TV Review: Parks and Recreation 5.18, "Animal Control"
rating: 3.5
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I suppose its ironic that although I consider Parks cast to be one of the strongest comedic ensembles currently on television, the show really has never known what to do with Ann and this season in particular has really dropped the ball when it comes to Andy. In lieu of stronger roles for these characters, Ann typically gets to provide the deadpan contrast to someone elses wackiness and Andy usually serves as the situations plucky moral center. Keeping true to form, in Animal Control Ann got to play the straightwoman to an ailing Ron Swanson (whose answers to a series of standard medical questions may be the greatest moment in the history of masculinity since the birth of Ernest Hemmingway), and Andy served as not only the golden heart, but the rebel fist to an especially unruly Dennis Feinstein (the scent artist), courted for Bens Sweetums charity. Though it would have been nice to see either of these plots, or Leslies effort to revamp the Animal Control department, take on a sense of greater significance, each made me laugh enough not to care. Seriously, by all objective standards Parks is growing stale without any real stakes on the line. Last season was positively marred in tension surrounding Leslies political campaign and her and Bens relationship. Coming off that excellent run of episodes into the fifth season in which some long-distance drama between Leslie and Ben has given way to their adorable but toothless wedding and Andys sputtering career trajectory has been disappointing. However, the series writers are so familiar with their dense community and characters as well as how to effectively use them that Ive barely noticed that disappointment. Ive always been a die-hard fan of The (American) Office, but even the most strident fan will admit the series started showing signs of aging as early as the fourth season and will be hard-pressed to convincingly argue against those signs of exhaustion outweighing the humor by the sixth season. Parks and Recreation, however, has kept me laughing. Do I really care that weve lost Harris and Brett to see their department absorbed by the Parks department under Aprils supervision? Nope, but did I love hearing April refer to herself as half wolf? Yup! Will I in any way feel anything even resembling an emotion if Bens Sweetums charity doesnt do well? I sincerely doubt it, but learning that Feinstein definitely finds hunting doped up foxes (and probably people) highly erotic, and seeing Andy call him a straight-up dick for writing a check for $25,000 to Go F--- Yourself was entertaining enough. I didnt think for a second that Rons health was in jeopardy, but watching him try to eat a banana was absolutely brilliant. Im sure I should be harder on this show, but until I stop laughing with it Im probably not going to be moved to condemn its lack of pathos. And now, the Ron Swanson Guide to Perfect Health -- How many alcoholic beverages do you consume per week? One shelf. Do you get any exercise? Yes, love-making and wood-working. Does your family have a history of mental illness?My uncle does yoga. Any allergies? Cowardice and weak-willed men...and hazelnuts. Sexual history? Epic and private.