Shut Up It's On

Parks and Recreation is taking us somewhere, somewhere I don’t like. We’re headed for a serious issue episode, Mark and Ann breaking up, April finally admitting to a dumb Andy what’s going on and how he had zero idea/interest. Something is bound to give and that episode? That episode is going to suck. But thankfully, that wasn’t this week.

The Pawnee summer catalog is coming! It’s like the Vogue that never was in Pawnee. Leslie has some great ideas and is excited at the prospect of a lunch she has planned for Ron and all the past, living Parks Directors. Unfortunately, she’s the only one excited for it. Her welcome letter is based on this experience so she is really pushing to make it work, even though at first meeting, these men all hate each other. A very hungry Ron can’t even really explain it, they just do.

Upon interviewing them she finds that they are not at all what she was expecting. One is sexist, that women should not have jobs that make them think too much, not enough blood for the baby center and a brain. Another did it just for the money, and Ron’s predecessor was a pothead that is now on parole. After an afternoon of bickering, Leslie gives up on making this work, forces them to take a picture and they move on. Later at an apology dinner insisted on by Ron (and then Leslie), he explains why these guys aren’t her and that they’ll never grow to hate each other like that. Aww’s all around? No, not yet!

Tom tried to go all Don Draper in explaining his cover shot but no dice, Leslie scratches his ideas. He tricks Mark and Ann into his office to get them to agree for a cover shot, Mark is game but Ann, not so much. Eventually she comes around but her pictures really don’t. Even though Tom isn’t exactly the best director, once they see the photos, the problem really was Ann. She looks incredibly unhappy in all the photos, even the normal ones. Mark certainly notices…

April and Andy are once again together helping Leslie out with her lunch, goofing around and having funsies. Andy invites April out to work on a song he just thought of about (of all things) a picnic. April is stoked to be hanging out with him but once they get to the bar, April is denied since she’s only 20. Andy suddenly loses interest, says he should be going home and April pretends to not be hurt.

When the summer catalog comes in, guess who makes the cover? A candid April and Andy shot from the picnic. Now you can aww! I did at least. We get Leslie’s fake letter as a voice over reminding us that there is one thing that will help you out in the end, friendship.

A few things to ask yourself while toking from a raccoon bong:

You mind if I rock that bad Larry on my dome?
Can you photoshop your life with better decisions, Jerry?
Why is my cup so tiny?
Can we do a funny face one?
Why would anyone eat anything other than breakfast food?