Parks and Recollection

Come along for another life changing journey to Pawnee! Today Rob and Alan stick together while watching the 11th episode of season 2. In “Tom’s Divorce” Leslie finds out Tom and Wendy are splitting up, and tries to lift his spirits. On this episode find out the unique connection Jerry has with dinosaurs, the origin of the Ron Swanson breakfast meme, and which Taco Bell actor possibly marries Wendy!

It's the Holidays in Pawnee while Rob Lowe and Alan Yang watch the 12th episode of season two! In "Christmas Scandal" A meeting with a disgraced councilman lands Leslie in the middle of a scandal. On today's episode find out the origins of the character Alexa Softcastle, the mystery note in the writer's room that read "Blood Diamond Phillips", and this episode's unique connection to SNL.

Another guest joins us in Pawnee! Today writer Katie Dippold (Haunted Mansion, The Heat) breaks down one of her favorite episodes she's written. In "The Set Up" Ann sets Leslie up on a blind date, and the date does not go as Leslie had hoped. On today's pod find out the writer's room obsession with the 2002 film Swimfan, see the origin of Leslie's Biden crush, and hear everybody's idea of what they want "the club" to be.

Today in Pawnee Rob and Alan are headed to a friend's home. In "Leslie's House" Leslie abuses her power when she brings in community center teachers to help throw a dinner party to impress Justin. In today's episode your hosts discuss the writer's choice to make Leslie a hoarder, a joke that sparked the creation of Tigertail, and how architecture can affect an audience. Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall?

Every day in Pawnee is a sweet treat, and today Rob and Alan are having seconds! In "Sweetums" Leslie and Ron become adversaries when a dishonest candy company vies for a concessions contract. On today's episode find out why the Pawnee citizens can be swayed by candy, where you can buy a "what's crackin'" belt buckle, and why this episode marks the shift from documentary to hilarious comedy.

Happy Holidays from Pawnee! Today Gay Perello makes her second appearance on the pod, this time to celebrate with Rob and Alan. In "Galentine's Day" Leslie and Justin try to reunite Leslie's Mom with an old flame, only to discover he's a total loon. On today's episode find out how many ice cream sandwiches Chris Pratt can eat in one sitting, why there were 3 pages of gifts Gay was asked to make, and how the writers lost Yang for an entire week!

Pawnee is flush with guests! Today Rob and Alan welcome the legendary Ben Schwartz on the pod to talk about the 17th episode of season 2. In "Woman of the Year" Leslie is upset when Ron wins an award typically meant for women. On today's episode find out why Ben made it a game to make Retta laugh, how this episode helped loosen-up the character of Jean-Ralphio, and which character Ben originally auditioned for.

Call animal control! Today Rob and Alan are talking about the 18th episode of season two. In "The Possum" Leslie puts together a task force to catch a famous town-possum. In this episode you will hear all the similarities between animal control and classic clowning, who Harris Wittels was originally cast as, and the Parks seed that grew into Oscar nominee Paul Raci's incredible career! All of this, and some pretty darn interesting facts about our animal friends the possum.

Rob and Alan welcome Jim O'Heir aka Jerry Gergich to Pawnee. In "Park Safety" Leslie goes on a crusade to improve park safety after Jerry is mugged. On today's pod find out why this episode was terrifying for Jim, which director Carl Lorthner is based on, and why Jim had to eat charcoal tablets while filming!

Today in Pawnee we're flipping through another episode as Rob and Alan take on the 20th episode of season 2. In "Summer Catalog" Leslie decides to take Ron and the past directors of the Parks Department out for a picnic lunch, while Tom enlists the help of Ann and Mark to pose for the catalog cover photo. On this pod you'll hear about Rob's first visit to the set, how Mark's story initiated its close, and the unique call back to our previous episode "The Stakeout."

Our friend Susan Yeagley AKA Jessica Wicks joins us in Pawnee today—to speak with Alan and Rob about the 21st episode of season 2! In "94 Meetings" Leslie goes all out to save a gazebo on the historical register from being destroyed. On today's show you'll hear how Susan made her character more nuanced the second time around, how working with Amy was like working with a Jedi, and the secret origin of April's nickname! Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall?

Pawnee fit check! Today Parks and Rec costume designer Kirston Mann joins Rob Lowe and Alan Yang to talk about the 22nd episode of season 2. In "Telethon" Leslie struggles to fill the overnight hours at a local telethon when Tom and celebrity guest Detlef Schrempf are sidetracked at the Snakehole Lounge. On today's episode you'll hear why Ann Perkins is the best dressed person in Pawnee, how Kirston helps get to the bottom of the Ron Swanson suit mystery, as well as a unique story about Pawneean Denise Yermley!

We've made it! Today Alan and Rob talk about an incredible turning point in the Parks and Recreation universe—the 23rd episode of season 2. In "The Master Plan" Everyone is excited about celebrating April's 21st birthday except Leslie, who is preoccupied with the prospect of her budget being cut by the state auditor's office. On today's episode you'll hear the secret to the Chris Traeger cadence, the origin of the "Ann Perkins!" tag line, and the classic Tom Cruise / Kenny G synthesis!

It's the end of Season 2, but just the beginning of the podcast now that RoLo is on the screen! Today Alan Yang and Rob Lowe discuss the season 2 finale of Parks and Recreation. In "Freddy Spaghetti" Leslie tries to skirt the rules to hold a children's concert in the vacant lot. In this episode you'll hear why you never see the inside of Ann's house, how Chris came into his own character, a writer's horror story from Producer Greg, and a little gift from Mark Rivers.

Can you believe season 3 is here? Alan and Rob are back with director Dean Holland to talk through the season premiere! In “Go Big or Go Home,” Leslie plays matchmaker with Ann and Chris in hopes of securing a bigger budget for the parks department. On this episode you’ll hear about the labor that went into Ron Swanson's Pyramid of Greatness, how Chris Traeger came to be a three-dimensional character, the ups and downs of the editing room, and how Alan’s hometown inspired Ice Town!

Grab your waffles and chicken soup—today Rob Lowe and Alan Yang are watching an iconic episode of Parks and Recreation. In "Flu Season" Leslie gets sick right before an important fundraising pitch for the Harvest Festival while Chris tries frantically to avoid catching the bug. In today's episode you'll hear why Rob saying "Stop Pooping" was so important, the impact of "Spa-nee" on treating one's self, and how the Harvest Festival storyline helped keep Chris and Ben as main characters.

Today's episode shines like glitter when Rob Lowe and Alan Yang revisit the third episode of season three of Parks and Recreation. In "Time Capsule" A crackpot handcuffs himself to a pipe in Leslie's office and demands that "Twilight" be placed in the Pawnee time capsule. In today's episode you'll hear why Rob wishes he could work with a giant lizard, what happens when you're required to shoot episodes out of order, how entertaining it is to work with Will Forte, and the divisive nature of DMB. Come for the Parks and Rec trivia, stay for the Kenneth "Baby Face" Edmonds trivia!

Tammy is back! Today Rob and Alan talk about the very powerful fourth episode of season three. In "Ron and Tammy 2" Ron breaks up with Tom's ex-wife, and decides to get back together with Tammy. In this episode find out what happens when you try and save the integrity of a script from a pile of wild jokes, what kind of dog Chris Traeger would be, how Ben's awkward nature is based off Mike Schur, and why it was ok to take liberties with the reality of the show when Tammy shows up.

Get your stories straight, because it's another great day in Pawnee. Today Rob Lowe and Alan Yang tackle the fifth episode of season three of Parks and Rec. In "Media Blitz" Leslie hits the Pawnee media circuit to promote the Harvest Festival, but Ben freaks out on air when his past is exposed. In today's episode you'll hear the writing team's favorite line ever delivered on the show, why some characters had goofier names than others, and why UCB performers did so well on the show.

Today we're taking a trip, as Rob Lowe and Alan Yang recap the sixth episode of Parks and Rec's third season! In "Indianapolis" Leslie and Ron journey to Indianapolis to receive a commendation from the state. On today's episode find out why S3E6 could have been the last episode for Chris Traeger, how the Ron Swanson meat meme evolved, how blocking for tv works, and the rare dramatic turn in this episode that raised the stakes! All of this and your host's favorite steakhouses!

It's a festival of massive proportion on today's episode, when Rob Lowe and Alan Yang recap S3E7 of Parks and Recreation. In "Harvest Festival" the day before the fest, a local Native American leader places a "curse" on the event because Leslie refuses to give in to his demands. On today's episode find out what happens when the entire town of Pawnee comes together, the origin of Li'l Sebastian, we get to the bottom of the Matchbox 20 / Rachel Ray mystery, and why a drone shot was necessary for worldbuilding.

Pack your bags because Rob Lowe and Alan Yang are heading to the Disney Ranch to recap S3E8 of Parks and Recreation! In "Camping" Leslie takes the whole department camping in order to brainstorm new ideas. On today's episode find out how this episode mirrored the writer's room retreats, why team building exercises didn't always help build the team, and some insider knowledge on a filming technique called the Texas Switch. Come for the Parks and Rec recap, stay for the NCIS lore!

Today Rob Lowe and Alan Yang are celebrating love in this landmark Parks and Recreation episode! In "Andy and April's Fancy Party" April and Andy's dinner party turns into a surprise wedding. On today's podcast you'll hear why this unwieldy script gave the actors more drive, how airconditioning can be funky on set, the silliness of a rare Donna and Ann B-story, and why Tom Cruise had a tooth removed in The Outsiders. All of this and the first appearance of Orin!

Grab your food rakes because today Rob Lowe and Alan Yang are swiping right on S3E10! In "Soulmates" Leslie is matched up with Tom on an Internet dating website, while Chris and Ron compete in a hamburger cook-off. On today's episode find out why clarity in comedy helps the audience laugh, how copyright trouble helped make better comedy, and why RoLo loves this episode! All of this and why Danny Glover's love for prop food is rivaled only by Chris Pratt's.

You never know when inspiration will strike while visiting Pawnee—and today Rob Lowe and Alan Yang are inspired by S3E11 of Parks and Recreation! In "Jerry's Painting" Chris deals with community uproar over Jerry's new painting, and Ben tries to help teach Andy and April responsibility after he moves in with them. On today's episode you'll hear why Ben couldn't just live alone, how it was important for Chris to deliver non-jokes in a humorous way, and how a misbehaving Leslie strengthened the character. All of this and a grammar lesson from Mario!

Call your friends and welcome them to Pawnee. Today Rob Lowe and Alan Yang are watching S3E12. In "Eagleton" Leslie is forced to deal with a former beloved colleague-turned bitter enemy when a neighboring town separates a shared park with a fence. On this episode find out how amazing it was to work with Nicole Holofcener, why a trash fight convinced Parker Posey to be in this episode, what in this script made Rashida cry, and why Alan never keeps ice cream in his home!

Pawnee is full of clearances and apologies when Rob Lowe and Alan Yang tackle S3E13. In The Fight Tom invites everyone to the Snakehole as he debuts a new drink, and Leslie encourages Ann to apply for a job with the city. On today's episode find out how front loading the B-story helped the slow burn of the A-story, why Janet Snakehole has a Mid-Atlantic accent, and which actors improvised their drunk talking heads. All of this and some interesting talk about agents!

Grab your banjo and put on your seatbelts because today Rob Lowe and Alan Yang are watching S3E14 of Parks and Recreation! In "Road Trip" Chris sends Leslie and Ben on a trip to the capital while Tom's new game creates tension between April and Andy. In this episode you'll hear why the rare bonding moment between Ann and April was important, Mike Schur's love of Neutral Milk Hotel and hate for hot fruit, how RoLo's Banjo improv came to be, and why creating a mix CD is a true artform. All of this and a subtle lesson in mainland Mandarin!

The hilarity is popping in Pawnee, when Rob Lowe and Alan Yang discuss S3E15 of Parks and Recreation! In "The Bubble" Leslie's mom makes a pass at Ben, not knowing that he and Leslie are dating. On today's episode the team share how fun it is to have Chris interacting with all of the parks department, Greg gives insights on his first writing credit, and why it took so long to get Marlene back in an episode! All of this and some surprising data about opening credits.

Today Rob Lowe and Alan Yang have a huge show for a small horse when recapping the season three finale of Parks and Recreation. In "Li'l Sebastian" Leslie and the Parks Department organize a memorial for a departed friend. In this episode you'll find out how an awkward encounter in the writer's room caused one of the funniest jokes on the show, which character is like Colossus from The X-Men, why changing Tom's career trajectory was important, an update on Biff Yeager, and a huge bombshell is revealed by producer Greg! Come for the Parks and Rec trivia, stay for the AC/DC trivia!