"Pawnee Zoo" is the
second season premiere of the American comedy television series ''
Parks and Recreation'', and the seventh overall episode of the series. It originally aired on
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
in the United States on September 17, 2009. In the episode,
Leslie
Leslie may refer to:
* Leslie (name), a name and list of people with the given name or surname, including fictional characters
Families
* Clan Leslie, a Scottish clan with the motto "grip fast"
* Leslie (Russian nobility), a Russian noble family ...
accidentally takes a stand in favor of
same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...
when she holds a marriage for two male penguins during a publicity stunt for the zoo.
The episode was written by
Norm Hiscock
Norm Hiscock is a Canadian screenwriter, producer and director. He is known for his work on ''Saturday Night Live'', ''King of the Hill'', '' The Kids in the Hall'', ''Corner Gas'', '' Parks and Recreation'', ''Brooklyn Nine-Nine'' and most recent ...
and directed by
Paul Feig
Paul Feig (; born September 17, 1962) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. He is best known for directing films such as '' Bridesmaids'' (2011), '' The Heat'' (2013), '' Spy'' (2015), ''Ghostbusters'' (2016), '' A Si ...
. The writing staff sought to address more topical issues during the second season, and the same-sex marriage plot was inspired by the real-life pairing of Harry and Pepper, a pair of romantically involved male penguins at the
San Francisco Zoo
The San Francisco Zoo and Gardens is a zoo located on the West Side (San Francisco), West Side of San Francisco, in the southwestern corner of the city between Lake Merced and the Pacific Ocean along the Great Highway. The zoo's main entrance (o ...
. However, Hiscock said he was focused more strongly on comedy than making a political or social statement.
"Pawnee Zoo" received generally positive reviews, with several commentators claiming it showed improvement and growth compared to the show's
first season, which received generally positive reviews. According to
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
, "Pawnee Zoo" was watched by 5 million households. Among viewers aged between 18 and 49, the episode was seen by 30 percent fewer viewers than the first season
pilot episode
A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie) in United Kingdom and United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television netwo ...
. In March 2010, "Pawnee Zoo" won the
GLAAD Media Award
The GLAAD Media Award is a US accolade bestowed by GLAAD to recognize and honor various branches of the media for their outstanding portrayals of LGBTQ people and the issues that affect their lives. In addition to film and television, the Awards ...
for
Outstanding Individual Episode.
Plot
The episode opens with
Ron Ron is a shortening of the name Ronald.
Ron or RON may also refer to:
Arts and media
* Big Ron (''EastEnders''), a TV character
* Ron (''King of Fighters''), a video game character
*Ron Douglas, the protagonist in '' Lucky Stiff'' played by Joe ...
saying to
Leslie
Leslie may refer to:
* Leslie (name), a name and list of people with the given name or surname, including fictional characters
Families
* Clan Leslie, a Scottish clan with the motto "grip fast"
* Leslie (Russian nobility), a Russian noble family ...
, "Here's the situation...", prompting her to go into a full rendition of the rap "
Parents Just Don't Understand
"Parents Just Don't Understand" is the second single from American duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince's second studio album, '' He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper'' (1988). In the song, the Fresh Prince details his problems with his parents, whom he f ...
". Afterward, he tells her someone is on fire at a park and needs immediate assistance. Later, Leslie holds a marriage for two recently acquired penguins to help promote the Pawnee Zoo. Immediately after the marriage, the two penguins begin having sex in front of a crowd of children, who are informed by an adult in the audience that both penguins are actually males. The Bulge, a gay bar in Pawnee, later sends Leslie a wedding cake with two penguins on top to thank her for supporting the gay community.
April
April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian and Julian calendars. Its length is 30 days.
April is commonly associated with the season of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, where it is the ...
introduces Leslie to her boyfriend Derek, who himself also has a boyfriend named Ben, much to Leslie's confusion. They declare her their "hero" for holding the gay penguin wedding, but Leslie insists it was simply a publicity stunt, not a political statement. Nevertheless,
Marcia Langman, a member of the Society for Family Stability Foundation, demands she annul the penguin wedding or resign from the parks department.
Ann
Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie and Ana.
Anne is sometimes used as a male name in ...
, who has been nursing
Mark
Mark may refer to:
In the Bible
* Mark the Evangelist (5–68), traditionally ascribed author of the Gospel of Mark
* Gospel of Mark, one of the four canonical gospels and one of the three synoptic gospels
Currencies
* Mark (currency), a currenc ...
at the hospital since he fell into the pit, says he has acted much nicer since the incident. Ann also reveals she has broken up with
Andy. Mark and Leslie kissed before he fell, but both insist they are just friends. Mark tries to ask Ann out, but she declines out of respect for Leslie's friendship. Meanwhile, the Bulge holds a party in Leslie's honor, which she attends along with
Tom
Tom or TOM may refer to:
* Tom (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name.
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Tom'' (1973 film), or ''The Bad Bunch'', a blaxploitation film
* ''Tom'' (2002 film) ...
to announce she has not taken a political stand. However, she accepts the free drinks they offer her and ends up getting drunk and having a great time. The next day, she is invited to go on the Pawnee Today talk show to discuss her supposed stance on same-sex marriage with Marcia Langman and television host
Joan Callamezzo.
Meanwhile, Andy shows up at Ann's house wearing a fancy suit. He tells her he has matured, gotten an office job and would like to get back together, but Ann declines. The camera follows Andy as he leaves, revealing he is actually living in a tent inside the pit. During the Pawnee Today show, Leslie and Marcia argue fiercely. Leslie insists she has not taken a political position, even after Marcia brings up the recent party at the Bulge. They take several callers, all of whom agree that Leslie should resign. Fed up, Leslie adamantly insists she will not resign, nor will she annul the penguin wedding. Later, she visits Ann and insists that Ann go on a date with Mark. The episode ends with Leslie driving the penguins from the Pawnee Zoo to a zoo in
Iowa
Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...
, where same-sex marriage is legal.
Production
"Pawnee Zoo" was written by
Norm Hiscock
Norm Hiscock is a Canadian screenwriter, producer and director. He is known for his work on ''Saturday Night Live'', ''King of the Hill'', '' The Kids in the Hall'', ''Corner Gas'', '' Parks and Recreation'', ''Brooklyn Nine-Nine'' and most recent ...
and directed by
Paul Feig
Paul Feig (; born September 17, 1962) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. He is best known for directing films such as '' Bridesmaids'' (2011), '' The Heat'' (2013), '' Spy'' (2015), ''Ghostbusters'' (2016), '' A Si ...
. It originally aired on
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
in the United States on September 17, 2009. It is the first episode to feature
Chris Pratt
Christopher Michael Pratt (born June 21, 1979) is an American actor. His films as a leading actor have grossed over $14.1billion worldwide, making him the fifth-highest-grossing film star of all time. Pratt was named by ''Time'' as one of t ...
in the title credits as a regular cast member rather than a guest star. The episode addressed the issue of
same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...
, typically a controversial social topic for government officials.
The staff of ''Parks and Recreation'' sought to address more topical issues with the
second season episodes, and the writers discussed with series co-creator
Michael Schur
Michael Herbert Schur (born October 29, 1975) is an American television writer, producer, director, and actor. He started his career as a writer for ''Saturday Night Live'' (1998–2004) before gaining acclaim as a writer and producer of the si ...
possible topics for the season debut. They settled on same-sex marriage, which was an issue of particularly high debate at the time, especially in the
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
area. During that discussion, one of the writers brought up the real-life pairing of Harry and Pepper, a pair of romantically involved male penguins at the
San Francisco Zoo
The San Francisco Zoo and Gardens is a zoo located on the West Side (San Francisco), West Side of San Francisco, in the southwestern corner of the city between Lake Merced and the Pacific Ocean along the Great Highway. The zoo's main entrance (o ...
.
The real-life penguins had separated from each other shortly before the episode aired, which resulted in press coverage that the pair "broke up".
Hiscock felt a gay penguin marriage was a good way to connect Leslie's character and profession to the issue, since a zoo would be part of the parks department. He said, "It seemed like a funny starting place: a cute zoo promotion that spins out of control."
Although the storyline is comedic through its use of penguins in the same-sex marriage, commentators inferred the episode nevertheless takes a position in favor of same-sex marriage. Hiscock said in writing the script, he did not intend to make a strong political or social message, and that the staff was more focused on comedy and developing the Leslie Knope character. However, Hiscock said, "What I like is that Leslie doesn't back down from her zoo promotion idea and refuses to annul the wedding. In a weird way she takes a stance."
Within a week of the episode's original broadcast, two deleted scenes from "Pawnee Zoo" were made available on the official ''Parks and Recreation'' website. In the first two-and-a-half-minute clip, Tom talks at the penguin wedding about the "penguin bachelor party" he threw for the birds. Later, Tom and April help prepare Leslie for the Pawnee Today show by impersonating the other guests and berating Leslie without giving her a chance to speak. In the second two-minute clip, Andy gives a tour of his home in the pit, and Leslie changes around Ann's apartment to change the
feng shui
Feng shui ( or ), sometimes called Chinese geomancy, is a traditional form of geomancy that originated in ancient China and claims to use energy forces to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environment. The term ''feng shui'' mean ...
after her breakup with Andy. Ann also gives Mark brownies to bring to Leslie, which he promptly starts to eat himself.
Scenes at the Pawnee Zoo were filmed in Abandoned Zoo Picnic Area in
Griffith Park
Griffith Park is a large municipal park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains, in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The park includes popular attractions such as the Los Angeles Zoo, the Autry Museum of the Amer ...
, Los Angeles.
Cultural references
During the episode's
cold open
A cold open (also called a teaser sequence) is a narrative technique used in television and films. It is the practice of jumping directly into a story at the beginning of the show before the title sequence or opening credits are shown. In North ...
, Leslie performs the third verse of "
Parents Just Don't Understand
"Parents Just Don't Understand" is the second single from American duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince's second studio album, '' He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper'' (1988). In the song, the Fresh Prince details his problems with his parents, whom he f ...
", a rap song by
DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince were an American hip hop duo from West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, consisting of the rapper and actor Will Smith (the Fresh Prince) and the turntablist Jeff Townes (DJ Jazzy Jeff).
Active from 1986 to 1994 an ...
, while Ron tries to tell her about an emergency by saying the song's starting line, "Here's the situation".
April presents a stylized stencil poster of Leslie designed in a similar way to the
Barack Obama "Hope" poster
The Barack Obama "Hope" poster is an image of US presidential candidate Barack Obama, designed by American artist Shepard Fairey. The image was widely described as iconic and came to represent Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign, Obama's 2 ...
designed by artist
Shepard Fairey
Frank Shepard Fairey (born February 15, 1970) is an American contemporary artist, activist and founder of OBEY Clothing who emerged from the skateboarding scene. In 1989, he designed the " Andre the Giant Has a Posse" (...OBEY...) sticker campa ...
, with the word "Knope" instead of "Hope".
While introducing Leslie at a gay bar, April says Leslie is "here to recruit you", quoting a line from gay rights activist
Harvey Milk
Harvey Bernard Milk (May 22, 1930 – November 27, 1978) was an American politician and the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California, as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
Milk was born and raised i ...
.
At the bar, Leslie sings a karaoke cover of the 2008
Lady Gaga
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her image reinventions and versatility across the entertainment industry, she is an influ ...
song, "
Poker Face".
When Leslie insults Tom's shirt, he defends it by claiming it was featured in the monthly men's magazine, ''
Details''.
When sarcastically asking if Langman wants her to commit
harakiri
, also known as , is a form of Japanese ritualistic suicide by disembowelment. It was originally reserved for samurai in their code of honor, but was also practiced by other Japanese people during the Shōwa era (particularly officers near t ...
, Leslie accidentally says "harikari," a common mispronunciation of the traditional Japanese cultural term.
Reception
In its original American broadcast on September 17, 2009, "Pawnee Zoo" was seen by 5 million households, according to
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
. The episode received a 2.1 rating among viewers aged between 18 and 49, a 30 percent drop in viewership compared to the
first season pilot episode
A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie) in United Kingdom and United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television netwo ...
.
"Pawnee Zoo" received generally positive reviews. ''
Time
Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'' magazine writer
James Poniewozik
James Poniewozik (; born July 12, 1968) is an American journalist and television critic. He is the chief TV critic for ''The New York Times''. Earlier in his career, he wrote '' Time's'' ''Tuned In'' column for 16 years.
Early life
Originally fro ...
felt the episode "beautifully" merged the political and personal and improved upon previous episodes by using and balancing its supporting characters. Poniewozik added, "'Pawnee Zoo' was spot-on, and had me cracking up beginning to end."
Henning Fog of ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' said with "Pawnee Zoo", the series appeared to be finding its rhythm and starting to distinguish itself from its conceptual spinoff, ''
The Office
''The Office'' is the title of several mockumentary sitcoms based on a British series originally created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant as '' The Office'' in 2001. The original series also starred Gervais as manager and primary charac ...
'', which was also created by ''Parks and Recreation'' co-creator
Greg Daniels
Gregory Martin Daniels (born June 13, 1963) is an American screenwriter, television producer, and director. He has worked on several television series, including writing for ''Saturday Night Live'' and ''The Simpsons'', adapting '' The Office'' ...
. Fog also felt bringing real social issues into the show was a positive direction for the series.
Emily Christianson of the ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' said "Pawnee Zoo" improves upon the first season by giving more attention to plot points outside the pit. Christianson particularly enjoyed the scenes with Leslie drunk in the bar, and liked the introduction of the Ann and Mark romance.
''Los Angeles Times'' writer Jon Caramanica said the same-sex marriage subplot only alters the show's dynamic "a smidge", and mainly serves as "another opportunity for misadventure for Leslie Knope". Caramanica added Poehler is talented, but ill-suited for the goofy Leslie character.
Maureen Ryan of the ''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'' said the episode appeared to be heading in a better direction than the first season and, regarding Leslie, added "You start to root for her this season, instead of wishing she would go away." She also praised the "Parents Just Don't Understand" rap, comparing it to Poehler's acclaimed rap about then-vice presidential candidate
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin (; Heath; born February 11, 1964) is an American politician, commentator, and author who served as the ninth governor of Alaska from 2006 until her resignation in 2009. She was the 2008 Republican vice presidential nomi ...
during a ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' sketch. Matt Fowler of
IGN
''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...
said "Pawnee Zoo" was "more solidly entertaining" than the entire first season, and made a stronger effort to build up the supporting cast, particularly by establishing a romance between Jones and Schneider. Fowler particularly praised Pratt and voiced excitement for his new subplot. ''
San Francisco Chronicle
The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. ...
'' writer Tim Goodman, who was very critical of the ''Parks and Recreation'' first season, said "Pawnee Zoo" brought new life to the series. Goodman felt the Leslie character was less clueless and ditzy, and that same-sex marriage was "perfect fodder" for the show.
Steve Heisler of
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was created in ...
commented the "Pawnee Zoo" plot was strong, the supporting cast performed well and that Poehler feels "a lot more comfortable in Knope's skin." But Heisler said it "isn't the best thing on tonight."
Not all reviews were positive. Verne Gay of ''
Newsday
''Newsday'' is a daily newspaper in the United States primarily serving Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island, although it is also sold throughout the New York metropolitan area. The slogan of the newspaper is "Newsday, Your Eye on LI" ...
'' voiced admiration for ''Parks and Recreation'', but found "Pawnee Zoo" to be "flat, forced and messagey", and did not make proper use of the supporting cast. He gave the premiere episode a C+ grade. Johnny Firecloud of
CraveOnline
Mandatory (formerly CraveOnline Media) is a lifestyle website based in Los Angeles with sales offices in New York City, Chicago and San Francisco
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial D ...
praised Poehler and the "Parents Just Don't Understand" opening, but felt cast members like Jones are wasted. He also said there is little chemistry between Jones and Schneider.
In March 2010, "Pawnee Zoo" won the
GLAAD Media Award
The GLAAD Media Award is a US accolade bestowed by GLAAD to recognize and honor various branches of the media for their outstanding portrayals of LGBTQ people and the issues that affect their lives. In addition to film and television, the Awards ...
for Outstanding Individual Episode (in a series without a regular LGBT character). It was nominated alongside the
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting
* Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
drama series ''
Private Practice'', the NBC supernatural drama ''
The Listener'' and the
CW drama/horror series ''
Supernatural
Supernatural phenomena or entities are those beyond the Scientific law, laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin 'above, beyond, outside of' + 'nature'. Although the corollary term "nature" has had multiple meanin ...
'' in the category.
DVD release
"Pawnee Zoo", along with the other 23 second season episodes of ''Parks and Recreation'', was released on a four-disc
DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...
set in the United States on November 30, 2010. The DVD included deleted scenes for each episode.
References
External links
"Pawnee Zoo"at the official ''Parks and Recreation'' site
*
{{GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Individual Episode
2009 American television episodes
American LGBTQ-related television episodes
Parks and Recreation season 2 episodes
Television episodes directed by Paul Feig
Fiction about publicity stunts
Television episodes about anti-LGBTQ sentiment
2009 LGBTQ-related television episodes