Sweetums (Parks and Recreation)
Encyclopedia
"Sweetums" is the fifteenth episode of the second season
of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation
, and the 21st overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC
in the United States on February 4, 2010. In the episode, the Parks and Recreation Department hosts a public forum to discuss a sponsorship agreement with local candy manufacturer, Sweetums. Leslie
and Ann
warn the public of the dangers of supposedly nutritious snack bars called "Nutriyums", which are filled with simple sugars, notably high fructose corn syrup
.
The episode was written by Alan Yang
and directed by Dean Holland
. "Sweetums" addressed several issues including the politics of corporate sponsorship, the use of propaganda and free gifts to manipulate public opinion, and the dangers of corn syrup-related products, which are regularly available in vending machines at public places, such as schools, parks or municipal buildings.
The episode featured a guest performance by Justin Theroux as Leslie's boyfriend, Justin Anderson. According to Nielsen Media Research
, "Sweetums" was seen by 4.87 million households, and drew the season's highest rating among viewers aged between 18 and 49. The episode received positive reviews from critics.
(Nick Offerman
) supports the deal as he advocates governmental privatization and emphasizes consumer choice over public safety. Leslie
(Amy Poehler
) initially supports the deal as well, until Ann
(Rashida Jones
) informs her they are filled with unhealthful corn syrup
. Leslie arranges a public forum for Pawnee park visitors so they can make an informed choice about Sweetums products. Ron is unhappy with the arrangement, and gets angry with Leslie worrying about how much he is drinking during a recent outing, feeling she is stifling his personal freedoms. During the forum, Sweetums representatives screen propaganda films, highlighting consumer satisfaction, while Leslie responds by screening a 30 year old Sweetums film which discusses how corn syrup and other snack bar ingredients make cattle unhealthy. At the end of Leslie's screening, Sweetums brings in its commercial's primary actor, the company's CEO Nick Newport Jr. (Gary Weeks
) and his son and daughter, Denver and Dakota. Denver instructs the forum audience members to look under their seats for candy. The forum audience exclaims with excitement and ultimately votes in favor of the sponsorship deal. Ron taunts Leslie by eating two unhealthful servings of steak ("turf and turf"), but she remains genuinely concerned for his health. Ron later apologizes to Leslie for having "been a horse's ass".
For the B-plot, Tom
(Aziz Ansari
) attempts to move out of his home after his divorce from Wendy (Jama Williamson
). Tom again hesitates to reveal his feelings for his ex-wife, whom he married to protect from deportation. Mark
(Paul Schneider
) reluctantly helps Tom through the process as he is a truck owner and could not think of a "valid excuse". Donna
(Retta), April
(Aubrey Plaza), Jerry (Jim O'Heir
) and Andy
(Chris Pratt
) join to assist Tom move his many boxes to his new home, while Tom himself works very little. At the end of the episode, Tom learns that his new home has a gas leak and that he is unable to move into his new home until Monday. Tom asks the department members to take the boxes into their own homes, but they ultimately bring his possessions and leave them in the Parks and Recreation Department office. Throughout the move, April continues to develop romantic feelings for Andy, who remains oblivious to her affections. When April's boyfriend Derek (Blake Lee) and his gay boyfriend Ben (Josh Duvendeck) arrive at Wendy's house, they mock Andy, which prompts April to refer to their behavior as "really gay even for a gay couple." In their final appearance in the episode, Andy asks April to watch him roller-blade after work, but April declines his offer, implying that the comments of her boyfriend and his boyfriend may have confounded her feelings towards Andy.
and directed by Dean Holland. The episode addresses the supposed dangers of corn syrup
-related products, which are regularly available in vending machines at public places, such as schools, parks or municipal buildings. The issue has been the subject of several town meetings like those featured in the episode, and companies use propaganda videos similar to that used by Sweetums in the episode. "Sweetums" featured one of a string of slated guest appearances by Justin Theroux as Justin Anderson, a love interest for Leslie, although Theroux only appeared in the cold open
scene of "Sweetums". In one scene, Ron builds a wooden harp
to prove to Leslie what he is capable of doing while drinking alcohol. This element of Ron's character was inspired by actor Nick Offerman, who in addition to comedy runs an independent carpentry
business called Offerman Woodshop. Michael Schur
, co-creator of Parks and Recreation, said he planned to incorporate it into Ron's character soon after learning about Offerman's carpentry skills. A Sweetums stand is visible during a scene in the future Parks and Recreation episode "Park Safety
", a reference to the outcome of the "Sweetums" episode.
episode, "Ron and Tammy
", which established a long-standing feud between the Pawnee parks and recreation department and the town's library system. Ron commented that all government should be privatized and parks should be run by Chuck E. Cheese's
, a chain of family entertainment centers. This is a reference to the Parks and Recreation pilot episode
, in which Ron said all government should be privatized and follow the Chuck E. Cheese business model. Tom creates what he describes as a moving robot that plays music called "DJ Roomba" by attaching an iPod
music player to a Roomba
, an autonomous robot
ic vacuum cleaner.
After Jerry accidentally steps on DJ Roomba, Tom and April arrange for the "ghost
" of DJ Roomba to follow Jerry around the Pawnee town hall playing an infinite loop of music by the hip hop band The Black Eyed Peas
. After expressing excitement that he got DJ Roomba to play music by Dave Matthews Band
, Andy sings the line, "Little baby" from the band's song, "So Much to Say
". During one scene, Andy is impressed with Tom's Canadian
DVD
version of the 1999 thriller, Deep Blue Sea
. Tom says the disc includes 22 extra minutes and a commentary track in which actor LL Cool J
, who appears in the film, raps all his dialogue. Leslie tells Ron she had already written a eulogy for him and it starts, "Oh captain, my captain! Ron Swanson: a swan song", a reference to the Walt Whitman
poem "O Captain! My Captain!
". While Tom is trying on various articles of party clothes, Leslie comments that he looks like Encyclopedia Brown
, a young detective from a series of Donald J. Sobol
children's novels.
. It marked a 15 percent increase over the previous week's episode, "Leslie's House
". "Sweetums" drew a 2.3 rating/6 share among viewers between 18 and 49, which was the highest rating of its kind for a second season
episode at the time, although the season premiere episode "Pawnee Zoo
" drew a slightly larger viewership of about 5 million households. During its original broadcast, "Sweetums" ranked third in its 8:30 p.m., behind Bones
on Fox
, which drew 12.64 million household viewers, and Survivor
on CBS
, which drew 8.39 million households.
"Sweetums" received generally positive reviews. Matt Fowler of IGN
called it a "fantastic episode", and called the world of Parks and Recreation rich, lively and "a beautiful mosaic". Fowler praised individual comedic moments, like the DJ Roomba jokes and portrayal of the easily-fooled Pawnee citizens, as well as the development of storylines like that of Tom and Wendy, and Andy and April. Steve Heisler of The A.V. Club
praised the episode for revealing more about the mythology of the town of Pawnee, such as the strong influence Sweetums holds over the residents, and the ongoing feud between the parks department and the library. He also praised the character development of characters like Tom and April, adding, "It's amazing to me how in such a short time, Parks & Rec has taken the most one-note characters and made them truly three-dimensional."
The Star-Ledger
television columnist Alan Sepinwall declared "Sweetums" one of the episodes he would suggest to newcomers seeking to become familiar with Parks and Recreation. Sepinwall enjoyed the main story with Leslie and Ron, which he said "returned to a goldmine for the series: the civil servants having to deal with the insane questions and complaints from their constituents". He also felt Tom's subplot was impressive because it made him feel sympathy for Tom due to his problems with Wendy, despite the fact that Tom was being so inconsiderate to his friends. Sandra Gonzalez of Entertainment Weekly
particularly praised Aziz Ansari and Ron Swanson, as well as the moving subplot, which she said spotlighted the show's impressive supporting cast. Gonzalez felt the main plot "fell a little flat", but was helped by the conflict between Leslie and Ron. Steve Kandell of New York
magazine praised the episode, and said the script keeps the characters grounded without making them into caricatures.
set in the United States on November 30, 2010. The DVD included deleted scenes for each episode.
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...
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 21st 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 4, 2010. In the episode, the Parks and Recreation Department hosts a public forum to discuss a sponsorship agreement with local candy manufacturer, Sweetums. 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:...
and 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:...
warn the public of the dangers of supposedly nutritious snack bars called "Nutriyums", which are filled with simple sugars, notably high fructose corn syrup
Corn syrup
Corn syrup is a food syrup, which is made from the starch of maize and contains varying amounts of maltose and higher oligosaccharides, depending on the grade. Corn syrup is used in foods to soften texture, add volume, prevent crystallization of sugar, and enhance flavor...
.
The episode was written by Alan Yang
Alan Yang
Alan Yang is an American screenwriter for the NBC sitcom, Parks and Recreation.-Career:His previous credits include the Carson Daly's Late Night Show and South Park. In 2009, he was named by Variety magazine as one of "10 Screenwriters to Watch". He currently has three screenplays in development,"...
and directed by Dean Holland
Dean Holland
Dean Holland is an Emmy Award-winning, American film editor, television director and producer best known for working on Entourage and the NBC comedy shows The Office and Parks and Recreation...
. "Sweetums" addressed several issues including the politics of corporate sponsorship, the use of propaganda and free gifts to manipulate public opinion, and the dangers of corn syrup-related products, which are regularly available in vending machines at public places, such as schools, parks or municipal buildings.
The episode featured a guest performance by Justin Theroux as Leslie's boyfriend, Justin Anderson. 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...
, "Sweetums" was seen by 4.87 million households, and drew the season's highest rating among viewers aged between 18 and 49. The episode received positive reviews from critics.
Plot
The Pawnee Parks and Recreation Department considers a potential sponsorship deal with Sweetums, a local candy manufacturer hoping to market "nutritious" snack bars to park visitors. RonRon 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:...
) supports the deal as he advocates governmental privatization and emphasizes consumer choice over public safety. 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...
) initially supports the deal as well, until 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...
) informs her they are filled with unhealthful corn syrup
Corn syrup
Corn syrup is a food syrup, which is made from the starch of maize and contains varying amounts of maltose and higher oligosaccharides, depending on the grade. Corn syrup is used in foods to soften texture, add volume, prevent crystallization of sugar, and enhance flavor...
. Leslie arranges a public forum for Pawnee park visitors so they can make an informed choice about Sweetums products. Ron is unhappy with the arrangement, and gets angry with Leslie worrying about how much he is drinking during a recent outing, feeling she is stifling his personal freedoms. During the forum, Sweetums representatives screen propaganda films, highlighting consumer satisfaction, while Leslie responds by screening a 30 year old Sweetums film which discusses how corn syrup and other snack bar ingredients make cattle unhealthy. At the end of Leslie's screening, Sweetums brings in its commercial's primary actor, the company's CEO Nick Newport Jr. (Gary Weeks
Gary Weeks
Gary Weeks is a German-born, American film and television actor; he is also a film producer and screenwriter.-Film and television acting:...
) and his son and daughter, Denver and Dakota. Denver instructs the forum audience members to look under their seats for candy. The forum audience exclaims with excitement and ultimately votes in favor of the sponsorship deal. Ron taunts Leslie by eating two unhealthful servings of steak ("turf and turf"), but she remains genuinely concerned for his health. Ron later apologizes to Leslie for having "been a horse's ass".
For the B-plot, 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....
) attempts to move out of his home after his divorce from Wendy (Jama Williamson
Jama Williamson
Jama Williamson is an American actress. She was active in New York City theater throughout the early 2000s, during which she appeared in such shows as Avery Crozier's Eat the Runt, Hunt Holman's Spanish Girl, A. R. Gurney's Sylvia and Simon Mendes da Costa's Losing Louis...
). Tom again hesitates to reveal his feelings for his ex-wife, whom he married to protect from deportation. Mark
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...
) reluctantly helps Tom through the process as he is a truck owner and could not think of a "valid excuse". Donna
Donna Meagle
Donna Meagle is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. She is portrayed by Retta Sirleaf and has appeared in the show since the pilot. For the first two seasons of the show she appeared as a recurring character; she became a regular in the third season.-Background:Donna is...
(Retta), 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), Jerry (Jim O'Heir
Jim O'Heir
Jim O'Heir is an American actor. He was active in the Chicago theater during the 1980s and 1990s as part of the theater group White Noise, and appeared in such plays as The Book of Blanche, Stumpy's Gang and Ad-Nauseam with the group...
) and 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...
) join to assist Tom move his many boxes to his new home, while Tom himself works very little. At the end of the episode, Tom learns that his new home has a gas leak and that he is unable to move into his new home until Monday. Tom asks the department members to take the boxes into their own homes, but they ultimately bring his possessions and leave them in the Parks and Recreation Department office. Throughout the move, April continues to develop romantic feelings for Andy, who remains oblivious to her affections. When April's boyfriend Derek (Blake Lee) and his gay boyfriend Ben (Josh Duvendeck) arrive at Wendy's house, they mock Andy, which prompts April to refer to their behavior as "really gay even for a gay couple." In their final appearance in the episode, Andy asks April to watch him roller-blade after work, but April declines his offer, implying that the comments of her boyfriend and his boyfriend may have confounded her feelings towards Andy.
Production
"Sweetums" was written by Alan YangAlan Yang
Alan Yang is an American screenwriter for the NBC sitcom, Parks and Recreation.-Career:His previous credits include the Carson Daly's Late Night Show and South Park. In 2009, he was named by Variety magazine as one of "10 Screenwriters to Watch". He currently has three screenplays in development,"...
and directed by Dean Holland. The episode addresses the supposed dangers of corn syrup
Corn syrup
Corn syrup is a food syrup, which is made from the starch of maize and contains varying amounts of maltose and higher oligosaccharides, depending on the grade. Corn syrup is used in foods to soften texture, add volume, prevent crystallization of sugar, and enhance flavor...
-related products, which are regularly available in vending machines at public places, such as schools, parks or municipal buildings. The issue has been the subject of several town meetings like those featured in the episode, and companies use propaganda videos similar to that used by Sweetums in the episode. "Sweetums" featured one of a string of slated guest appearances by Justin Theroux as Justin Anderson, a love interest for Leslie, although Theroux only appeared in the cold open
Cold open
A cold open in a television program or movie is the technique of jumping directly into a story at the beginning or opening of the show, before the title sequence or opening credits are shown...
scene of "Sweetums". In one scene, Ron builds a wooden harp
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
to prove to Leslie what he is capable of doing while drinking alcohol. This element of Ron's character was inspired by actor Nick Offerman, who in addition to comedy runs an independent carpentry
Carpentry
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
business called Offerman Woodshop. 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 he planned to incorporate it into Ron's character soon after learning about Offerman's carpentry skills. A Sweetums stand is visible during a scene in the future Parks and Recreation episode "Park Safety
Park Safety
"Park Safety" is the nineteenth episode of the second season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 25th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on March 18, 2010...
", a reference to the outcome of the "Sweetums" episode.
Cultural references
During one scene, Leslie visits the library and is treated in a hostile manner by the librarian. This is a reference to the previous second seasonParks 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, "Ron and Tammy
Ron and Tammy
"Ron and Tammy" is the eighth episode of the second season of Parks and Recreation, and the fourteenth overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on November 5, 2009. In the episode, the library department tries to take control of a vacant lot where Leslie plans...
", which established a long-standing feud between the Pawnee parks and recreation department and the town's library system. Ron commented that all government should be privatized and parks should be run by Chuck E. Cheese's
Chuck E. Cheese's
Chuck E. Cheese's is a chain of family entertainment centers. Chuck E...
, a chain of family entertainment centers. This is a reference to the Parks and Recreation pilot 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...
, in which Ron said all government should be privatized and follow the Chuck E. Cheese business model. Tom creates what he describes as a moving robot that plays music called "DJ Roomba" by attaching an iPod
IPod
iPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
music player to a Roomba
Roomba
The Roomba is a series of autonomous robotic vacuum cleaners sold by iRobot. Under normal operating conditions, it is able to navigate a living space and common obstacles while vacuuming the floor...
, an autonomous robot
Autonomous robot
Autonomous robots are robots that can perform desired tasks in unstructured environments without continuous human guidance. Many kinds of robots have some degree of autonomy. Different robots can be autonomous in different ways...
ic vacuum cleaner.
After Jerry accidentally steps on DJ Roomba, Tom and April arrange for the "ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
" of DJ Roomba to follow Jerry around the Pawnee town hall playing an infinite loop of music by the hip hop band The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
. After expressing excitement that he got DJ Roomba to play music by Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
, Andy sings the line, "Little baby" from the band's song, "So Much to Say
So Much to Say
"So Much to Say" is a song by Dave Matthews Band from their album, Crash. It won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1997. It reached #19 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart as a single...
". During one scene, Andy is impressed with Tom's Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
version of the 1999 thriller, Deep Blue Sea
Deep Blue Sea
Deep Blue Sea is a 1999 science fiction horror film that stars Thomas Jane, Saffron Burrows, LL Cool J, and Samuel L Jackson. The film was directed by Renny Harlin and was released in the United States on July 28, 1999.- Plot :...
. Tom says the disc includes 22 extra minutes and a commentary track in which actor LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
, who appears in the film, raps all his dialogue. Leslie tells Ron she had already written a eulogy for him and it starts, "Oh captain, my captain! Ron Swanson: a swan song", a reference to the Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman
Walter "Walt" Whitman was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon, often called the father of free verse...
poem "O Captain! My Captain!
O Captain! My Captain!
"O Captain! My Captain!" is an extended metaphor poem written in 1865 by Walt Whitman, concerning the death of American president Abraham Lincoln.-Analysis:...
". While Tom is trying on various articles of party clothes, Leslie comments that he looks like Encyclopedia Brown
Encyclopedia Brown
Leroy "Encyclopedia" Brown is the main character in a long series of children's novels written by Donald J. Sobol since 1963.-Style:...
, a young detective from a series of Donald J. Sobol
Donald J. Sobol
Donald J. Sobol is an award-winning writer in Miami, Florida. He is best known for his children's books, especially the Encyclopedia Brown mystery series.-Background:...
children's novels.
Reception
In its original American NBC broadcast on February 4, 2010, "Sweetums" was seen by 4.87 million households, 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...
. It marked a 15 percent increase over the previous week's episode, "Leslie's House
Leslie's House
Leslie's House is the fourteenth episode of the second season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the twentieth overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on January 21, 2010...
". "Sweetums" drew a 2.3 rating/6 share among viewers between 18 and 49, which was the highest rating of its kind for a 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 at the time, although the season premiere episode "Pawnee Zoo
Pawnee Zoo
"Pawnee Zoo" is the second season premiere of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the seventh overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on September 17, 2009...
" drew a slightly larger viewership of about 5 million households. During its original broadcast, "Sweetums" ranked third in its 8:30 p.m., behind Bones
Bones (TV series)
Bones is an American crime drama television series that premiered on the Fox Network on September 13, 2005. The show is based on forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology, with each episode focusing on an FBI case file concerning the mystery behind human remains brought by FBI Special Agent...
on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
, which drew 12.64 million household viewers, and Survivor
Survivor (U.S. TV series)
Survivor is an American version of the Survivor reality television game show, itself derived from the Swedish television series Expedition Robinson originally created in 1997 by Charlie Parsons. The series premiered on May 31, 2000 on CBS...
on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, which drew 8.39 million households.
"Sweetums" received generally positive reviews. 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 "fantastic episode", and called the world of Parks and Recreation rich, lively and "a beautiful mosaic". Fowler praised individual comedic moments, like the DJ Roomba jokes and portrayal of the easily-fooled Pawnee citizens, as well as the development of storylines like that of Tom and Wendy, and Andy and April. 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...
praised the episode for revealing more about the mythology of the town of Pawnee, such as the strong influence Sweetums holds over the residents, and the ongoing feud between the parks department and the library. He also praised the character development of characters like Tom and April, adding, "It's amazing to me how in such a short time, Parks & Rec has taken the most one-note characters and made them truly three-dimensional."
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
television columnist Alan Sepinwall declared "Sweetums" one of the episodes he would suggest to newcomers seeking to become familiar with Parks and Recreation. Sepinwall enjoyed the main story with Leslie and Ron, which he said "returned to a goldmine for the series: the civil servants having to deal with the insane questions and complaints from their constituents". He also felt Tom's subplot was impressive because it made him feel sympathy for Tom due to his problems with Wendy, despite the fact that Tom was being so inconsiderate to his friends. Sandra Gonzalez of 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...
particularly praised Aziz Ansari and Ron Swanson, as well as the moving subplot, which she said spotlighted the show's impressive supporting cast. Gonzalez felt the main plot "fell a little flat", but was helped by the conflict between Leslie and Ron. 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, and said the script keeps the characters grounded without making them into caricatures.
DVD release
"Sweetums", along with the other 23 second season episodes of Parks and Recreation, was released on a four-disc DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
set in the United States on November 30, 2010. The DVD included deleted scenes for each episode.
External links
- "Sweetums" at the official Parks and Recreation site
- "Sweetums" at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...