I like your analysis of Bobby and why he makes such a great opponent for Leslie. If he wasn't a little cartoony and a little bit likeable, he would throw off the whole balance of the show.
And yes, watching Leslie and Ben fight is fun. It adds more depth to their relationship, because honestly, who doesn't fight with their significant other? But I never once felt like their relationship would be in jeopardy because of their disagreement, and I have a feeling that's how their other disagreements over the course of the season will be, too.
If I can make time for it, I might write a "make up" fight right after they leave the TV studio, and how they decide to make the kid-Leslie internet ad. Wish me luck in finding time!
I hope they do keep the fights pretty low-stakes. Can't take any more angst for these two! But I think you're right, and I like that they're finding ways to keep the relationship interesting now that they're together.
I would love to read a missing scene fic like that, but I know how that is. I hope you find time for it! Are you planning on getting back to your witness protection story too?
Are you planning on getting back to your witness protection story too?
Yes. That's the next on my list, and I don't know if I'll have time for that and the missing scene fic. We'll see. But I have 1/3 of the next Witness Protection chapter done, and I'm determined to finish it soon! *fingers crossed*
Good point about Ben's competitiveness. We certainly saw that in The Treaty, only this time the ending was all good for him and Leslie. I love that he and Leslie are both competitive but don't apologize about it; heck, it's probably a turn-on for both of them : ).
There was a lot of merit to what Ben was saying-he does tend to be more realistic than Leslie-but the last ad they settled on was clearly the best. These two, once more proving they’re better together than apart.
This! So much. I feel like this ep is saying "love is when the campaign ad you make together is better than the ones you made alone." The way he looked at her while they were watching her 10-year-old self talk about residential property taxes - I melted! And who wouldn't love their competitiveness and how everybody else was like "OMG!awkward" and trying to stay out of it? LOL.
I agree that the conception of Bobby was inspired. She'll have to beat him with actual competence more than anything else. You'd think that should bode well for us not seeing too much more of Leslie fumbling around season-1-like ... hopefully. At least in this ep they remembered that Leslie actually "knows her stuff" even if she's overoptimistic and gets carried away.
"love is when the campaign ad you make together is better than the ones you made alone."
Ha ha! Love it. And you're right, at least they acknowledged at the end what makes her a good candidate, so hopefully we'll see some of that in action soon.
I love to see Leslie and Ben loving and supporting each other, but I also love to see them fight.
ABSOLUTELY NOT. Well, for one thing belligerent sexual tension is one of my favourite tropes, as long as it is eventually resolved with mutual respect and understanding. Even though they were broken up "The Treaty" was one of my favourite episodes for Leslie/Ben because their bickering was so hilarious. This episode did have a consistent thread of Leslie and Ben's bickering being laced with a certain competitive streak in both of them. I agree that the final ad really was the best of both worlds - Ben was right that Leslie needed to be more focused on her message and Leslie was right that a wholly negative ad wouldn't fit the spirit of her campaign.
Parks guest stars have been hit and miss. The misses haven't been huge, but there have been a couple of times former SNL people have shown up and the episodes aren't as funny as they could have been. But I think Paul Rudd's appearance was inspired as the casting for Tammy 2 and Chris the MRI
( ... )
The Treaty is one of my favorites for them too. I'm glad they're different enough, and both a little crazy in their own ways, to keep some of that going even now that they're happy together
( ... )
If Leslie were to lose the election and somehow become assistant city manager I think it would just be too incestuous. I know that's a weird way to put it...but for her to get the job her boyfriend lost in order to be with her after they broke up over her campaign for City Council...it all seems like a bad circle and it leaves Ben doing what?
I'm not looking to you for an answer and I don't think you are advocating that move. Your analysis just gave me the thought. I am equally (if not maybe more) interested in what will happen to Ben post-election as what will happen to Leslie.
Yeah, I actually rethought that after I wrote this, and you're right, that would be way too weird for her to take the job Ben resigned from. It also occurred to me that if they were really planning on promoting Leslie to parks director, they might not be telegraphing it this far out by already mentioning the possibility of Ron moving up. Maybe she really will win? The more I think about it, the more undecided I am.
I am extremely interested in what happens to Ben too. All the interesting things for him to do would seem to take him out of City Hall, but if they want to keep him there ... getting his old job back seems too anticlimactic, but just about anything else in city government would be a demotion. Maybe he'll work in that weird nebulous place Marlene does where "schools" and "county" seem to be part of city government ...
I am also very undecided when it comes to Leslie and whether she'll win. I don't know...can you serve on city council and hold down another job (I mean except in Leslie-land where she doesn't sleep...)? What do City Council persons get paid? Do they keep offices? Have assistants, agenda, etc? I really have no idea how this works. I think if she does win it will be like a chain reaction - multiple characters will shift. It could be a neat shake up (in the hands of other writers I would be nervous but my confidence in this show's writers is abnormally high), one that I wouldn't think was a bad thing.
For Ben...I go back and forth because I don't know what Ben wants...other than Leslie that is. I'm just not sure what he wants. Until then I really don't know how I feel about his future (I'm acting as if he were my child and I'm concerned about what college he goes too.)
In the real world, City Council member in a city that size would be a part-time job, something where you attend evening meetings twice a month and in between stay informed on city issues, but also keep your day job. It typically pays a stipend, something like $5,000 a year, and no office or assistants or anything like that. But I have a feeling that the show is going to pretend it's a full time salaried job, because it seems like they're treating it as a much bigger deal that it really would be.
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And yes, watching Leslie and Ben fight is fun. It adds more depth to their relationship, because honestly, who doesn't fight with their significant other? But I never once felt like their relationship would be in jeopardy because of their disagreement, and I have a feeling that's how their other disagreements over the course of the season will be, too.
If I can make time for it, I might write a "make up" fight right after they leave the TV studio, and how they decide to make the kid-Leslie internet ad. Wish me luck in finding time!
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I would love to read a missing scene fic like that, but I know how that is. I hope you find time for it! Are you planning on getting back to your witness protection story too?
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Yes. That's the next on my list, and I don't know if I'll have time for that and the missing scene fic. We'll see. But I have 1/3 of the next Witness Protection chapter done, and I'm determined to finish it soon! *fingers crossed*
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This! So much. I feel like this ep is saying "love is when the campaign ad you make together is better than the ones you made alone." The way he looked at her while they were watching her 10-year-old self talk about residential property taxes - I melted! And who wouldn't love their competitiveness and how everybody else was like "OMG!awkward" and trying to stay out of it? LOL.
I agree that the conception of Bobby was inspired. She'll have to beat him with actual competence more than anything else. You'd think that should bode well for us not seeing too much more of Leslie fumbling around season-1-like ... hopefully. At least in this ep they remembered that Leslie actually "knows her stuff" even if she's overoptimistic and gets carried away.
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Ha ha! Love it. And you're right, at least they acknowledged at the end what makes her a good candidate, so hopefully we'll see some of that in action soon.
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ABSOLUTELY NOT. Well, for one thing belligerent sexual tension is one of my favourite tropes, as long as it is eventually resolved with mutual respect and understanding. Even though they were broken up "The Treaty" was one of my favourite episodes for Leslie/Ben because their bickering was so hilarious. This episode did have a consistent thread of Leslie and Ben's bickering being laced with a certain competitive streak in both of them. I agree that the final ad really was the best of both worlds - Ben was right that Leslie needed to be more focused on her message and Leslie was right that a wholly negative ad wouldn't fit the spirit of her campaign.
Parks guest stars have been hit and miss. The misses haven't been huge, but there have been a couple of times former SNL people have shown up and the episodes aren't as funny as they could have been. But I think Paul Rudd's appearance was inspired as the casting for Tammy 2 and Chris the MRI ( ... )
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I'm not looking to you for an answer and I don't think you are advocating that move. Your analysis just gave me the thought. I am equally (if not maybe more) interested in what will happen to Ben post-election as what will happen to Leslie.
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I am extremely interested in what happens to Ben too. All the interesting things for him to do would seem to take him out of City Hall, but if they want to keep him there ... getting his old job back seems too anticlimactic, but just about anything else in city government would be a demotion. Maybe he'll work in that weird nebulous place Marlene does where "schools" and "county" seem to be part of city government ...
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For Ben...I go back and forth because I don't know what Ben wants...other than Leslie that is. I'm just not sure what he wants. Until then I really don't know how I feel about his future (I'm acting as if he were my child and I'm concerned about what college he goes too.)
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