Season 2 Eps 1-12: Lisa and Katrina

Narrative DNA

1. Hero plans
2. Hero executes plan
3. Villain blocks plan
4. Helper advises Hero
5. Hero revises plan
6. Plan [fails/succeeds] and Hero wins

S2E1

Plot Summary:

Leslie, in an effort to promote the zoo, marries two penguins. However, it turns out that the penguins are both males and her action is taken as a political statement. Offended, member from the Society for Family Stability Foundation Marcia demands her to either annul the wedding or resign. Later, Leslie attends a party at a gay bar where she is appointed the guest of honor, intending to claim that she had not been taking a stance but ending up partying along with the gay community. In the morning, she is called to discuss her supposed stance of gay marriage on television with the host and Marcia. Despite being called out by Marcia and having callers call in to say they agree with her resignation, Leslie adamantly refuses to either annul the wedding or resign. Instead, she drives the penguins to Iowa, where same-sex marriage is legal. Meanwhile, Ann has broken up with Andy, who is now homeless and living in the pit. Ann is asked out by Mark and Leslie insists that she is okay with Ann dating Mark.

Oppositions

1. insider vs. outsider (Leslie vs. gay community vs. Pawnee community)
2. professional vs. personal (plan to deny political statement vs. getting drunk and partying)
3. ethical vs. unethical (Marcia said that gay threaten other marriages vs. Leslie won't annul wedding)

Actors:

• Hero: Leslie
• Villain: Marcia
• Helper: Tom and the crowd at the gay bar
• Princess: the gay penguins

Sequence of Narrative Actions:

1. Hero plans (Leslie wants to promote the zoo through fun activities)
2. Hero executes (Leslie marries two gay penguins)
3. Villain blocks plan (Marcia tells Leslie to annul marriage or resign)
4. Helper advises Hero (Leslie goes to Tom for advice)
5. Hero revises plan (Leslie goes the party to say she wasn’t making a political statement)
6. Helper enlightens hero (the crowd at the gay bar shows political support for Leslie)
7. Hero confronts and defeats villain (Leslie goes on the news to defend herself and declares she will not resign or annul the wedding)
8. Hero’s plan fails [ambiguous victory/loss] (Leslie sends the penguins elsewhere, doesn’t promote zoo)

S2E2

Plot Summary:

Leslie decides to plant a community garden in the pit so that people can come and plant what they want. Unexpectedly, Leslie and Tom find out that there is marijuana planted in the garden. Leslie goes to seek Ron for advice on what to do. Leslie plans to catch the culprit by having her and Tom have a stakeout by the pit. That night, at the stakeout, Tom and Leslie sees Mark and Ann go on their date and sees Andy go down to the community garden. Leslie recruits him to help them and later decides to go with Andy to get them something to eat. Tom ends up being locked out of the van and, in his attempt to get the keys, is seen by Mark and Ann who have come back from their date. They call the police and Tom is arrested and taken away. Leslie and Andy come back to see the van being towed away. Leslie goes down to the station with Mark and Ann to explain the situation and she proceeds to yell at the officer. The officer explains that Tom is suspected of being a pervert and Leslie fesses up about the marijuana. The officer releases Tom in the morning and Leslie shows the officer the marijuana, which turns out to be carrots. The officer believes that Leslie has made up the marijuana story to spy on Mark and Ann. Meanwhile, Ron has a hernia and is unable to move for the entire day. By nightfall, April comes back to driver him to the hospital.

Oppositions

1. professional vs. personal (stakeout vs spying on Ann/Mark)
2. immature vs. mature (Leslie and her candy and her tantrum vs. others like Ann/Mark/Cop)
3. naivety vs. wisdom (carrots vs. weed)

Actors:

• Hero: Leslie
• Villain: Marijuana
• Helper: Tom, Ron, Cop

Sequence of Narrative Actions:

1. Hero plans (Leslie plans to create a community garden for people to plant whatever they want)
2. Villain disrupts plan (Marijuana is discovered)
3. Helper advises Hero (Ron gives the go ahead to Leslie to deal with the problem)
4. Hero revises plan (Leslie decides they need to find the culprit)
5. Hero executes plan (Leslie and Tom do a stakeout)
6. Hero fails (Leslie never catches anyone and Tom is arrested)
7. Helper enlightens Hero (Cop tells Leslie there is no marijuana)
8. Hero’s plan remains to be concluded (No further mention of the garden)

S2E3

Plot Summary:

Leslie is appointed as one of the judges for the new Miss Pawnee, a responsibility she takes very seriously. She claims to choose the best female representative of Pawnee based on talent and poise. April signs up for the pageant to win $600 and attempts to bribe Leslie, who declines because that would be unethical. Tom pulls some strings to become a judge. Leslie and Tom meet the other judges at the pageant. After the women’s introductions, the “hot one” Trisha is declared, by Tom, to be the front-runner whereas Leslie expresses her preference for Susan, who plays the classical piano. Then, the judges are gathered to make a decision, where Leslie is the only one to not vote for Trish. Despite her attempts to persuade the rest of the judges, she is outnumbered and Trish wins the pageant. Later, the cop asks Leslie out and though Leslie initially declines, she calls him the next morning to ask him out for dinner. Meanwhile, while Mark and Ann are on a date, Ann discovers Andy is living in the pit and he is later invited in since it is storming. Andy makes it awkward and eventually Ann kicks him out. Tom gives out his house key as a pick up strategy.

Oppositions:

1. ethical vs. unethical (bribery vs effort)
2. immoral vs. moral (hot girl using sex appeal vs. mousy classical piano player/volunteer)
3. professional vs. personal (using chart vs "she's hot")

Actors:

• Hero: Leslie
• Villain: Tom and other judges

Sequence of Narrative Actions:

1. Hero plans (Leslie plans to pick the ideal woman for Miss Pawnee)
2. Hero executes plan (Leslie has a grading rubric and cheers for Susan)
3. Villain opposes Hero (Tom cheers for the woman Leslie hates)
4. Hero confronts Villains (Leslie bars judges from leaving without discussing Trish vs. Susan)
5. Villains block plan (Judges are unanimously in support of Trish)
6. Plan fails (Trish is awarded)

S2E4

Plot summary:

After confirming a date with Dave, Leslie begins panicking about the first date. She asks Ann to help her pick out an outfit and go over hypotheticals. Ann decides to have a practice first date with Leslie. After a rocky start, Ann decides to use exposure therapy to metaphorically throw Leslie into the deep end. Ann begins to act as a bad date and eventually, Leslie makes the realization that it is just a date. Ann and Leslie go for drinks to celebrate her immunity towards first dates and Leslie gets drunk. Drunk Leslie goes to Dave’s house and after some ruckus, Dave drives her home. The next morning, the cop comes over to drop off her things and plans for a second date. Leslie concludes that she nailed the first date. Meanwhile, inspired by the sex scandal on tv, the office decides to have a game in which they compete to find out who has the most dirt in their past. Secrets are exposed. Feelings are hurt. People are bested.

Oppositions:

1. professional vs. personal (working vs. finding dirt on each other)
2. rational vs. impulsive (Ann practice vs Leslie getting drunk)

Actors:

• Hero: Leslie
• Villain: first date nerves
• Donor: Ann
• Helper: Ann

Sequence of Narrative Actions:

1. Hero plans (Leslie arranges first date)
2. Villain cows Hero (Leslie nervous about first date)
3. Helper advises Hero (Ann helps Leslie with clothes and hypotheticals)
4. Helper plans (Ann plans practice date)
5. Helper and Hero execute plan (Ann and Leslie do a practice date)
6. Hero fails (Leslie bombs practice date)
7. Helper revises plan (Ann decides to use exposure therapy)
8. Helper executes plan (Ann acts as the worst date)
9. Plan succeeds and Hero defeats Villain (Leslie makes a realization it’s just a date)
10. Hero plans (Tells Dave they will have an awesome first date)
11. Hero wins (Dave tells Leslie that first date was drunk night so Leslie nailed first date)

S2E5

Plot Summary:

Preparing for the meeting with the delegation from Boraqua, Venezuela, Leslie plans on giving them a warm welcome and making them feel at home. After introductions, Leslie invites them to a welcoming party and has to clarify that it does not include sex for pay. Tom is treated as a servant and is “paid for his troubles”. Gifts are exchanged between the two departments, from Venezuela to Pawnee, a gold-plated gun, and from Pawnee to Venezuela, a bottle of high-fructose corn syrup and rubber nipples. The delegation is offended by the garbage and declares the town of Pawnee depressing. Leslie decides to change her plan from “be humble” to “blow their socks off with our best park”. After having their best park bashed, Leslie decides to show them democracy in action. After seeing the shouting at the town hall meeting, Leslie and the Venezuelans argue and Leslie tells them to leave. Leslie goes to Ron to complain but whatever Ron suggests, Leslie says no. Leslie meets with the delegation again and both parties apologize. They say they have made a few calls and that the Venezuelan government has given her money to build a park. Leslie consults with the Parks and Rec department to discuss what to do with the money. Leslie decides to take it. However, later, it is revealed that the check is in support of a committee intending to humiliate America so Leslie destroys the check. Leslie is newly determined to build the park with her own power. Tom decides to give the money he has been earning from acting as the servant to the park. Meanwhile, after doggedly chasing after April and getting repeatedly rejected, Jhonny, one of the interns from Venezuela, eventually persuades April to come to his guest house (mansion).

Oppositions:

1. professional vs. personal (welcoming delegation vs "I don't like Chavez")
2. immature vs. mature (Leslie's "if you don't like it, you can leave" vs delegation apologizes)
3. sophisticated vs. unrefined (mansions vs small town, difference in parks/gifts)

Actors:

• Hero: Leslie
• Villain: Venezuelan delegation
• False Villain: Tom
• False Hero: Venezuelan delegation
• Donor: Tom, Ann, Ron, Mark, April, Venezuelan delegation

Sequence of Narrative Actions:

1. Hero plans (Leslie plans on warm welcome)
2. Villain blocks plan (Venezuelans are “rude”)
3. False Villain supports Villain (Tom becomes their servant for money)
4. Hero revises plans (Leslie decides to stop being humble and to blow their socks off)
5. Plans fail (The Venezuelans aren’t impressed)
6. Hero confronts Villain (Leslie says their rude and tells them to leave)
7. Donor advises Hero (Ron provides solutions, Leslie doesn’t take them)
8. Hero plans (Leslie decides to be charming)
9. Hero executes plan (Leslie meets with delegation and apologies)
10. False Hero helps Hero (Venezuelans give Leslie money for park)
11. Helpers advise Hero (Leslie and team go over pros and cons)
12. Hero plans (Leslie accepts the money and plans to use it for the park)
13. False Hero’s plans revealed (the money supports cause to humiliate America)
14. Plan fails (Leslie rips up money, can’t use it for park)
15. False Villain revealed to be good (Tom gives money earned for park)
16. Plan fails (Leslie doesn’t give a warm welcome, delegation storms out)

S2E6

Summary: The Parks & Rec dept. help build a park in a different town within 24 hours, which inspires Leslie to try to get their pit-park finished faster. After talking with Mark and Ann, she results in breaking the law to try to finish the park faster, hurting Andy in the process. Andy wants to sue the city of Pawnee to possibly win some money (because he thinks Ann would get back with him if he was rich). Leslie convinces him not to sue the town and instead to work with her to fill the pit faster. The pit is finally filled!

Oppositions:

1. Recklessness vs Professionalism (Leslie acts recklessly to build the park faster, while Keith builds a park with permission from the law and help from others)
2. Immaturity vs Maturity (Andy can't understand why Ann would leave him and thinks it's simply due to his lack of money)
3. Selfish vs Altruistic (Andy wants to sue the town for money while Leslie wanted to build the park faster so people would be happy)

Actors:

• Hero: Leslie
• Dispatcher: Keith
• Helper: Mark and Ann
• False Villain, Helper: Andy

Sequence of Narrative Actions:

1. Dispatcher inspires Hero [Keith finishes a park in 1 day with "Kaboom!" method]
2. Hero plans
3. Helpers advise Hero
4. Hero executes plan
5. Plan fails [Andy is hurt and pit is not filled]
6. False Villain sues the City of Pawnee
7. Hero fights False Villain [Leslie constantly calls him to try to change Andy's mind about suing the city]
8. Helper assists Hero
9. Hero confronts False Villain
10. Hero wins [Andy decides not to sue the city]
11. False Villain helps Hero [Andy uses his power to get the pit filled faster]
12. Hero's plan succeeds [Pit is filled]

S2E7

Summary: Every year on Halloween night Pikitus supposedly vandalizes a park statue, so Leslie confronts him about this issue the morning of Halloween. She recruits Andy and Dave to help her, but after watching Pikitus for hours with no apparent issues she gives up. On arriving back at City Hall she finds it vandalized and immediately suspects Pikitus, bringing him in for questioning. Eventually Pikitus' mother shows up to save him. A few hours later Leslie and Andy go to Pikitus' house to vandalize it but find out Pikitus is not home and the mother from before wasn't actually his real mother, but a paid actor. They catch him vandalizing the park statue and he gets in trouble. The episode ends letting the audience know he really did vandalize the City Hall, but Leslie never finds out.

Oppositions:

1. Concealed vs. Open (Pikitus tries to act normal while Leslie outwardly accuses him without proof)
2. Authority vs Criminal (Leslie and company catch Pikitus vandalizing and stop him)
3. Insider vs Outsider (Pikitus vandalizes the town hall yet Leslie has no idea)

Actors:

• Hero: Leslie
• Villain: Pikitus
• Helper: Andy and Dave

Sequence of Narrative Actions:

1. Hero confronts Villain [Leslie confronts Pikitus]
2. Hero plans [Leslie plans to catch Pikitus]
3. Hero recruits Helpers [To help her catch Pikitus]
4. Hero executes plan [Leslie, Andy, and Dave all watch-out for Pikitus throughout the night]
5. Hero battles Villain [Leslie, Andy, and Dave all interrogate Pikitus at City Hall]
6. Villain escapes [His fake mother comes to rescue him]
7. Hero and Helper get revenge on Villain [They both T.P. Pikitus' house]
8. Hero discovers Villain's true plan [Pikitus hired a fake mom to help him escape. Now he's at the park vandalizing the statue]
9. Villain is exposed [Leslie catches Pikitus in the act of vandalizing]
10. Villain wins [Pikitus really did vandalize City Hall and got away with it]

S2E8

Summary: Leslie finds out that the Library is claiming Lot 48, which is the lot that they want to build the new park on, otherwise known as “The Pit.” They find out that Ron’s ex-wife Tammy Swanson is the head director of the Library, so Leslie goes to confront her. Surprisingly, Tammy redraws her claim for the lot, giving it back to Leslie. However, after Leslie unites the two again, Tammy uses Ron to get the lot back from the parks department. In response, Leslie confronts Ron and convinces him to break-up with Tammy officially. With the help of Leslie, Ron succeeds in breaking up with Tammy and the parks department get Lot 48 back.

Oppositions:

1. Naive vs Deceiving (Leslie openly wants Lot 48 back and is glad when Tammy gives it to her - but Tammy intends to take it back)
2. Ethical vs Unethical (Leslie goes and talks to Tammy directly for Lot 48, while Tammy uses sex to get the lot back from Leslie)
3. Professional vs Personal (Leslie goes and talks to Tammy directly for Lot 48, while Tammy uses sex to get the lot back from Leslie)

Actors:

• Hero: Leslie
• Villain: Tammy
• Helper: Ron
• Princess: Lot 48

Sequence of Narrative Actions:

1. Villain steals Princess [Library takes Lot 48 from Parks dept.]
2. Hero learns about Villain [Tammy Swanson is the Library Director]
3. Hero plans
4. Helper advises Hero
5. Hero executes plan
6. Villain tricks Hero [Tammy gives the lot back]
7. Hero unites Helper and Villain
8. Villain uses Helper to steal Princess
9. Hero confronts Helper [Leslie tries to convince Ron to break-up with Tammy]
10. Hero and Helper fight Villain
11. Hero and Helper defeat Villain

S2E9

Summary: City Hall decides that they need to redo an offensive mural and turn towards each department to propose a new one. The Sewage department challenges Leslie directly, making the mural proposals a competition. Leslie forms a small group to plan how to defeat the Sewage department and has everyone in the group create their own mini mural. With no final decision being made, Leslie decides to combine what everyone believes to be the best part of their mural into one picture. Leslie goes to Mark for advice and he says it’s horrible, so he he makes a new one and Leslie chooses to submit his mural, making everyone else unhappy. However, right before submitting the chosen mural, she changes her mind and submits the combined mural, which includes everyone’s work. It doesn’t win, but neither does the Sewage department’s mural either, so they end up hanging the combined mural on the wall of the Parks Department office, making everyone happy.

Oppositions:

1. Group vs Self (At first, Leslie only wants to submit the mural that she thinks would win, disregarding everyone's feelings)
2. Professional vs Personal (Leslie chooses to submit the group mural to make everyone happy, at the cost of submitting something that would contribute to the need of a new mural...since theirs obviously is not appropriate either)

Actors:

• Hero: Leslie
• Villain: Sewage Department
• Donor: Group (Donna, April, Tom, Ann, Jerry)
• Helper, Donor: Mark

Sequence of Narrative Actions:

1. Hero and Villain establish competition [Sewage dept. challenges Leslie]

2. Hero plans to defeat Villain with Donor

3. Donor gives items to Hero in order to defeat Villain [Everyone submits mural proposals]

4. Hero creates new plan [to combine everyone’s proposals into one]

5. Helper advises Hero [Mark gives his opinion on group mural]

6. Donor gives new item to Hero [Mark gives a new mural, which Leslie chooses to go with]

7. Hero fails to use new item [Leslie chooses to submit the combined mural instead of Mark’s art]

8. Hero’s plan fails, but Villain doesn’t win [Leslie ends up submitting the group’s combined mural, but neither Parks dept or Sewage dept murals are chosen]

S2E10

Summary: Every year Ron and the other men of the Parks department go on a hunting trip together, calling it “trail surveillance.” This year, Leslie convinces Ron to allow the rest of the department to join them. At the cabin, Leslie and Ron pair up to hunt together and Leslie starts a competition with him to see who can shoot the most birds. They split up and soon after Ron is shot in the head. Leslie tries to figure out who shot him, but when the Forest Ranger shows up to take a report she takes the blame. Ron belittles her constantly afterwards until Tom steps forwards and admits that it was actually him who had shot Ron. Leslie covered for Tom because he didn’t have a hunting license. Ron apologizes to Leslie and the episode ends with them all about to eat the hunted birds together.

Oppositions:

1. Men vs Not Men (the hunting trip only included the "men" of the office - therefore not including Tom and the women)
2. Personal vs Professional (the trip is supposed to be for work, "trail surveillance," but instead is treated as a vacation)
3. Group vs Self (Leslie pretends that she shot Ron so that the entire group is not banned from the cabin, since Tom didn't have a hunting licence)

Actors:

• Hero: Leslie
• Dispatcher: Ron
• Villain: Tom
• Helper: Ann

Sequence of Narrative Actions:

1. Dispatcher sends Hero on trip [Ron allows Leslie and the rest of the dept to join the hunting trip]

2. Hero starts friendly competition with Dispatcher [Leslie competes with Ron]

3. Dispatcher is injured [Ron is shot]

4. Hero avenges Dispatcher [Leslie tries to find who shot Ron]

5. Hero helps the Villain [Leslie covers for Tom]

6. Helper confronts Villain [Ann makes Tom admit he shot Ron]

7. Villain fails [Tom admits to Ron that he shot him]

S2E11

Summary: Leslie finds out that Tom and Wendy are getting divorced and immediately believes Tom must be heartbroken. She goes through various plans to try to help him feel happy despite the divorce: First she has a man in a horse costume sing to him, then the parks department go with him to a dinosaur-themed restaurant, and finally they end up at a strip club called The Glitter Factory. In the beginning it seemed like Tom didn’t care much about the divorce, but as the night goes on he realizes that he actually really loves Wendy and becomes more depressed. The next day Tom thanks Leslie for trying but explains the circumstances of the divorce to her and that she should give up and just let him move on peacefully.

Oppositions:

1. Ethical vs Unethical (Leslie at first cares about her fellow coworker and reasonably suggests they go out to eat. It goes downhill when she suggests the Glitter Factory)

Actors:

• Leslie [Hero]
• Tom/Tom’s Happiness [Princess]
• Ron [Villain, Helper]

Sequence of Narrative Actions:

1. Hero learns Princess is in danger [Leslie finds Tom is getting divorced]

2. Hero plans to save Princess [Leslie wants to make Tom happy again with singing man in horse costume]

3. Hero’s plan fails [Tom doesn’t want help]

4. Hero forms new plan [Going to the dino-themed restaurant]

5. Hero’s new plan fails [Tom isn’t happy]

6. Hero creates another new plan [Go to the Glitter Factory]

7. Villain damages Princess [Ron makes Tom more unhappy]

8. Hero’s second new plan fails

9. Hero and Helper assist Princess [Leslie and Ron bring Tom home]

10. Princess is lost [Tom explains his marriage circumstance to Leslie and remains unhappy]

S2E12

Summary: Leslie is extremely busy planning everything for a Christmas event at Lot 48 (“The Pit” park). However, after meeting with Councilman Dexhart, she is accused of having a scandal with him and is forced to take the day off, giving her list of responsibilities for the Christmas event to Ron. She goes to Ann for advice and ends up confronting Dexhart with Ann about the fake scandal story. She and Dexhart both appear on TV the next day and Leslie is able to prove that the scandal is fake.

Oppositions:

1. Professional vs Personal (Leslie acts professional and continues her normal schedule, but is forced to alter it due to a personal issue)
2. Ethical vs Unethical (Leslie wants the truth to come out about the scandal, but Dexhart would rather be known for their rumors than worse ones)
3. Professional vs Personal (Leslie ends up mooning the host on a television talk show to prove that the scandal was fake. Showing her butt was personal, but it was done for a professional reason: to get back to work)

Actors:

• Hero: Leslie
• Villain: Dexhart
• Helper: Ann, Ron

Sequence of Narrative Events:

1. Hero plans [the Christmas event at Lot 48]

2. Hero meets Villain

3. Hero’s plan sort of fails [She has to give her role in the plan to Ron]

4. Helper assists Hero [Ron takes over the Christmas event]

5. Hero goes to Helper for advice [Leslie goes to Ann]

6. Hero and Helper confront Villain

7. Hero defeats the Villain [Leslie goes on television and proves the scandal is fake]