Of all of the Thursday night comedy shows, Parks and Recreation was definitely my favorite tonight. We’re only two episodes into the new season, but I’m amazed at how well Rob Lowe and Adam Scott are fitting in to the cast. Chris is such an over-the-top character, but Parks and Rec is showing the perfect amount of restraint with him, so that when he does come on the screen, everything is funny instead of being ridiculous.
His physical breakdown was pretty amazing, and I’ve got to give props to the makeup department for this episode. They did a really good job making Chris and April look sick, instead of “TV sick.” I could almost smell their sweat through the screen, which I see a quite an achievement. Chris had two great moments in this episode: his robot-like breakdown in the office: “My body is like a microchip. A grain of sand could destroy it. My body’s a microchip,” and the super-intense: “Stop. Pooping.” I believed it more than I’ve ever believed anything before. Rob Lowe did not want to poop anymore.
Leslie’s breakdown, while less realistic, was pretty hilarious. “I can’t go home. I have to get ready for the chamber of secrets.” It was certainly goofy, but the goofiness of it made her eventual triumph that much more amazing. Speaking of amazing, I love when Tom actually shows why he has a job. He should have been fired a billion times and is mostly ineffectual, but every now and again, he pulls a rabbit out of his hat by getting those car dealerships signed on for the festival. Not a bad by-product of a schvitz, which definitely straight-up sounded like he said “shits.”
I also love Ron and Andy becoming buddies. Poor Ron is surrounded by way too much estrogen. He needs someone to play pass plays with and introduce him to new meat delivery systems.
Ron: “I don’t much go for ethnic food.”
Andy: “Trust me. They have one that’s called ‘the meat tornado.’ Literally killed a guy last year.”
Ron: “You had me at meat tornado.”
My favorite part of the entire episode though, was just watching Adam Scott’s face — because he is hot, but also just watching his crush on Leslie grow. They’re not overplaying it, which makes it the most adorable thing in the world. The chicken soup scene? Priceless. As is, “That was … that was Leslie Knope.”
A few of my other favorite parts:
April: “I want another nurse.”
Ann: “Well, there are none. We’re stretched pretty thin right now.”
April: “Then I want a janitor. They can do what you do, right?”
Ann: “Yep. Nurses and janitors are totally interchangeable.”
April: “Except no one dresses up like a janitor when they want to be slutty.”
Clacked by Kona Gallagher 
on Jan 28, 2011 @ 11:30 EST5EDT
I don’t watch the show religiously, but I saw the first episode with Adam Scott and couldn’t help but think there was some chemistry between him and Leslie.