Ever since the series began, the writers of Parks and Recreation have been slowly filling out the world of Pawnee, Indiana, introducing us to strange people in different corners of the town as the story moves along. We’ve met staffers from diverse branches of government (library, sewage, law enforcement), rebellious teenagers, untrustworthy candy company executives, Rec Center instructors, charity leaders, and the inhabitants of several different gay bars. In “Media Blitz,” we’re introduced to some new members of Pawnee’s media elite. Although previously-established media figures like journalist Shauna Malwae-Tweep, talk show hosts Joan Callamezzo and Perd Hapley pop up in nice bits, the episode is the first to feature a pair of radio shock jocks who I hope to see become long-running fixtures in the Parks and Rec universe.
With the Harvest Festival fast approaching, Leslie, Tom, and Ben prepare for a round of interviews with media outlets, first stopping by the studio of Pawnee’s drive-time radio hosts Crazy Ira and the Douche (played by Upright Citizens Brigade’s Matt Besser and The League’s Nick Kroll, respectively). As Tom Haverford puts it, they’re way better than their competitors Tubby Tony and the Papaya. I love the idea of Pawnee having multiple crude morning radio shows, and Tom’s enjoyment of their idiotic antics is a nice touch. Besser and Kroll are convincing and funny in this dead-on parody of sound effect-crazy disc jockeys, especially when they’re grilling Ben about his past as a teen mayor.
After some research on the mid-90s web engine Alta Vista, Crazy Ira and the Douche are able to find information about Ben’s mismanagement of Partridge, Minnesota’s budget as a teen to question his involvement in the Harvest Festival. Ben has trouble explaining himself — or saying anything — during the interview, and it leads to the Parks and Rec department having a full-fledged media panic on its hands. In an effort to assuage concerns, Tom and Ben appear on Ya’ Heard? With Perd, hosted by the Al Roker-esque Perd Hapley, but Ben has an even larger on-air meltdown. It’s a great scene for Adam Scott, as well as for Jay Jackson, who plays Perd.
Up until this point, Adam Scott has been mainly used as a straight man for the half-a-dozen episodes of Parks and Rec he’s been on, mainly getting laughs from his reactions to the ridiculous happenings around him or a sarcastic line here and there. But Adam Scott fans know he’s capable of playing more than just a normal guy for crazy character to bounce off of, as evidenced by his appearances in Step Brothers and Eastbound and Down. In “Media Blitz,” Scott is the out-of-control one for a change and it’s a great showcase for the actor. He manages to make some over-the-top lines seem believable, all while staying true to his character and keeping things completely grounded. Out of the new guys, Rob Lowe’s had more chances to show off so far, while Scott has been saddled with straight man duty. It’s nice seeing him let loose and shows why he’s a more natural fit for this show than Mark Brendanawicz.
Those rooting for Andy and April to get together also had a lot to like about last night’s show. Andy spends the bulk of the episode doing all of the chores April hates (which involves her sister Natalie getting him into legal trouble), so that she will “think about the possibility of maybe staying” and not following Chris Traeger to Indianapolis. Who would have thought it would take some fatherly advice from Ron Swanson to finally get April and Andy together?
“Media Blitz” also answers some questions about where Ben Wyatt and Chris Traeger are off to next. In conversation with Ann, Chris mentions he’ll be going to Indianapolis for a short while and then to small town Snerling, Indiana, where “the cows outnumber the people 40 to 1.” I have a feeling his plans might fall apart and that Ben and Chris will end up sticking around Pawnee for a little longer, which is definitely a good thing.
Miscellaneous thoughts:
• Tonight’s episode was written by stand-up comedian/musician/sitcom scribe Harris Wittels, who is a regular on the Comedy Death Ray podcast and the drummer in the comedy piano-pop trio Don’t Stop or We’ll Die. Pick up their new EP here. Here’s the group’s latest video:
• Matt Besser is the third Upright Citizens Brigade cast member to appear on Parks and Rec, after Amy Poehler and recurring guest star Ian Roberts. Matt Walsh is the only hold-out, but he’s recently appeared on fellow Thursday night comedy’s Community and Outsourced. It’s only a matter of time before he pops up here.
• I love the running joke about the people of Pawnee’s loyalty to the search engine Alta Vista. I hadn’t heard of Alta Vista since the early days of the Internet, so I did some research. Although it’s apparently still running, the site was bought out by Yahoo in 2003, and the company recently announced it plans on shutting Alta Vista down in a consolidation move. Pawnee residents will not be happy about that.
Bradford Evans is a writer living on the edge.
