Media Blitz
Encyclopedia
"Media Blitz" is the fifth episode of the third season
of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation
, and the 35th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC
in the United States on February 17, 2011. In the episode, the parks department tries to draw media attention for the upcoming harvest festival, but the press becomes fixated on Ben
's past political mistakes. Meanwhile, Andy Dwyer
takes on all of April Ludgate
's errands with the hopes of convincing her not to move to Indianapolis
.
Written by Harris Wittels and directed by David Rogers
, "Media Blitz" revolved largely around Ben's backstory as a child mayor who bankrupted his old town, which was originally a concept considered for series protagonist Leslie Knope
. The episode was also what series co-creator Michael Schur
called a "key moment" for April and Andy, ending a multi-episode subplot of April being angry with Andy for having been kissed by Ann
in the second season
finale "Freddy Spaghetti
". "Media Blitz" featured guest appearances by comedians Matt Besser
and Nick Kroll
as morning zoo
-style radio hosts "Crazy Ira and The Douche," as well as appearance by frequent Parks and Recreation guest stars Mo Collins
, Alison Becker
, and Jay Jackson.
According to Nielsen Media Research
, "Media Blitz" was seen by 4.33 million household viewers. It marked the lowest rating for the season to date, and constituted a more than eight percent drop from the previous episode, "Ron & Tammy: Part Two
". "Media Blitz" received generally positive reviews, with several commentators particularly praising the performance of Adam Scott
as Ben. Some reviews, however, found less effective a subplot about the uncertainty surrounding the romantic relationship of Ann and Chris Traeger
, a state auditor played by Rob Lowe
who is supposed to leave Pawnee for Indianapolis soon.
(Amy Poehler
), Tom
(Aziz Ansari
) and Ben
(Adam Scott
) start promoting the upcoming Harvest Festival on several Pawnee media outlets, starting with the local morning zoo
radio show "Crazy Ira and The Douche" (Matt Besser
and Nick Kroll
). The duo begin asking Ben questions about his time as a teen mayor in Partridge, Minnesota, having researched how he bankrupted the town. Ben responds awkwardly, stammering incomprehensibly and unable to defend himself to Crazy Ira and The Douche's taunts. Tom proposes dumping Ben from future media interviews, but Leslie insists they cannot because he is the only one who can handle complicated questions about its budget. Meanwhile, April
(Aubrey Plaza) accepts an offer from Chris
(Rob Lowe
) to move to Indianapolis
to be his secretary. Andy
(Chris Pratt
) begs April to reconsider, offering to perform all the errands that she hates doing for a month. Ron
(Nick Offerman
) volunteers to help, claiming that he does not want to lose April as an assistant while denying he cares about April and Andy's relationship. Ann
(Rashida Jones
) is increasingly frustrated that Chris has not asked her about coming to Indianapolis with him, and is concerned about where their relationship is headed.
Unfortunately, Ben's past comes up again during Leslie's interview with newspaper reporter Shauna Malwae-Tweep (Alison Becker
), who asks why Pawnee should accept financial guidance from someone with a poor budget managing record like Ben. Tom and Ben go on the television show "Ya' Heard? with Perd" with Perd Hapley (Jay Jackson) in the hopes of recovering from the earlier debacle, but this interview is even worse, with Ben launching into a furious, incoherent rant when his past is brought up. As a result, several businesses consider pulling their sponsorships from the Harvest Festival. Leslie decides to use her upcoming interview on "Pawnee Today" with Joan Callamezzo (Mo Collins
) to perform damage control. During the interview, Joan asks very biased questions about the festival and Ben's past. Annoyed, Leslie brings Ben on stage to give him a final opportunity to explain himself. Ben again begins to freeze up at the questions from people calling in, but he finally gets over it and vigorously defends himself. By the end, the questions switch back from Ben to the festival itself, making the media blitz a successful one after all.
Chris tells Ann that after Indianapolis, he will be sent to a different city. The two agree they need to talk about the future of their relationship. Meanwhile, Andy's difficult day of running errands for April culminates with him getting arrested after April's sister Natalie (Minni Jo Mazzola) claims he is kidnapping her when he is merely picking her up from school. Ron approaches April and tells her that she should either forgive Andy or cut him loose, believing that she is only stringing Andy along and going to Indianapolis to spite him. When Andy returns, April finally forgives him and kisses him.
. Like all of the first six third season
episodes, it was written and filmed almost immediately after the second season
ended as part of an early shooting schedule due to 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 "Media Blitz" was already finished. "Media Blitz" featured guest appearances by Matt Besser
and Nick Kroll
as, respectively, "Crazy Ira and The Douche", the hosts of a Pawnee morning zoo
-style radio show. Kroll is a stand-up comedian who had appeared in shows like Cavemen
and The League
, while Besser is a comedian from the Upright Citizens Brigade
, a sketch comedy show and troupe which also featured Amy Poehler. Parks and Recreation co-creator Michael Schur
said the Douche was invented because the Parks and Recreation staff liked Kroll and tried to find a way to work him into the show. The episode also featured several appearances by several frequent guest stars, including Mo Collins as television host Joan Callamezzo, Alison Becker as newspaper writer Shauna Malwae-Tweep, and Jay Jackson as television reporter Perd Hapley.
Much of "Media Blitz" revolves around the backstory of Ben Wyatt, which was introduced in the second season
episode "The Master Plan
", involving his attempts to rebuild his political career after a humiliating public spectacle as a teen mayor. This was originally a concept the Parks and Recreation creators considered for Leslie Knope's background, but they ultimately abandoned the idea. "Media Blitz" marked the end of a plotline between April and Andy that began with the second season finale, "Freddy Spaghetti
", when Ann kissed Andy just as April had agreed to start dating him. April had been angry with Andy ever since, and Andy had been desperately trying to win her back, culminating with the events in "Media Blitz". Schur called it a "key moment" for April and Andy, and said, "It's almost like Andy’s a Knight of the Round Table, and he’s got a lot of different obstacles that he’s got to overcome in order to win the love of a fair maiden." The episode also continued a development of Ron Swanson's character as more of a father figure
to his employees, particularly Andy and April, even though Ron himself outwardly claims not to care about affairs. This began in the episode "Flu Season
", where Ron offered advice to Andy about winning April back, and continued in "Media Blitz" with Ron giving April advice that ultimately led her to take Andy back.
, the popular billionaire television host, to seek publicity for the harvest festival. Upon failing to contact Winfrey, Leslie said, "I'm putting it out there, like The Secret
, and hopefully she'll call me." The Secret is a 2006 self-help book by Rhonda Byrne
that became a best-seller after it was featured on two episodes of The Oprah Winfrey Show
. At one point, Tom reveals he shops for clothes at Brooks Brothers Boys
, the chain of Brooks Brothers that produces clothes specifically for young boys. Several Pawnee residents in "Media Blitz" refer to using the search engine AltaVista
, a site that had not been popular for several years, prompting Ben to ask, "Why does everyone in this town use AltaVista? Is it 1997?" The radio DJs Crazy Ira and The Douche play several sound effects during their show, and when Ben acts awkwardly during the interview, they play the sound effect used when Pac-Man
is killed in the maze arcade games.
, with an overall 2.5 rating/4 share, and a 2.2 rating/6 share among viewers between ages 18 and 49. It constituted the lowest rating for the season thus far, and more than an eight percent drop from the previous week's episode, "Ron & Tammy: Part Two
". The night "Media Blitz" was broadcast, almost all of the comedy shows in NBC's Thursday lineup lost viewership compared to the prior week. While viewership during Community
remained flat, The Office, 30 Rock
and Outsourced
each saw all their lowest ratings of the season that night, suffering rating declines from the previous week of 6 percent, 13 percent and 12 percent, respectively.
writer Damian Holbrook wrote, "Party Down
vet absolutely stole the show on Parks and Recreation. ... Scott was a machine of mania, a dork gone wild, who gave the rapidly unraveling Ben just the right amount of crazy while completely cracking us up." Hollywood.com writer Eric Sundermann said "Media Blitz" continue a long period of excellent Parks and Recreation episodes, although he said the problems were resolved too quickly at the end of the episode. Sundermann said Scott's slightly over-the-top performance was made especially funny because he is normally such a straight man
character. Alan Sepinwall of HitFix praised Scott for his ability to be both a straight man and a more outrageously funny character, as during his meltdowns in media interviews. Sepinwall also complimented Aubrey Plaza's performance and said the overall episode was very funny, but that the main storyline was resolved too quickly.
Time
magazine writer James Poniewozik
said the episode continued the development of the town of Pawnee, which he said was like a character itself and compared it to The Simpsons
' Springfield
. Poniewozik said "Media Blitz" also showed how well integrated Scott has become with the cast, and called the "Crazy Ira and The Douche" interview "maybe the most perfect scene P&R has put together yet". Likewise, Steve Heisler of The A.V. Club
called Ben's interview with Perd Hapley "one of the best scenes Parks & Rec has ever done". Heisler enjoyed how the series gradually built up Ben Wyatt's backstory throughout the season, "then took it way over-the-top". However, he expressed disappointment that the Ann and Chris subplot ended with no resolution. Zap2it
writer Rick Porter, called the episode a "great showcase for Scott's deadpan gifts" and wrote, "This show hasn't had a real miss yet this season." Porter said the April and Andy subplot was less interesting, but he enjoyed the scenes between Ron and Andy. Steve Kandell of New York
magazine praised the episode for bringing Scott's character to the forefront, as well as for providing satire on small-town politics without coming across as preachy. Kandell said of the April and Andy story, "If their kiss at the shoeshine stand, as expected and inevitable as it may have been, didn't make your heart soar just a little bit, then you're dead inside and probably just turned on NBC for Outsourced
a few minutes early." Joel Keller of TV Squad complimented Scott, calling him a "current-generation Bob Newhart
" and "one of those actors who can just give someone a look and it conveys everything you need to know about what his character is thinking". Keller said he also enjoyed seeing April and Andy reconcile, but felt the Crazy Ira and The Douche scene was ineffective because, regarding morning zoo radio shows, "it's hard to parody something that's already a parody of itself".
The Atlantic writer Scott Meslow praised Scott's performance, as well as how the writers have "smartly underplayed" the relationship between Leslie and Ben. Meslow also liked that the April-Andy subplot was now resolved, as he called it the "weakest plotline of the season", but he felt the scenes between Chris and Ann in "Media Blitz" were a rehash of the previous episode. Matt Richenthal of TV Fanatic praised Scott's performance, calling him a master at the straight man role, but said he was funnier the previous week in "Ron & Tammy: Part Two": "The laughs weren't as loud on "Media Blitz," as it was more of a squirm-inducing half hour of television." Matt Fowler of IGN
called it a fine episode that was "dominated, in a good way, by its softer, sweeter moments", particularly the kiss between Andy and April, which he said "was so damn sweet that I just couldn't resist it". Although he enjoyed the Perd Hapley interview, Fowler said he did not find Scott's performance otherwise especially funny. Entertainment Weekly
writer Hillary Busis also praised Scott's performance, adding, "Did anyone else's heart melt just a little bit at the proud smile that crept across Leslie’s face when Ben found his voice?" Busis also said she was glad the April and Andy reconciled, as April's constant mistreatment of Andy was making it harder and harder to like her character. Busis criticized the Ann and Chris subplot, of which she said, "Wake me up when something actually happens."
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 35th 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 February 17, 2011. In the episode, the parks department tries to draw media attention for the upcoming harvest festival, but the press becomes fixated on 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...
's past political mistakes. Meanwhile, Andy Dwyer
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...
takes on all of April Ludgate
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...
's errands with the hopes of convincing her not to move 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...
.
Written by Harris Wittels and directed by David Rogers
David Rogers (editor)
David Rogers is an Emmy Award-winning, American film editor, television director and producer best known for working on NewsRadio, Entourage and The Office...
, "Media Blitz" revolved largely around Ben's backstory as a child mayor who bankrupted his old town, which was originally a concept considered for series protagonist Leslie Knope
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:...
. The episode was also what series co-creator 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...
called a "key moment" for April and Andy, ending a multi-episode subplot of April being angry with Andy for having been kissed by 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:...
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...
finale "Freddy Spaghetti
Freddy Spaghetti
"Freddy Spaghetti" is the second season finale of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 30th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 20, 2010...
". "Media Blitz" featured guest appearances by comedians Matt Besser
Matt Besser
Matthew Gregory "Matt" Besser is an American actor and comedian best known as one of the founding members of the Upright Citizens Brigade sketch comedy troupe who also had their own show on Comedy Central from 1998-2000....
and Nick Kroll
Nick Kroll
Nick Kroll is an American actor and comedian best known for appearing in television shows such as Best Week Ever, Cavemen and Sit Down, Shut Up. He co-stars in the shows The Life & Times of Tim and The League....
as morning zoo
Morning zoo
Morning zoo is a format of morning radio show common to English-language radio broadcasting. The name is derived from the "wackiness and zaniness" of the activities, bits, and overall personality of the show and its hosts...
-style radio hosts "Crazy Ira and The Douche," as well as appearance by frequent Parks and Recreation guest stars Mo Collins
Mo Collins
Maureen "Mo" Ann Collins is an American actress and comedian. Collins is perhaps best known for being a member of the ensemble on FOX's sketch comedy series MADtv. She became well known for several characters during her tenure on the show...
, Alison Becker
Alison Becker
Alison Helene Becker is an American actress, comedian, writer, and TV personality. She is the previous host of VH1's Top 20 Video Countdown and currently the co-host/sidekick on the FuelTV panel talk-show The Daily Habit.-Early life:...
, and Jay Jackson.
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...
, "Media Blitz" was seen by 4.33 million household viewers. It marked the lowest rating for the season to date, and constituted a more than eight percent drop from the previous episode, "Ron & Tammy: Part Two
Ron & Tammy: Part Two
"Ron & Tammy: Part Two" is the fourth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 34th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on February 10, 2011...
". "Media Blitz" received generally positive reviews, with several commentators particularly praising the performance of 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....
as Ben. Some reviews, however, found less effective a subplot about the uncertainty surrounding the romantic relationship of Ann and Chris Traeger
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...
, a state auditor played by 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...
who is supposed to leave Pawnee for Indianapolis soon.
Plot
LeslieLeslie 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...
), 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....
) and 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....
) start promoting the upcoming Harvest Festival on several Pawnee media outlets, starting with the local morning zoo
Morning zoo
Morning zoo is a format of morning radio show common to English-language radio broadcasting. The name is derived from the "wackiness and zaniness" of the activities, bits, and overall personality of the show and its hosts...
radio show "Crazy Ira and The Douche" (Matt Besser
Matt Besser
Matthew Gregory "Matt" Besser is an American actor and comedian best known as one of the founding members of the Upright Citizens Brigade sketch comedy troupe who also had their own show on Comedy Central from 1998-2000....
and Nick Kroll
Nick Kroll
Nick Kroll is an American actor and comedian best known for appearing in television shows such as Best Week Ever, Cavemen and Sit Down, Shut Up. He co-stars in the shows The Life & Times of Tim and The League....
). The duo begin asking Ben questions about his time as a teen mayor in Partridge, Minnesota, having researched how he bankrupted the town. Ben responds awkwardly, stammering incomprehensibly and unable to defend himself to Crazy Ira and The Douche's taunts. Tom proposes dumping Ben from future media interviews, but Leslie insists they cannot because he is the only one who can handle complicated questions about its budget. Meanwhile, 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) accepts an offer from 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...
) to move 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...
to be his secretary. 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...
) begs April to reconsider, offering to perform all the errands that she hates doing for a month. 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:...
) volunteers to help, claiming that he does not want to lose April as an assistant while denying he cares about April and Andy's relationship. 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...
) is increasingly frustrated that Chris has not asked her about coming to Indianapolis with him, and is concerned about where their relationship is headed.
Unfortunately, Ben's past comes up again during Leslie's interview with newspaper reporter Shauna Malwae-Tweep (Alison Becker
Alison Becker
Alison Helene Becker is an American actress, comedian, writer, and TV personality. She is the previous host of VH1's Top 20 Video Countdown and currently the co-host/sidekick on the FuelTV panel talk-show The Daily Habit.-Early life:...
), who asks why Pawnee should accept financial guidance from someone with a poor budget managing record like Ben. Tom and Ben go on the television show "Ya' Heard? with Perd" with Perd Hapley (Jay Jackson) in the hopes of recovering from the earlier debacle, but this interview is even worse, with Ben launching into a furious, incoherent rant when his past is brought up. As a result, several businesses consider pulling their sponsorships from the Harvest Festival. Leslie decides to use her upcoming interview on "Pawnee Today" with Joan Callamezzo (Mo Collins
Mo Collins
Maureen "Mo" Ann Collins is an American actress and comedian. Collins is perhaps best known for being a member of the ensemble on FOX's sketch comedy series MADtv. She became well known for several characters during her tenure on the show...
) to perform damage control. During the interview, Joan asks very biased questions about the festival and Ben's past. Annoyed, Leslie brings Ben on stage to give him a final opportunity to explain himself. Ben again begins to freeze up at the questions from people calling in, but he finally gets over it and vigorously defends himself. By the end, the questions switch back from Ben to the festival itself, making the media blitz a successful one after all.
Chris tells Ann that after Indianapolis, he will be sent to a different city. The two agree they need to talk about the future of their relationship. Meanwhile, Andy's difficult day of running errands for April culminates with him getting arrested after April's sister Natalie (Minni Jo Mazzola) claims he is kidnapping her when he is merely picking her up from school. Ron approaches April and tells her that she should either forgive Andy or cut him loose, believing that she is only stringing Andy along and going to Indianapolis to spite him. When Andy returns, April finally forgives him and kisses him.
Production
"Media Blitz" was written by Harris Wittels and directed by David RogersDavid Rogers (editor)
David Rogers is an Emmy Award-winning, American film editor, television director and producer best known for working on NewsRadio, Entourage and The Office...
. Like all of the first six 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 due to 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 "Media Blitz" was already finished. "Media Blitz" featured guest appearances by Matt Besser
Matt Besser
Matthew Gregory "Matt" Besser is an American actor and comedian best known as one of the founding members of the Upright Citizens Brigade sketch comedy troupe who also had their own show on Comedy Central from 1998-2000....
and Nick Kroll
Nick Kroll
Nick Kroll is an American actor and comedian best known for appearing in television shows such as Best Week Ever, Cavemen and Sit Down, Shut Up. He co-stars in the shows The Life & Times of Tim and The League....
as, respectively, "Crazy Ira and The Douche", the hosts of a Pawnee morning zoo
Morning zoo
Morning zoo is a format of morning radio show common to English-language radio broadcasting. The name is derived from the "wackiness and zaniness" of the activities, bits, and overall personality of the show and its hosts...
-style radio show. Kroll is a stand-up comedian who had appeared in shows like Cavemen
Cavemen (TV series)
Cavemen is an American comedy-drama show which ran on ABC from October 2, 2007 to November 13, 2007. The show was created by Joe Lawson and set in San Diego, California...
and The League
The League
The League is an American sitcom that premiered on FX on October 29, 2009. The series, set in Chicago, is a semi-improvised comedy about a fantasy football league, its members, and their everyday lives.-Synopsis:...
, while Besser is a comedian from the Upright Citizens Brigade
Upright Citizens Brigade
The Upright Citizens Brigade is an improvisational comedy and sketch comedy group that emerged from Chicago's ImprovOlympic in 1990. The most recent incarnation consists of Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh...
, a sketch comedy show and troupe which also featured Amy Poehler. Parks and Recreation co-creator 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...
said the Douche was invented because the Parks and Recreation staff liked Kroll and tried to find a way to work him into the show. The episode also featured several appearances by several frequent guest stars, including Mo Collins as television host Joan Callamezzo, Alison Becker as newspaper writer Shauna Malwae-Tweep, and Jay Jackson as television reporter Perd Hapley.
Much of "Media Blitz" revolves around the backstory of Ben Wyatt, which was introduced 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...
episode "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...
", involving his attempts to rebuild his political career after a humiliating public spectacle as a teen mayor. This was originally a concept the Parks and Recreation creators considered for Leslie Knope's background, but they ultimately abandoned the idea. "Media Blitz" marked the end of a plotline between April and Andy that began with the second season finale, "Freddy Spaghetti
Freddy Spaghetti
"Freddy Spaghetti" is the second season finale of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 30th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 20, 2010...
", when Ann kissed Andy just as April had agreed to start dating him. April had been angry with Andy ever since, and Andy had been desperately trying to win her back, culminating with the events in "Media Blitz". Schur called it a "key moment" for April and Andy, and said, "It's almost like Andy’s a Knight of the Round Table, and he’s got a lot of different obstacles that he’s got to overcome in order to win the love of a fair maiden." The episode also continued a development of Ron Swanson's character as more of a 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:...
to his employees, particularly Andy and April, even though Ron himself outwardly claims not to care about affairs. This began in the episode "Flu Season
Flu Season (Parks and Recreation)
"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...
", where Ron offered advice to Andy about winning April back, and continued in "Media Blitz" with Ron giving April advice that ultimately led her to take Andy back.
Cultural references
In one scene, Leslie claims she unsuccessfully tried to contact Oprah WinfreyOprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
, the popular billionaire television host, to seek publicity for the harvest festival. Upon failing to contact Winfrey, Leslie said, "I'm putting it out there, like The Secret
The Secret (book)
The Secret is a best-selling 2006 self-help book written by Rhonda Byrne. It is based on the earlier film of the same name that was released in DVD format in March 2006...
, and hopefully she'll call me." The Secret is a 2006 self-help book by Rhonda Byrne
Rhonda Byrne
Rhonda Byrne is an Australian television writer and producer, best known for her New Thought works, The Secret—a book and a film by the same name. By the Spring of 2007 the book had sold almost 4 million copies, and the DVD had sold more than 2 million copies omt. She has also been a producer...
that became a best-seller after it was featured on two episodes of The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
. At one point, Tom reveals he shops for clothes at Brooks Brothers Boys
Brooks Brothers
Brooks Brothers is the oldest men's clothier chain in the United States. Founded in 1818 as a family business, the privately owned company is now owned by Retail Brand Alliance, also features clothing for women, and is headquartered on Madison Avenue in Manhattan, New York City.-History:On April 7,...
, the chain of Brooks Brothers that produces clothes specifically for young boys. Several Pawnee residents in "Media Blitz" refer to using the search engine AltaVista
AltaVista
AltaVista is a web search engine owned by Yahoo!. AltaVista was once one of the most popular search engines but its popularity declined with the rise of Google...
, a site that had not been popular for several years, prompting Ben to ask, "Why does everyone in this town use AltaVista? Is it 1997?" The radio DJs Crazy Ira and The Douche play several sound effects during their show, and when Ben acts awkwardly during the interview, they play the sound effect used when Pac-Man
Pac-Man
is an arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution in the United States by Midway, first released in Japan on May 22, 1980. Immensely popular from its original release to the present day, Pac-Man is considered one of the classics of the medium, virtually synonymous with video games,...
is killed in the maze arcade games.
Ratings
In its original American broadcast, "Media Blitz" was seen by an estimated 4.33 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 2.5 rating/4 share, and a 2.2 rating/6 share among viewers between ages 18 and 49. It constituted the lowest rating for the season thus far, and more than an eight percent drop from the previous week's episode, "Ron & Tammy: Part Two
Ron & Tammy: Part Two
"Ron & Tammy: Part Two" is the fourth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 34th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on February 10, 2011...
". The night "Media Blitz" was broadcast, almost all of the comedy shows in NBC's Thursday lineup lost viewership compared to the prior week. While viewership during 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, The Office, 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...
and Outsourced
Outsourced (TV series)
Outsourced is an American television sitcom set in an Indian workplace. It was based on the John Jeffcoat film of the same name and adapted by Ken Kwapis and Universal Media Studios for NBC. The series originally ran from September 23, 2010 to May 12, 2011...
each saw all their lowest ratings of the season that night, suffering rating declines from the previous week of 6 percent, 13 percent and 12 percent, respectively.
Reviews
"Media Blitz" received generally positive reviews, with several commentators particularly praising the performance of Adam Scott, although some said the subplot with Chris and Ann was less effective. TV GuideTV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
writer Damian Holbrook wrote, "Party Down
Party Down
Party Down is an American comedy television series created and primarily written by John Enbom, Rob Thomas, Dan Etheridge, and Paul Rudd that aired on the Starz network in the United States.-Conception:...
vet absolutely stole the show on Parks and Recreation. ... Scott was a machine of mania, a dork gone wild, who gave the rapidly unraveling Ben just the right amount of crazy while completely cracking us up." Hollywood.com writer Eric Sundermann said "Media Blitz" continue a long period of excellent Parks and Recreation episodes, although he said the problems were resolved too quickly at the end of the episode. Sundermann said Scott's slightly over-the-top performance was made especially funny because he is normally such a straight man
Straight man
Straight man may refer to:* Straight Man, a novel by Richard Russo* A member of a double act who plays a stooge, feed, or comic foil in theatrical comedy...
character. Alan Sepinwall of HitFix praised Scott for his ability to be both a straight man and a more outrageously funny character, as during his meltdowns in media interviews. Sepinwall also complimented Aubrey Plaza's performance and said the overall episode was very funny, but that the main storyline was resolved too quickly.
Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine writer James Poniewozik
James Poniewozik
James Poniewozik is an American journalist and television critic. He writes Times Tuned In column and has a blog with the same name.Originally from Monroe, MI, Poniewozik attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, graduating with a BA in English. He subsequently attended the graduate program...
said the episode continued the development of the town of Pawnee, which he said was like a character itself and compared it to The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
Springfield (The Simpsons)
Springfield is the fictional town in which the American animated sitcom The Simpsons is set. A mid-sized town in an undetermined state of the United States, Springfield acts as a complete universe in which characters can explore the issues faced by modern society. The geography of the town and its...
. Poniewozik said "Media Blitz" also showed how well integrated Scott has become with the cast, and called the "Crazy Ira and The Douche" interview "maybe the most perfect scene P&R has put together yet". Likewise, Steve Heisler of 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...
called Ben's interview with Perd Hapley "one of the best scenes Parks & Rec has ever done". Heisler enjoyed how the series gradually built up Ben Wyatt's backstory throughout the season, "then took it way over-the-top". However, he expressed disappointment that the Ann and Chris subplot ended with no resolution. 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 the episode a "great showcase for Scott's deadpan gifts" and wrote, "This show hasn't had a real miss yet this season." Porter said the April and Andy subplot was less interesting, but he enjoyed the scenes between Ron and Andy. 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 praised the episode for bringing Scott's character to the forefront, as well as for providing satire on small-town politics without coming across as preachy. Kandell said of the April and Andy story, "If their kiss at the shoeshine stand, as expected and inevitable as it may have been, didn't make your heart soar just a little bit, then you're dead inside and probably just turned on NBC for Outsourced
Outsourced (TV series)
Outsourced is an American television sitcom set in an Indian workplace. It was based on the John Jeffcoat film of the same name and adapted by Ken Kwapis and Universal Media Studios for NBC. The series originally ran from September 23, 2010 to May 12, 2011...
a few minutes early." Joel Keller of TV Squad complimented Scott, calling him a "current-generation Bob Newhart
Bob Newhart
George Robert Newhart , known professionally as Bob Newhart, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. Noted for his deadpan and slightly stammering delivery, Newhart came to prominence in the 1960s when his album of comedic monologues The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart was a worldwide...
" and "one of those actors who can just give someone a look and it conveys everything you need to know about what his character is thinking". Keller said he also enjoyed seeing April and Andy reconcile, but felt the Crazy Ira and The Douche scene was ineffective because, regarding morning zoo radio shows, "it's hard to parody something that's already a parody of itself".
The Atlantic writer Scott Meslow praised Scott's performance, as well as how the writers have "smartly underplayed" the relationship between Leslie and Ben. Meslow also liked that the April-Andy subplot was now resolved, as he called it the "weakest plotline of the season", but he felt the scenes between Chris and Ann in "Media Blitz" were a rehash of the previous episode. Matt Richenthal of TV Fanatic praised Scott's performance, calling him a master at the straight man role, but said he was funnier the previous week in "Ron & Tammy: Part Two": "The laughs weren't as loud on "Media Blitz," as it was more of a squirm-inducing half hour of television." 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...
called it a fine episode that was "dominated, in a good way, by its softer, sweeter moments", particularly the kiss between Andy and April, which he said "was so damn sweet that I just couldn't resist it". Although he enjoyed the Perd Hapley interview, Fowler said he did not find Scott's performance otherwise especially funny. 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 also praised Scott's performance, adding, "Did anyone else's heart melt just a little bit at the proud smile that crept across Leslie’s face when Ben found his voice?" Busis also said she was glad the April and Andy reconciled, as April's constant mistreatment of Andy was making it harder and harder to like her character. Busis criticized the Ann and Chris subplot, of which she said, "Wake me up when something actually happens."
External links
- "Media Blitz" at the official Parks and Recreation site