I really wanted to see Ben tell Leslie that he got some wise words from Jean-Ralphio.

So I thought this was a great episode but one thing that bugged me… there's NO way the Parks staff could openly support her campaign. Maybe off-time, but even then many places do not allow it. Government workers have very strict limitations on political activity.

Looking forward to Parks. Their last Christmas episode - all the way back in 2009 - was one of the best episodes they've done, IMO. (Leslie's Dexhart-related sex scandal.) 

I'm not judging. And I know there's a lot of political dialogue on the show. I just figured that as a daytime TV show it wouldn't hit too many Democratic viewers, but clearly that's not the case. 

Sadly, I suspect Two and a Half Men draws from across the political divide. Notice that aside from Modern Family, very few of the shows listed as favorites are actually big hits. All the survey did was ask what shows people watched, then compiled a list of which shows had the highest proportions of self-reported…

Anyone else see that EW did a survey that compared Democrats and Republicans' tv preferences?

Huh, I could have sworn the cop and the Snakehole Lounge manager were the same guy.

Anyone else notice that young Jeff (in Community) was also the kid who defected to the Princesses in Pawnee Rangers?

Ron Swanson also made an appearance:

If you look back at S2, the show worked by just having all the characters clearly liking each other without laying it on thick. All the relationships (romantic, friendly, or professional) were nicely underplayed.

Actually I think it's (hopefully) the opposite. The show wasn't about Leslie's personal life - it was about the travails of the Parks Department. So if Ben and Leslie are simply resolved as a couple, the show could get back to what they did in S2 and S3. This isn't like The Office where Jim and Pam were so central to…

Well they do have an opening for Joe's position. And lots of potential for relationship drama given the temptation of Sewage's hot interns.

I sort of agree. I mean, I've actually really liked each of the last four as individual episodes (esp. End of the World), but taken together, they seem a little bit heavier with the sentimentality than they did in S2/S3. Hopefully now that the Leslie/Ben thing is resolved they can go back to finding humor in other…

Wait, so is it spelled "Gerry"? And does that count as a retcon? 

Eh, I liked tonight's Community a little more than Parks.

You know, reading this review it occurred to me that this episode would have worked really well with "30 Rock" style flashbacks and cutaways. (Though I guess they had a little of that with the flashbacks to actual footage from prior episodes. And they have at times dropped a couple random cutaways like Andy's "Deal or…

Yes! Like a tag popped up right as he put it out and said "Buy your L'il Sebastian plush toy at NBC.com!"

Hm, I hadn't heard anything about him coming back so I doubt it this episode.

Yeah, which is why some people find his pairing with Poehler incongruous. (I don't, personally.) Poehler's very cute but does look near-40.

A few (paraphrased of course):