Ben and Leslie Making Marriage Finally Seem Enjoyable
First of all, this was an amazing episode for Ben and Leslie. Just the cold opening alone was adorable. I like that the married couples in this show don’t do the same cliched crap that so many other sitcom couples seem to do. Now, I’m not married so I have no reference, but so many other sitcoms make it seem like such an annoying chore. Ben and Leslie are just as happy together as they’ve always been, and they’re still funny. So step it up other sitcom writers.
I think the whole Private Life vs. Work Life balance that Ben and Leslie are trying to find is interesting, especially with the added complication of Ben being Leslie’s boss again. When the Chardbodies stand at the Farmer’s Market gets sexy dancers to try and entice people to buy such a disgusting vegetable Leslie is her usual crazy, over the top self in trying to shut it down. And while Ben says he agrees with her personally, from a City Manager stand point he doesn’t really have a good enough reason to shut the stand down. In order to avoid arguing about it all the time, they decide to keep their work and home life separate, and while that’s a good idea in theory, is it really feasible? Isn’t one of the best parts about relationships that if you need to go home at night and bitch about work that you know that your partner’s going to be on your side? Regardless, they’re each so determined to stand their ground that they end up having an amazing showdown in a fountain in front of a bank (which makes perfect sense in the context of the entire episode, I promise). And of course they work out their differences, because they’re amazing.
Sexy Children’s Songs
I LOVE CRAIG. I don’t even know why really, but his constant rage is hilarious to me. He’s was my favorite of the Doppelgangers and I’m so glad he’s still on the show. Craig asks Andy to fill in as the entertainment for the birthday that his “terrible nephew Sebastian” is having, and Andy handles it as only Andy would. He plans on singing original compositions like “Sex Is Cool,” “Drunk Off Our Asses,” and “Sex In Space.” April breaks it to him that his normal songs probably aren’t all that appropriate for a group of young children, and so Andy improvises songs about picking noses and wetting the bed and the kids love it. When another parent at the party wants to hire him the next weekend for her own kid’s party, April points out that Andy might make a good children’s performer (like Freddie Spagetti!) and also tells him that watching him sing for the kids was super sexy. Did we just see the I Want To Have a Baby with This Man seed get planted in April’s head?! I think we may have!
Wine and Cheese and Rectangles
Ann and Chris were better this week, because at least they interacted with some other characters. I always get a little bored whenever a woman gets pregnant on a show, because that usually becomes her entire story line for the season. I get that it’s an enormous life event with unique challenges, but Ann is still her own person. Doesn’t she still work or do anything that’s not baby related? Chris, true to form, is so supportive that it’s annoying: he has an instant solution to every single problem, buys Anne a nipple kit and cuts her huge pregnancy vitamins in half for her. It’s really sweet, but I would definitely be as out of my mind as Ann. She goes to the Parks department looking for Leslie, but walks in on their monthly Wine and Cheese Club instead, which is really Ron’s way of getting through a mandatory meeting with his employees without actually having to have a meeting. He even wears headphones through the whole thing. Ron, please always be you. Ann vents to Tom, Donna, and Jerry so much that they kick her out.
You know who might have been a great person for Ann to share her feelings with? HER BEST FRIEND LESLIE. Why are the writers refusing to give them any scenes together?! Next week is Ann’s last week on the show, and it will be the first time she and Leslie will have any interaction in like five episodes. I keep complaining about it, but I think it’s so ridiculous. Ann’s other, less important friends Tom, Ron, and Donna explain to Chris that he’s blowing this supportive partner thing, and Ron tells him that sometimes when a woman tells you about her problems she just wants you to listen instead of trying to fix them. But more important than any of that is the fact that Ron now has an iPod and watching him use it is stupendous.
Next week is Chris and Ann’s last episode, and from the little preview they showed, it looks like it’s going to tear our hearts out and make us cry for weeks. So that should be fun!!
