i don't know about you guys, but for me, this was the best episode of television that i have watched this year. and i wouldn't be surprised if that held up for the next nine months.

that line didn't make sense to me because clearly boyle wasn't watching the episode of bones that marcus was dvr-ing, because, y'know, he was at the wedding too.

"if we don't get that guitar back, the peace in iraq will be canceled."

mayor-y!

"fuck off, dan!"

february 4th and july 4th are five months apart, not six.

the line was not "don't swettle for swubstitutes." it was "don't settle for substitutes, swettle for swubswiswutes!"

strange that gil got into fitness the same time bevers did (on broad city), no?

i agree that it's not particularly surprising that jack and cory went home. i had that pinned about midway through the episode. the tone of jack's confessional was one of a kid who had just stopped crying and was fighting back more tears. when you ask an eleven year old to narrate an event he's still broken up about,…

HUG THOSE DADS

i agree that the "first time ever" shtick is mostly to get the kids pumped up. they started the show with nineteen kids, these kids made the best three dishes in the mystery challenge, and gordon et al wanted to give all three of them immunity and only have to try sixteen dishes in the second challenge.

i just don't think in three years or however long we're going to look back on the last season of parks & rec and say, "gee, i sure wish they'd shown that season over the course of 13 weeks and not 7." y'know?

hey, it worked for louie.

he also said 9/11 was an inside job, soooo.

well, which one is it? the visit or the visitor?

while i agree that the weed-laced chow mein was the best part of the episode, i took issue with its logic (i know, i know). that just isn't how edibles work. even for a fifty pound, six year old kid (to say nothing of the teacher, who was balls-out tripping), you don't ingest an edible and 30 seconds later…

I watched quite a bit of Martin and Living Single in my formative years (along with Fresh Prince, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Family Matters, etc.).

the first season of seinfeld was also only five episodes long, and aired during the summer.

i kept looking for the tea tray in this episode, but it was nowhere to be found.

the i-don't-understand-what-a-vasectomy-is jokes got a little redundant, and felt a bit like pandering to the simpsons/family guy audience. and the writing seems not quite there this season yet. but i'm optimistic and generally enjoyed this episode.