Jump to content

Type keyword(s) to search
Celebrating 1,000 NCIS-franchise episodes

S07.E10: The Johnny Karate Super Awesome Musical Explosion Show / S07.E11 Two Funerals

ElectricBoogaloo

By ElectricBoogaloo
in Parks & Recreation [V]

Recommended Posts

Galileo908

Galileo908

Johnny Karate.

 

Well that special was all kinds of awesome. Perd as the announcer was totally perfect. Also, the opening for Burt Macklin, FBI was amazing. I'd totally watch the real show. We should all be lucky to be sent off like Johnny Karate, with Donna singing "Kung Fu Fighting" with Duke Silver accompaniment.

 

So good to see Sir Eddie and Burly again, and the other members of Mouserat. And Champion was there!

 

So yeah, Andy is now a knight and an honorary police officer. And what's the first thing he does with these powers? Arrest John Cena for stealing his guitar.

 

I loved the commercials. That Paunch Burger ad looked almost like a real Hardee's/Carl's Jr. ad until I noticed a dead ant in the cheeseburger. And Ron's ad for the Very Good Construction Company was totally a commercial Ron Swanson would make, awkward silence and everything.

 

"Wamapoke Casino: Taking our money back fro the White Man, one quarter at a time!"

 

 April's all time favorite host is Tom Snyder?

 

...Tom wasn't in this one, either.

 

Two Funerals

 

Garry's finally retiring?! But I really like how having to notarize a new mayor was going to be his last big hurrah. And he's the new mayor! Pawnee could do worse. And you guys were afraid he was gonna die. And really, his inauguration was so sweet and perfect.

 

So we never saw Mayor Gunderson until now...and he dies. And he was played by Bill Murray! That's actually perfect. And Ethel Beavers was his lover. Also perfect.

 

And the second funeral: Ron's barber. Considering Ron's magnificent hair, this was a tremendous loss. But did anyone NOT realize that the two funerals were going to be for characters we never saw before?

 

"The three most important people in a man's life: His barber, his butcher, and his lover. I have lost one of them." Ron is so great at eulogies.

 

Now we know where Tom's been for the last three episodes: In New York. Off-screen.

 

Jean-Ralphio! I was wondering when we'd see the Saperstein clan again. Mona Lisa is still the woooooorrrrrst!

 

I actually liked the parade of potential mayors: Bobby Newport (no shock he doesn't remember the election), Joan Calamezzo (my vote), Dr. Saperstein, The Douche.

 

So yay, Tom finally got engaged! I liked how he realized how low key was the way to go with her, even with Leslie egging him on the entire time. That's everyone now, right? Everyone's paired up.

 

"If you didn't want to be on call 24/7 then you shouldn't have gone into the high-stakes world of banner making!" I wonder if Leslie's on-call binder printer in DC feels the same way towards her.

 

So next week is the end. The real end. I don't know how I'll be able to handle that.

  • Love 10
Link to comment
Tetraneutron

Tetraneutron

I know everyone was complaining about the corny "It's the future" jokes on this show, but I like them. I mean, I wouldn't like them for a whole season but 13 episodes is a perfect length for a victory lap. But I thought the Johnny Karate episode was the first real misfire of the season. Self-indulgence is fine - I loved the parade of wildly inappropriate Pawnee citizens for mayor - but the show still has to follow internal logic. We just learned that Ben is RUNNING for CONGRESS. How was it not an issue that there's regular footage of him in a stupid local access show, where someone presses a Boring Buzzer every time he talks? Even worse, how is he not aware his conservative opponent is going to hammer him for receiving an honour that implies loyalty to another nation? Jennifer Barkley must be having multiple aneurysms.

 

Even without thatt, I just didn't think the show was funny. Being self-aware about how dumb your product is doesn't mean it's not still dumb. I noticed the same thing happened to The Office around the same time. All the characters were dialed up to eleven and the stupid ones become too stupid to be believable - while everyone gets these amazing lucrative jobs and opprtunities anyway. Andy has really deteriorated over the last few episodes and it's ignorable when he's a supporting character but not when he's the lead.

  • Love 8
Link to comment
Petunia13

Petunia13

Bill Fucking Murray !!!!

Great to see Bobby Newport again. Don't eer change.

Ad it was a delight seeing my boo Jean Ralphio and he was hilarious. If he had a spinoff I'd watch it. Mona Lisa is still the woooooooooorst !

The ending ceremony gave me feelings.

  • Love 2
Link to comment
portia7

portia7

Thanks for the info on Ron's 3 friends (or whatever he called them). For some reason, I heard: "butcher, barber and liver." I know Ron likes his lagavulin but I couldn't get the "liver" part of his acknowledgement.

  • Love 1
Link to comment
Galileo908

Galileo908

As happy as I was for Jerry, Leslie should have been interim mayor of Pawnee. I know the character has grown over the series, but holding the highest office in Pawnee would have been such a sweet payoff for her. 

Leslie had just gotten the promotion that sent her to DC, it would've been awkward even if it was just for two months. Also, I was expecting April to get it. Turning 30 was what kicked off her arc this season, right?

Link to comment
Petunia13

Petunia13

And all is well - Champion is still alive and being adorable.

I like how he ran up and was standing next to April alert. Then after she hugged him ans he took the scene in he laid down and kicked out. Like "Could be a while. I'll just kick back and relax doing my thing while they blab and applaud and sing or w/e."

Link to comment
Kip Hackman

Kip Hackman

Leslie had just gotten the promotion that sent her to DC, it would've been awkward even if it was just for two months. Also, I was expecting April to get it. Turning 30 was what kicked off her arc this season, right?

 

"Johnny Karate" was pure self indulgence, but I loved it anyway. And this is coming from a guy who hated it when The Office did the same thing ("Threat Level Midnight").

 

One more week. *Sigh*

Link to comment
Janet Snakehole

Janet Snakehole

I thought the interim mayor would be Leslie too, but it would be too obvious and way too momentous and touching of a moment for the lead character of the show when the series is not quite over yet, if that makes sense. Leslie is going to have a big moment in the last episode. Plus, I am just glad that Gary got his real, bonafide moment. Complete with a choir singing KC and Jojo. Not going to lie, I got a little misty.

I had a lot of the feelings during the Johnny Karate show too. Sad that Tom wasn't there, he would have been showy and always got along with Andy. I did always love the Leslie and Andy friendship, so it was cool to see her host most of the show honoring him.

Loved seeing Bobby and everyone else being interviewed for mayor.

Hated Tom proposing, it is just going too far. Seeing him happy with Lucy in the end would have been good enough I think.

Also, on a shallow note, I really noticed Donna/Rhetta's weight loss when she was in the cop uniform. She is looking good!

  • Love 1
Link to comment
Michele

Michele

Leslie had just gotten the promotion that sent her to DC, it would've been awkward even if it was just for two months. Also, I was expecting April to get it. Turning 30 was what kicked off her arc this season, right?

Considering she just got a job that's sending her off to DC, too...it would be rather difficult.

Link to comment
Brandi Maxxxx

Brandi Maxxxx

(edited)

And the second funeral: Ron's barber. Considering Ron's magnificent hair, this was a tremendous loss. But did anyone NOT realize that the two funerals were going to be for characters we never saw before?

We've seen the barber before in "The Banquet".

 

ETA: Did everyone read the legal disclaimer in the Johnny Karate episode? Lots of jokes and callbacks in there (and a call-forward).

Edited by Brandi Maxxxx
  • Love 1
Link to comment
Blakeston

Blakeston

I would have been fine with the self-indulgence of the Johnny Karate episode if it had been funny. Compared to the other episodes of this season, it just wasn't.

 

I liked the second episode a lot, though. Bill Murray!

  • Love 8
Link to comment
scrambled eggs

scrambled eggs

I really loved the Johnny Karate episode. The last scene with everyone (except Tom) on stage made me cry. And giving Andy his own big episode was a nice way to acknowledge how Chris Pratt became the breakout star. Clearly Burt Macklin's middle name is a nod to Jurassic Park. 

 

I need to rewatch Two Funerals, got distracted early on because of Bill Murray! Mike Schur and Amy Poehler had repeatedly said he was the only guy they wanted to play Mayor Gunderson, so to see it happen was just incredible.

 

So happy Garry got a well-deserved honor. But I'm also happy that Ben acknowledged that Ice Town was ultimately good for him. 

  • Love 5
Link to comment
Beach Party

Beach Party

Good episode for Andy's character.  He has come so far from falling in the pit.  April too.  I just can't picture them being happy when living in DC.  Andy will go wherever April goes, and he would stay in Pawnee if she stayed.  I hope they stay.

  • Love 2
Link to comment
stopeslite

stopeslite

I would like for them to wrap things up well for Ron somehow. When they were all talking about how they were moving away, all I could think of was that in a way, it's MorningStar all over again for him. He fell apart the last time he lost all of his friends, and he's about to lose them again. Everyone is moving away except for Tom and Jerry (hey, wait!), and he never really liked either of them. I would assume that this time Leslie takes more care in maintaining her relationship with Ron, but still. Doesn't matter how hard you try, long-distance is never as good as being right there every day. 

  • Love 4
Link to comment
godonlyknows

godonlyknows

(edited)

Who knew Kung-Fu Fighting could be emotional? I really liked the Johnny Karate episode - it was completely ridiculous and stupid and yet still made me laugh and have a few feels. Ben's reaction to being knighted was great. Loved how Pawnee has been shaped by Andy falling in the pit. And Champion's still alive! Though I loved everyone working on the show with Andy, it doesn't really make sense given how split up everyone was at the beginning of the season and that they never spent any time together.

 

I really loved Karate's message of Make Something, Learn Something, Karate Chop Something, Do Something New & Do Something Kind. It's probably better than 90% of actual children's television. Those commercials were both dreadful and amazing. Got a Better off Ted vibe from the merger and those Paunch Burger chilli cheese fries nearly made me throw up. 

 

Of course they got Bill Murray to be the mayor - this show can literally do anything it wants. I liked seeing all the old characters again and LOVED Garry getting to be mayor. His face was just spectacular. Didn't miss Tom and was disappointed with his return. Why do the writers feel the need to have everyone get married to have a happy ending?

 

This show is just so sweet and positive, I love it. 

 

ETA: Ethel Beavers!!

Edited by godonlyknows
  • Love 2
Link to comment
kennyab

kennyab

I would like for them to wrap things up well for Ron somehow. When they were all talking about how they were moving away, all I could think of was that in a way, it's MorningStar all over again for him. He fell apart the last time he lost all of his friends, and he's about to lose them again. Everyone is moving away except for Tom and Jerry (hey, wait!), and he never really liked either of them. I would assume that this time Leslie takes more care in maintaining her relationship with Ron, but still. Doesn't matter how hard you try, long-distance is never as good as being right there every day. 

 

I don't think it'll be as bad for him this time. He moved on and created something new, and that's kind of what the the barber storyline was about. As much as he hates change, he saw by the end that there are new opportunities out there. And I think that after the initial break-up of the Parks department, he's resigned himself to the fact that these people are going to spread out eventually.

  • Love 5
Link to comment
Kanner

Kanner

I just can't express how much I am loving this season.  They are definitely pushing all the right buttons for me.

 

I was signing K-Ci and JoJo's All My Life for at least 2 hours after the show.  90's R & B will live forever.  Perfect for Tom's proposal (even though it ended up being used for Garry).

 

Jean-Ralphio never gets old for me.  I think they used his character just right because he is the type who can suffer from over use.

 

I am usually not a fluff person but it just works on this show.  Happy endings all around.

  • Love 5
Link to comment
kennyab

kennyab

Hated Tom proposing, it is just going too far. Seeing him happy with Lucy in the end would have been good enough I think.

 

But it makes sense more for his character than any other. When we first met Tom, we thought he was a womanizing, cheating cad. It turns out, though, that he was literally hopelessly devoted to his wife. For all his talk, he's always longed for that connection, he just didn't know how to find it -- until he met Lucy, and she told him what a dumbass he was being. It's great that he's successful, but his real character arc was maturing to the point that he was ready for the type of relationship he wanted back at the beginning with Wendy.

  • Love 13
Link to comment
Myrna123

Myrna123

For reasons that can only be attributed to an appalling lack of personal self-interest, I am still watching Glee, which has also been given a limited number of episodes with which to end the series.  The most glaring difference between Glee and Parks and Rec, aside from absolutely every last thing, is that the final episodes of Glee have given TPTB an opportunity to ridicule, deride, and just generally fling contempt upon their ever decreasing audience with an almost astonishing vehemence and bitterness.  So maybe Parks and Rec is overdoing the happy-happy-joy-joy, but to me, it really does read as a love letter to fans--a true recognition of what so many of us have always loved about this silly little show and just happily giving us one last helping of it.  Nothing about it is realistic, but I can't help thinking every week wouldn't it be great if government was full of Leslie Knopes and Ben Wyatts?

  • Love 21
Link to comment
Skittl1321

Skittl1321

(edited)

 

ETA: Did everyone read the legal disclaimer in the Johnny Karate episode? Lots of jokes and callbacks in there (and a call-forward).

I don't have any way to pause my TV, so I was really hoping I'd find it transcribed today :)

Redditt did not let me down.

 

 

The commercials just really made me miss Better Off Ted.  And Johnny Karate was a surprisingly well formatted kids show...

Edited by Skittl1321
  • Love 1
Link to comment
peeayebee

peeayebee

I absolutely LOVED the Johnny Karate Super Awesome Musical Explosion Show -- both the ep and the show within the show. I think I grinned thruout, that is when I wasn't laughing. It reminded me of Pee Wee's Playhouse. Really, I could see this as an actual show.

 

Andy was funny and charming. I love seeing how great he is with kids. I loved his audience cosplaying, esp the one being Professor Smart Brains. Ben was great. Ron was great. Leslie was great. I loved seeing the guy from England again, and I loved how excited Ben got at being knighted.

 

The gag with Leslie and Ben giving Andy a planner and then he instantly lost it was great.

 

Perd! He's the best.

 

The fake commercials were terrific. I'll have to go back and look for the bug in the burger. I'll also have to go back and try to read the disclaimer. The light print makes it difficult so… if someone wants to transcribe it…?

 

Loved the second ep too. The whole ceremony for Garry was OTT in such a wonderful way.

 

The interviews for interum mayor were fun. I didn't mind that Tom and Lucy got engaged. Why not?! Everyone needs to be happy before the end. Ugh. I hate saying that.

 

Bill Murray. Fantastic. Sam Elliott. Yay! I loved Ron giggling as Typhoon trash-talked Euro trash.

 

Ahhhh. What a fun hour.

  • Love 3
Link to comment
TeeVee329

TeeVee329

Awww, the show wanted Bill Murray and they got him!  That's so fantastic!  And revealing that he and Ethel Beavers were lovers was perfection.

 

Ron's "Shit!" reaction to being accosted by Eagleton Ron was everything.

 

I am going to miss this show and the warm hug feeling it gives me after next week.

  • Love 1
Link to comment
liqidclark

liqidclark

Yeah, all the fake commercials were brilliant during the karate episode, especially Paunch Burger. "What's in it? WHO CARES. How many calories? SHUT UP!"

 

Johnny Karate should be real, but I don't know if it would work without Andy. I mean, it is impossible to not love Andy.

Link to comment
stopeslite

stopeslite

I'm still not sure what inspired Leslie to go all out for Garry at the end there - given that she had been doing the same-old putting him entirely down right at the beginning of the episode, what was it that finally made the light bulb go off in her head that she needed to make this a big deal for him and congratulate him for once?

  • Love 2
Link to comment
pennben

pennben

 

I'm still not sure what inspired Leslie to go all out for Garry at the end there

 

The party/balloon ride/all of that was already set up for Tom & Lucy's engagement when Tom decided to blow it off.  So she didn't go to that much trouble other than making the sign and flipping the party over to celebrate Garry. I think it adds a layer to the joke that the big celebration for Garry was never intended to be a celebration for Garry.

  • Love 8
Link to comment
HoodlumSheep

HoodlumSheep

The Johnny Karate episode was so-so. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I wasn't distracted by the fact that it looked like everyone was on the verge of tears? Ben's reaction to being knighted was adorable, and the day-planner switch got a chuckle out of me. Also, Ron's commercial was perfect.

I think the the surprise Interim-Mayor congratulatory party for Garry is now one of my favorite moments. I was laughing so hard at how ridiculous it was, but I suppose Leslie didn't want to waste a good party.

  • Love 3
Link to comment
Dewey Decimate

Dewey Decimate

The first couple eps this season, while very funny, had me a little iffy because they featured Leslie Knope - to me - at her worst: steamrolling, tunnel-vision hard head. So glad they wrapped up the Gryzzyl storyline early, because everything since then has been gold. I love watching Leslie put her manic energy into awesome projects for her friends (and "Tomegranate" was right on par with Tom's bon mots). The conclusion of the series seems to have allowed the writers to throw in everything (and everyone - more Perd, Brandi Maxx, and adorable Bobby Newport) that has been great about the show. This may be the first season I'll buy on DVD, it's so chock full of goodness.

Link to comment
Myrna123

Myrna123

Bobby Newport is such a fantastic tertiary character.  So often, the uber rich guy has to be shown as miserable inside, bereft of depth and contentment, etc. so we peons don't rise up en masse (I don't even WANT to be rich if it means I'd be so unhappy!).

 

In Bobby Newport, we have a character who blissfully acknowledges at every turn how fantastic it is to be rich (and think about it, in Bobby Newport's world EVERYBODY is as rich as he is!  What's not to love about a world like that?!).

  • Love 8
Link to comment
King of Birds

King of Birds

Another random thing I loved was Ben staring at his hands in awe after being knighted. During which, he quoted Game of Thrones, of course.

I saw Ben mumble something and thought "I wonder if that's something GoT" so thanks for the confirm.

 

THANK YOU for the reddit disclaimer! 

From the law offices of Fwar, Dips, Winshares, Gritt, Nelsson, Woba, Eraplus, Zswing, Rângé-Factor, Heart, Babip, Pecota, Vorp, & Eckstein, LLC

They even added more lawyers/ baseball terms in! Love it.

Also:

 

-Using the Company’s telephone for any “crank call” segments to any citizens, including but not limited to: current or former government officials, former classmates, former co-workers, local restaurants, “Lawrence,” “Greg Pikitis,” or any members of the 2001-2017 New England Patriots.

 

Paunch Burger Dinner-for-Breakfast Burger Combos, Paunch Burger Breakfast-for-Dinner Burger Combos, Paunch Burger Breakfast-for-Dinner Pancake Combos, Paunch Burger Lunch-for-Dinner Sandwich Combos, or Paunch Burger Everything-for-Dinner Burrito-Pancake-Taco-Teriyaki-Chicken-Waffle-Nacho-Penne-Arrabiata-Steak Combo Supreme

 

Man. Paunch Burger ... I want to go to there.

  • Love 1
Link to comment
Scott

Scott

ETA: Did everyone read the legal disclaimer in the Johnny Karate episode? Lots of jokes and callbacks in there (and a call-forward).

 

I also paused to check the Pawnee mayoral (not my oral) oath of office that Ben was going to sign.  Nothing too crazy in there, except they repeated a phrase about the Constitution of the United States twice, which I don't understand.

  • Love 1
Link to comment
stopeslite

stopeslite

 

So she didn't go to that much trouble other than making the sign and flipping the party over to celebrate Garry. I think it adds a layer to the joke that the big celebration for Garry was never intended to be a celebration for Garry.

 

Oh, that makes so much sense! Much better explanation in-character.

 

King of Birds - also, somewhere further down in the disclaimer it just says "Greg Pikitis sucks".

  • Love 3
Link to comment
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...