Tag Archives: Martin Starr

thoughts on parks and recreation: operation ann

Previously on Parks and Recreation: Bowling for Votes

In this Valentine’s Day-themed evening, Leslie was manically playing matchmaker for Ann aka the ‘beautiful spinster’. Doesn’t it seem like just yesterday Ann was trying to fix Leslie up with Chris, the annoying MRI technologist? Oh how the romantic tides have turned in our little Pawnee.

When Adam Scott tweeted that Party Down fans were in for a surprise, I knew two things: bloggers across the interwebz were going to use (and abuse) “Are we having fun yet?” and ‘Operation Ann’ had the potential to make up for last week’s so-so episode. Mission accomplished. I watched it with the giddiness of Ron solving riddles and you know it was a good episode when creepy Oren hiding under the table wasn’t the best thing to happen.

  • Who else wants a needlepoint pillow with their name, picture and lead headline from the day they were born? Marie Osmond as the Mormon Madonna would look great in stitching.
  • ‘Gal-lentine’s Day’ should be combined with ‘Treat Yo Self’. Somebody make that happen.
  • “It’s really hard to say ‘congrats’ without sounding sarcastic.” – Ann, who is very, very right. Congrats to all of you lovebirds out there.
  • “Thank you all for being here, let’s get started.” -Ron…to his barbecue ribs.
  • Attractive. Smart. Kind. Simple, yet very good criteria.
  • Yachter Otter, the playboy otter lost at sea. When Ben gave this gift to Leslie, all I could think of was IASIP and the gang creating things out of Charlie’s ‘Dram Bok’.
  • “Millicent Gergich has literally torn my heart from my body and replaced it with a thick slab of sadness. I may never smile again.” -Chris aka DJ Chris Cross
  • “Getting wet with sound.”

  • Jerry accidentally hired a male escort via Craigslist. Oh Jerry.
  • The image of Leslie dancing to Single Ladies…alone…at her ex’s wedding.
  • “I hate riddles and other such nonsense. I want that on the record.” -Ron, who “secretly” loves riddles.
  • Martin Starr (Roman DeBeers, Party Down‘s resident bitter/jaded/judgmental/intellectual fiction writer turned cater waiter) as Kevin at the snow globe museum. His hair was a little longer, but he was still deadpan and sarcastic. I could have used more interaction, but I’m just glad the Starz HD mention wasn’t the surprise.
  • “I’m Harris. Heard you were desperate for a man piece. We in business?” How do you even turn down a man that’s been to 308 Phish concerts?!
  • Dating tip: Never, ever begin an introduction by saying you’re an amateur juggler. Noted.
  • The lustful looks Ron got at the gay bar, which were to be expected.
  • Lil’ Sebastian has a shrine and unbeknownst to Leslie, Ben is still unimpressed.
  • Ann and Ton, snuggling up like little bunnies? I could totally see that.
Tagged , , , , , , , ,

community recapping: geography and global conflict

Will’s P.O.V.

Annie has a rival, Annie Kim (Irene Choi), and she is ruthless. Annie Kim stole Annie’s idea for a “Model United Nations” club at Greendale. Annie goes to Professor Cligoris (Martin Starr) and tells him that Annie Kim stole her idea and that she also wants to make a Model United Nations club. Professor Cligoris decides to have a Model U.N.-off that will determine which club is to represent Greendale – the obvious choice. All of the members of the study group, except Britta, join Annie in her attempt to defeat her rival…for the sake of world peace of course.

Elsewhere, Britta learns that a former classmate and fellow protestor has been imprisoned. Britta begins to think that her new life as a dedicated student, with an actual major, isn’t as meaningful as her protesting past. She begins her quest to “rage against the machine” by kicking a garbage can that Chang has been guarding…while Lionel Richie’s “Hello” is soundtracking the slo-mo action. Rebellious!!! Later she puts herself in a dog kennel and pours paint on a globe to make a statement. Chang takes her to the security office to be reprimanded but his boss says she didn’t commit a real crime so she is free to go.

The competition is near won for Annie and the study group until someone farts and distracts them. Allowing Annie Kim’s team to comeback and win until bed hatches a scheme to reverse the roles. After some portal-creating, cross-dimensional space traveling the Annie and the study group reign superior. Britta interrupts with Barbie dolls attached to her but she says she is making a statement about “nothing”. Chang comes and shocks her with a taser gun. Because your not a rebel until you have been hit by “The Man”…or Chang.

Thoughts

  • Are Jeff and Annie going to actually hook-up?
  • is Britta going to drop her major?
  • Where is Vice Dean Raybourne?!

 

Nicole’s P.O.V.

Martin Starr (Party Down, Knocked Up, Freaks and Geeks, other awesome stuff) was severely underutilized in this episode (a gunshot for peace, while funny, just wasn’t enough). The episode, which centered on Annie vs. Annie Kim, was essentially the poor man’s Debate 109. This is still Community we’re talking about, so there were still laughs, but the intended focus just didn’t do it for me this week.

Everything that I loved about this episode was in the subtleties. The simple way Lionel Richie’s Hello played to illustrate the symmetry between Britta’s “raging” and Chang’s need to make security guard mean he has some resemblance of real power. Troy’s graceful off-camera cup switch and “Georgian” accent while knowing all the factoids about Georgia the country. Even Abed’s continuously living life as if he’s on a television show, which should have gotten old two seasons ago, still amuses simply because it isn’t overdone.

 

All of this distracted be from the fact that unless Jeff sand Annie are going to ignore what’s “appropriate” and hook up already, I don’t care to revisit this storyline again. “Will they/won’t they” is beneath a show that can pull-off making fart jokes while offering up some light political commentary. I would have liked to see more Human Operation, it seems fun and also potentially unsafe if Pierce takes too long to wake up.

 

Quotes

 “An Asian Annie. Obama’s America.” – Pierce

“Get through it?! It’s almost a solid.” – Troy

You just got yourself a warning.” – Chang
I piss warnings, pig!” – Britta


Any questions?” -Prof. Cligoris
Yes. Does having two U(nited) N(ation)s mean there are two Earths?” -Abed
Uh…yeah sure, two Earths.” -Prof. Cligoris
Parallel Earths in different galaxies or identical Earths in parallel dimensions?” -Abed
The latter.” -Prof. Cligoris
So what does that say about free will?” -Abed
Abed!” -Annie

Uruguay sounds like U-R-Gay.” -Talking head Pierce
Uruguay requests that Somalia stops pronounces it U-R-Gay.” -Talking head Jeff

Tagged , , , , , ,
%d bloggers like this: