Our friend and (former host of this very podcast!) Rob Lowe joins Jim O’Heir and writer Greg Levine once again to discuss the wonderful world of Pawnee! This week, we’re talking S4E9: The Trial of Leslie Knope. They discuss Rob's viral 9-1-1: Lone Star moment, the evolution of Chris Traeger’s character, the amazing Helen Slayton-Hughes (better known to Parks fans as court stenographer Ethel Beavers), the power of specificity in comedy, and a very important revelation about Jerry Gergich's birth name! Give it a listen - and treat yo’ self!

Rob Lowe: The Trial of Leslie Knope (S4E9)

Treat yo’ self! Join Jim O’Heir - a.k.a. Jerry Gergich - and writer Greg Levine as they *literally* break down every episode of Parks and Recreation. From Ron Swanson’s love of various meats to Leslie Knope’s unwavering commitment to the people of Pawnee (and waffles), each week Jim and Greg relive their municipal glory days with exclusive behind-the scenes stories from the set and writers’ room. And along the way, they’re joined by cast members, writers, and friends of the show - people like Adam Scott, Rob Lowe, Aisha Muharrar, and Jon Glaser. Whether this is your first time watching or you feel like a Parks Department regular, grab your favorite Sweetums snack and let DJ Roomba drop the beat!

TV & Film

Comedy

TV Reviews

Special Agent Burt Macklin (aka Andy Dwyer) hangs up his shades, Tom gets Rent-A-Swag up and running, and Leslie and Ben cross the border into Pawnee’s smug sister city Eagleton to collaborate on a park design for Lot 48. Jim O’Heir and Greg Levine are breaking it all down in this week’s rewatch of “Pawnee Commons.” Plus, Jim and Greg think up vanity license plates for our main characters in this week’s Town Hall segment. 
 
Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall? Send us an email at ParksandRecollectionTownHall@gmail.com!

Pawnee Commons (S5E8)

“Calc-you-later!” Ben receives a slew of job offers, Andy launches a full-scale investigation into his missing computer, and Leslie and April go toe to toe over a dog park project proposed for Lot 48; Jim O’Heir and Greg Levine get into all of it in this week’s episode walkthrough of “Leslie vs. April.” Plus, John Balma stops by to talk about playing Pawnee’s most enthusiastic accountant, Barney Varmn.

John Balma: Leslie vs. April (S5E7)

It’s the war of the Wyatts! Jim O’Heir and Greg Levine break down every jab in this week’s walkthrough of “Ben’s Parents.” In this episode, Leslie presents a unity quilt to Ben’s divorced parents (Jonathan Banks and Glenne Headly), Tom and Jean-Ralphio aim to make Ron a ground-level investor in Rent-A-Swag, and Chris goes on a rollercoaster of emotion. 
 
Plus, Greg talks about writing his first solo episode of Parks and Rec: everything from the Goldilocks story outline he created, to reworking jokes on set, to the corkboard full of notes he never brought back to the Radford lot. 
 
Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall? Send us an email at ParksandRecollectionTownHall@gmail.com!

Ben’s Parents (S5E6)

Rolling Stone’s chief TV critic Alan Sepinwall joins Jim O’Heir and Greg Levine to break down the “fart attack” heard ‘round the world and Ben and Leslie’s heartwarming proposal. Plus, Alan discusses the joys of sitting in on the Parks writers room, the challenge of writing a negative episode review for a show that you love, and the satisfaction of gleaning a wildly successful career out of watching television.

Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall? Send us an email at ParksandRecollectionTownHall@gmail.com!

Alan Sepinwall: Halloween Surprise (S5E5)

STDs, paper iPhones, and a robotic congressman—Jim O’Heir and Greg Levine discuss it all in this week’s walkthrough of “Sex Education”. In this episode, Leslie Knope launches a safe sex initiative for Pawnee’s senior citizens, Tom goes on a technology detox after crashing his car while texting, and April and Ben try to decipher if Congressman Murray is actually a robot. Plus, Darlene Hunt (The Big C) joins Jim and Greg to discuss her recurring role as Pawnee’s morality watchdog Marcia Langman.
 
Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall? Send us an email at ParksandRecollectionTownHall@gmail.com!

Rob Lowe: The Trial of Leslie Knope (S4E9)

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