WARNING: This post contains spoilers to NBC’s Parks and Recreation Episode 7.01, “2017.”
Nothing breaks my heart more than seeing Ron and Leslie are no longer friends.
Sure they have always had different ideas on how government should work, but they also believed in each other. Leslie would always seek Ron for advice on what she should do. She also understood who Ron is and gave him some of the best presents. Their relationship is so close that Ron’s wife, Diane, was never scared of Tammy 2 interfering, but she was wary of Ron’s and Leslie’s friendship. What makes this worse is they destroyed the Bicentennial cake. How long will this fight last? How many deserts will perish until they become friends again?
This wasn’t the only thing that has changed because three years do make an impact whether we want it to or not. No one is still in the local park department (which makes me wonder who is working there now). They have all grown, and while this is great development you see the slight changes it has made. Leslie is no longer as close to Donna or Tom as she once was.
She didn’t know the moment Donna became engaged. This is one of the fatalities that may occur when you no longer see someone day after day. It is easier to lose touch, or not be as close as you once were. Luckily, the Leslie we have all grown to love has rectified this mistake by the end of the episode and has made amends to Tom and Donna.
As for Tom, he has finally become the mogul he always wanted to be, and still contains his own personal swag. The premiere revisits Tom’s and Ben’s friendship. This friendship has been less highlighted throughout the series, but it is still important. It is another friendship where it seems like they would have nothing in common, but they will be there for each other in the end. While Tom may screw up from time to time, he still is able to make amends. The speech he was supposed to give was heartwarming and it left both him and Ben in tears.
Finally, there was the April’s and Andy’s story line which I found most relatable. Over the past three years April and Andy have started to become boring adults, and it freaks them out when they realize what they have become.
They try to become spontaneous as they once were at the party, but they are not able to capture it like they did when they tried to see who could get the most free stuff in the bar a few years back. While April is still mourning this new stage in their life, they come across a haunted house that is perfect for them. As Andy points out, they are able to buy it because they have been starting to act like responsible adults. Even though both of them have become more responsible, they are still able to maintain the personalities we love.
This episode was a reminder to me of how much these characters have changed, and how greatly I still love them. So if anyone wants to discuss Parks and Recreation with me, I’ll be at Subway.
We Watch for the Plot 