Sunday, October 17, 2010

DVD set to watch

"Oh, Ann. I always forget because you're so pretty you're not used to rejection."

Amy Poehler's Leslie says that to Rashida Jones' Ann on episode 10, season two of the NBC sitcom Parks & Recreation. They've gone on a hunting trip and Leslie wants to hunt with her boss Ron (Nick Offerman) when Ann reminds her that she promised the two of them would hunt together. It's a funny line but it's the interaction between Amy and Rashida that really gets the laughs out of that one.

Parks and Recreation

Season two is the first full season of Parks and Recreation (season one was only six episodes) and it's also when the show really comes into its own. Leslie's plans to fill in the pit and turn it into an empty lot and then a park finally get moving. Ann and Andy (Chris Pratt) remain broken up while Ann takes up with Mark (Paul Schneider) and Andy wonders if April (Aubrey Plaza) is too young for him and Tom (Aziz Ansari) and his wife divorce. Throughout all of this,nd Leslie's efforts throughout the season fall apart as the state sends in auditors to review the city's budget and to shut the city down. In the end, pretty much the whole season was destruction. So much so, in fact, that not only did Mark and Ann break up, not only did Mark quit working for the city, Paul Schneider is gone from the show.

Season two comes out on DVD November 30th and it will probably lead most to wonder: Why the hell isn't Parks and Recreation on already?

NBC decided the thing to do was to hold one of their funniest shows. No, it doesn't make sense.

But Parks and Recreation season two will make you laugh. And prepare you for season three. For example, Megan Mullally rocks the house in "Ron & Tammy" playing Tammy, one of Ron's ex-wives. A librarian who enjoys seeing exactly what she can make a man do, especially her ex-husband Ron. Tammy returns for an episode in season three and it's sure to be one of the highlights.

Another dependable should be the friendship of Leslie and Ann. Some of season two's best episodes revolved around Leslie and Ann such as when Ann instituted a practice date to try to ease Leslie's fears over her upcoming date with a police officer.

Ann: Just ask me the first thing that comes to your head.


Leslie: How big is it?



Ann: Really?


Or when Leslie learns that cuts are coming and Ann has broken it off with Mark, they end up at April's 21st birthday party.

Leslie: Want to get super drunk?


Ann: I really do.



And they really do. Including the funniest moments, when Ann attempts to navigate a straw with her tongue and when Leslie, being 'professional,' insists that the state auditor kiss her hand. The whole season is full of wonderful moments: Andy Samberg guest starring as a park ranger (who has no inside voice), Retta Sirleaf's Donna moving in to kill Leslie after her Mercedes is shot up,

But the show really works best when riffing on Leslie and Ann's friendship and providing a comedy duo in the best tradition of Lucy and Ethel, Laverne and Shirley, Mary and Rhoda, Kate and Allie, and Christine and Barb.
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