What amazes me so much about this show is how the writers are able to develop their characters. More than any other sitcom I can think of, the entire cast is full of characters who are not just one-dimensional, but have many different layers. Even the supporting characters. On paper, probably the two hardest characters to have open up emotionally are Ron and April. The show's most distant and lukewarm characters. However, what this episode remarkably is able to do is have these characters take part in some of the more emotional scenes we have seen so far. This episode is not just a barrel of laughs (it is hilarious though), it also has some serious moments, and that's why it's so special.
This episode is separated into two storylines that are equally great. One of them takes place at the Parks Department where April accidentally schedules all of Ron's pending appointments for the same day, initially planning on having them on a day that did not exist. This makes Ron very angry. Especially when he finds out there are 93 meetings to attend to all in one day. He recruits April, Andy, Leslie, and Ann (who doesn't even work at the Department) to help him complete all the meetings before the end of the day. It's a great premise and it's hilarious seeing all of them have to deal with the crazy Pawnee citizens. The funniest ones might be the ones where Ann ends up giving medical attention to the people instead of helping with Parks related issues.
Leslie is eager to help Ron, but being the dedicated worker she is, spends the entire episode focusing one just one situation. Leslie learns that a historic town monument, the Turnbill Mansion, is soon to be owned by Nick Newport Sr. and his wife Jessica Wicks. They plan on destroying an old gazebo that held a historic wedding with a Native American man and white woman. I love learning about Pawnee's history, which usually is something extremely graphic, but it is always shown on murals which makes them funny. Leslie Knope/Amy Poehler is at her best in this episode. I love the storylines where she shows her devoted love for Pawnee and protests against other Pawnee citizens who clearly don't care as much. In a hysterical scene, Leslie ties herself to the mansion entrance gate in protest, but eventually realizes that the gate does not open by separating in two but actually slides as one.
The writing is very good in this episode, but what really stands out are the performances form the actors. Amy Poehler is at her comedic best. Ansari, Pratt, Rashida Jones all have moments to shine. But the two standouts have to be both Nick Offerman and Aubrey Plaza who give incredible performances that aren't just comedic, but also serious as well. Plaza is such an underrated actress and I think if the show was more popular at the time, she would have gotten an Emmy nomination. I'm really impressed how her character has been able to grow since the start of Season 1. Really the entire series has grown tremendously since the Pilot. Props to the writers for pulling it off so quickly.
