Thursday, January 30, 2014
Antenna TV Kicks Off with Flying Nun on Super Bowl Sunday; Episodic Review: Parks and Recreation - "Ann and Chris" Airing Tonight on NBC
On the next...Parks and Recreation (NBC, Thur 8:30pm):
By: Skees
NBC's Thursday night comedy starring Amy Poehler airs at 8:30pm and we have just watched the next episode that airs tonight (January 30). In the episode airing tonight, "Ann and Chris," on Ann (Rashida Jones) and Chris's (Rob Lowe) last night in Pawnee, Leslie (Amy Poehler) throws a grand farewell party and attempts to fulfill one last promise. Meanwhile, Tom (Aziz Ansari), Ben (Adam Scott), Ron (Nick Offerman) and Andy (Chris Pratt) struggle to find the perfect going away gift for Chris.
In "Ann and Chris," a bittersweet day has arrived in Pawnee. Ann and Chris are about to leave Pawnee for good and head north to Michigan. But before this can happen, Leslie is determined to make sure that they get the proper send-off. After all, Ann is Leslie's best friend and she can't let her best friend leave without doing something special for her. It is at this point that we're reminded of how Ann and Leslie met, through flashbacks to the pilot episode, when Ann wanted a giant hole next to her home filled, and Leslie promised to build a park on that land. Now, all these years later, that hole is still there, and Leslie is determined to make good on that promise in the few hours remaining before Ann leaves. Meanwhile, at the farewell party, Chris is leaving and has great gifts for everybody... unfortunately, the gifts that are given to him are woefully disappointing in comparison, leaving everybody scrambling to do something better for him before it is too late.
It is a bit sad to see these two characters leaving the series. Ann has been an important part of the series since the very beginning, and although Chris didn't come in until the end of the second season, he has also become a very important part of the series. It is one thing to see one major character leave a series, but much more for two to leave at the same time. Sadly, I feel like the exit of these two characters from the series came with an episode that wasn't quite up to the Parks and Recreation standards. The episode seemed to somewhat drag on without much of a story aside from "Ann and Chris are leaving." I did, however, enjoy how they brought the series back to the promise that Leslie made to Ann in the very first episode. It seems that story somewhat faded into our memories over the years, but Leslie finally did make good on that promise. As for the series itself, if it can withstand the ratings slump it has been in (and it appears that NBC has given it a vote of confidence that it will, something that I'm very happy to hear), I think that the series can carry on just fine with the remaining cast and perhaps some new players, but I hope that they don't try to artificially fill the roles of Ann and Chris with Ann and Chris clones (as so many series do when a cast member leaves). B-
Sitcoms Airing Tonight
Monday, December 4
American Dad! - "The Pink Sphinx Holds Her Hearts on the Turn" (TBS, 10:00PM ET/PT)
Francine enters the strange and dangerous world of poker to learn how to hide her true feelings from Steve and Hayley.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 4)
Monday, December 4
- Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond) - Watch Ray on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Sebastian Maniscalco (Bookie) - Sebastian appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Sarah Paulson (Leap of Faith) - Sarah is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Gabriel Iglesias (Mr. Iglesias/Cristela), John Witherspoon (The First Family/The Tracy Morgan Show/The Wayans Bros.) and Thea Vidale (Thea) - Gabriel, John (RIP) and Thea are guests on repeats of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen on CBS between 12:37-1:37am.
- Rachel Bloom (Upload) - Rachel appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Kenan Thompson (Kenan/Kenan & Kel) - Kenan talks about When I Was Your Age on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
- Kate Flannery (The Office) - Kate tells Sherri all about A Swingin’ Little Christmas, her holiday concert with Jane Lynch, on Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Henry Winkler (Barry/Arrested Development/Out of Practice/Monty/Happy Days) - Henry discusses his new memoir Being Henry: The Fonz...and Beyond on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Bellamy Young (The Other Black Girl) - Bellamy appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Marilu Henner (Taxi/Evening Shade) - Marilu is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:15am.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (September-December)
09/05 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Sixth Season
09/12 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Second Season
09/12 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-6 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/26 - Family Matters - The Complete Series
09/26 - Step by Step - The Complete Series
10/10 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Thirteen / The Complete Season Fourteen
10/17 - ALF - The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition) (Shout! Factory Special Offers)
10/17 - Night Court (2023) - The Complete First Season
11/07 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/14 - Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/05 - Father Knows Best - The Complete Series
12/05 - The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/12 - The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series
12/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
12/12 - That Girl - The Complete Series
12/19 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series
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