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annakovsky) wrote2012-02-02 04:11 pm
annakovsky) wrote2012-02-02 04:11 pm
Entry tags:
Parks and Recreation and Mediocrity
I wrote this whole thing after last week's Parks episode, and it might be a really unpopular opinion but whatever, I'm going to post it now before tonight's because I am pretty concerned about the direction the show is going and I don't knowwwwwww, you guys. There hasn't been an episode I super loved and instantly wanted to rewatch since The Treaty back in November, and even before that there was a lot more mediocrity than last season, and with the campaign I'm worried they've painted themselves into a corner they won't be able to get out of. HOPEFULLY TONIGHT'S EPISODE WILL BE BETTER, BUT I AM WORRIED.
First of all, established relationships are boring, and all this focus on Leslie/Ben has been super boring. I thought once they were back together we could all move on with our lives and get back to the regular ensemble show, but Leslie is still spending most of her time interacting with Ben and ughhhhhhhhhhh. THEY'RE LIKE THE SAME PERSON, THERE'S NO TENSION HERE, LET HER TALK TO RON OR ANDY OR SOMETHING.
Then to GET tension in that relationship they keep -- like, okay. Full disclosure, I HATED Ben in the episode with the negative campaign ad. I did not see both sides. Most people did, and that's fine, but I REALLY DID NOT. I feel like going negative as the FIRST THING a campaign does is a shitty thing to do in the first place (especially when you're spending all your money on it, so it's the ONE THING that people will see about your candidate), and then wanting to go negative for LESLIE KNOPE is just like, have you ever met Leslie Knope? And then when Leslie said she would never do that in a million years, to keep pushing it? Uh, it was a pretty clear statement of what she wanted, and she's the candidate -- it's her name on the ad. So if she doesn't want to go negative, YOU DON'T GO NEGATIVE. And it didn't help that his first ad sounded like Gob Bluth's negative ad against Steve Holt. Like, I was fine with the compromise ad they eventually got to, but omg, so unacceptable before that.
Last week's episode wasn't as bad, because obviously Leslie was being obsessive (which was adorable as always) -- but. Basically Leslie was being the way she always is in that kind of situation, and Ben spent the whole episode being like, "BAD DOG. NO." It's not HELPFUL. You're never going to stop Leslie by acting like that! Ron Swanson would know never to act like that with her because it's pointless! And I just feel like lately Ben thinks things are wrong with Leslie ALL THE TIME. You're a steamroller, Leslie! No, wait, you have to be tougher, Leslie! Stop being so fixated, Leslie! That's not sexy fighting, that's just being kind of awful, even when you have a point. YOU'RE HER BOYFRIEND AND YOU USED TO THINK SHE WAS GREAT, WHY AREN'T YOU ON HER SIDE ANYMORE. And why is it always Leslie who has something wrong with her to manufacture tension between them? I CAN THINK OF A LOT OF THINGS WRONG WITH YOU, BEN, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO START ENUMERATING THEM. 1) YOU'RE A WET BLANKET AND A NEGATIVE NELLY.
I mean, whatever, sometimes I still like them, and the kissing last week was super hot, but overall, Leslie/Ben is just getting old and there's too much of it and Ben is going to have to be a lot nicer/more delightful to win me back.
So that's a problem. And then overall I seem to come out of every episode feeling like the whole thing just didn't quite hang together, in a way I can't put my finger on. I think maybe with the campaign they just have too many balls in the air? Everyone feels scattered and not that funny, and I don't know what they should do to fix it, but it's just not quite working.
I think also maybe a lot of characters have gotten kind of one-note, so it feels more repetitive than great. Like... Tom hasn't done anything new and delightful since Treat Yo Self, just the same old schtick. April has had barely any storylines, and they all seem to revolve around her and Andy as a unit. Andy is sometimes literally too dumb to function. Donna NEVER gets storylines. Chris for some reason is still around, being a shallow insincere dbag and taking up screentime that should be given to Donna, who is funnier and more interesting.
And I am REALLY worried about the campaign issue. I feel like they brought the campaign into the mix as an obstacle for Leslie/Ben, without thinking through the implications. And now I worry that we're in a Pam Beesly situation, where we have brought up Leslie having big dreams, and raised the possibility of her getting those dreams, but because of the PREMISE OF THE SHOW, AS SEEN IN ITS TITLE, she cannot get those dreams while remaining on the show, so she will have to fail at them. And I swear to God, if Leslie fails at her dreams, I am going to burn Utica to the ground. IT WILL BE TEN TIMES WORSE THAN PAM FAILING AT HER DREAMS, AND THAT IS QUITE POSSIBLY MY #1 TV DISAPPOINTMENT OF ALL TIME.
And it's not going to be better if Ron gets to be assistant city manager so Leslie can be promoted, because if Ron and Leslie and April aren't in the same department I am going to SCATTER UTICA'S BURNT ASHES TO THE WIND AND PEE ON THEM, and so then I don't know how they're going to get themselves out of this one in a satisfactory manner, and if I think about that I basically go into a depression spiral. DDDDDDDDD:
Ugh, I might be stating this all a little strongly, because the episodes, with the exception of the negative ad one, have mostly been... fine. And maybe it's too much to ask that I should have a joysplosion every week like during season 3. But it is really sad to me that the show is going from joysplosion to just fine! It being Parks Day doesn't cheer me up anymore! BUMMER CITY. It's only season 4, and two of those seasons weren't even full seasons, WE SHOULD NOT BE HITTING THE SITCOM DECLINE YET.
First of all, established relationships are boring, and all this focus on Leslie/Ben has been super boring. I thought once they were back together we could all move on with our lives and get back to the regular ensemble show, but Leslie is still spending most of her time interacting with Ben and ughhhhhhhhhhh. THEY'RE LIKE THE SAME PERSON, THERE'S NO TENSION HERE, LET HER TALK TO RON OR ANDY OR SOMETHING.
Then to GET tension in that relationship they keep -- like, okay. Full disclosure, I HATED Ben in the episode with the negative campaign ad. I did not see both sides. Most people did, and that's fine, but I REALLY DID NOT. I feel like going negative as the FIRST THING a campaign does is a shitty thing to do in the first place (especially when you're spending all your money on it, so it's the ONE THING that people will see about your candidate), and then wanting to go negative for LESLIE KNOPE is just like, have you ever met Leslie Knope? And then when Leslie said she would never do that in a million years, to keep pushing it? Uh, it was a pretty clear statement of what she wanted, and she's the candidate -- it's her name on the ad. So if she doesn't want to go negative, YOU DON'T GO NEGATIVE. And it didn't help that his first ad sounded like Gob Bluth's negative ad against Steve Holt. Like, I was fine with the compromise ad they eventually got to, but omg, so unacceptable before that.
Last week's episode wasn't as bad, because obviously Leslie was being obsessive (which was adorable as always) -- but. Basically Leslie was being the way she always is in that kind of situation, and Ben spent the whole episode being like, "BAD DOG. NO." It's not HELPFUL. You're never going to stop Leslie by acting like that! Ron Swanson would know never to act like that with her because it's pointless! And I just feel like lately Ben thinks things are wrong with Leslie ALL THE TIME. You're a steamroller, Leslie! No, wait, you have to be tougher, Leslie! Stop being so fixated, Leslie! That's not sexy fighting, that's just being kind of awful, even when you have a point. YOU'RE HER BOYFRIEND AND YOU USED TO THINK SHE WAS GREAT, WHY AREN'T YOU ON HER SIDE ANYMORE. And why is it always Leslie who has something wrong with her to manufacture tension between them? I CAN THINK OF A LOT OF THINGS WRONG WITH YOU, BEN, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO START ENUMERATING THEM. 1) YOU'RE A WET BLANKET AND A NEGATIVE NELLY.
I mean, whatever, sometimes I still like them, and the kissing last week was super hot, but overall, Leslie/Ben is just getting old and there's too much of it and Ben is going to have to be a lot nicer/more delightful to win me back.
So that's a problem. And then overall I seem to come out of every episode feeling like the whole thing just didn't quite hang together, in a way I can't put my finger on. I think maybe with the campaign they just have too many balls in the air? Everyone feels scattered and not that funny, and I don't know what they should do to fix it, but it's just not quite working.
I think also maybe a lot of characters have gotten kind of one-note, so it feels more repetitive than great. Like... Tom hasn't done anything new and delightful since Treat Yo Self, just the same old schtick. April has had barely any storylines, and they all seem to revolve around her and Andy as a unit. Andy is sometimes literally too dumb to function. Donna NEVER gets storylines. Chris for some reason is still around, being a shallow insincere dbag and taking up screentime that should be given to Donna, who is funnier and more interesting.
And I am REALLY worried about the campaign issue. I feel like they brought the campaign into the mix as an obstacle for Leslie/Ben, without thinking through the implications. And now I worry that we're in a Pam Beesly situation, where we have brought up Leslie having big dreams, and raised the possibility of her getting those dreams, but because of the PREMISE OF THE SHOW, AS SEEN IN ITS TITLE, she cannot get those dreams while remaining on the show, so she will have to fail at them. And I swear to God, if Leslie fails at her dreams, I am going to burn Utica to the ground. IT WILL BE TEN TIMES WORSE THAN PAM FAILING AT HER DREAMS, AND THAT IS QUITE POSSIBLY MY #1 TV DISAPPOINTMENT OF ALL TIME.
And it's not going to be better if Ron gets to be assistant city manager so Leslie can be promoted, because if Ron and Leslie and April aren't in the same department I am going to SCATTER UTICA'S BURNT ASHES TO THE WIND AND PEE ON THEM, and so then I don't know how they're going to get themselves out of this one in a satisfactory manner, and if I think about that I basically go into a depression spiral. DDDDDDDDD:
Ugh, I might be stating this all a little strongly, because the episodes, with the exception of the negative ad one, have mostly been... fine. And maybe it's too much to ask that I should have a joysplosion every week like during season 3. But it is really sad to me that the show is going from joysplosion to just fine! It being Parks Day doesn't cheer me up anymore! BUMMER CITY. It's only season 4, and two of those seasons weren't even full seasons, WE SHOULD NOT BE HITTING THE SITCOM DECLINE YET.
no subject
I typically refrain from commenting on LJ or Tumblr, but I stumbled upon this post and wanted to jump in because I pretty much completely disagreed with most of it. I personally have loved Season 4, particularly from End of the World on. I was worried earlier in the season because the show did feel a bit off (Ron and Tammys and Pawnee Goddesses are probably my least favorite episodes this season). Looking back, I think it's because I prefer episodes where the A/B/C plots are related or if separate, find a way to intersect at some point. This wasn't happening in some of the early season 4 episodes.
But the reason I'm posting is this. I honestly think that nitpicking and overanalyzing shows to death is what takes the joy out of watching them. Look, I like talking about my favorite shows too and interpreting various things and speculating on what may happen next, but sometimes, I think people take it too far. Especially the speculating part. People spend a lot of time thinking about how they think Ben and Leslie's relationship should be, or what should happen in the campaign storyline, or whichever other characters/arcs they're interested in, and then if plays out differently on screen, they get upset.
I also don't get the Ben criticism or the criticism of his relationship with Leslie. First of all, as I recall, lots of people were up in arms last summer about them potentially breaking up and then when they did, people couldn't stop talking about how they wanted them back together. And now that they are together, people are complaining about how they're boring or the tension is gone. Early in the season, people complained about the lack of screen time the two characters had together. And now? It's all about how the show is TOO focused on them. With the exception of the 3-episode arc leading up to them reuniting, it's not like every episode is all about them. I don't know what it is that people want.
Getting back to Ben specifically, how is he not on Leslie's side? How is he being a wet blanket/negative Nelly?? Ben WANTS her to win this election. And he is on HER side. But they're different people who are not always going to see eye to eye on things. It's great that Leslie is an optimist and she wants to run a positive campaign without resorting to negative campaigning. But her campaign ad was terrible. In recommending a different approach, Ben wasn't showing that he doesn't get her. And saying she needs to get tougher isn't a knock on her. As her campaign manager, he is simply advising her on what he thinks she needs to do to win this election. I was happy with the compromise they reached. No one steamrolled anyone else. They listened to each other's opinions and found middle ground.
As for the scavenger hunt in the last episode, I was really surprised to see that turn into an opportunity to dump on Ben both here and on Tumblr. I did not at any point see it as Ben being annoyed. If anything, he was flustered and frustrated. We've seen how easily Ben can crack under pressure. He wanted to get to Leslie and was worried he's never figure out the clues in time, and was probably also beating himself up over not being able to solve the puzzle. I also didn't see his "woman I have chosen to love" as a negative thing. All of season 3, I sort of felt like Ben had Leslie up on a pedestal and he saw her as perfect and someone who could do no wrong in his eyes. Well, now they're in a relationship and that "bubble" Leslie spoke of last season has burst. They're getting to know each other better, flaws and all. But despite those flaws, they're still choosing to be together. Couples are going to argue and get annoyed with each other from time to time. That doesn't mean they love each other any less.
no subject
Anyway, getting back to the scavenger hunt, the fact that Ron enjoys and is skilled at solving riddles doesn't make him Leslie's soulmate and has been suggested. I'd actually like to look at this from a different angle. Ben feeling frustrated doesn't mean he didn't appreciate Leslie's gift to him or that he doesn't get her. I could easily turn the tables and try to make the argument that Leslie doesn't get Ben. Solving riddles requires a certain kind of skill and the ability to think figuratively. Ben is a smart guy, but more of a math whiz and probably someone who takes more of a literal approach. So I could say that while very thoughtful, Leslie created the type of scavenger hunt that she would like to solve without thinking about how Ben would feel about it. I'm not saying this though. And in the end, what does it matter? At the end of the episode, they both looked genuinely happy to be together and to be sharing their first "weird" Valentine's Day together and as a view, that's enough for me.
Lastly (and then I'll stop venting), I really think the election could go either way. Personally, because I don't want Leslie to turn into Pam and I don't want Parks to become The Office, I really hope Leslie wins. The fact that the show is called Parks and Recreation is irrelevant. If everyone stays in the same department and never gets promoted, then there is a definite risk of becoming The Office. Having Leslie in City Council would open up more stories and allow her character to grow. And her absence in the Parks department may allow other characters to grow and shine as they have to step up and take on new responsibilities. So, I have to say, I honestly don't get the point you were trying to make. You don't want Leslie to become Pam. You want her to win the election and have her dreams come true. But not having her work in the same department as April and Ron is apparently going to lead to some kind of emotional meltdown. You can't have it both ways.
And with that, I am now done reading LJ and Tumblr. These could be fun places to talk about a show I love with other like-minded people, but instead, it too easily turns into a toxic environment leading to anxiety and negativity.
no subject
It is totally fine that you completely disagree with me. I do not mind in the least. Like I said at the beginning of this post, I know this is an unpopular opinion and one that puts me in the minority. If you are a big Leslie/Ben lover, believe me, you should have NO TROUBLE finding people who completely agree with you. As far as I can tell, tumblr is a place to store every possible gif of every time Ben and Leslie have ever kissed. We obviously just have very different tastes, since your least favorite episodes of the season are my most favorites. That is completely fine.
But it is really uncool for you to run around telling other people they're not allowed to disagree with you, and that if they do, they are turning the fandom into "a toxic environment." Especially when you also seem upset by things that I didn't say in this post (I didn't discuss the scavenger hunt episode AT ALL, since I posted this a few hours before that episode even aired, and wrote it about a week before), and to be blaming me for opinions I don't hold! (Saying that people used to complain about Leslie and Ben not having enough screen time -- uh, yeah, I never complained about that. I can't help what big Leslie/Ben shippers complain about.)
I definitely was not trying to kill anyone's enjoyment of the show with this post -- EVERYWHERE that I posted it (my personal LJ and my personal tumblr) it was clearly marked as having negative opinions, so that people could avoid them if they didn't want their parade rained on. I have no idea how you got here, but it's not like I posted this in the Leslie/Ben community, or anywhere anyone could see it without putting some effort in. You must have known this was negative before you clicked on it, so I'm sorry it upset you, but if you have this much of a hair trigger on opinions you disagree with, maybe you should avoid purposefully reading them.