This episode is called “How a Bill Becomes a Law” and yet there was not a single Schoolhouse Rock mention. Way to drop the ball, show.

Pawnee

Leslie’s got a nice new City Council office. It’s nice to see that she’s kept her Wall of Inspirational Women intact (including herself).  She even has a two clocks, one for Pawnee and one for Washington, DC even though they’re the same time zone. She even has her own private bathroom. How fancy!

That’s where one of the conflicts arises. One of the other councilmen is pissed that Leslie, the newest of the group, gets her own private bathroom just because she’s a girl. While Leslie is working hard to make the Leslie Knope Fun in the Sun Act to extend pool hours for the Pawnee Porpoises swim team a law, this councilman says he won’t vote for it unless he gets her office.

The City Councilman happens to be Tom’s dentist. Tom is sucking up to the douche because he wants entrance into Pawnee’s Smokehouse. But despite all of this, we all know Tom’s real loyalty is to Leslie. So Leslie sucks it up and trades her office away so that the kids won’t be disappointed.

Also in Pawnee, Chris started intensive psychotherapy which leads him to deciding that a 311 line for the City – for citizens to call in with whatever problem they have: broken streetlight, uncollected garbage, etc – to get routed to the appropriate department to get it sorted. What I can’t help but wonder is why the Parks Department covering the 311 lines? No comprendo.

No one is answering a citizen’s call to fix a pothole, so Andy and Ron roll up to fix the problem. Ron gets to work while Andy takes on the task of getting permission from the Princess and the Mermaid that live there. It is exactly as adorable as you would’ve expected.

Washington, DC

“I miss Andy and you probably miss your lover Chris.” So April suggests a 10 hour roadtrip to Pawnee. I love road-trips so I fully endorse this plan. Ben is of course on board because A) he misses Leslie, and B) it will give him a chance to spend some quality time with April. “April’s like the little sister I never had. Because the little sister I do have is normal and not terrifying.”

They get stuck in a super long queue because of a Presidential Motorcade though (been there) so they’re left to idle in the parking garage. They can’t turn the car off because as we all know it is balls hot in DC in the summer. So they put on some jamz and bicker. Of course when they finally get the go-ahead to drive away, they’re out of gas! Like that wasn’t predictable at all.

But we do see April and Ben bonding and being super cute together. I’d definitely be interested in seeing this dynamic a little more often.

Notable & Quotable:

• Benji’s Cool Times Summer Jamz Mix
• Donna’s reading “50 Shades of Grey” while working the 311 phone lines.
• DixieCrat platform: de-integrate baseball
• Ann’s not around to tell Leslie that her perm is a terrible idea. It’s fine, as we all learned from Legally Blonde getting it a little wet (which Leslie does upon jumping into the pool) will negate a perm right-quick.

“I kind of think of it as your favorite directors making a mixtape just for you.” – Ben, about soundtracks

“For the last time, Ron. It’s Princess Rainbow Sparkle.” – Andy

“Are you busy? And writing Star Trek fanfiction doesn’t count.”
“Ha ha ha. And I finished it last week.” – Ben

Well I’m off to work. Hope y’all have a lovely day and enjoyed the episode. Let me know what you think!