Much to my joy, Parks and Recreation returned from its winter break tonight and what could be better than introducing a three-legged dog into the cast? "The Comeback Kid" basically centered around Leslie's new campaign, and boy oh boy, it's a train wreck. The episode itself? Not the best I've ever seen, but it did have one scene that had me laughing until tears.
Leslie decides to hire Anne as her campaign manager, despite her total lack of experience. Actually her entire team has no experience at all. In typical Leslie fashion, she approaches this issue with blinding optimism. To reinvigorate the campaign, Knope decides to throw a relaunch rally at the local sports complex, the whole team is involved in getting this going. Ron's constructing the stage, Tom's supplying the red carpet, and Anne attempts to get local celebrity Pistol Pete to dunk ceremoniously in support of Knope. Most importantly, the new cast member I was talking about, Champion, comes in to be the mascot. Who's Champion? He's the three-legged pit bull that April and Andy adopted. I'm praying that we'll see a lot more of him.
Meanwhile, Chris stops by to check on Ben and finds him miserably depressed. Only, Ben doesn't really know that yet. See, Ben is busy perfecting his Calzone recipe (call back) for his new fast food idea- Low Cal Calzone Zone. He's also attempting to make a claymation stop-motion film. Chris is incredibly concerned.
Of course the rally ends up in a giant clusterf*ck: The crew can only get a percentage of the supplies to the sports complex due to trouble in transportation. Pistol Pete has a mental breakdown on Anne. When they do get to the complex they find that it's not a basketball court but an ice rink. But the Knope team rallies and walk out on to the ice with Leslie...this is that awesome scene I was talking to you about. The physical comedy accompanied with the music cues made for such a classic Parks and Recreation moment-- something that is bound to be a part of scores of fan made compilations for as long as this show runs. Which is hopefully forever.
Ben finally has that breakdown and Leslie decides to fire Ann as her manager and hire Ben. So everything works out. I'm kind of hoping that the rest of the season will be a love letter to all the dark horse nominees out there, a story of triumph about our favorite local Parks & Rec representative. Plus, for all my bitching earlier in the season about Ben and Leslie, I just like to see them comfortably together now.
I will say that I wish this episode had a bigger bang or even a little more chaos to get us back into the Parks and Rec spirit. I suppose I just look fondly on episodes when all the characters get drunk. Maybe that could have been the extra spark the episode needed?
SumOlogy: I'm so excited to have my Thursday show back. Leslie Knope Forever.
Grade: 8.5/10
Quotes:
"I tried to make ramen in the coffee pot and I broke everything.' -Andy
"Now be a man and sit on that girl's lap." -Ron to Tom
"I don't want to paint it with a broad brush, but every contractor in the world is a miserable, incompetent thief." -Ron
"Windows are the eyes to the house." -Andy
Anyone else notice the possible nod to Community? In the Pawnee Parks and Rec department they call making a mistake "pulling a Jerry" which is a possible wink to "pulling a Britta."
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