Here’s why “The Fight” is the best ‘Parks and Rec’ episode
TV peaked on May 12th, 2011 when Parks and Recreation aired its thirteenth episode of its third season, “The Fight”. No one knew at the time not only would this episode become Park and Rec’s best episode, but the best episode in TV comedic history.
It’s a simple premise: Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones) & Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) get into their first fight after Leslie signs Ann up for a job interview at Pawnee city hall. Meanwhile, Tom Haverford (Aziz Anzari) is trying to promote his new alcoholic drink Snake Juice.
Yet on that fateful night, comedy gold was born. Written by Poehler herself, “The Fight” is constantly recognized as one of the best, if not the best episode of Parks and Rec. There’s a million and one reasons that make “The Fight” so great, but we’ll keep the list brief.
The drunken montage
In one minute, Parks and Rec quickly proved how much funnier it was than any other show that aired on NBC, The Office included. You know how everyone says there’s about five stages of being drunk? You can literally see the entire Parks department go through them during this montage.
This montage alone is enough to love “The Fight.” Whether you’re drawn to Ben (Adam Scott) going “Bababoyee” over & over, April (Aubrey Plaza) and her gibberish Spanish, or Ann ready to fight a b!tch, there’s too much to love about this montage.
“Who broke it?”
For Parks and Rec, the best episodes aren’t always the ones with the best cold opens. Thankfully, “The Fight” breaks this rule by giving us pure comedy gold. Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), in his usual chaotic mood, has the office at odds over a broken coffee maker.
As you hear the shouts in the background, Ron reveals he busted the coffee maker, but he likes to cause chaos and pretends like he didn’t know who did it. As he puts it, “It was getting a little chummy around here.”
Bert Macklin & Janet Snakehole
You may have forgotten the birth of these two iconic personas, but both April & Andy (Chris Pratt) develop their alternate identities as part of Tom’s plan to promote Snake Juice. Their first appearance magically conjured one of the most common pop culture couples costumes since.
Bert Macklin, an FBI agent framed for stealing the President’s rubies, ends up running into Janet Snakehole, a widow heiress with a dark past, while promoting Snake Juice at the Snakehole Lounge. Of course, their characters fall apart as Andy & April get more drunk. But that’s just the first time we get to meet Bert Macklin & Janet Snakehole.
“Reelect Jan Cooper: Mayor of whoreville”
This is why men in government shouldn’t be trusted (we kid, of course, please put the torches & pitchforks down). The whole reason Ann Perkins is considered for a position with Pawnee’s government is because of former Health Department PR director Dennis Cooper. Dennis’s wife Jan has an affair, and infects him with chlamydia as a result.
So what does he do? Make posters brought to you by the Pawnee Health Department about how “chlamydia affects 100% of Jan Coopers” or the important disclaimer: “Jan Cooper will give you chlamydia.” No surprise, Chris Traeger (Rob Lowe) does have to let Dennis go. But hearing Rob Lowe read out these awful signs with the over-enthusiastic voice of Chris Traeger is just so funny.
Work is always third
One of Leslie Knope’s most iconic quotes came from this episode as well. “We need to remember what’s important in life – friends, waffles, and work. Or waffles, friends, work. Doesn’t matter. But work is third.” No matter how much you love your work, work is always third.
