Now that’s more like it. After last week’s slightly disappointing episode, “Gin It Up!” was Parks and Recreation at its finest. The love was spread evenly between a trio of divergent plots, with only Ann (and Andy, obviously) left out, and all three were based on a solid idea. In a mixture of real-life and fiction not seen on NBC Thursday nights since Creed Bratton picked up a guitar, Donna’s tweeting prowess is revealed; Ben makes Ron get a will that isn’t scribbled on a piece of paper in his wallet; and Tom falls in love with Tatiana Maslany, as one is wont to do.
Donna, in particular, was in top-notch form, which she kind of has to be; with that beautiful morning dove Ann leaving Parks later this season, the role of “Leslie’s best friend” will be wide open, and Amy Poehler and Retta have a strong enough comedic relationship that maybe Retta can fill it. Or at least fill it until she gets tired of #BitchBoss and goes back to hitting on dudes with washboard abs. But really, even if everything else had been awful, this episode would have gotten at least a B+ for appearances from Jamm, Perd, and most importantly, Ethel Beavers.
1. Question mark stickers are the new blue paint hand prints.
2. Charlie Kelly and Ron have the same handwriting.
3. And Northwest Airlines will come back, too.
5. And to complain about Millie on Scandal.
6. The most useful job: steak house maître d.
10. Not a GIF, but nice to see Ken Tremendous is still fascinated by Scrappy McScrapson, David Eckstein.
