Flu Season (Parks and Recreation)
Encyclopedia
"Flu Season" is the second episode of the third season
of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation
, and the 32nd overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC
in the United States on January 27, 2011. In the episode, a flu
outbreak leaves Leslie
ill, but she insists on making a public presentation about her proposed harvest festival. Meanwhile, Andy
and Ron
bond, and a hospital-bound April
torments the nurse Ann
.
The episode was written by Norm Hiscock
and directed by Wendey Stanzler
. The episode included major development of the characters Ann, Ron and Ben, the latter of whom becomes extremely impressed with Leslie, starting a season-long romance subplot between the two characters. Brent Briscoe
made a guest appearance as J.J., owner of J.J.'s Diner, a restaurant that has appeared in previous Parks episodes.
According to Nielsen Media Research
, "Flu Season" was seen by 5.83 million household viewers, a six percent decline from the previous episode, third season premiere "Go Big or Go Home
". The episode received positive reviews, with many commentators calling it one of the show's best episodes. Critics also praised the performance of Rob Lowe
during the scenes when Chris is stricken by the flu. Reviewers said the relationship between Chris and Ann made her character much more interesting and funny.
Amy Poehler submitted this episode for judging for her nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2011.
season has hit Pawnee hard, leaving nurse Ann
(Rashida Jones
) caring for many sick citizens at the hospital. Among them are April
(Aubrey Plaza), who constantly mistreats Ann in retaliation for kissing Andy
(Chris Pratt
). April asks Ron
(Nick Offerman
) not to tell Andy she is in the hospital, and Ron is anxious not to get involved in their personal affairs. Leslie
(Amy Poehler
) also has the flu, but will not admit it because she wants to give an important presentation to the Pawnee Chamber of Commerce about the planned Harvest Festival, which she hopes will restore the dwindling budget of the parks department. Ben
(Adam Scott
) finally takes a reluctant Leslie to the hospital, where she is admitted with a dangerously high fever and dehydration. Ben and Tom
(Aziz Ansari
) decide to do the presentation themselves, much to the chagrin of Leslie, who does not trust anyone but herself to do it. Tom immediately abandons Ben to hang out with a group of older men at the spa.
To Ann's surprise, Chris
(Rob Lowe
) has also been admitted to the hospital with the flu. The two have been dating and, although Ann really likes Chris, she fears he is too perfect. However, because the extremely health-conscious Chris has a poor immune system and nearly no body fat, he suffers a complete physical breakdown, which makes Ann feel less intimidated about dating him. Meanwhile, Leslie escapes the hospital and heads back to city hall to deliver the presentation herself. Tom returns from the spa, revealing his spa friends are the owners of several car dealerships, which have agreed to lend vehicles to the festival. Although delirious with fever and an excess of flu medication, Leslie delivers a flawless presentation, wildly impressing Ben. She is immediately brought back to the hospital, where Ben tells her 110 businesses have agreed to help with the festival, surpassing the minimum 80 needed.
At the department, with April absent from work, Ron asks Andy to fill in as an assistant because the anti-government oriented Ron believes Andy will be ineffective. The two bond over the course of the day, and Andy begins to tell Ron about his problems with April, for whom he still harbors romantic feelings. Although initially not wishing to get involved, Ron reluctantly tells Andy she is at the hospital and he should visit her. Meanwhile, Ann remains pleasant throughout her nursing shift despite April's constant abuse. The second her shift ends, however, Ann immediately loses her temper and curses at April. Ann apologizes for kissing Andy, but insists it was a mistake and that April should stop taking it out on Andy. Later, Andy visits April, who pretends to be asleep but smiles, revealing she is happy he came.
At the end of the episode, Chris tells Ben they have been called back to Indianapolis
for a new assignment, but both agree to seek an extension to stay in Pawnee longer. Although both claim they want to help organize the Harvest Festival, it is hinted they really want to stay because of Leslie and Ann.
and directed by Wendey Stanzler
. Like all six of the first third season
episodes, it was written and filmed almost immediately after the second season
ended as part of an early shooting schedule needed to accommodate Amy Poehler's pregnancy. However, although finished early in anticipation of a September 2010 release date, Parks was ultimately placed on hiatus until early 2011, many months after production on "Flu Season" was already finished. Although initially titled "The Flu" in original press releases, and referred to as such by several news articles, the episode title was later formally changed to "Flu Season". "Flu Season" continued the subplot of restoring the parks department budget through a harvest festival, which will continue to be a major story arc throughout the first six episodes of the season. Brent Briscoe
makes a guest appearance in "Flu Season" as J.J., the owner of J.J.'s Diner. Although the restaurant appears in the previous episode "The Reporter
", "Summer Catalog" and "The Master Plan
", "Flu Season" marked the first appearance of J.J. himself.
Michael Schur
, co-creator of Parks and Recreation, said the episode included development of several of the protagonist characters, including Ben Wyatt, Ann Perkins and Ron Swanson. One of the major story arcs of the season entails Ben, who had never had a firm sense of home, gradually falling in love with the town of Pawnee due to the optimism and enthusiasm Leslie Knope shows for the town and her job. Commentators suggested this transition appeared to begin in "Flu Season", when Ben is visibly, extremely impressed by Leslie's perfect deliverance of a public presentation despite her illness. Steve Kandell of New York
magazine wrote: "This is obviously the moment when Ben’s begrudging respect for her becomes something else", and The Atlantic writer Scott Meslow wrote: "Parks and Recreation has allowed Ben to develop in the background so far, but his affection for Pawnee is clearly growing."
"Flu Season" also demonstrated a departure in the way Ann's romantic relationships were handled compared to past seasons. The character previously dated Andy Dwyer, and Mark Brendanawicz
(Paul Schneider
) who was written out of the show at the end of the second season. In both cases, Ann was primarily in control of the relationship due to Andy's immaturity and Mark's lack of experience in long-term romances. Schur said of Ann's relationship with Chris, "This is the first time that Ann just completely loses herself and really falls for a guy super hard. And the relationship goes in a lot of funny, unexpected directions." Intimidated by her inability to find a flaw in the extremely positive and physically perfect Chris, Ann acts more awkwardly and nerdy around him than her character has been in the past. "Flu Season" also demonstrated deeper levels to Ron Swanson, who adamantly insists "I'm not interested in caring about people", yet reveals he cares about both Andy and April, and tries to help the two reconcile. Schur said Ron takes on a sort of father figure
role, "and he ends up revealing in a tiny, tiny, tiny way that's still true to the character that he has genuine feelings of caring for the people who work around him in the Parks office".
's showing during the 1997 NBA Finals
. During the fifth game of the series, Jordan lead the Chicago Bulls
to victory despite suffering from a serious case of the flu. Ben also compares Leslie's speech to the famous home run
baseball player Kirk Gibson
hit off of pitcher Dennis Eckersley
during the 1988 World Series
, despite Gibson suffering from injuries to both legs at the time. While bonding, Ron and Andy discuss the draft history of the Indianapolis Colts
, the NFL
football team of Indiana
. When Andy suggests Ron eat a burrito called the "Meat Tornado", Ron says, "You had me at Meat Tornado," a reference to the line "You had me at hello" from the romantic drama film Jerry Maguire
(1996). While deluded by the flu, Leslie mistakenly refers to the chamber of commerce as the "Chamber of Secrets", a reference to the fantasy novel Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
. At one point, while practicing her speech delirious with the flu, Leslie turns to a wall poster and says, "Good evening everyone, I'm Leslie Monster and this is Dateline
," a reference to the NBC
newsmagazine program. Later, while still delirious, Leslie introduces Ben to the presentation audience as "Scott Bakula
from Quantum Leap".
, with an overall 3.0 rating/8 share, and 3.2 rating/5 share among viewers between ages 18 and 49. It marked a six percent decline compared to the previous episode, "Go Big or Go Home
", which itself was the highest overall Parks rating for since the premiere episode
. The night "Flu Season" was broadcast, almost all of the comedy shows in NBC's Thursday lineup lost viewership compared to the prior week: while Community
remained flat, Perfect Couples
was down 19 percent, while The Office and 30 Rock
were down 11 percent.
said Lowe's character now seemed well-integrated into the cast, adding "If you've never believed Lowe can make you laugh out loud, pay attention to that episode." Steve Kandell of New York magazine said Lowe stole the show from the usual Parks powerhouses of Offerman and Pratt, and called one scene, when Lowe tries to will away his flu by yelling to himself in the mirror "Stop...pooping!", the "single greatest self-effacingly comic moment of his long, handsome career". The Atlantic writer Scott Meslow, who said after two episodes, the pairing of Chris and Ann was already more interesting that Ann's entire relationship with Mark Brendanawicz in the second season
, and that the new romance subplot allowed the normally "straight (wo)man" Rashida Jones to display her comedic talents. Entertainment Weekly
writer Hillary Busis said Chris "really came into his own" in the episode, and also said that Ann's relationship with Chris made her character more interesting and gave Jones greater comedic material to work with.
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HitFix
writer Alan Sepinwall declared "Flu Season" the one episode he would suggest to newcomers seeking to become familiar with Parks and Recreation because it spotlights so many different characters, includes both warm and comedic moments and includes commentary on small town government. He praised the performances of Lowe and Poehler, the latter of whom was especially effective because there were real stakes to Leslie making her presentation. Matt Fowler of IGN
also said Lowe's character, which he feared would get old fast, had proven to be a strong asset to the show, and Ann's character was at her strongest opposite him. But Fowler also said "Flu Season" was a strong ensemble with great character moments for everyone, including Ron and Andy's bonding and Ben's admiration of Leslie. The A.V. Club
writer Steve Heisler said "Flu Season" gave the entire cast the chance to be a bit sillier than usual and demonstrate their wide comedic ranges. Heisler said Ben and Chris felt like they belonged among the other characters, and he praised the performance of Aubrey Plaza, claiming April's character seemed more fleshed out than in past episodes.
Zap2it
writer Rick Porter called "Flu Season" one of the best episodes of Parks and Recreation, particularly praising the "outstanding teamup" of Ron and the "different shades of Ann" displayed in the show. Porter said he simultaneously loved both Lowe's over-the-top performance while sick, and Poehler's more subtle performance. Matt Richenthal of TV Fanatic said the way Chris has become so well integrated into the show demonstrates how well the writers keep seemingly ridiculous characters grounded. Richenthal said Poehler made her sick scenes seem like strong character moments rather than just slapstick comedy, and praised the scenes with Ron and Andy, as well as Tom's scenes at the spa. Joel Keller of TV Squad said the episode strongly developed the characters Ben and Chris, and served as a showcase for the comedic talents of Poehler, who he complimented for not going too over the top. Hollywood.com writer Eric Sundermann said the episode showcased Parks and Recreation at its finest, and said both Poehler and Lowe gave some of their best performance to date. Sundermann praised the pairing of Offerman and Pratt, and said although he had reservations about a Ben and Leslie romance, he believed it got off to a charming start in "Flu Season".
Parks and Recreation (season 3)
The third season of Parks and Recreation originally aired in the United States on the NBC television network between January 20 and May 19, 2011. Like the previous seasons, it focused on Leslie Knope and her staff at the parks and recreation department of the fictional Indiana town of Pawnee...
of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation is an American comedy television series on NBC that focuses on Leslie Knope , a mid-level bureaucrat in the parks department of Pawnee, a fictional town in Indiana. Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, the series debuted on April 9, 2009; it has run for three seasons and...
, and the 32nd overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in the United States on January 27, 2011. In the episode, a flu
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
outbreak leaves Leslie
Leslie Knope
Leslie Barbara Knope is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. She is portrayed by Amy Poehler. Poehler garnered two Emmy Award nominations for Best Lead Actress in Comedy Series for her role.-Background:...
ill, but she insists on making a public presentation about her proposed harvest festival. Meanwhile, Andy
Andy Dwyer
Andrew Maxwell "Andy" Dwyer is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. He is Ann Perkins' ex-boyfriend, a talented-if-yet-unsuccessful musician, a shoe-shiner at Pawnee City Hall, and April Ludgate's husband. He is portrayed by Chris Pratt.-Background:At the start of the...
and Ron
Ron Swanson
Ronald Ulysses "Ron" Swanson is a fictional character played by Nick Offerman in the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation on NBC. Ron is parks department director in the Indiana city of Pawnee and the immediate superior of protagonist Leslie Knope...
bond, and a hospital-bound April
April Ludgate
April Roberta Ludgate is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. She is an apathetic college student employed by the Pawnee Department of Parks and Recreation as Ron Swanson's assistant. She is married to Andy Dwyer. She is portrayed by Aubrey Plaza...
torments the nurse Ann
Ann Perkins
Ann Meredith Perkins is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. She is a nurse and best friend of Leslie Knope. She is portrayed by Rashida Jones.-Season one:...
.
The episode was written by Norm Hiscock
Norm Hiscock
Norm Hiscock is an Emmy Award winning screenwriter and producer. He is known for his work on Saturday Night Live, King of the Hill, The Kids in the Hall, Corner Gas and most recently Parks and Recreation...
and directed by Wendey Stanzler
Wendey Stanzler
Wendey Stanzler is an American television editor, director and producer from Flint, Michigan, where she was co-editor and associate producer of Michael Moore's documentary, Roger & Me in 1990. She also co-edited Moore's only fiction film, Canadian Bacon...
. The episode included major development of the characters Ann, Ron and Ben, the latter of whom becomes extremely impressed with Leslie, starting a season-long romance subplot between the two characters. Brent Briscoe
Brent Briscoe
Brent Briscoe is an American actor and screenwriter.Briscoe was born in Moberly, Missouri. After finishing his education at the University of Missouri, Briscoe launched his career as a theater actor. He then segued into screenwriting and acting in feature films...
made a guest appearance as J.J., owner of J.J.'s Diner, a restaurant that has appeared in previous Parks episodes.
According to Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, "Flu Season" was seen by 5.83 million household viewers, a six percent decline from the previous episode, third season premiere "Go Big or Go Home
Go Big or Go Home
"Go Big or Go Home" is the third season premiere of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 31st overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on January 20, 2011. In the episode, Leslie gets Ann to go on a date with state auditor Chris...
". The episode received positive reviews, with many commentators calling it one of the show's best episodes. Critics also praised the performance of Rob Lowe
Rob Lowe
Robert Hepler "Rob" Lowe is an American actor. Lowe came to prominence after appearing in films such as The Outsiders, Oxford Blues, About Last Night..., St. Elmo's Fire, and Wayne's World. On television, Lowe is known for his role as Sam Seaborn on The West Wing and his role as Senator Robert...
during the scenes when Chris is stricken by the flu. Reviewers said the relationship between Chris and Ann made her character much more interesting and funny.
Amy Poehler submitted this episode for judging for her nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2011.
Plot
The fluInfluenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
season has hit Pawnee hard, leaving nurse Ann
Ann Perkins
Ann Meredith Perkins is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. She is a nurse and best friend of Leslie Knope. She is portrayed by Rashida Jones.-Season one:...
(Rashida Jones
Rashida Jones
Rashida Leah Jones is an American film and television actress, comic book author, screenwriter and occasional singer. She played Louisa Fenn on Boston Public and Karen Filippelli on The Office as well as roles in the films I Love You, Man and The Social Network...
) caring for many sick citizens at the hospital. Among them are April
April Ludgate
April Roberta Ludgate is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. She is an apathetic college student employed by the Pawnee Department of Parks and Recreation as Ron Swanson's assistant. She is married to Andy Dwyer. She is portrayed by Aubrey Plaza...
(Aubrey Plaza), who constantly mistreats Ann in retaliation for kissing Andy
Andy Dwyer
Andrew Maxwell "Andy" Dwyer is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. He is Ann Perkins' ex-boyfriend, a talented-if-yet-unsuccessful musician, a shoe-shiner at Pawnee City Hall, and April Ludgate's husband. He is portrayed by Chris Pratt.-Background:At the start of the...
(Chris Pratt
Chris Pratt
Christopher Michael "Chris" Pratt is an American actor, best known for his roles as Harold Brighton "Bright" Abbott in the television series Everwood, the recurring character Winchester "Ché" Cook in season 4 of The OC, Andy Dwyer in the television series Parks and Recreation and for portraying...
). April asks Ron
Ron Swanson
Ronald Ulysses "Ron" Swanson is a fictional character played by Nick Offerman in the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation on NBC. Ron is parks department director in the Indiana city of Pawnee and the immediate superior of protagonist Leslie Knope...
(Nick Offerman
Nick Offerman
Nick Offerman is an American actor best known for his role as Ron Swanson in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation. He is also a skilled woodworker.-Early life and career:...
) not to tell Andy she is in the hospital, and Ron is anxious not to get involved in their personal affairs. Leslie
Leslie Knope
Leslie Barbara Knope is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. She is portrayed by Amy Poehler. Poehler garnered two Emmy Award nominations for Best Lead Actress in Comedy Series for her role.-Background:...
(Amy Poehler
Amy Poehler
Amy Meredith Poehler is an American comedian, actress and voice actress. She was a cast member on the NBC television entertainment show Saturday Night Live from 2001 to 2008. In 2004, she starred in the film Mean Girls with Tina Fey, with whom she worked again in Baby Mama in 2008. She is...
) also has the flu, but will not admit it because she wants to give an important presentation to the Pawnee Chamber of Commerce about the planned Harvest Festival, which she hopes will restore the dwindling budget of the parks department. Ben
Ben Wyatt (Parks and Recreation)
Benjamin "Ben" Wyatt is a character in the TV series Parks and Recreation. The character guest starred in two episodes of season two and was upgraded to a regular in season three. Ben is a state auditor who comes into Pawnee with Chris Traeger to evaluate the town's funds at the end of the second...
(Adam Scott
Adam Scott (actor)
Adam Scott is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Henry Pollard in the Starz comedy series Party Down and as Ben Wyatt in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation....
) finally takes a reluctant Leslie to the hospital, where she is admitted with a dangerously high fever and dehydration. Ben and Tom
Tom Haverford
Thomas Montgomery "Tom" Haverford , born Darwish Sabir Ismael Gani, is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. He is a sarcastic, underachieving government official for the city of Pawnee who is revered for his high levels of swagger and unmatched entrepreneurial skills...
(Aziz Ansari
Aziz Ansari
Aziz Ansari is an American actor, writer, and stand-up comedian. He currently stars as Tom Haverford on the NBC show Parks and Recreation....
) decide to do the presentation themselves, much to the chagrin of Leslie, who does not trust anyone but herself to do it. Tom immediately abandons Ben to hang out with a group of older men at the spa.
To Ann's surprise, Chris
Chris Traeger
Christopher "Chris" Traeger is a fictional character played by Rob Lowe in the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation on NBC. He began on the show as an Indiana state auditor who visits the fictional city of Pawnee to help solve their crippling budget problems, and eventually...
(Rob Lowe
Rob Lowe
Robert Hepler "Rob" Lowe is an American actor. Lowe came to prominence after appearing in films such as The Outsiders, Oxford Blues, About Last Night..., St. Elmo's Fire, and Wayne's World. On television, Lowe is known for his role as Sam Seaborn on The West Wing and his role as Senator Robert...
) has also been admitted to the hospital with the flu. The two have been dating and, although Ann really likes Chris, she fears he is too perfect. However, because the extremely health-conscious Chris has a poor immune system and nearly no body fat, he suffers a complete physical breakdown, which makes Ann feel less intimidated about dating him. Meanwhile, Leslie escapes the hospital and heads back to city hall to deliver the presentation herself. Tom returns from the spa, revealing his spa friends are the owners of several car dealerships, which have agreed to lend vehicles to the festival. Although delirious with fever and an excess of flu medication, Leslie delivers a flawless presentation, wildly impressing Ben. She is immediately brought back to the hospital, where Ben tells her 110 businesses have agreed to help with the festival, surpassing the minimum 80 needed.
At the department, with April absent from work, Ron asks Andy to fill in as an assistant because the anti-government oriented Ron believes Andy will be ineffective. The two bond over the course of the day, and Andy begins to tell Ron about his problems with April, for whom he still harbors romantic feelings. Although initially not wishing to get involved, Ron reluctantly tells Andy she is at the hospital and he should visit her. Meanwhile, Ann remains pleasant throughout her nursing shift despite April's constant abuse. The second her shift ends, however, Ann immediately loses her temper and curses at April. Ann apologizes for kissing Andy, but insists it was a mistake and that April should stop taking it out on Andy. Later, Andy visits April, who pretends to be asleep but smiles, revealing she is happy he came.
At the end of the episode, Chris tells Ben they have been called back to Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
for a new assignment, but both agree to seek an extension to stay in Pawnee longer. Although both claim they want to help organize the Harvest Festival, it is hinted they really want to stay because of Leslie and Ann.
Production
"Flu Season" was written by Norm HiscockNorm Hiscock
Norm Hiscock is an Emmy Award winning screenwriter and producer. He is known for his work on Saturday Night Live, King of the Hill, The Kids in the Hall, Corner Gas and most recently Parks and Recreation...
and directed by Wendey Stanzler
Wendey Stanzler
Wendey Stanzler is an American television editor, director and producer from Flint, Michigan, where she was co-editor and associate producer of Michael Moore's documentary, Roger & Me in 1990. She also co-edited Moore's only fiction film, Canadian Bacon...
. Like all six of the first third season
Parks and Recreation (season 3)
The third season of Parks and Recreation originally aired in the United States on the NBC television network between January 20 and May 19, 2011. Like the previous seasons, it focused on Leslie Knope and her staff at the parks and recreation department of the fictional Indiana town of Pawnee...
episodes, it was written and filmed almost immediately after the second season
Parks and Recreation (season 2)
The second season of Parks and Recreation originally aired in the United States on the NBC television network starting September 17, 2009, and ended on May 20, 2010. The season was produced by Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, and series co-creators Greg Daniels and Michael Schur...
ended as part of an early shooting schedule needed to accommodate Amy Poehler's pregnancy. However, although finished early in anticipation of a September 2010 release date, Parks was ultimately placed on hiatus until early 2011, many months after production on "Flu Season" was already finished. Although initially titled "The Flu" in original press releases, and referred to as such by several news articles, the episode title was later formally changed to "Flu Season". "Flu Season" continued the subplot of restoring the parks department budget through a harvest festival, which will continue to be a major story arc throughout the first six episodes of the season. Brent Briscoe
Brent Briscoe
Brent Briscoe is an American actor and screenwriter.Briscoe was born in Moberly, Missouri. After finishing his education at the University of Missouri, Briscoe launched his career as a theater actor. He then segued into screenwriting and acting in feature films...
makes a guest appearance in "Flu Season" as J.J., the owner of J.J.'s Diner. Although the restaurant appears in the previous episode "The Reporter
The Reporter (Parks and Recreation)
"The Reporter" is the third episode of the first season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on April 23, 2009. The episode was written by Daniel J. Goor and directed by Jeffrey Blitz...
", "Summer Catalog" and "The Master Plan
The Master Plan (Parks and Recreation)
The Master Plan is the 23rd and penultimate episode of the second season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 29th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 13, 2010...
", "Flu Season" marked the first appearance of J.J. himself.
Michael Schur
Michael Schur
Michael Herbert Schur is an American television producer and writer, best known for his work on the NBC comedy series The Office and Parks and Recreation, the latter of which he co-created along with Greg Daniels...
, co-creator of Parks and Recreation, said the episode included development of several of the protagonist characters, including Ben Wyatt, Ann Perkins and Ron Swanson. One of the major story arcs of the season entails Ben, who had never had a firm sense of home, gradually falling in love with the town of Pawnee due to the optimism and enthusiasm Leslie Knope shows for the town and her job. Commentators suggested this transition appeared to begin in "Flu Season", when Ben is visibly, extremely impressed by Leslie's perfect deliverance of a public presentation despite her illness. Steve Kandell of New York
New York (magazine)
New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
magazine wrote: "This is obviously the moment when Ben’s begrudging respect for her becomes something else", and The Atlantic writer Scott Meslow wrote: "Parks and Recreation has allowed Ben to develop in the background so far, but his affection for Pawnee is clearly growing."
"Flu Season" also demonstrated a departure in the way Ann's romantic relationships were handled compared to past seasons. The character previously dated Andy Dwyer, and Mark Brendanawicz
Mark Brendanawicz
Mark Brendanawicz is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. He is the city planner for Pawnee, Indiana, one of Ann Perkins's ex-boyfriends, and Leslie Knope's colleague. He is portrayed by Paul Schneider...
(Paul Schneider
Paul Schneider (actor)
Paul Andrew Schneider is an American film actor.-Early life and career:Schneider was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. He graduated from the North Carolina School of Arts...
) who was written out of the show at the end of the second season. In both cases, Ann was primarily in control of the relationship due to Andy's immaturity and Mark's lack of experience in long-term romances. Schur said of Ann's relationship with Chris, "This is the first time that Ann just completely loses herself and really falls for a guy super hard. And the relationship goes in a lot of funny, unexpected directions." Intimidated by her inability to find a flaw in the extremely positive and physically perfect Chris, Ann acts more awkwardly and nerdy around him than her character has been in the past. "Flu Season" also demonstrated deeper levels to Ron Swanson, who adamantly insists "I'm not interested in caring about people", yet reveals he cares about both Andy and April, and tries to help the two reconcile. Schur said Ron takes on a sort of father figure
Father Figure
"Father Figure" is the U.S. number-one song written and performed by George Michael and released on Columbia Records in 1988 as the third single from the album Faith.-History:...
role, "and he ends up revealing in a tiny, tiny, tiny way that's still true to the character that he has genuine feelings of caring for the people who work around him in the Parks office".
Cultural references
In the episode, Ben compares Leslie's delivery of a perfect presentation despite having the flu to basketball player Michael JordanMichael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
's showing during the 1997 NBA Finals
1997 NBA Finals
The 1997 NBA Finals was the concluding series of the 1997 NBA Playoffs that determined the champion of the 1996–97 NBA season. The Utah Jazz of the Western Conference took on the Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Bulls holding home court advantage...
. During the fifth game of the series, Jordan lead the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
to victory despite suffering from a serious case of the flu. Ben also compares Leslie's speech to the famous home run
Kirk Gibson 1988 World Series home run
Kirk Gibson's 1988 World Series home run occurred in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, on October 15, , at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Gibson, pinch hitting for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the bottom of the ninth inning, with injuries to both legs, hit a two-run walk-off home run off the Oakland...
baseball player Kirk Gibson
Kirk Gibson
Kirk Harold Gibson is a former Major League Baseball player and currently the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks. As a player, Gibson was an outfielder who batted and threw left-handed...
hit off of pitcher Dennis Eckersley
Dennis Eckersley
Dennis Lee Eckersley , nicknamed "Eck", is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. Eckersley had success as a starter, but gained his greatest fame as a closer, becoming the first of only two pitchers in Major League history to have both a 20-win season and a 50-save season in a career .He...
during the 1988 World Series
1988 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 15, 1988 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaBecause of using ace Orel Hershiser in Game 7 of the NLCS, the Dodgers had to open with rookie Tim Belcher in Game 1. Meanwhile, Oakland sent a well-rested Dave Stewart to the mound. Both pitchers, however, would have...
, despite Gibson suffering from injuries to both legs at the time. While bonding, Ron and Andy discuss the draft history of the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
football team of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. When Andy suggests Ron eat a burrito called the "Meat Tornado", Ron says, "You had me at Meat Tornado," a reference to the line "You had me at hello" from the romantic drama film Jerry Maguire
Jerry Maguire
Jerry Maguire is a 1996 American romantic comedy-drama film starring Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding, Jr. It was written, co-produced, and directed by Cameron Crowe...
(1996). While deluded by the flu, Leslie mistakenly refers to the chamber of commerce as the "Chamber of Secrets", a reference to the fantasy novel Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second novel in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling. The plot follows Harry's second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, during which a series of messages on the walls on the school's corridors warn that the "Chamber of...
. At one point, while practicing her speech delirious with the flu, Leslie turns to a wall poster and says, "Good evening everyone, I'm Leslie Monster and this is Dateline
Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC, or Dateline, is a U.S. weekly television newsmagazine broadcast by NBC. It previously was NBC's flagship news magazine, but now focuses on true crime stories. It airs Friday at 9 p.m. EST and after football season on Sunday at 7 p.m. EST.-History:Dateline is historically notable for...
," a reference to the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
newsmagazine program. Later, while still delirious, Leslie introduces Ben to the presentation audience as "Scott Bakula
Scott Bakula
Scott Stewart Bakula is an American actor, known for his role as Sam Beckett in the television series Quantum Leap, for which he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama in 1991 and was nominated for four Emmy Awards. He also had a prominent role as Captain Jonathan...
from Quantum Leap".
Ratings
In its original American broadcast, "Flu Season" was seen by an estimated 5.83 million household viewers, according to Nielsen Media ResearchNielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, with an overall 3.0 rating/8 share, and 3.2 rating/5 share among viewers between ages 18 and 49. It marked a six percent decline compared to the previous episode, "Go Big or Go Home
Go Big or Go Home
"Go Big or Go Home" is the third season premiere of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 31st overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on January 20, 2011. In the episode, Leslie gets Ann to go on a date with state auditor Chris...
", which itself was the highest overall Parks rating for since the premiere episode
Pilot (Parks and Recreation)
"Pilot" is the first episode of the first season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on April 9, 2009. The episode was written by series co-creators Michael Schur and Greg Daniels, and directed by Daniels...
. The night "Flu Season" was broadcast, almost all of the comedy shows in NBC's Thursday lineup lost viewership compared to the prior week: while Community
Community (TV series)
Community is an American television comedy series created by Dan Harmon that airs on NBC. The series is about a group of students at a community college in the fictional locale of Greendale, Colorado. The series heavily uses meta-humor and pop culture references, often parodying film and television...
remained flat, Perfect Couples
Perfect Couples
Perfect Couples is an American comedy television series that was originally broadcast by NBC. The half-hour romantic comedy was co-created by Jon Pollack and Scott Silveri and produced by Universal Media Studios. A sneak preview of the series aired on December 20, 2010, and officially premiered on...
was down 19 percent, while The Office and 30 Rock
30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
were down 11 percent.
Reviews
"Flu Season" received generally positive reviews, with many commentators praising the performance of Rob Lowe, whose character is usually physically fit to almost superhuman proportions but becomes extremely ill and hallucinatory when infected with the flu. Tim Goodman of The Hollywood ReporterThe Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
said Lowe's character now seemed well-integrated into the cast, adding "If you've never believed Lowe can make you laugh out loud, pay attention to that episode." Steve Kandell of New York magazine said Lowe stole the show from the usual Parks powerhouses of Offerman and Pratt, and called one scene, when Lowe tries to will away his flu by yelling to himself in the mirror "Stop...pooping!", the "single greatest self-effacingly comic moment of his long, handsome career". The Atlantic writer Scott Meslow, who said after two episodes, the pairing of Chris and Ann was already more interesting that Ann's entire relationship with Mark Brendanawicz in the second season
Parks and Recreation (season 2)
The second season of Parks and Recreation originally aired in the United States on the NBC television network starting September 17, 2009, and ended on May 20, 2010. The season was produced by Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, and series co-creators Greg Daniels and Michael Schur...
, and that the new romance subplot allowed the normally "straight (wo)man" Rashida Jones to display her comedic talents. Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
writer Hillary Busis said Chris "really came into his own" in the episode, and also said that Ann's relationship with Chris made her character more interesting and gave Jones greater comedic material to work with.
HitFix
HitFix, or the HitFix.com is an entertainment news website that launched in December 2008 specializing in breaking entertainment news, insider information and providing reviews and critiques of film, music and television...
writer Alan Sepinwall declared "Flu Season" the one episode he would suggest to newcomers seeking to become familiar with Parks and Recreation because it spotlights so many different characters, includes both warm and comedic moments and includes commentary on small town government. He praised the performances of Lowe and Poehler, the latter of whom was especially effective because there were real stakes to Leslie making her presentation. Matt Fowler of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
also said Lowe's character, which he feared would get old fast, had proven to be a strong asset to the show, and Ann's character was at her strongest opposite him. But Fowler also said "Flu Season" was a strong ensemble with great character moments for everyone, including Ron and Andy's bonding and Ben's admiration of Leslie. The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
writer Steve Heisler said "Flu Season" gave the entire cast the chance to be a bit sillier than usual and demonstrate their wide comedic ranges. Heisler said Ben and Chris felt like they belonged among the other characters, and he praised the performance of Aubrey Plaza, claiming April's character seemed more fleshed out than in past episodes.
Zap2it
Zap2it
Zap2it is an American website and affiliate network that provides news, photos and video, local TV listings and movie showtimes. The site is produced by Tribune Media Services , part of the publishing division of the Chicago-based Tribune Company...
writer Rick Porter called "Flu Season" one of the best episodes of Parks and Recreation, particularly praising the "outstanding teamup" of Ron and the "different shades of Ann" displayed in the show. Porter said he simultaneously loved both Lowe's over-the-top performance while sick, and Poehler's more subtle performance. Matt Richenthal of TV Fanatic said the way Chris has become so well integrated into the show demonstrates how well the writers keep seemingly ridiculous characters grounded. Richenthal said Poehler made her sick scenes seem like strong character moments rather than just slapstick comedy, and praised the scenes with Ron and Andy, as well as Tom's scenes at the spa. Joel Keller of TV Squad said the episode strongly developed the characters Ben and Chris, and served as a showcase for the comedic talents of Poehler, who he complimented for not going too over the top. Hollywood.com writer Eric Sundermann said the episode showcased Parks and Recreation at its finest, and said both Poehler and Lowe gave some of their best performance to date. Sundermann praised the pairing of Offerman and Pratt, and said although he had reservations about a Ben and Leslie romance, he believed it got off to a charming start in "Flu Season".
External links
- "Flu Season" at the official Parks and Recreation site