If you’re going to London, might as well drop by France, too. Especially if NBC’s footing the bill. Leslie and Ben’s spontaneous trip to the City of Light was a sweet ending to a mostly lightweight episode. That’s a shame, too, because “Second Chunce” featured so much of what I love the most about Parks: lots of Andy! Ron and Donna dropping wisdom bombs! April at her most endearingly venomous! Jean-Ralphio watching porn! Kathryn Hahn!
But I can’t help but feel that “Chunce” was supposed to feel more monumental than it actually did, that it kept covering the same Mouse Rat song rather than recording a new one. Or at least it did until Leslie made her wisest decision since adding whipped cream to waffles: she’s done with Pawnee politics. She’s setting her sights elsewhere, like state senate or maybe even Congress. She’s smart and dedicated, and deserves better than the likes of Willie Dynamite. Meanwhile, Tom comes up with his next big idea (to create his own job title) and Andy returns, only to literally sleepwalk (and not poop) through most of the episode. Eventually he begins to recover from his jet lag — hopefully Leslie’s farewell press conference will wake up Parks, too.
1. Lee Harvey Tea Bag is the new Miss Chanandler Bong.
2. You’ll need while listening to the Requiem for a Dream soundtrack.
3. Add that to the Ron Swanson Book of Wisdom.
4. Greed is good; eating all the pizza is great.
5. Dead grandpa? Then you’ll need a box of talking tissues.
6. Eh, still better than the Macaroni Grill.
7. Jean-Ralphio is the best, and OPPPPEEENNNNN MINNNNDDDDDEEEEDDDDDD.
8. And that’s why you should never travel.
