Sadness Baths and Geopolitical Problem Solving: Aka Cy has thoughts

[cypanache]

Normally I would just post this over on tumblr but it's long and tumblr hates me right now.  So the point is I have now seen 'The Treaty' twice and have watched the preview clip for 'Smallest Park'.  And given this and what I've read of the spoilers for the next two episodes, I have some thoughts that I'm working through regarding this arc.

These

Comments

[zombie_boogie]

First of all, I just wanted to say that you articulated all of your thoughts really, really well. I especially love what you wrote about Leslie and her feelings, because I think there has been an expectation among some fans that she would react to the break-up in a way that I don't think would be fair to or consistent with her character.

Now then! I haven't felt as negatively about the developments of this pairing in relation to spoilers as much as other people, mainly because I'm generally optimistic about the ability of the writers to make it work. It does seem like a rather large leap to make to go from where they are at the end of "The Treaty"/the beginning of "Smallest Park" to them getting back together, but I think with the right kind of interactions and discussions it could happen.

Second of all, and I think possibly even more likely, I could see the Parks writers deliberately holding that 'Flu Season' moment (or series of moments) for Leslie where she sees Ben as awesome independent of her back for the latter half of the season.

I've been starting to think that this is what they're going to do. I'm with everyone who wants to see Leslie have her "ah-ha" moment before they get back together, and I do think she needs to have some sort of lightbulb go off for it to work. That said, I'd be perfectly happy if we see Leslie fall more and more for Ben while they're already together. I think it would be a way to keep things interesting with an established pairing. I also get why the writers want to resolve the break-up issue early in the season, and I think this kind of storyline would give the "Leslie's feelings for Ben" more time to develop without the additional angst of a separation.

As for "Take a Bow", I'd personally prefer a post "Smallest Parks" fic rather than a more AU one, because I really do enjoy fill-in-the-emotional-blanks fic.

[cypanache]

I have to admit, those first three episodes directly after the breakup where she felt like such a blank page, I was having a lot of trouble filling in the gaps for her character emotionally. I was trying, but I was also trying not to assume to much, and I do think that period is part of what triggered Ben's tailspin because that could not have been easy for him to watch. But once they gave me something to latch on to with End of the World, then the whole three previous episodes fell completely into place more and felt emotionally right for her.

Which is why even as I'm trying to work through my thoughts and might have a few reservations I'm keeping in mind that Parks plays a longer game than most sitcoms. Like you I'm generally very trusting of the writers here. But I'm also trying to figure them out and where I think they stand emotionally at this or that moment in time, which means thinking about 'okay what parts are in place right now, what parts are still missing, what can be reasonably accomplished in the known period of time'.

While I know the spoilers, the more I think about it, the more I think they will not be perfect or even particularly functional when they get back together. They'll be happy, but they are going to be a little bit messy still emotionally. There will still be some imbalances to their relationship, and I think that's actually going to be really good for them not feeling stagnant in the long run.

You know the more I think about it, the more sold I am on the idea that them getting back together in not the culmination of Leslie falling in love with Ben but the beginning. I think Ben is one of those guys you meet in the quiet moments, in the up close and personal. She needs to be with him to really take that slow slide, and I think it's actually going to be kind of beautiful to watch it play out.