Parks & Rec 6×12 “Farmers Market” Recap

Even when I’m less than thrilled with a Parks and Rec episode, I’m still awed by the fact that it fits three entire storylines into a half hour show. But PSYCH – I loved this one!

The main story seemed to be about the Farmer’s Market, but it was really about Leslie and Ben trying to find a balance between their home and work lives. Leslie gets it in her head to ban a vendor from the Pawnee Farmers Market because they market chard by using sexy models and slogans. Ben decides that, like she tends to do, Leslie tries to railroad him, and it’s bleeding into their home life.

There’s a tussle over their “firewall” and what is and isn’t city property. Leslie digs her heels in and comes at him with all she’s got. While Ben agrees with her opinion of the vendor as a person, he can’t logically make a snap decision as the city manager. Leslie calms down and says she’ll back down and consider his position – while they’re standing in a frigidly cold fountain. It’s a very sweet scene. I love them when they come together and get all lovey-dovey.

Ultimately, they decide to separate the Market so there’s a family friendly daytime portion, and then “Farmer’s Market After Dark”, where the Chard stand and anyone else can peddle their veggies in an adult-only manner. I gotta say, seeing Leslie and veggies together was a shock, but it worked!

Andy and April carried the second storyline. Craig (from Doppelgängers) is back and hires Chris to play at his nephew’s party. He tries to get the band involved, but when they find out it’s not something for adults where Dave Grohl might be in attendance (oh Andy, why u lie?) they all back out. April convinces Andy to go on without them – he makes up songs on the fly all the time, so why can’t he do it for the kids and make a quick $150?

They go to the party and Andy’s just not sure he can do it. Craig introduces him as “Johnny Karate” (I REALLY hope he keeps that stage name) and he hesitantly takes center stage. After a halting start, he gets right into his element. First a song about nose-picking, then bed-wetting, not playing with matches, and ends up with Burt Macklin on stinky feet patrol. The kids love him, and the parents seem to appreciate the fact that he’s singing about keeping the kids safe and clean.

He’s approached after the party by another parent for another gig – and April, as his manager gives out their number. Does Andy have a new career? Pretty awesome if so. Andy is turning out to be quite the renaissance man. I like it!

Lastly, we get another Chris and Ann storyline. Fitting as their next episode will be their swan song. Ann is miserable at this stage of her pregnancy, and Chris isn’t helping. He thinks he is, because he’s doing everything he can to ‘fix’ her problems. What she really wants is a sympathetic, non-judgmental ear.

Ann stumbles across the Parks & Rec team (Donna, Larry (Jerry/Gary), Tom, and Ron) in a Wine & Cheese club meeting. You see, Ron has to meet with them once a month to let them discuss office disputes. HR doesn’t specify that he has to listen, so he wears headphones and listens to Willie Nelson. During the “meeting” – he eats salami which he demands from Larry.

Ann sees an opportunity to vent, so she takes a seat and starts talking. Donna’s cool to cede her spot in order to hear the goods Ann might have. She has a very long list of grievances – including wanting to eat a lot of junk, drink alcohol and caffiene, and not pee so much. Tom and Donna are gobsmacked, and Ron is oblivious.

Several days later, Ann shows up with wine and cheese for an impromptu bitch session, and she frightens Larry, Donna, and Tom. Ron again dons his huge headphones. The gang take action at that point. Tom aids Luddite Ron and puts his music on a “rectangle” (iPod) – and they venture out to have a chat with Chris. They tell him to just sympathize with Ann and say “that sucks” instead of trying to fix everything.

He finally figures it out and takes their advice to great success. Ann appreciates his new efforts which are really non-efforts, and things are much smoother between the pair. If only they’d had this intervention the first time they’d dated, I think they would’ve stayed together. Okay, maybe.

Even if this had been a sub-par episode, it wins the world for this one line uttered by one Chris Traeger: “Hopefully that will help you with any sensitivity that may arise around your… boob hats.”

Come back next week for the farewell to Chris and Ann – Rob Lowe and Rashida Jones.
Parks & Recreation “Ann and Chris” airs Thursday night – January 30 8:30/7:30c