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S07.E08: Ms. Ludgate-Dwyer Goes to Washington / S07.E09: Pie-Mary

Tara Ariano

By Tara Ariano
in Parks & Recreation [V]

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Tara Ariano

Tara Ariano

April ponders her future while visiting Washington, D.C., on business with Leslie. Back in Pawnee, Andy tries to find his wife the perfect job.

 

Leslie and Ben come under scrutiny for participating in an old Pawnee tradition; April and Ron go on a scavenger hunt; and Donna and Garry take a stroll down memory lane.
Galileo908

Galileo908

Ms. Ludgate-Dwyer Goes to Washington

 

I love Madeline Albright as New Ann. Of course she was steamrolled by Leslie to be her friend, and had to give her the "Don't steamroll" advice Ann gave before. So like I said, New Ann is perfect.

 

I don't know who else follows politics, but having Cory Booker and Orrin Hatch in a political-themed Polynesian folk band together is all kinds of silly.

 

"Historic Lamposts of DC, walking tour starts in 15 minutes!" I also love how Leslie has a binder maker on call on DC.

 

Loved seeing the accountants who love Ben again, didn't think we'd see them again. Having Ben to turn down ANOTHER job for them was heartbreaking...but at least it was April's job this time.

 

Pie-Mary

 

"The Feminine Mesquite" Leslie's Progressive Women's Rights Cookbook.

 

...Ben wanted to make a calzone for the Pie-Mary. Of course he did.

 

It was weird, yet awesome to see Ron so gung ho for the quest for his key.

 

Don't know what was better, Women Against Feminism or the MRA (played by Chris Gethard) wanting men to talk about Feminism for once. Of course we also got the triumphant return of Brandi Maxxx (not to be confused with the poster of the same name. Right?)

 

Donna and Jerry/Garry bonding was really sweet. Sure, Jerry screws up (he dropped his phone down the drain. The phone was clearly bigger than the drain), but Donna helping out Jerry/Garry was a great thing to see. It seems Donna is returning the favor again after giving Garry his name back.

 

Leslie and Ben's speech at the end? I have no words, that was completely great. And Ben wins Woman of The Year for it? Fantastic capper.

  • Love 8
Kanner

Kanner

They are hitting all the right notes. This show is definitely going out on a high note.

Ron's secrecy about his brothers.

The accountants and eventually turning down the job.

Ron's love of scavenger hunts.

The special "bond" between Garry and Donna.

The woman of the year award.

The ex-animal control guys.

CALZONES!

I can keep on going on.

  • Love 8
Conan Troutman

Conan Troutman

(edited)

Another perfect one. Wow.

 

"50 shaved old gays" still has me in stitches (no fanfiction here, please...). The scavenger hunt (I knew it had to be stellar and I wasn't disappointed)! All those callbacks were pure gold! Especially those to the accountant firm, totally forgot about them.

 

ETA: "Highway to the Calzone Zone". Need more muscles in cheeks to handle all of this.

Edited by Conan Troutman
  • Love 3
Beach Party

Beach Party

(edited)

Of course Leslie gets offered a DC position.  Because a happy series ending wouldn't separate Ben and Leslie.  And they get the best of both worlds: Split their time together between Washington and Pawnee. Guess that means the writers will have Ben win the election.  Doubt that's even speculation now!

 

However, it was a big shock to me that April is planning to leave Pawnee.  Plus I feel that job in DC is not her true calling. Oh well.  Good news: Due to Tom's negotiations, now Andy can take his character to a major TV market and eventually worldwide.

Edited by Beach Party
  • Love 2
scrambled eggs

scrambled eggs

I was halfway through Pie-Mary before I realized Tom wasn't in either episode. I wonder where Aziz was.

 

Poor Barney, Ben giveth and Ben taketh away. Maybe one of the triplets can work for him in 20 years. 

 

Ron having brothers that no one knew about is fantastic--and Nick Offerman's brother played Lon (that was the name, right?) Swanson. 

 

Can we have a movie in a couple of years, showing everyone's lives in D.C.?

  • Love 3
kennyab

kennyab

(edited)

Can we have a movie in a couple of years, showing everyone's lives in D.C.?

 

Yes. I've been thinking lately that with the changes in media and distribution that are happening, shows don't necessarily ever have to truly die. And to me, this is a great example of a show they could revisit over time. They're always going to be able to explore the social and political issues of the day through the lens of the ParksVerse. Kind of like what they're doing here, with more compressed character beats and a sharper focus on commentary-based humor. Honestly, I think this is the funniest and smartest the show has been in quite a while, and I could easily see revisiting the universe every so often via a movie or mini on Netflix/Hulu/platform of the day.

 

PS: It's awesome to see them getting to revisit everyone, like the Langmans and the accountants in this victory lap.

Edited by kennyab
  • Love 3
jacksgirl

jacksgirl

So much love for this show. Pi-Mary was such a throwback to old seasons (in a good way). Leslie being rational, crazy Pawnee townspeople being totally bass-ackward. I do remember Hilary Clinton in a chocolate chip cookie making contest years ago while Bill was a candidate- at least I think I do- do they still do that nonsense? I guessed they would somehow get Ben's love of calzones in there somehow.

 

Parks has been the show that quietly snuck up on me with witty writing and the loveable and colorful characters who show a lot more depth than other comedies.  I am not ready to say goodbye, but it has been so fun.

  • Love 4
stopeslite

stopeslite

(edited)

I was quite surprised that Leslie said yes to the promotion so quickly, without saying she had to talk to Ben, without saying she would be sad to leave Pawnee. It felt off. 

 

Katherine Hahn triumphantly yelling "PONCHO!" while brandishing the stain on it was the funniest moment. 

 

This show has done something amazing- last night's episode was chock-full of political cameos, and nobody has even mentioned it yet because we're all "Yeah, Parks, of course they can get politicians to agree to be in it, that's just what they do. No biggie."

 

ALSO: they really knocked the MRAs, no subtlety there. Wonder if the online MRA contingent will start attacking P&R people, or if it's too big for them to try to bully.

Edited by stopeslite
  • Love 4
DrSpaceman

DrSpaceman

I do love the show and I am really enjoying this season

 

They seem to be giving every character a happy ending with a bow on top though, its getting a bit over the top. 

 

Ron has his successful building company

 

Tom has his restaurant and dream woman

 

Even April, just walks in and gets a job in DC?  I am sure even at that job there are many people more qualified than her. 

 

Leslie gets to move to Washington for a high level government job, Ben as a represenative

 

Still enjoyable, but the season if playing out like "unbelievably happy endings all around!"

  • Love 6
Myrna123

Myrna123

Still enjoyable, but the season if playing out like "unbelievably happy endings all around!"

This is absolutely true, but I have such tremendous, over-the-top, silly affection for everyone that I don't even mind one little bit.  It wouldn't work mid-series, but I want the happily-ever-afters for this ridiculous group of people.  Or should I say for this group of ridiculous people!

  • Love 11
godonlyknows

godonlyknows

This show just keeps hitting it out of the park. Another couple of great episodes. I loved the Jerry (sorry, Garry) and Donna scenes and I always enjoy anything to do with Barney or Jenn Barkely. PONCHO! So another one of the triplets is called Stephen and reading online it seems the other boy is called Wesley. I honestly didn't miss Tom or even realise he was missing until someone else pointed it out. Can't believe we've only got two weeks left.

 

Now my brain is in nitpicking mode while also suffering from a dreadful memory. Was Ron's house a different one to the one he gifted April several years ago? Is April really going to move to DC after having just bought a house in Pawnee? Surely she could be a career councillor somewhere closer? Or is the company magically going to open a new branch in Indiana?

 

This show's done a great job of bringing back all the side characters. Who else is left that hasn't popped up this year? Burly? April's gay Ben? And we've still got Ann, Chris & Bobby Newport to look forward too. If this show continues like the past few episodes, it's going to be an amazing finale. I'm already preparing to cry. A lot.

  • Love 1
Brandi Maxxxx

Brandi Maxxxx

Pie-Mary was the better of the two episodes, the highlights being Ben winning Woman of the Year and the Garry/Donna subplot.

 

Trivial things I feel the need to point out:

Ron has mentioned his brothers before but not to Ben or Andy (that I can recall).

"New Moon" was released in November 2009. It's entirely plausible that Donna saw it for the 7th time shortly after April became Ron's assistant in January 2010.

Steven is presumably named after Ben's father.

 

godonlyknows, Ron gave April one of his four - I mean two - cabins. Burly is on Johnny Karate's show.

  • Love 3
kennyab

kennyab

Even April, just walks in and gets a job in DC?  I am sure even at that job there are many people more qualified than her. 

 

This, to me, is the most believable. Because she's hitched her career to Leslie at this point (or rather, Leslie hitched April's career to her own), April has a killer resume. In a fairly brief span of time, she went from an intern to assistant to city manager to working on a (successful?) congressional campaign to assistant director of a regional National Parks Service office. She's made hella political connections in DC. That type of upward mobility would shine in a career-services-oriented job.

  • Love 6
peeayebee

peeayebee

These were so much fun. I know everything is being wrapped up in a pretty bow, but I don't care. Happy endings for everyone!

 

I absolutely LOVED seeing Barney and the accountants again. That actor is soooo great. His excitement at seeing Ben again, and then his thrilled reactions to Ben's accounting jokes were just wonderful.

 

I also loved seeing Ron in full puzzle-solving mode. Love his excitement, like when Donna said that April had been to the dentist, he turns to April and exclaims, "The teeth! They're yours!" So funny when he waved off his other two brothers.

 

All the stuff with the men's groups and women's groups and reporters were great.

 

My one complaint is that Andy seems to be extra stupid this season. I've always found his dumbness endearing and hilarious, but someone it's not quite working for me now.

  • Love 3
Traveller519

Traveller519

When they went looking for the shoe shine stand I was really hoping Kyle was going to show up, but the Animal Control guys were a nice consolation. 

 

As for future drop byes, we still haven't seen Jean-Ralphio or Mona Lisa, and both Ben Schwartz and Jenny Slate were interviewed in the Behind the Scenes pieces. Maybe they were off with Tom, wherever he was this episode. 

 

The accountants were great. The one that doesn't like Tom didn't have any lines, but his disapproving face spoke volumes when they showed up. Also, as an accountant myself, I can say there are those among our ranks that would absolutely die at Ben's jokes.

 

"Ben Who? Wyatt? Well, we had a good run, but he's dead to me now."

  • Love 3
stopeslite

stopeslite

 

That actor is soooo great. His excitement at seeing Ben again, and then his thrilled reactions to Ben's accounting jokes were just wonderful.

 And even better was having Ron and Andy there to witness it. It was kind of like that moment when Leslie went to Garry's house and saw how he was being treated completely differently there.

  • Love 6
VCRTracking

VCRTracking

Loved Ron's brothers, April's Alf resume, Andy's "Good Will Hunting" scenario, Donna and Craig's fistbump over Mary J. Blige, Ben thinking pies are bigger calzones, the poncho, giddy Ron on a scavenger hunt, the return of Brandi Maxxx, and Leslie telling the "Male Men"(MRAs) they're ridiculous.

  • Love 5
Beezel

Beezel

(edited)

Glad April has found her weird dream job, so we can move on from that whole storyline. I don't mind if April has a happy ending, I just found it boring. Especially since we've already established working with animals was something she had a passion for. I feel like that suited her personality much better.

 

"Pie-Mary" was one of the funniest episode of the season with some great call backs. Brandi Maxx! Also, I loved the stoners from animal control living in the basement. Plus, it led to us to Councilman Milton sporting his new hair piece!

 

And Ben wins Woman of The Year for it?

 

 Loved Leslie's reaction. 

 

The Garry/Donna stuff served as a sweet little side plot. I love that Donna seems to have some strange fascination with Garry's behavior. Kind of reminds me the time she was memorized by his productivity as he was sealing envelopes and she cancelled her bath with the fireman just to watch him work. Plus, I liked that she genuinely seems to appreciate him despite how different they are. I was pleasantly surprised. I figured after "Donna and Joe," it would be back to business as usual for Garry's character as the butt of the jokes. And I suppose his vanilla lifestyle was still a joke, but it was much more good natured. 

Edited by Beezel
  • Love 3
LiveFromKevin

LiveFromKevin

(edited)

I thought these two episodes were both disappointing.

 

IMO, the first one was actively bad. I feel like April's been on this arc for at least three seasons, and Leslie having laid out a plan without her input seems like it's been covered before too. And I don't buy that April has one meeting and has found her dream job. Didn't she think that with vet school? Wasn't she excited about taking over Animal Control? The B-plot was even worse, because Ben and Ron are doing the exact thing Leslie's doing for April (cherry-picking a career path without even consulting her), but for some reason the show treats it like they're "helping her" just because it's a non-government job (or for some equally vague reason). And really? Consulting for an accounting firm? Ron and Ben know April better than to think that's something she'd want to do. I'm not even discussing Andy because it really feels like the writers aren't even trying with him anymore. That fireworks thing was a Michael Scott joke, not Andy Dwyer.

 

"Pie-Marry" was a lot better, but still not great. The April/Ron/Andy plot was pretty dumb, I think it relies so much on character ticks that used to be funny, but now seem over-played. Specifically, Ron's childlike glee used to be a rare and glorious thing when it showed up, and it seemed far too easy just to re-hash an old scavenger hunt plot. Ditto April acting sweet; it feels like she has a Hallmark moment every episode now, and that's far too much. We need a couple episodes of her being terrible to Garry and the presumably-returning Jean-Ralphio and Ann to balance this out. Thankfully, the Ben and Leslie plot was much better. Stupid problem with small government tradition + clever fix + it all goes wrong = classic Parks and Rec formula. The (depressingly real and equally ridiculous) MRA movement was skewered with some very clever lines ("so you're saying he was asking for it because of how he was dressed" and "men have had a very rough go of it for...just recently" come to mind), and the press conference at the end hit all the right notes without being too sappy. Plus throw away lines like The Feminine Mesquite and 50 Shaved Old Gays will never not be funny. The tag with Leslie getting passed over as IOW Woman of the Year by a man again was a brilliant callback that seemed earned, not forced.

 

The Donna and Garry plot kind of epitomizes the problem I have with this show sometimes. It was cute, it was sweet, but it really wasn't that funny. This show used to be really funny, but could pull off cute and sweet when it wanted to. Lately it seems like cute and sweet is the only thing this show wants to do. Like when you happen to catch an episode of Friends or Cheers in syndication, you don't want it to be the finale, you just want to sit and laugh. I feel like Parks and Rec has been on a victory lap/farewell tour for far too long.

Edited by LiveFromKevin
  • Love 8
thuganomics85

thuganomics85

It was fun seeing more famailar faces again like the Langmans, Brandi Maxxx, the animal control guys and, best of all, Barney and the accountants!  Those guys and Ben are just the best, and I loved how annoyed Ron was and how confused/freaked out Andy was around them.  I'm glad that everyone seems to be getting a final scene before the show goes for good.

 

I enjoyed both episodes, but I preferred the second one.  I do think the job April decided on made sense for her (even if was very easy, it seems), it was obvious that Leslie was going to freak out, but come around in the end.  I do enjoy the Leslie/April relationship as a whole, but it just felt like I've seen this side played out several times.  I did get a kick out of the politician cameos: Madeleine Albright as Leslie's forced BFF was great.  I really wanted to hear Cory Booker and Orrin Hatch's Polynesian folk band.  And, I still find John McCain to actually have decent comedic timing, even if I kind don't like him all that much in real life.

 

The second one though, I kind of loved.  Nothing will top Leslie rightfully slamming the MRA group and how the episode mocked them in general.  Also loved Jennifer and her continued disgust over the kids (PONCHO!)  The treasure hunt with Ron/April/Andy was fun.  I always liked the Ron/April partnership.  And I got a kicked out of how happy Andy was hearing all the stuff April said about him back then.  And, the Donna/Garry scenes.  It actually really worked for me.

 

I did notice Tom's absent; I wonder if Aziz was busy, or they just didn't want to shoehorn him in.  

 

So, four episodes left, but it will be done in two weeks.  Still kind of crazy how quick this is going.  I do wonder what's left, outside of Ben's campaign.  And who else will be returning?  I'm sure this isn't the end of recognizable faces popping in.

  • Love 1
Traveller519

Traveller519

LivefromKevin raises some good points. It's not the Parks & Rec of seasons 2-5 anymore, but I've kind of come to terms with that. Megan Anram and Joe Mande are writing this season as something of fan(tasy)fic. Chelsea Perretti was one of the more senior writers during the campaign episodes, and those ones had some bite to them. But I'm okay with where they are now. I think most of us would have accepted Season 6's finale as the true finale, this season has been additional fun, but it is giving a happy ending to everyone for what they had to persevere though.

truebluesmoky

truebluesmoky

I'll have to watch it again for the exact quotes, but I laughed the hardest when the woman from the Indiana Organization for Women was at Leslie and Ben's house, and while Leslie was trying to defend participating in the Pie-Mary, Ben came out and made all those "Get in the kitchen and make me some pie" jokes all in a row, including funny voices and gestures.

  • Love 4
Beezel

Beezel

(edited)
I always liked the Ron/April partnership.  And I got a kicked out of how happy Andy was hearing all the stuff April said about him back then.

 

 

I liked Andy's reactions, too. Also that Andy and Ron both highlighted that April's note was her version of sappy. 

 

I do enjoy the Leslie/April relationship as a whole, but it just felt like I've seen this side played out several times.

 

Seriously. The April admitting she likes *insert person*, but hates everyone scene has been done a a few times too many. And I'd like to see her and Leslie bond in a new, interesting way. 

Edited by Beezel
  • Love 1
Corgi-ears

Corgi-ears

 

the first one was actively bad. I feel like April's been on this arc for at least three seasons, and Leslie having laid out a plan without her input seems like it's been covered before too. 

 

At this point it feels like I'm watching a show about members of a cult. Somehow they all seem to believe that April is the Greatest Human Being Ever (actually spoken by Ron, irony-free, because Ron doesn't do irony), likely to lead mankind, or at least the Federal government, to a new promised land. And they have short-term memory loss, too. When Leslie sputters, after April's revelation that she does not like her work, that she cannot believe "this is the first time [she's] hearing it," I'm had to wonder if she's ever watched...her own life, or if she has met April.

  • Love 8
Ms Blue Jay

Ms Blue Jay

Yeah and episodes without Tom?  I thought Tom was my favourite character, yet it took an astute poster here pointing it out to me that he was missing.  Effed up!

 

I liked the episodes definitely, but one was orgasming all over April (I'm sorry) and they were both Tom Fwee :(  (Said in the sad baby voice that Tom does when he doesn't get his way.)

  • Love 2
hincandenza

hincandenza

Everything about the April storyline is TV poison at this point to me; Corgi-ears described it well as almost a cult-like devotion to what is a really bitter, mean, unlikeable person.  Why?  Has April ever done anything on screen but either make people's lives difficult, or just outright show hatred towards them? However, I adore whenever the Accountants come on screen- that guy's raw enthusiasm for the lamest accounting puns gets me every time.  I wish they'd made a more explicit joke at the end about Ben finally feeling how the accounting firm felt all those times he pulled the rug out from under them.

 

The second episode had way more good jokes- but that MRA stuff was just lazy cheap-shot "RadFem" nonsense.  Yeah, there's a set of jokes that will really stand the test of time, since I'm sure we won't have moved on to the next two-minutes of Internet hate target by 2017.  But, outside of that lameness, there were a lot of great lines.  Katherine Hahn's character really shone this week, and some of the great Pawnee idiosyncracies (the Pie-mary, the squash-tossing I think it was?) reminded me of the strong middle seasons, when it wasn't just a fan service final season.  Although for fan service, the Gerry/Donna scenes were pretty awesome.

  • Love 3
AnnaRose

AnnaRose

Everything about the April storyline is TV poison at this point to me; Corgi-ears described it well as almost a cult-like devotion to what is a really bitter, mean, unlikeable person.  Why?  Has April ever done anything on screen but either make people's lives difficult, or just outright show hatred towards them?

 

Yeah, the April-centric first episode put me in such a bad mood, it really ruined the better second episode for me.  I still love this show, but I have grown to truly despise April.  And the more the other characters gush over that hateful bitch, the more I can't stand her.

  • Love 3
tennisgurl

tennisgurl

(edited)

Team Voldemort! 

 

I loved all the Gary/Donna scenes. They were just so sweet. 

 

All the random cameos and reappearances are just awesome. I never expected to see the animal control guys again. And they're doing pretty much what I would expect they would be doing. And Brandi Maxxxx! And you can never have enough Jenn "I do three shots of tequila every time I enter this house" Barkley.  

 

I love how everyone in DC seems to be appreciate, and vaguely fear Leslie and her intense enthusiasm. 

 

Did we really need to have a take down of the MRA guys? I was wondering if they would do something about how Leslie now has to be a political wife, as well as having her own big career, but this wasn't the most interesting way to do it. 

Edited by tennisgurl
  • Love 2
cleo

cleo

 

Everything about the April storyline is TV poison at this point to me; Corgi-ears described it well as almost a cult-like devotion to what is a really bitter, mean, unlikeable person.  Why?  Has April ever done anything on screen but either make people's lives difficult, or just outright show hatred towards them?

 

I agree except April's storylines have always been poison to me. She's not just hateful she's endlessly irritating in the process.

 

And I suppose this is an UO but I really dislike Donna being suddenly nice to Garry. I've always completely hated the way his character was treated and if it's funny I just don't get it. So now at the 11th hour, years after treating him like shit along with everyone else, Donna is suddenly nice for some reason? It just feels like pandering to something, but I don't know know what. I know they're trying to tie up loose ends etc. but what's the story? This group of people treated this guy like shit for years, and one day out of the blue, one of them relented a little bit. Aw isn't that sweet. What a great story. I hate it.  

  • Love 2
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