TV Review: Parks and Recreation 4.5, "Meet 'n' Greet"

rating: 3

It was an interesting week for Parks and Recreation. Halloween tricks (and treats) abound for the cast. Halloween always gives the sitcom format a chance to let loose a bit, embrace the spirit of the holiday. Parks and Recreation was able to do that this week without loosing too much of the fairly developed story arcs that have been moving forward all season. In the end, they may have tried to do a bit too much though, and lost a little bit of the connection I always manage to feel towards the show. After Ben moves in with Andy, things get a little rocky. It's exactly like what you might expect when the confounded personalities of April, Andy and Ben all mash together in one living space. On a whim, April and Andy decide to throw a huge party. Oh, and they don't tell Ben about it. Not being able to wrap his juvenile yet genuine mind around why Ben might be mad at him, he decides to try and beat it out of him. Tom throws a big event for Leslie to try and attract some of Pawnee's biggest businesses as campaign contributors, only to end up stealing the show to promote his own company in his own flashy way. Ann and Ron bond on a whole new level to give Andy and April the perfect wedding gift and Jerry watches his daughter suck face with Chris all night. I certainly don't want to say that I didn't like the episode, and there were plenty of great laughs (April flipping over Jerry's Mr. Potato Head smiley face for one) but it was a little bit scattered. There was a lot going on for all of the characters and it was hard for the show to adequately focus on any one of them. Leslie's campaign is a big one, and her final showdown with Tom was a big moment. The same thing for Andy and Ben, who have never really connected on any major level, but finally got a chance to tonight. But both of these got a bit lost in the fray. I knew that there was something that I was having a problem with, but it didn't really become clear to me until Tom shares his personal videography of Leslie. Despite its rather wacky premise, Parks and Recreation always has a way of pulling at my heartstrings during its finest moments. Leslie and Tom have had a long and turbulent relationship and to see this level of expression out of Tom could have been really moving as well as downright hysterical. But since everything was sort of mashed together I didn't feel much at all. I don't want to harp on it too much. It is always really cute to watch Anne connect with Ron and April truly shined. This season has been spectacular for Parks and Recreation and this episode barely slowed down their momentum. Besides, it is Halloween and I'm willing to let them have a little fun with it.