a massive racist, and all). We’ve always known what a honest woman Leslie is, and when she struggles with her decision to come clean, it’s April who provides the voice of reason.

It’s a sneaky move by the writers: two parties designed around the central couple on the show, turn into character studies of every other main character on the show. April’s been growing ever since her and Andy got together, and the woman who faces Leslie shows that she actually gives a shit about what happens in Pawnee and with her friend – something she would’ve merely mocked from a distance a few seasons ago. Like Leslie says, she’s become a “beautiful, wise, and fertile government employee.”

From the molecular mixology of club Essence (Ron: “This is the wrong way to consume alcohol”) to Andy’s super long monologues about his Colts dream and Chris marrying April after his death in a skydiving explosion (which he doesn’t really die in), Parks and Recreation had me in stitches for the entire episode – and does so while still progressing its story and its characters in meaningful ways. Another standout episode of one of TV’s best shows.

Grade: A

Other thoughts/observations:

– Tom’s latest invention: the Jerry snooze button.

– Jam’s orthodontist’s jacket is a hilarious piece of wardrobe.

– I was almost in tears watching Ron raise his whiskey-lotioned hand in the air during the toast, with no idea what to do with it.

– Jerry to Newt: “I wonder if we’re related.” This is why he gets left in Martinsville.

– Tomstradamus says: POTUS in 2018 will be Nick Cannon.

– “Things Magazine said this is going to be the next big thing!”