Parks and Recollection - Aisha Muharrar: Jerry’s Retirement (S5E20)

Episode Date: August 6, 2024

Writer Aisha Muharrar (Parks and Rec, Hacks, The Good Place) returns to help Jim O’Heir and Greg Levine break down (what was almost) Jerry’s last day at the Parks Department, Tom’s slow morph into the “New Jerry,” and Ann and Chris’ decision to throw out the notion of artificial insemination to try for a baby the old-fashioned way. Plus, Jim describes the dread he felt when he received the script for this episode and what it was like to have his sleeve catch fire on set. Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall? Send us an email at [e-mail]

We're getting together to talk about all the things we used to do The laughs, the passions, the little Sebastian's, the pets we fell into And we're putting it on in a podcast Then we'll send it up into the sky We're calling it Parks and Recollection. You can't believe it. You're in a room with microphones. Yes, you would think I would understand what's happening, but I really don't. You don't.

I'm very simple. I'm worried about you. I'm very simple. Who are you? I am Jim O'Hare. I'm the guy who played Larry, Gary, Jerry, Terry, and Barry on the show. And who are you, sir? Still Greg.

Still Greg. I don't have other names, but you know what? It suits me just well. It does. No. It totally suits you. Is that something? It suits me just well?

Did I just have a little brain fart? It suits me just fine. It suits you fine. It suits me well, and it suits me just fine. It suits me just well. Did I just have a little brain fart? It suits me just fine. It suits you fine. It suits me well and it suits me just fine. It suits me just well. And you're hearing another voice because we have a special guest today! One of our all-time favorites, not just on the

show, just in life because she's awesome. We have a guest. She's the author of the upcoming novel, Loved One. She has written and executive produced mega hits like The Good Place and Hacks, as well as, of course, our own favorite series, Parks and Rec. She joined us previously for season four, episode 21, aka Bus Tour.

And she's back today to help us break down today's episode. Welcome back to the podcast, Ayesha Muhar. We're so glad to have you. Well, thanks for having me back. It's great to be here. I didn't get to see Jim in person last time. I know. So I had to come back to have that experience.

Cross it off your bingo. Yeah. And this is such a great episode to be back for, I think. It's a classic. I mean, they're all classics, but this one is. No. I mean, this is the episode that people quote the most to me. Oh, really?

I would say, yes. This is the episode that if people will just start spontaneously singing Eggs, Bacon, and Toast. That is my whole life is Eggs, Bacon, and Toast. Yeah. Yes would say, yes. This is the episode that if people will just start spontaneously singing eggs, bacon, and toast. Oh, that is my whole life is eggs, bacon, and toast. Yeah. Yes, yes, yes. Yeah. Eggs, bacon, and toast. That is my perfect breakfast.

Do people reference it if they, like if you're in a restaurant or a company? I've had it referenced everywhere. Yeah. Yes. Say you're at a diner. Let's just say it. I'm at a diner. Let's just say it.

Say it, Jim. I'm at a diner. I'm not comfortable with this. Okay. Don't say it. Are you sure? Let's just say it. I'm at a diner. Let's just say it. Say it, Jim. I'm at a diner. I'm not comfortable with this. Okay. Don't say it. Are you sure? Let's just say it. You're at a diner, Jim, and you want eggs, bacon, and toast.

Yeah. Are you ever tempted to sing it? Never. No. I'm an adult. I have. No. I have never been tempted.

I'm an adult. Somebody tells me, you know you're not really an adult if you have to prove it by saying it. Now, if they said, listen, we're going to slop you this meal for free if you give us a little tune. I'm not saying I wouldn't do it. I'm not saying I wouldn't do it. I just have not done it. This brings me to another tangent, not at all related to today's episode. At Parks and Rec, we had a very heated debate about sweet or savory pies.

Yes. Sweet and savory. Which one do you feel like? A savory pie would be you know you're gonna have like your meal pies right oh yeah

but then there's there was that restaurant that was like a pie based restaurant we used to order from but I think they're gone they are pie based

and they would have they are pie based yeah they based their whole business around pie yeah we also had a hot fruit was a

a debate. I think Mike Schur was not a fan. These are all, yeah, I remember being so neutral on both of these debates, but riveting to watch people

who were very passionate about it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. How did anything ever get written? It is. For this show. How the hell did they? That's part of the process. That's our process, Jim.

Thank you, Aisha. It's all churning. It's all part of it. I love that. Okay. Jim, you're like, what's my color going to be today for today's scene? Everybody has different tactics. We all have our thing.

Yeah. You know, one of the things that, again, during the show, so I'd be in the trailer, and I'm not proud of this, but it is what it is. And I would watch Maury Povich for baby daddy news on the show. You're worried that people are going to find out about you? Yeah, you never know. No, but you know, the woman goes in and says, I've never

been with anyone else and it has to be him and then he's like, I... Anyway, back and forth. So it would be the point where they knock on my door and they go, Jim, which I always have hated this term, but it's the term that, Jim, you're invited to set. Just tell me to get there. We're all on the clock.

We're getting paid. but they used the term Jim you're invited to set and I'd be like oh I need five more minutes I'm about to reveal baby daddy so I also had my would you ever be late to set because of it?

I mean maybe I delayed a little oh I'm in the bathroom I have to run to the bathroom first here comes the truth nothing dramatic I would never slow down I would never ever purposely

someone was like Jim's having some bladder problems. Now we know. This is a terrible story to tell. So please tell us. Retta will hate this. Retta and I had a trailer. They're connected, but you each have your own trailer, basically. But Retta's

bathroom and my bathroom bumped up against each other the way they were. They abutted, if you will. They abutted. Thank you. You're a writer. And she would go crazy. Shut up!

Every time I'd go to the bathroom, I'd go, I'd pound on her wall and go, I got it, Renna! I got the troublemaker! Shut up! Shut up! Yes. So I shared with her every time. I wouldn't have taken care of her. I feel like she would hate the story. It's like she hated

the experience. She hated the experience. Yeah, not the story. Oh, yeah. She hated the experience. The story is out. Yeah, unfortunately it's out there now, Jim.

It's good for her. Yeah, yeah. Oh, God bless her. God bless her. And it's stories like that that provide perhaps some of the best segue to say that today's episode

is called Jerry's Retirement. Yay! It was written by Norm Hiscock is called Jerry's Retirement. Yay! It was written by Norm Hiscock and Aisha Muharrem. Yay! Directed by Nicole Holofcener and originally aired on April 18th, 2013. Jim, please give us a blurb. Ben convinces Leslie to play hooky for the day,

but Leslie puts their macaroni and cheese pizza-filled fun on hold when she finds out that Jerry is retiring. And today is his last day at the Parks Department. Meanwhile, Chris and Ian throw out the notion of artificial insemination, opting to have a baby the old-fashioned way. That meanwhile does a lot of work. Meanwhile. Meanwhile. Throw out the notion of artificial insemination.

Big life decision. Anyway. So let me tell you guys offhand. So this is how this all works for the actor so imagine me getting handed a script called jerry's retirement i thought for sure that was it i mean i'm not even joking no i i would imagine so like even as i was watching i was like did Jim feel? I was wondering what it felt like. I thought this was bye-bye. I am having this memory now that I think, didn't Morgan Saget, our line producer, do a bit with you with this script in particular? They screwed me over to make me think that this was it.

Yes. Imagine. Now, first of all, could not love Morgan more, but he would, you know, he loved to bust my balls. He could give me a look that would scare the hell out of me. Morgan was our line producer and then exec producer, and he's a genius and all that good stuff. But anyway, so yes, I was led to believe that this is it. Now, many things are going through your head.

Number one, you go, wow, it's been amazing. What a gift this has been, a true gift. I've worked with these people for however many years at this point. And then it's like a little bit of, well, what the hell? You can't even bring me into a room and tell me, listen, Jim, we feel this story is wrapping up. Because I've heard, that's all legit stuff that happens. Right, because at this point, it's six seasons. Yes.

Right? Well, end of five. Five, end of five. But with Jim, it felt like six. You know what I mean? Well, end of five. Five, five. End of five, right? But with Jim, it felt like six. You know what I mean? Well, some would say an eternity for sure. No, but, and also I'm thinking, I can't even make it to the end of the run.

Like, it was sadness. It was a little anger. It was, again, but also like, well, I have to be so grateful that I had this experience. But anyway, my brain was- So you're going into the table read feeling this? No, no, no. At what point?

When they sent me the script. They sent you the script. And then I start reading it. And then you see that, okay, got it. You're going into the table read feeling this? No, no, no. At what point? When they sent me the script. They sent you the script. And then I start reading it. And then you see that, okay, got it. And then I'm reading it. But if you follow the script up until the very end, Jerry's gone. Yeah. Jerry is gone.

He's bye-bye. Yeah. Jerry is gone. And I thought, wow. I just couldn't believe it as I was reading it. But can you imagine when I read at the very, very end that I'm back? I feel like another memory is popping in my head. That must have been so...

That there was talk of perhaps giving you the script just for you that didn't have the tag in it. And we're going to get to the tag, but obviously the tag, you know, you're coming back. And I thought, I think there was talk of like, wouldn't this be funny?

Wouldn't that be funny? Yeah. It would have created a whole other step for the script coordinator level. Yes, yes, yes. But it would have been great. It would have been great. They got me anyway, though. Believe me, they got me. Yeah. It was in my mind, it was over. That would have been like going full Jerry Gary.

We were doing like a gym level prank, but not a full Jerry Gary level. Exactly. Yeah, yeah. No, it was it was great. But the relief. Yeah. Knowing that it wasn't the case. But anyway. Yeah. So they got me. They got me. Well, I used to. So you're writing an episode that's called Jerry's Retirement. It's about Jerry's Retirement. Do you feel as a writer, a different level of, oh, I'm writing a pinnacle kind of moment in the character as opposed, you know, not to say the other episodes are less important, but it's a different kind of a. Yeah, no, I mean, it is different. I mean, I think for that, knowing that Jerry would be back, it wasn't quite the same because I also wrote in court and Chris's goodbye. Yeah.

And so that was something where I was like this really. And though actually they came back to you, but like that did feel like more of a clear goodbye which like if you're knowing how we do goodbyes if you knew that about the show you would know that jerry's retirement isn't goodbye because he's not having that one-on-one with each character you know like when someone's really leaving then we really do have like those one-on-one moments but so yeah yeah like yeah our version of like a goodbye with each person. Yeah. So I was in on that.

So I knew it wasn't a full goodbye to Jim. But I've done a lot of Jim, like a Jerry episode. So I did feel very happy to be part of this moment for the character because I feel like Park Safety, which was my second episode I wrote for the show, but kind of like the first real one I felt like where it was like getting into the swing of things, understanding the world, writing the episode. Like, you know, Mike always would look

over our scripts, but like, you know, the first script you write, he's really going to be going over it. After that, it's more like, okay, you take the lead and you shine and do your thing. So it's like a classic Jerry episode. And then I think like it was always fun. Like, I came to really enjoy those storylines because it's always so

fun to work with jim and i feel like it is like see what's the other people say i'm never said that every day sorry for your ego i have to say it every time i guess i love working with you once again before every episode and now we record oh that's so sweet love working, you know, you're always one of the faves. It was great. So that was the fun part of like, okay, we're going to do like a Jerry episode. This is going to be really fun. And, you know, the other actors also bring, it's like whenever there's like a certain focus on one of the characters, you think, oh, it's just going to be about this actor character. But because of our show, it's such an ensemble. The actors were so good at being like,

okay, we're pivoting to this person, but also here's how I act. Leslie is different when she's with Jerry. Leslie's so sweet with everyone else, but then when she's with Jerry, so then Amy gets to play a different thing. So it's very interesting to see how all of them bring something new whenever the focus is on

one of them. It's almost like a wheel rotating and then clicking into a new spot, but that spot's also great. Now we get to see Leslie be mean, which we don't normally see. That's a great point, especially with Jerry's character, who is such a comedy character. In fact, every character generally, when you have an A story where Leslie is in some place and she needs some kind of advice from that mentor character in the third act, you don't often get it from Jerry. You never get it from Jerry.

What you learn in this episode perhaps is they all probably would have benefited from always going to Jerry. Yes. Such a fun comedy character that when you get a whole episode devoted to this person, it's fun now to see like Aisha's saying, what is

Leslie going to be like when she has to spend much more time than we used to spending with Jerry and everything? So much so that we have this great running bit that we should talk about when we get to our episode about how Andy pretty much keeps forgetting in a way almost everything about

Jerry. Yeah. It's a slow process. He's also heard a whole conversation of the thing and then, see you tomorrow. Like he is. So happy.

So happy. I mean, I remember in another Aisha episode in Ron and Diane, you know, a couple episodes ago that Andy has a joke saying something like, I don't know, Jerry knew Anne. Right. The Christmas party.

Yeah, yeah. So let's talk about today's episode. In our notes, let's call this out first, that this episode aired as the second of a doubleheader Parks lineup immediately following season five, episode 19, article two. Mmm. Mmm. Mmm. Mm. Mm.

Isn't that delicious? We have cameos in this. Plenty of reprisals of Christy Brinkley as Gil Gergich. Yay! Along with Sarah Wright Olsen, Katie Gill, and Malia Beth Johnson as Jerry's daughters. And writer Emily Spivey as Dr. Van Dyne. Let's jump in. Let's jump in and talk about this episode so good in our synopsis.

Taken off guard by Jerry's unexpected retirement, Leslie decides to help him fulfill his professional bucket list while the rest of the department realizes that someone will need to fill the role of the new Jerry. Meanwhile, Chris and Ann take a trip to the fertility clinic and feel a bit overwhelmed. Okay, before we get to Jerry coming in and announcing his retirement, which having seen this episode many times, I've been involved in the room for the whole, still just cracks me up just to see, Jim, you're holding your box.

It's all I got. And you're ready to go. And the reactions from everyone and some people were very confused. Ron is almost like impassive about it. Yeah. And some people are kind of annoyed. Like, why is Jerry even talking?

What is going on now? We have other things to not do because we're just hanging out at work. But the cold open, the cold open where Leslie's scrapbooking her first year on city council. We have these great things like the senior sex ed thank you notes with pictures. The scrapbook has three working titles, a scrapbook of reflection, the journey begins,

time is the relentless and cruel enemy of the devoted civil servant. And you guys, is there anything better than Adam Scott playing uncomfortable? And wearing that Letters to Cleo shirt, which I feel like he's often worn on the show when feeling uncomfortable. It's just like that.

No one plays it better. And when he sees that sex book, I actually went back a couple of times when I was watching just to get his reactions. It's just, again, with him with police,

anything that makes him uncomfortable, I just love. He has a good reaction in the camping episode where you're staying in that bed and breakfast and he's reading the guest book. Oh, yes, yes, yes. Okay, so

Jerry announces the retirement. We talked about it. It's so funny, Jim. I just love everything. I love the entire way you play this scene. Talk to us about it. So you're doing it. See, now that I'm here, he's becoming more comfortable giving you compliments.

Because you're here and you were nice to me? Stop it. Stop it. It was, first of all, there's nothing better than having stuff to do in an episode. Because, you know, we shot my documentary. There were many days, and I still love these days, where you would sit at a desk because other scenes are happening. The camera is going to turn and you might be seen, blah, blah, blah. But even those days, I loved being there because the crew and everybody, you know, dicking around with the camera crew and all that stuff.

But now when you get stuff to do, that's just icing on the cake. Yeah. So, of course, I loved it. And I also got to do a stunt in this episode. And I love when I get to do that. Oh, yeah. Which we'll talk about in a little bit. The Tom Cruise of the Parks and Rec.

Yeah. We'll talk about you. Yes, yes. The Tom Cruise of the Parks and Rec. Yeah. I'm talking about you. Yes, yes. Well, you know, the problem, not problem, but the nature of the biz, they are very careful because insurance and God forbid you get hurt. So, and I get it.

Like I did after Parks, Dan Gore brought me in for Brooklyn Nine-Nine to do a couple of those. And there was a stunt there. And Dan said to them, he's going to want to do this. He's going to want to do it. And they let me do it. So, with a little discussion, but as long as you do things carefully. But I mean, not that things can't

happen and things can go wrong. I know that. But I love when they let me do it. And this was, I thought, a particularly fun one. I feel like both you and Pratt had a lot of Pratt falls. A lot of like, yeah, of course. And like, you both were very, yeah, you would go for it. There's one in, well,

there's one in this episode, too, actually, I think is an accident where Rob kind of falls. But then he definitely went into it and stayed in character throughout. You said when he was running? Yeah. I was actually going to ask if you remember if that was on purpose or not.

Yeah, that was like a mistake. But then it was like, this is good. We maybe even done it again. I don't remember. But it was like, he just kept going with it. Well, Nick fell once and it was not on purpose. Oh, yeah, yeah. And we kept it. It was great because he was kept going with it. Well, Nick fell once and it was not on purpose. And we kept it. It was great because he was in such a panic.

Oh, well, in that scene, I was going to say that first scene where Jerry is saying that he's going to retire. When Ron comes over and just gives him a handshake. Says, thank you for your service. And Jerry's really touched. He's like, for Ron, this is like that speech. You know, thank you so much. Thank you so much. That means a lot.

It was like six words. But a firm handshake from Ron Swanson. That is. Yes. It also reminded me of when Leslie gives you gifts after her honeymoon and gives you socks. And she gets me. She just gets me. But it's that same element of like the moment matters more than perhaps the details of the moment.

Just attention. Yeah, the attention. And Ron has said that Jerry's work has been at sometimes adequate. Yeah. So couldn't be lovelier. Well, here's what Jerry has shown from 40 years at the Parks Department. A handicap parking sticker from when he got gout. Parks and Rec golf cart driving exam,

which he failed. Oh, that's awful. A scathing performance review written by Leslie. And our friends on Reddit... She stands by that. But first she's like, who would ever write something? Oh, I did.

And I stand by it. I love it. Well, I want to say our friends on Reddit have frozen and transcribed that specific little review. Really? It says, I really don't see any opportunities for Jerry Gergich to advance to any other level or department. His performance is consistently poor and his abilities to grasp the day in and day out of the Parks Department is non-existent.

She's just being honest. Yeah. She does it unless she sees it. She does call it as she sees it. She does call it as she sees it. I wouldn't expect Leslie to lie on an official form. No, no, no. She would not.

But that's hurtful. But this scene brings me to one of my favorite lines from the episode I wrote down, which is, Ben says, well, Jerry was never the type to rise above mediocrity

or to it. Fair. It's so funny. It's so funny. It's so funny. I think it's especially funny coming from Ben, who is a, I don't know,

there's something very like good guy. Yeah. They're all good guys. And Ben said Jerry's back. Yeah. Because he came in a little later. So he's not part of the Parks Department.

He's not like, you know. He doesn't get little Sebastian. He doesn't have that same history of all I've known is shitting on Jerry. Right. This is just what we do. He doesn't get little Sebastian. He doesn't have that same history of, all I've known is shitting on Jerry. Right. This is just what we do. He doesn't always do that.

Yes, that's a good point. Very, very, very good point. Okay, Chris and Anne are taking the baby plunge. Both seem a little nervous. And I just found myself just loving seeing these two actors have a unique version of will they, won't they. They're tough to look at the two of them. Yeah, it's just not.

And that makes it tough. It's unfortunate. It really is unfortunate. Well, they're just two beautiful, very awkward people. But it's like they found each other and that's what makes them. Like, you know, they're very well matched in terms of their awkwardness. Like, it might be harder to believe with them and someone else. Yes. But with the two of them

together, it's like, okay. And those babies are going to be beautiful people. My goodness. I also was watching this thinking, you know, when they had their first romance, it was, I mean, Chris had just shown up on the show and he was instantly

flirting with her. We very quickly leaned into it and it was the comedy of just, they were together for what, six episodes? And then he breaks up with her. It was a really positive way. But we didn't get to see really those early, normal human wooing, flirting kind of stages. But this felt like that in a way.

Like it had the awkwardness of dating, the awkwardness of what are we going to do about this feeling we have for each other? And this episode story for them. But at a much higher level, because dating is one thing. We're talking about putting a human together. I guess I'm talking about the acknowledging of feelings.

The feelings might be more than just what they thought it was. Oh, totally we see that. And they don't really, like they're talking a lot about it, you know, like which I feel like is very of the show too. Like characters really

talking out decisions too together, which I don't know if that's, I think that's okay. Yeah. No, it's great. It's great. People should be doing. No, Steve never should have done that,

actually. I guess what I think I realized I'm trying to say is that the first time we see them together and they're dating, I think it's really'm trying to say is that the first time we see them together and they're dating, I think it's really played a lot for comedy. Yes.

And this time when we're seeing some kind of dancing around their feelings and attraction and about one another, it's really played towards the emotional part of it. Yeah, I agree with that. I was invested in their relationship in this episode more than I was, I think, for the totality of their dating in season three. No.

Okay. Well, that makes, because it's like, also, once you, once you've dated someone, then you go back. That is different then. Yeah. Then it's like, you know, we've already done this. It didn't end well. How are we going to do it differently? It's a different conversation.

They're just like, hey, we just met each other. Let's see where this goes. But when they broke up early on, was there, in your talk, was there like eventually they'll get together or that was never really a thing? It just if it happened, it happened. I think it was like, I don't think we were thinking about in terms of they will eventually get back together. I don't remember that. I think at some point, at some point before this episode, definitely like it was in the air of like, okay, we want to do that. Yeah, I think especially, I think we were talking about

if they're going to enter on a journey of having a kid together and then start hooking up again, so to speak. It feels like you want to play that out. But, you know, in the beginning, there were, and Rob had talked about this too, that we weren't sure of how long he was going to stay on the show. I don't think he was sure how long he was going to stay on the show. He was sure how long he was going to stay

on the show. And so the storyline was built out around that reality too. Quick call out before we leave the setting of the fertility clinic

that they have the wall of champion, the current sperm donor champion. It's a picture of Harris. It's a heavy writer guest episode, actually. Yes. It says to make a deposit in here. If you fill it up all the way, you get on the board.

And then just cut to Harris. I love it. But, you know, we also have this great, great comedy game and story for Tom. We've kicked off that someone is going to become the new Jerry, right? This is the law of nature. Someone's going to fill this void, and Tom makes one mistake. He makes one mistake.

I made two pyophiles. Pylofibles, philopiles. And he only made that mistake because he was so worried about making a mistake. The Jerry was already in him, obviously. If he's that worried about being the Jerry, then he already... He knows that he could because,

as we find out later, he's been the Jerry. He's been the Jerry before. He was. And what does he say? One screwed up sentence, and 30 years later, I'm wearing aquamarine sweater vests

and listening to Bonnie Raitt and the Da Vinci Code on my iPod. That's pretty good. Yeah. See? Yeah. Here's the thing about Jim. It's one man's paradise. Exactly. Here's the thing about Jim. It's one man's paradise. Exactly.

Here's the thing about Jim O'Hara. That sounds good to both Jerry and Jim. It does. It really does. I'm not against that at all. Let's move on then with our synopsis. Afraid he could become the next Jerry, Tom suggests

to Ron that he should hire an intern for the Parks Department. Meanwhile, Leslie continues to check off items on Jerry's professional bucket list. And overwhelmed by the whole sperm donor process, Chris and Ann decide to try for a baby the old-fashioned way. Which is what?

Oh, you'll love it. I can't wait to find that. You'll love it. I can't wait. Okay, Jerry's bucket list. We skipped't wait to find that. You'll love it. I can't wait. Okay. Jerry's bucket list. We skipped over the first one. It was to eat in the executive, like, you know, cafeteria. Think about it. That's a bucket list item.

Yeah. To eat in the cafeteria. Yeah. That's so sad. Right. Sorry. Officially, the city council private dining. I mean, for Jerry, that's a big goal.

Yes. That's big. For Jerry. Bucket list is like flying in a helicopter. No, he wouldn't dare. No, no, no. Or that's family time. This is, you know, maybe with Gail he would do that.

With the family. Yeah. And Muncie, yeah. But here we are. Bucket list item number two. Meet Mayor Knudsen. Yeah. Okay.

So we're going to do this bit and they just show up at the cemetery. And again, Jim, the way both you and Amy play this, it's just, you know, it's very genuine. And Ben's like, is this, are you satisfied? But it's like, yeah, really? Yeah. This was pretty great. Yeah. This was really good.

I had a full conversation with him at his. Yeah. I'm talking to him and I've never met. I'm talking to great. Yeah, this was really good. I had a full conversation with him at his... I'm talking to a man I've never met. I'm talking to his stone. Yeah, who gets to do that? Just everyone who could walk into the cemetery. But for Jerry, it's a huge moment. Exactly. Which Jerry could have gone and done.

And also when you hear about the mayor too, again, it's this Pawnee lore and Ben being on the outside, which was always so great when adam plays that because again anytime anytime ben adam whom adam the actor for me is just shocked by us his shock his surprise with gail and me his little sebastian surprise anytime he doesn't understand what is happening i love it he's just taking it in and why because he's trying to understand a normal person yeah the He's just taking it in and trying to understand. A normal person. The rest of us are nuts. He's trying to understand. Yeah.

And Merrick Knudsen, as Leslie tells us, he resigned because of corruption and racketeering and then he died from an overdose of pills. But actually his real cause of death was being thrown out of a helicopter while handcuffed. And what I love, even when Amy and I were playing it,

we're both just, mm-hmm. Yeah. Well, you already know the details. It's just like just reviewing the information. Yeah, this is really, that was tough. That was a tough thing to go through. Tough period for Bonnie. The newspaper that Leslie holds up

that reads Mayor meets Grizzly End, the sub-headline, Deputy Mayor sworn in by Impact Crater. Like the line of succession and you know, you gotta do it immediately and once you confirm the body is gone, that mayor, we need a mayor.

You guys, is that gay Perillo or is that you guys? I was just thinking about that because I feel like that's gay. It seems like it might, but gay was our, our queen of props. Queen of props. Yeah.

And she just came up with great stuff. And you notice in Leslie's office, she has that photo of her and Biden out behind her. Yes. After they, because the episodes prior,

she had met Biden. So it's like, and then immediately the prop is there. So. Yes. I'm almost positive the picture of the mayor

is a guy named Randy Cordray, who was the line producer there. Yes. I'm almost positive the picture of the mayor is a guy named Randy Cordray who was the line producer on The Office. Oh, I don't know. Unless I'm having like a brain fart. And he, Randy was a line producer on The Office.

It was, you could also see him on The Office because when Jim and Pam get married, spoiler. Spoiler. Spoiler. Thanks Greg. I just started that series.

This is my office boys. I had them breaking up in season two. Don't worry. They're going to be fine. When they get married he's the captain of the ship they're on over Niagara Falls and he marries them. So there you go.

I think that's the case. We'll find out, and if I'm wrong, I'll come back and I'll let you know. Rip him apart if he's wrong. I'll let you know. Alright, let's go back into our synopsis. After a major mishap at Jerry's makeshift retirement party, Leslie turns up at Jerry's house to apologize and gets roped into a bizarre world breakfast with his family.

Meanwhile, after sealing the deal with Chris and cuts through the awkwardness and opens the conversation up to having a baby and a relationship with Chris. And back at the Parks Department, the new intern has joined the team. But to Tom's dismay, he's definitely not new Jerry material. He is not. He is opposite of Jerry material. Yeah.

Well, I mean, let's talk about Jerry's family because that was a big part of the character of Jerry, too. Like, I remember that was really important to Mike that it was like, OK, this is a guy who at work he's made fun of. People aren't so kind. And the reason it can kind of go on is because, you know, Jerry is very, you know, he's not laughing off exactly like Andy is. He is embarrassed, but he's not holding it against them. He's a nice guy. He's kind. He has a clear work-life boundary. Like that wasn't used as much then, but that basically is what it is where it's like, it doesn't mean that much to him. So when people

are joking with him, you know, it's maybe not as hurtful as it may seem, or at least that was our hope. Cause it was like, we don't want to overdo it on the Jerry jokes. I mean, there's people out there who are like, they were so mean, blah, blah, blah. But I explain exactly what you just said. Jerry had priorities. His priorities were his family. He loved the people he worked with and they had a lot of fun together. Whatever. Even though he knew he was, because there's the episode, you know, where he spills and

Leslie comes out and goes, oh, let's make fun of Jerry again. And he's like, he gets it. Yeah. It's fine. Right. It's what it is. It's part of it. It's his role. It's part of it. But I mean, some people let's make fun of Jerry again. And he's like, he gets it. It's fine. It's what it is. It's part of it. Some people hated that there were Jerry bits.

They're nice to everyone, but they're not nice to Jerry. The other thing is, that's Jerry's role in the office, but then you see at home he has a completely different role, and he's suave. He's cool. He's throwing mugs in the air. He's kissing his wife. His daughters are cheering. He probably throwing mugs in the air. He's kissing his wife. His daughters are cheering.

He probably needs a break. Go to the parks office. Keep him grounded. Yes, yes, yes. I remember in the room when everyone was pitching on what would Jerry's home life be like. Because we get the tease of it. We see his house for the first time at the Christmas party. And we have met his kids before. We met Millicent.

We met the other girls before at the Christmas party. Yeah. And we have met his kids before. We met Millicent. We met the other girls before at the Christmas party. But we get to see Jerry, like, the way that Jerry's dressed and is more of a casual Jerry. And the jokes about him being able to catch the perfect reflexes. Yes. That there's something very much like, no, should we? But it's so funny to think about. Because in the office, that mug would have shattered. There would have been pens going all over the place.

It would have been that good. But it's also a fun way to think about what Jerry's capable of at home when he's not surrounded perhaps by people who are just like. They're looking for trouble. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. First of all, that whole family stuff, that whole day there, there's a bit where I do throw the mug in the air. I catch it because Leslie almost, it almost fell off the table.

I do it. So what we were, the bit we were trying to do, which I just couldn't make happen, I was going to fling it in the air and then catch it in the handle. Yeah. Like on my finger. Well, after like, this ain't happening. Right, yeah. Because Jim O'Hare is a little not good with stuff like that. But it still works.

Even that level of alacrity for Jerry is amazing. I want to talk, we talked about you know, stunts. Jerry is so unfazed when his jacket catches fire. He's like, you know, but he's not the way I would have reacted to it. Most people, I think.

I would have been freaking out. Yeah. But before the moment hits, what's happened is we're in the, they've realized everything is not going well. Right. But Leslie's going to. She made the scrapbook. There's a dedication. Like she's done the best she can.

And now there's this cake. But I got to get home because Gail. Yeah. You promised. I made the scrapbook. There's the dedication. Like, she's done the best she can. And now there's this cake. But I got to get home because Gail. Yeah. You promised. I promised. I'm going to be home. I'll leave at five. And so there's the cake.

And Jerry does love cake. But when Jerry reaches over and his arm catches on fire. Yeah. And Retta, I'm doing this as if anyone out there can see me. But she kind of just leans back and goes, you're on fire. Like so. Yeah. The delivery of like.

It's perfect. Just straight down. Like it's almost like I'm not great at bowling, but a strike. A strike. Oh, yeah. That's a thing. It's a thing. Am I pronouncing this right?

A strike? Yes. But it was so perfect. Normally, if someone would like right now, if I saw you want to, I'd go, oh my God, Greg is on fire. You're on fire. I've seen this a hundred times. Exactly. And now he's on fire.

It's a great point, too, because the line, you're on fire, is not a joke, right? No. It's only a joke when delivered this way. Yes. And the fact that she can deliver that. not a joke, right? No. It's only a joke when delivered this way. Yes. And the fact that she can deliver that. There's also the point where she's saying,

I once again, I strongly disagree when she's telling Ron that she doesn't want the intern being fired. And it's again, that thing that you're saying, it's like the quantity,

it's like very specific, this little like two lines, but it's so clear what's going on. It's so funny. So Retta. Retta just, even if she's not a lot of dialogue in a particular episode, whatever she has, she just brings it. But then Andy has another great line.

See you later, Jeremy. No concept. This is like, yeah. No concept. And so as long as we're in this area, I'll talk about that stunt. So Jerry's going to be caught on fire. And, you know, Morgan, it was a whole big conversation, of course. And I understand that because of safety and insurance, I would imagine.

He's just really worried about you still. I feel like I'm going back to that moment and it kind of did feel worried because it's fire. And it's, you know, it is real fire. Yeah. And it's like, you know, everyone's joking. And gym's a good sport. And I'm nervous sometimes because sometimes if someone's a good sport, you know, like, what if someone takes it too far? Like, what if they're, you know, I remember being a little like, I'm sure everything's fine.

Like, you know, we have a great. And you're going to be like, I was the person sitting with you when you were writing. And then his arm just. It's just fire. And you don't want to leave that day going, because I wrote that, Jim has lost an arm. Yeah. Oh, my God. No, but I will tell you, they, you know, once it was agreed that I got to do it, I was so happy.

And they brought in a fire marshal on top of other, like, I couldn't get hurt if I tried. There was stuff on the sleeve, right? First they put goop on my arm. Right. Then they wrapped my arm. Then they put goop on the wrap. Then they put the jacket on with wrap then they put the jacket on with somehow they put flammable it was a special jacket kirsten had to yes yeah but the main advice i got

that i thought was the game changer because i don't think i would have thought of it they said you will be fine as long as you don't put your arm down i thought well sure then i'm thinking he's right oh sure it's just like with a match, right? Like, yes, yes. If you put it down, the flame is going to go up. Even that is like,

you have to remember that while you're acting. That's already, that's again, it's terrifying me. that scared me. Like, oh, damn. Oh, yeah,

because that's real fire. Right. And had I done that, it's fire. It would have done, but I did not. And so, I think we did three takes yeah because it was we

couldn't do it i mean maybe it was two i think because you couldn't do it that many times yeah we couldn't no no no and it was fine and you know you rehearse it a bunch before you set it on fire so we knew what the bit was going to be and then aziz or tom comes in and actually i saved the day yeah but then he's ridiculed for doing that. He ruined the cake. Kylo ruined the cake. So he douses Jerry with this foam or whatever comes out of those fire extinguishers. You're doing great. Whatever that stuff is. A strike?

I've never bowled before, but again, I'm pretty sure a spare came out. No, but in the normal world, we would all be like, oh, my God. And there'd be no just well, well, don't when you got to go. You know, I wasn't going to share this because it's slightly embarrassing for my husband. But I was on a date with my husband like early when we started dating and he accidentally sent something on fire. We were at Sugarfish. And, you know, when it actually happens, you do kind of have to be calm because there is fire there and it's almost like as if a wild animal or something came in where it's like fire everyone's trying to be kind of calm so like fire you know you don't want to be running around

and like throwing things so like you know what oh sorry what happened so yeah what did he do his napkin i think he was trying to put it on his lap. There was a little candle on the table. And the napkin caught fire. And he didn't notice at first. Oh, because he was so enamored. Yes, he's staring into your eyes. It was funny because the couple next to us was like, well, you know, you're together and it's okay. I'm like, actually, this is a very early date.

So, like, I'm still, I could drop him now. I'm looking for reasons to not continue this. No. But he was like, he's like, and I think he was like, this is like something

from what happened on like your show or something. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It did. Yeah. Yes, it would, but it would have been

with Jerry. I don't think you want to be compared to him. Oh, then I'm Gail. It works out fine. It does. It does. But so, but then the time comes and Jerry's just like, I got to go.

Yeah, he's very clear about it. Again, in the work-life boundary, he's like, I'm going home to Gail and my family. And there's something about that, that the entirety of what Leslie has tried to do for him in this big special day. It's like, great. Congrats. This is wonderful. I'm going home to my family. I mean, can you imagine what's going, like,

the party that's going to be happening at his house? Like, that's what they did at Parks, but whatever Gail has planned, he's like, I'm leaving. There's a much better, my night is just getting started. And then Tom, after this is all over, he thinks he's the hero. No, he's ruined the cake.

Thanks, Paolo. And then he says, how is this my fault? Stupid Jerry, I should have never saved his life. Tom is a little self-absorbed. Oh, yeah. A little bit. But then we get this great major insight into where Tom's

swagger actually comes from. Yeah. And this like, you know, bullying. Yeah, this worry he has. It's an overcompensation of feeling out of place as a kid. Hurt people hurt people. Yes. Stop it. That is a true thing.

I know that it's corny, but it's true. It is corny and true. Hurt people hurt people. But sometimes hearing it just really gets you, right? I don't know. I got taken back to middle school just now. And I got to tell you, I was the person being hurt. Oh.

But look, you're not hurt the person being hurt. Oh. But look, you're not hurt. But now you hurt Jim. That's why we do this together. It's a circle of life. He just hurts. Yes, I like to hurt because I was hurt. You got to break it. Well, let's open our synopsis back up for this last little bit. After a very short trial period,

it's clear the intern is not a good fit for the Parks Department, leading Ron to rehire Jerry on a part-time basis. Meanwhile, after an eye-opening breakfast with the Gergich's, Leslie realizes that family is more important than work and presents Ben with a family scrapbook that she hopes to fill with the memories of the family they'll start together. I gotta tell you, that little moment with Leslie and Ben, that was really sweet. And I know sometimes you don't need to go through

certain things in life to appreciate them. But now as a father, I've started my family and there's something about two people who are saying, let's do this and let's talk about this thing that's going to reshape us and change us in this great way. I was like, yes, that's, oh, that's really, really sweet. Yeah. It's a really sweet human moment.

And it's totally human. It also takes her away from, it's not just work. Even though she says there will be work, because eventually she'll be Secret Service going into Air Force One. Of course, yeah. Marine One, but yes. Marine One. But still, it's all about, at this moment, it's about, we need to do this. Because she's-

I think I'm learning something from Jerry. And Jerry had that impact on her. I love that. Yeah. She learned from Jerry. And if Jerry can do it, then anyone can do it. Exactly. Exactly.

Hurtful, by the way. You should be. True. Well, talking about being hurt, Jerry's fall in the tag, in the end. Did you hurt yourself? No, I love stuff like that. It's so easy. Here's how you do those. It's like when I did the

in park safety. Yeah, take us back, Jim. Anyway, when Tom Cruise and I were doing the falls, we would jump from the helicopter. I would walk on the ledge of the helicopter. We were about 10,000 feet. No parachutes. No. All you do is you put one foot into the leg of the helicopter. We were about 10,000 feet. No parachutes. No. All you do is you put one

foot into the leg of the chair and it makes you fall. It's not, I'm not even, it makes you fall. I was tempted just now to try to do it and I don't want to do that. No, don't do it. I mean, you could get hurt, but you know. You're not a pro though. You're not a pro. I wouldn't start.

Not if you only throw strikes, you know what I mean? You throw them, you don't throw strikes. I was on fire. I was thinking in a visual way of the ball just rolling straight down. Not just the strike, but that it's so not wobbling at all. I feel like that's Redditor's...

It's not just that it hits this... No. It's the entirety of the experience. And you're not waiting for that last pin to fall. They hit it and they go down. It's like a perfect execution. Yeah, I agree. Well, we've come to the end of our synopsis and our rundown,

but we haven't come to the end of our episode. Jim, we got to get some of the crap we didn't get to. What's some of your crap today? Well, there is some good crap. When Rhett is talking to the intern, who we didn't talk a lot about, but he walks in, he's the hot, physically attractive. He's coming from a football career in high school. April knows him. So it's the whole thing. He's not going to be the new Jerry. It's just obvious he's not, and Tom is not happy. And he says, he's talking to the room and he goes,

you know, I've got a lot of love to give. I don't want to put boundaries on it. And then again, Retta. Oh, he gets it. He gets it. Oh, he so gets it. Like, oh, I just. And it's off camera when she says that second line. I almost thought she was saying he's going to get it.

Like, I couldn't. Oh, I thought that might be it too. Yeah. I couldn't tell because she was, you know. Anyway, I also love the moment with the gurgage hug with amy yeah it's so uncomfortable i mean family no they're still in it but she leaves and they're still going yeah the hug machine is firing on all cylinders yeah that's so creepy and but and then she just physically takes herself out of that hug they don't care

they're just still the gurg's are happy just to be together. Yes. And there's also the great moment at the door. And again, it's because Amy's, you know, just so brilliant. But when she, because Jerry's like, well, come on in for breakfast. And Gail's there and they're happy, so happy she's there. And she's like, oh, I mean, her face of, oh, no, this is not happening. This is not going to, she goes, I don't even like breakfast. The woman is obsessed with waffles.

Yeah, her purse is like a waffle. Her purse is a waffle. But then she comes in. And I just love the way Amy played that whole scene with singing with us, because she was, what is happening? She is just... And she's expected to know the refrain of the song.

Like, she just got there. Oh, yes. It's a pretty simple song, but yeah. She's taking in the environment, so she's like, I can't even get into that. Yeah, I'm sorry. Where am I right now, right? Yeah, no, it's a pretty simple song but yeah she's she's taking in the environment so she's like i can't even yeah like i'm sorry where am i right now right no it's all i also love when ron is you know he's let them know there's you know there's going to be a new jerry don't worry about it and he just goes soon one of you will be ridiculed mercilessly and then just ah nature that is such

a ron because ron knows it isn't going to be him. Let's face it. The last person it's going to be is Ron. It's not going to be the boss. And I also loved how, you know, you would think Tom was right to think Andy is going to be the go-to Jerry. It does.

In a world, it kind of makes sense. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But it doesn't. As Reddit tells, no, you can't. He can't be embarrassed. He cannot be embarrassed. He has ink on his mouth. He's chewed a pen to the point where the ink has exploded.

He doesn't care. He turns it into a thing where he's flirting with April. Wait, was that based on something that happened to a writer in the room, Greg? I feel like it was, wasn't it? Didn't someone do that where they were chewing a pen? Oh, my God. I think you're right. I wish I could think of who it was. I don't remember who it was, wasn't it? Didn't someone do that where they were chewing a pen? Oh my God, I think you're right. I wish I could think of who it was. I don't remember who it was.

I can picture now a moment of the room stopping. Yeah, we won't say because we don't know for sure who it was. But it rings true. Yeah. I say you name a name, who cares? What are they going to sue you? That could happen. It's possible.

It would be a terrible waste of your money and legal bills. But Donna's right. You can't embarrass Andy. So he can't be that person. No. He just can't be. And the other moment, we've already kind of already talked about it, but Millicent says to Leslie, come on, we're eating.

And just, again, Leslie's thing, she just looks and goes, it just doesn't make any sense. Like this whole experience is making no sense to her. Because in many ways, it's leave it to beaver. It's like a Stepford Wise quality. Yes, it really does. It really does. Yeah.

But God bless those gurgages. I know. And the beautiful gale. And lucky for Pawnee to have the gurgages, believe it or not. Exactly. Yes. And that's some of the crap that I didn't get to. I want to just jump in

with a few of my stuff, if you will. I don't know what that means. But there were a few lines in this episode I just want to call out we didn't get to where Tom says,

I'm a business owner. I wear dope suits. I have fur underwear. Yeah, what is that? He's very proud of his accessories. I have fur underwear. I was just picturing that feels seasonal. It's just proud of his accessories. I have fur underwear. I was just picturing, like, that feels seasonal.

He's just a sign that he's made it. Yeah. I also love how when Ron brings Jerry back to come in once a week, and, you know, everyone's kind of just pushing back into Tom, especially. He doesn't get it. Jerry will come in once a week, and everyone will get to watch him eat and talk to him about anything he might do or say or fart.

And the way Ron is saying it, it's just like stating a fact. The sky is blue and Jerry might be doing these things, including farting. Which we know he will. Thank you. And last but not least, because he

mentioned a TV show I'm also a huge fan of, when Ben says that he rewatched season one of Fringe to check out for plot holes, as he suspected, airtight. You know what? It was airtight. It was a truly great series.

If you haven't watched it, maybe we'll do that next. Yeah, and also, I just can't forget, because it brings it back to Ben being confused about everything. When Leslie gets back and she's telling him what happened at that breakfast, and he goes, not while you were at Jerry's, did you happen to get any information about his history with Gail? Like,

was she a Russian spy and the KGB forced her to marry Jerry as a cover? I mean, he just, it makes no sense. We had a lot of those jokes, and I think, he just, it makes no sense. We had a lot of those jokes and I think like, I don't, I think it's the only time

where there's a joke where I'm like, oh, I wish that joke, like a joke I wrote that didn't get in that I wish, I don't remember any other jokes that I wrote that didn't get in.

Obviously, all my jokes were getting in. Oh, dang. Of course. They were gold. It's almost like you both strike. But I mean like, I remember like,

we had so many alts for that because it was like, okay, the premise is just that reasons why Gail might have married Jerry and like, one of the ones,

the one that I, that I was like, they were in high school together. She thought he had a terminal illness. He was going to die. It was a walk to remember situation and then he lived. A walk to remember.

Oh my God. He lived. Oh my gosh. Oh. What is this? Like, but we just had, like, that was,

that was, there were certain jokes where there would just be maybe one or two alts and then other jokes where it was like, okay, we have like pages of alts. Oh my God,

that's a great Aisha joke. That's brilliant. We come to our, believe it or not, final thoughts in the episode, but I actually want to tee you up, Aisha, because I'm curious, not just your final thoughts in the episode, but I actually want to tee you up, Ayesha, because I'm curious,

not just your final thoughts in the episode, but we didn't talk about this enough. You worked with Nicole Holofcener on this. Tell us about what that was like, too. It was amazing because I've been a huge fan of Nicole, love her films. Like, one of the reasons I actually even ended up doing TV and moving to LA was because I was in a screenwriting class

in college and a teacher recommended her film, Friends With Money. I went to see that and I was like, oh, I love the way she's, these characters, like, I didn't know you could write scripts like that. This is so exciting. I got really into it. And then when I first was in LA, I was in a USC program and I was in a class with this teacher who talked about living next door to Nicole Hall of Sainter. And he was like, I actually live next door to her. And after class, you know, I was like, oh my God, this is amazing. She's like my hero. I went up to him and was like, I am a writer, you know, and I would love if I could be put in touch with Nicole Hall of Saner. I'm like 22 years old. And he's like, it was a huge mistake for me to mention that I live next door to her. I make it a rule never to mention

these things to students. And like, obviously from now my perspective being in, like, obviously you can't just give out someone's information to every student who comes up to you asking about it. But at the time I was like, what? I'm so crushed. I can't believe this is my chance to finally meet her. And then, you know, little did I know

that I ended up working on a show and I get to work with her. Were you able to tell her that story though? You know, I think the other interesting thing about it was that one of the reasons she ended up on the show was because my roommate ended up as her assistant and she was saying she loves parks. And I said, I'm sure we'd love to have her work on parks. And I told Mike and he was like, oh, did she say that?

And it kind of was an assistant network thing where because like I was living. And so that's how it kind of came together. So I had told my friend the story. So I, I think she knew, I don't know if I told her directly, but, um,

but yeah, it was, it was like on set. It was like a dream. And she was amazing. Like she was just like four of them. I think she did other ones too. Yeah.

And she, so, I mean, she, I already knew she was talented, but she was also just really fun to be on set with. Super nice and super collaborative. Yeah.

Yeah. You could throw out ideas. Yeah. All the actors loved her. It was like a really easy and like you could really trust because, you know, directors are coming in every week and they're not familiar with the show. They're catching up. But it felt like she really fit in immediately. And, you know, I was just kind of enjoying watching her work.

Norm, who we co-wrote the episode together, he was also a big fan of hers, too. So we were just like, this is amazing. It was kind of enjoying watching her work Norm who we covered the episode together he was also a big fan of hers too so we were just like this is amazing it was kind of a dream team week because Norm is also a legend and an all-star

so Bull strikes that guy I don't know if anyone ever says that so many strikes like strike, strike every lane strike, strike

down every lane like almost so many strikes there's like turkeys I think three callbacks is plenty what is it the rule of three or seven? I think it's a baker's dozen of callbacks, right?

Yeah. Okay, everybody. Well, Jim, final thoughts on the episode then for you? Well, I love it for so, so, so many reasons. I loved it. I hated when I first read it thinking I was being fired. That wasn't good. But then it turned out good because I was,

I did leave, but then I got to come back. I got to work with the Gurgich family, which was always fun. Whenever Christy came into town, Christy Brinkley is smiles and love and just this sweet, sweet, sweet human. It was always so fun. But also we got, we learned a lot about Anne and Chris this episode.

I mean, this is the episode that kind of changes that whole storyline. Yeah, they start on their own journey. That's like the first block. Yeah, so I loved it. Aisha, your thoughts? Oh, my thoughts. I, you know, I loved it too.

Yeah, good. You know what? I liked it too. This is a great episode. There's, yeah, and like I said, eggs, bacon, and toast is like the number one thing I feel like people quote

and say it's become it's in season five but it's become one of those things that people think of when they think about Parks so

now that's written separately right? like you guys did the writers come up with that bit or do they give it to them? you mean the tune itself? the tune or the

the whole thing so you guys came up with the song and then someone else did the music I would guess I think someone else did the music i would just i think this it depends but i feel like for this um you guys wrote the lines we wrote the lines but then i think and i think we wrote them in the room actually i don't know if norm and i

just yeah but we had or maybe it was like it was like song here something about breakfast song for jerry but i do feel like even when it's a hum, even when it's a small little thing, don't they normally give the actors just a little hint of the melody? Yeah, I was sent a tape. I was sent some sort of thing to learn it. Same with the Christmas episode

where we had to learn the Christmas song. It must have been Mark then. Yeah, Mark Rivers. Rivers, I said water. Sorry. Yeah. Different, you know, it's... Completely different.

Rivers, water, there's water involved. Lakes, it's something involving. And Greg, what did you think of this episode? I liked it, Jim. Thank you for asking me about it. I love... No, this episode is great. I mean, it's called Jerry's Retirement.

It's always fun. I think it's a great, great episode when we send around Jerry because it's fun to activate a whole, like we talked about, a whole other level of comedy when Jerry is pushed into the A story. And again, I mean, we talk about them.

They're all great episodes, but every so often there's one that just stands out amongst them, and this is one for sure. This was a fun one to shoot, a fun one to watch. Do you have an MVP for the episode? I have my answer on this one. It is called Jerry's Retirement.

It is called Jerry's Retirement. Yeah, it's Jerry. Jim? Yes. The MVP bit is now retired. My MVP is Jerry. Jim, I think you're tremendous in this episode.

I'm not just saying this because you're staring daggers at me right now. But I thought that every little bit that we get with Jerry is fun. The mistakes in the office, the perhaps most boring bucket list in human history, and a glimpse back at home. Each little bit is just very satisfying

and I think you did an exceptional job. I think Aisha and Norm did an exceptional job. The entire staff. So, for me, episode MVP is Jerry. Okay. I wasn't going to say that, but as long as you're saying it, okay. You'll jump on the bandwagon. I'll jump on the bandwagon. No, it was just

this was a gift episode. It was just wonderful. Well, you want to say the same thing I used to do? Oh, wait. Okay. You're allowed to give your MVP. Counterpoint. Deal turn. You know, I'm going to say, yeah, like I said, I agree. I think it is Jerry as well.

Like, Jim is playing two different sides of that character in the same episode, which is really fun to see. Like it's back to back of like the most bumbling on fire, like falling. And then on the other side of it, you know, suave family man loved and cared for. It's very cool to see that all in one episode, but there's been a lot of, I think leading up to this, there's a Christmas party, but leading up to it, it's a lot of talk about Jerry's family. It's in your head. And it was kind of like,

now we have to have it live up to this idea. I think we did a good job with that. You guys nailed it. Nailed it! Great job, Jim. Great job. This is like ending a Parks episode. We did it. We all did it. Well, listeners, let us know who your MVP is by

tweeting at Team Cocoa Podcasts or by using the hashtag Parks and Rec Collection. Aisha, you're right. It is feeling like a Parks episode, and that's because we come to gifts, parties, and jobs. We're going to talk about our gifts, our parties, our jobs that fill the episodes of Parks and Rec.

This one has Leslie giving Jerry a scrapbook of his time at the Parks Department. We have the conference room. Four pages. Four pages over all those years. Almost. Almost. Nearly four pages.

Nearly four pages. Four pages is a book. The conference room is named for Jerry and he receives a plaque. We have Jerry's going away party. An intern starts working in the Parks Department. And Jerry retires and is rehired as a part-time employee. Like I said, gifts, parties, jobs.

That's gifts, parties, and jobs. And we have some oops moments that have been called out. One is that when Jerry tells the parks department that he's retiring, the flag in his box keeps appearing and disappearing between cuts. I have to tell you, I didn't even notice it. I didn't notice either. Did you notice it or someone else caught it? No, I didn't notice it. Lisa caught it, yeah.

Was it because it was obstructing your face and it was moved? I don't know. It's just continuity mistakes. I know, but I can't understand. I wonder why we would have moved. We fucked up. That's such a big thing to move out. But why move it? It must have been that it was covering your face or something. Because otherwise why would we take it out?

Well, we have one more then. Let's find the reason for this one. We're not letting the props department go down for this. There must have been a reason. Well, the gravestone for Mayor Knutson has the dates 1936 and 1985 inscribed.

However, the Pawnee Journal that Leslie holds up featuring an article on his death is dated Friday, March 11th, 1984. Ah. Oh. Faked his own death and then died a year later. That's a writer. That's a writer. Like I said, Aisha would figure it out. Bull strikes this one.

Okay. Well, Aisha, oh my God, we've come to the end of our podcast episode. Thank you for being here with us. Thank you for having me. Aisha, Jim, thank you for putting up with me.

Finally. That's a bit of an apology. I think I'm trying to elevate the discourse between the two. The minute you're gone, it'll go away, believe me. I know this routine. Thank you all for listening.

Text this episode to your group chat. Give us five-star reviews wherever you are listening. And from all of us here at Parks and Recollection, goodbye from Pawnee. Bye-bye. Goodbye. Parks and Recollection is produced by me, Lisa Berm, and engineered by Joanna Samuel.

The podcast is executive produced by Jeff Ross, Adam Sachs, Colin Anderson, and Nick Liao. Paula Davis, Gina Batista, and Brit Kahn are our talent bookers, along with assistance from Maddie Ogden. Our theme song is by Mouse Rat, aka Mark Rivers, with additional tracks composed by John Danik. Thanks for listening, And we'll see you next time on Parks and Recollection. This has been a Team Coco production.