Disc Reviews

Parks And Recreation Season 5 Review

• 31st May 2014

Season 5 sees the gang taking a whole host of unexpectedly positive steps, I’m just hoping this isn’t a sign that they’re tying up lose ends before a final season. Even so, this season is as sweet as we’ve come to expect and just as funny.

Ben and April are doing well in Washington, winning campaigns and networking all over the place, which Leslie has to reconcile with her own Pawnee political expectations. April still has the best weirdo lines, but she’s slowly engaging with the political machine and thanks to her street-smart-craziness, is doing pretty well.

Love is blossoming for Ron, which means the return of Tammy II, played with vulgar perfection by the hugely talented Megan Mullally. Despite her attempts (sexual assault and kidnap…just normal Tammy stuff), Ron is happily settling down with Diane and learning to be a father to her two kids, which is really just so gosh-darn-it nice.

Even Tom is getting on with life, firing his crackpot business partner and setting up a small store called rent-a-swag. It’s not his worst idea by a long shot and he might actually be ok. Chris is still in need of a lot of oversight, but with April and the whole team watching over him, he might still be ok (that’s the best we can hope for from these two).

Amy Poehler’s Leslie still steals the show for me though. Her enthusiasm and sweetness drive the show to a nice place, pushing everyone to do well and be better. She and Ben must be the most grounded couple on TV and you’ve got to applaud that all happening without it impinging on the central theme that Leslie Knope is going to be President one day. I’d certainly vote for her.

 Maliha Basak