Andy and April's Fancy Party
Encyclopedia
"Andy and April's Fancy Party" (sometimes referred to as "Fancy Party") is the ninth episode of the third season
of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation
, and the 39th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC
in the United States on April 14, 2011. In the episode, Andy
and April
hold a dinner party, which turns out to be a surprise wedding, much to Leslie
's concern. Meanwhile, Ben
mulls whether to remain in Pawnee or return to his old job in Indianapolis
, and Ann
feels extremely uncomfortable while attending a singles mixer.
The episode was written by Katie Dippold and directed by Michael Trim. The wedding between Andy and April was a culmination of a romantic subplot between the two characters that began in the second season
episode "Hunting Trip". The Parks and Recreation staff tried to keep the wedding secret to surprise viewers, but NBC accidentally ran a commercial advertising the wedding two months earlier, after the episode "Ron & Tammy: Part Two
. Series co-creator Michael Schur
initially said the promo was meant to refer to Ron
and his ex-wife Tammy, but later admitted it was an error.
"April and Andy's Fancy Party" featured several guest performances by actors who appeared in previous episodes, including Ben Schwartz
as Jean-Ralphio, Josh Duvendeck and Blake Lee as Ben and Derek, Minni Jo Mazzola as Natalie Ludgate, and Mark Rivers, Andrew Burlinson and Alan Yang
as Andy's band-mates. According to Nielsen Media Research
, the episode was seen by 5.16 million household viewers, a slight increase over the previous original episode, "Camping
". It received generally positive reviews.
scene, Ron
(Nick Offerman
) horrifies the entire parks department by apparently pulling an aching tooth out of his own mouth with a pair of pliers. He later admits it was a prank, as a dentist had removed the tooth the previous day. Later, Andy
(Chris Pratt
) and April
(Aubrey Plaza) invite everyone to a dinner party at the home of Andy's band-mate Burly (Andrew Burlinson), where Andy is living. Ben
(Adam Scott
) tells Leslie
(Amy Poehler
) that his boss in Indianapolis
wants him back on the road, but he has also been offered a job to work under Chris
(Rob Lowe
) in Pawnee. Although Leslie wants Ben to stay, she is hesitant to say so outright, disappointing him and leaving him conflicted over which job to take.
At the party, Leslie discovers Andy and April plan to surprise everyone by getting married that night. Leslie spends most of the party trying to dissuade them, since they have been dating less than a month and have no place to live. However, Ron believes it is not Leslie's place to interfere with their decision. Tom
(Aziz Ansari
) is thrilled when Andy makes him his best man, but his excitement lessens when Andy also asks Ron, Chris, and several others to be his "best men". Tom tries to throw an impromptu bachelor party and give a speech to make himself the "best" best man, but fails each time.
Although Leslie plans to object during the ceremony, she cannot bring herself to do it and comes to accept the marriage. Andy and April officially become man and wife. Afterward, Ron explains to Leslie that she did not object because deep down she knew that Andy and April would get married no matter what, and that there is no correct way to do things when it comes to matters of the heart, using his own three former marriages as an example. During the reception, April privately tells Leslie how much she appreciates her, flattering Leslie. Andy makes a speech to the guests, where he calls Tom his "best" best man, much to Tom's delight. He tells the crowd that life is short and he and April simply did what made them happy. Taking Andy’s advice, Leslie asks Ben to stay in Pawnee, and he surprises her by revealing that he has already accepted Chris' job offer.
In a subplot
, Ann
(Rashida Jones
) goes to a singles mixer where she is extremely uncomfortable. She runs into Donna
(Retta), who at first views Ann as competition, but then offers her advice after witnessing Ann's awkward flirting. When Ann hears about Andy getting married from Leslie, she considers going home, as she and Andy dated for several years. Donna tells Ann to forget her past and enjoy herself in the present. Ann ends up having a good time at the mixer and gets several phone numbers.
said they wanted to avoid the "standard-issue TV romance plots: fights, other men/women driving them apart, and so on". They decided the two should get married after dating for only a short time because it was funny, it made sense with the characters' personalities, and it raised the stakes for future stories involving the two. Schur said: "We just thought about who they were – two impulsive goofballs who don’t approach their lives in a responsible, adult manner – and decided, what the hell? What if they just make a rash decision and get hitched?"
The cast and crew of Parks and Recreation made a conscious effort not to discuss the Andy and April wedding during media interviews with the hopes of keeping it a surprise. However, after the original broadcast of the third season
episode "Ron & Tammy: Part Two
", NBC ran a commercial advertising "April and Andy's wedding registry" on the official Parks and Recreation website. At this point in the series, April and Andy were separated and had not yet reconciled. Shortly after the episode aired, HitFix
television reviewer Alan Sepinwall wrote that the commercial mistakenly used the wrong names and was actually referring to Ron and Tammy's wedding registry. However, after "Andy and April's Fancy Party" aired, Schur admitted the commercial was intended to run with that episode, but ran with "Ron & Tammy: Part Two" due to an error by NBC employees:
"Andy and April's Fancy Party" featured several guest performances by actors who had appeared in previous Parks and Recreation episodes. Ben Schwartz
reprised his role as Tom's playboy-like friend Jean-Ralphio. April's flower men
were Ben and Derek, played by Josh Duvendeck and Blake Lee. Derek is April's bisexual ex-boyfriend and Ben was the boy he dated while simultaneously dating April; the two had appeared in several second season
episodes. Minni Jo Mazzola reprised her recurring role as April's sister Natalie Ludgate. Andy's band Mouse Rat, which has appeared in previous episodes starting with the first season
finale "Rock Show
", also appeared in "Andy and April's Fancy Party". Mark Rivers played the drums, Andrew Burlinson played guitar and Parks and Recreation screenwriter Alan Yang
played bass guitar. Eric Isenhower made his first appearance on the show as Orin, a creepy Goth
friend of April. The character was mentioned offhandedly in the episode "Time Capsule
" and Dippold loved the idea of him, so she worked Orin into the script.
The day the episode first aired, the term "Ron Swanson", and the misspelled "Rob Swanson", were so commonly discussed on the social-networking website Twitter
that they were listed among the site's trending topic
s, which are indicative of being the most popular topics being discussed on Twitter at a given moment. Shortly after the episode's original broadcast, NBC started a fake wedding website about the wedding called "Andy and April's Awesome Sauce Wedding", which included photos and a guestbook website visitors can sign.
, wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts
. April had previously given him the jersey as a gift in the second season episode "Christmas Scandal
". The Simon and Garfunkel
song "April Come She Will
" plays while April walks down the aisle. Chris performs a break dance to the House of Pain
hip hop song "Jump Around
". While trying to understand why the wedding is happening so quickly, Leslie asks whether April is dying, like the lead character from the 2002 romance film A Walk to Remember. While trying to decide on a joke for his best man speech, Tom asks Jean-Ralphio which Vince Vaughn
movie he should choose; Jean-Ralphio confidently answers Fred Claus
, a 2007 Christmas comedy film.
Ben was asked to bring the 2009 science fiction film Avatar to the wedding, along with 50 pairs of 3-D
glasses and a 3-D-capable television. At one point, Tom makes fun of Ben's nerdiness by making a reference to the The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
, but Ben explains he did not enjoy the film adaptation by director Peter Jackson
. When someone refers to actress Julia Roberts
, Ron only recognizes her as "that toothy girl from Mystic Pizza
". After Ann acts awkwardly during the single nights, Donna asks, "Are you Nell? From the movie Nell
?", a film about a woman with serious developmental and social difficulties. In one scene, Andy used the phrase "Xbox
pancake", a reference to a video game console, while describing the idea of combining two great things.
, with a 3.1 rating/5 share among all viewers and a 2.5 rating/7 share among viewers between ages 18 and 49. It constituted a slight ratings increase over the previous original episode "Camping
". Parks and Recreation was defeated in its 9:30 p.m. timeslot by the Fox
crime drama Bones
, which was seen by an average of 11.1 million households. However, Parks defeated repeats of the ABC
medical drama Grey's Anatomy
, which drew 4.18 million household viewers, and the CBS
crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
which, although it had more viewers at 8.23 million households, had a lower rating than Parks, drawing 1.5 rating/4 share among viewers between ages 18 and 49. "Andy and April's Fancy Party" also outperformed an original episode of the CW Network
drama Nikita
, which drew 2.14 million households.
magazine writer James Poniewozik
said the episode showed Parks and Recreation in "top form", and he praised the episode for avoiding television cliches about weddings. In most shows, he wrote, April and Andy would have been persuaded to stop the wedding at the last moment, or Andy would have panicked after realizing the enormity of what he had done. Matt Fowler of IGN
called the episode "charming, effortless and hilarious" and wrote "the strength of this episode was that it actually convinced us all that April and Andy getting married, after just a month of dating, was a great idea". TV Guide
writer Matt Roush called "Andy and April's Fancy Wedding" the highlight of the night among NBC's Thursday comedy shows, and said he particularly loved the scene with Ron Swanson pulling out his tooth, and another later scene where Ron criticized Chris for bringing a vegetarian loaf to the party instead of cake.
ChicagoNow
writer Andy Daglas said the fact that Andy and April's wedding was subdued, not overhyped in commercials to attract ratings, shows how much the writers understand and respect their characters. He also praised the episode's blend of "humor and heart", of which he said: "No show on the air, and few shows I can think of ever, does it better." Zap2it
writer Rick Porter said he was surprised by the wedding twist, particularly by the fact that the wedding was not stopped at the last moment by a "TV-style complication". He also praised the subplot with Ann and Donna, and said he hoped the two characters would continue to interact with each other throughout the season. The Atlantic writer Scott Meslow said "Andy and April's Fancy Party" showed how well the April and Andy characters have developed since their romantic story arc began in the second season episode "Hunting Trip
". Meslow said the episode "couldn't have been better" and was even effective during unabashed sentimental scenes, like the wedding itself and April voicing her appreciation for Leslie. Steve Heisler of The A.V. Club
said the wedding felt appropriate for the two characters, and he enjoyed the progression of Leslie going from dreading the wedding to accepting it. Heisler wrote, "Truly, I don't think I've ever watched an episode of Parks & Rec without feeling great at the end."
Eric Sundermann of Hollywood.com said the fact that the wedding scene works shows how genuine the characters are and how well they are presented by the writers. Sundermann also praised the cold open with Ron ripping his tooth out, and said he enjoyed the way Ann Perkins' character has continued to develop through the season. Steve Kandell of New York
magazine called April and Andy perhaps the "most convincingly matched and resoundingly sympathetic couple in sitcom history", and said their storylines have been handled much more effectively than those of Jim Halpert
and Pam Beesly in the NBC comedy The Office. Kandell was more critical of the Ann character, and said she did not seem to fit as a part of the show anymore. Some reviews were less positive. Entertainment Weekly
writer Hillary Busis said there were individual elements of the episode she enjoyed, but felt the wedding happened too quickly and the lack of buildup reduced the tension leading up to the event. Joel Keller of TV Squad said, "In a mostly stellar season, this one sits near the bottom of the list." Keller said the wedding ruined an otherwise funny episode, and that it felt ineffective and rushed because April and Andy were fighting with each other only four episodes earlier. He also criticized the Ann Perkins character: "I've never seen Rashida Jones play a character this wishy-washy before, and it's not pleasant to watch."
Parks and Recreation (season 3)
The third season of Parks and Recreation originally aired in the United States on the NBC television network between January 20 and May 19, 2011. Like the previous seasons, it focused on Leslie Knope and her staff at the parks and recreation department of the fictional Indiana town of Pawnee...
of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation is an American comedy television series on NBC that focuses on Leslie Knope , a mid-level bureaucrat in the parks department of Pawnee, a fictional town in Indiana. Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, the series debuted on April 9, 2009; it has run for three seasons and...
, and the 39th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in the United States on April 14, 2011. In the episode, Andy
Andy Dwyer
Andrew Maxwell "Andy" Dwyer is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. He is Ann Perkins' ex-boyfriend, a talented-if-yet-unsuccessful musician, a shoe-shiner at Pawnee City Hall, and April Ludgate's husband. He is portrayed by Chris Pratt.-Background:At the start of the...
and April
April Ludgate
April Roberta Ludgate is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. She is an apathetic college student employed by the Pawnee Department of Parks and Recreation as Ron Swanson's assistant. She is married to Andy Dwyer. She is portrayed by Aubrey Plaza...
hold a dinner party, which turns out to be a surprise wedding, much to Leslie
Leslie Knope
Leslie Barbara Knope is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. She is portrayed by Amy Poehler. Poehler garnered two Emmy Award nominations for Best Lead Actress in Comedy Series for her role.-Background:...
's concern. Meanwhile, Ben
Ben Wyatt (Parks and Recreation)
Benjamin "Ben" Wyatt is a character in the TV series Parks and Recreation. The character guest starred in two episodes of season two and was upgraded to a regular in season three. Ben is a state auditor who comes into Pawnee with Chris Traeger to evaluate the town's funds at the end of the second...
mulls whether to remain in Pawnee or return to his old job in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, and Ann
Ann Perkins
Ann Meredith Perkins is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. She is a nurse and best friend of Leslie Knope. She is portrayed by Rashida Jones.-Season one:...
feels extremely uncomfortable while attending a singles mixer.
The episode was written by Katie Dippold and directed by Michael Trim. The wedding between Andy and April was a culmination of a romantic subplot between the two characters that began in the second season
Parks and Recreation (season 2)
The second season of Parks and Recreation originally aired in the United States on the NBC television network starting September 17, 2009, and ended on May 20, 2010. The season was produced by Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, and series co-creators Greg Daniels and Michael Schur...
episode "Hunting Trip". The Parks and Recreation staff tried to keep the wedding secret to surprise viewers, but NBC accidentally ran a commercial advertising the wedding two months earlier, after the episode "Ron & Tammy: Part Two
Ron & Tammy: Part Two
"Ron & Tammy: Part Two" is the fourth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 34th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on February 10, 2011...
. Series co-creator Michael Schur
Michael Schur
Michael Herbert Schur is an American television producer and writer, best known for his work on the NBC comedy series The Office and Parks and Recreation, the latter of which he co-created along with Greg Daniels...
initially said the promo was meant to refer to Ron
Ron Swanson
Ronald Ulysses "Ron" Swanson is a fictional character played by Nick Offerman in the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation on NBC. Ron is parks department director in the Indiana city of Pawnee and the immediate superior of protagonist Leslie Knope...
and his ex-wife Tammy, but later admitted it was an error.
"April and Andy's Fancy Party" featured several guest performances by actors who appeared in previous episodes, including Ben Schwartz
Ben Schwartz
Ben Schwartz is a writer, actor and comedian. His feature film credits include Peep World with Rainn Wilson, Michael C. Hall and Sarah Silverman as well as Everybody's Fine with Robert DeNiro...
as Jean-Ralphio, Josh Duvendeck and Blake Lee as Ben and Derek, Minni Jo Mazzola as Natalie Ludgate, and Mark Rivers, Andrew Burlinson and Alan Yang
Alan Yang
Alan Yang is an American screenwriter for the NBC sitcom, Parks and Recreation.-Career:His previous credits include the Carson Daly's Late Night Show and South Park. In 2009, he was named by Variety magazine as one of "10 Screenwriters to Watch". He currently has three screenplays in development,"...
as Andy's band-mates. According to Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, the episode was seen by 5.16 million household viewers, a slight increase over the previous original episode, "Camping
Camping (Parks and Recreation)
"Camping" is the eighth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 38th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on March 24, 2011...
". It received generally positive reviews.
Plot
During a cold openCold open
A cold open in a television program or movie is the technique of jumping directly into a story at the beginning or opening of the show, before the title sequence or opening credits are shown...
scene, Ron
Ron Swanson
Ronald Ulysses "Ron" Swanson is a fictional character played by Nick Offerman in the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation on NBC. Ron is parks department director in the Indiana city of Pawnee and the immediate superior of protagonist Leslie Knope...
(Nick Offerman
Nick Offerman
Nick Offerman is an American actor best known for his role as Ron Swanson in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation. He is also a skilled woodworker.-Early life and career:...
) horrifies the entire parks department by apparently pulling an aching tooth out of his own mouth with a pair of pliers. He later admits it was a prank, as a dentist had removed the tooth the previous day. Later, Andy
Andy Dwyer
Andrew Maxwell "Andy" Dwyer is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. He is Ann Perkins' ex-boyfriend, a talented-if-yet-unsuccessful musician, a shoe-shiner at Pawnee City Hall, and April Ludgate's husband. He is portrayed by Chris Pratt.-Background:At the start of the...
(Chris Pratt
Chris Pratt
Christopher Michael "Chris" Pratt is an American actor, best known for his roles as Harold Brighton "Bright" Abbott in the television series Everwood, the recurring character Winchester "Ché" Cook in season 4 of The OC, Andy Dwyer in the television series Parks and Recreation and for portraying...
) and April
April Ludgate
April Roberta Ludgate is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. She is an apathetic college student employed by the Pawnee Department of Parks and Recreation as Ron Swanson's assistant. She is married to Andy Dwyer. She is portrayed by Aubrey Plaza...
(Aubrey Plaza) invite everyone to a dinner party at the home of Andy's band-mate Burly (Andrew Burlinson), where Andy is living. Ben
Ben Wyatt (Parks and Recreation)
Benjamin "Ben" Wyatt is a character in the TV series Parks and Recreation. The character guest starred in two episodes of season two and was upgraded to a regular in season three. Ben is a state auditor who comes into Pawnee with Chris Traeger to evaluate the town's funds at the end of the second...
(Adam Scott
Adam Scott (actor)
Adam Scott is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Henry Pollard in the Starz comedy series Party Down and as Ben Wyatt in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation....
) tells Leslie
Leslie Knope
Leslie Barbara Knope is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. She is portrayed by Amy Poehler. Poehler garnered two Emmy Award nominations for Best Lead Actress in Comedy Series for her role.-Background:...
(Amy Poehler
Amy Poehler
Amy Meredith Poehler is an American comedian, actress and voice actress. She was a cast member on the NBC television entertainment show Saturday Night Live from 2001 to 2008. In 2004, she starred in the film Mean Girls with Tina Fey, with whom she worked again in Baby Mama in 2008. She is...
) that his boss in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
wants him back on the road, but he has also been offered a job to work under Chris
Chris Traeger
Christopher "Chris" Traeger is a fictional character played by Rob Lowe in the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation on NBC. He began on the show as an Indiana state auditor who visits the fictional city of Pawnee to help solve their crippling budget problems, and eventually...
(Rob Lowe
Rob Lowe
Robert Hepler "Rob" Lowe is an American actor. Lowe came to prominence after appearing in films such as The Outsiders, Oxford Blues, About Last Night..., St. Elmo's Fire, and Wayne's World. On television, Lowe is known for his role as Sam Seaborn on The West Wing and his role as Senator Robert...
) in Pawnee. Although Leslie wants Ben to stay, she is hesitant to say so outright, disappointing him and leaving him conflicted over which job to take.
At the party, Leslie discovers Andy and April plan to surprise everyone by getting married that night. Leslie spends most of the party trying to dissuade them, since they have been dating less than a month and have no place to live. However, Ron believes it is not Leslie's place to interfere with their decision. Tom
Tom Haverford
Thomas Montgomery "Tom" Haverford , born Darwish Sabir Ismael Gani, is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. He is a sarcastic, underachieving government official for the city of Pawnee who is revered for his high levels of swagger and unmatched entrepreneurial skills...
(Aziz Ansari
Aziz Ansari
Aziz Ansari is an American actor, writer, and stand-up comedian. He currently stars as Tom Haverford on the NBC show Parks and Recreation....
) is thrilled when Andy makes him his best man, but his excitement lessens when Andy also asks Ron, Chris, and several others to be his "best men". Tom tries to throw an impromptu bachelor party and give a speech to make himself the "best" best man, but fails each time.
Although Leslie plans to object during the ceremony, she cannot bring herself to do it and comes to accept the marriage. Andy and April officially become man and wife. Afterward, Ron explains to Leslie that she did not object because deep down she knew that Andy and April would get married no matter what, and that there is no correct way to do things when it comes to matters of the heart, using his own three former marriages as an example. During the reception, April privately tells Leslie how much she appreciates her, flattering Leslie. Andy makes a speech to the guests, where he calls Tom his "best" best man, much to Tom's delight. He tells the crowd that life is short and he and April simply did what made them happy. Taking Andy’s advice, Leslie asks Ben to stay in Pawnee, and he surprises her by revealing that he has already accepted Chris' job offer.
In a subplot
Subplot
A subplot is a secondary plot strand that is a supporting side story for any story or the main plot. Subplots may connect to main plots, in either time and place or in thematic significance...
, Ann
Ann Perkins
Ann Meredith Perkins is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. She is a nurse and best friend of Leslie Knope. She is portrayed by Rashida Jones.-Season one:...
(Rashida Jones
Rashida Jones
Rashida Leah Jones is an American film and television actress, comic book author, screenwriter and occasional singer. She played Louisa Fenn on Boston Public and Karen Filippelli on The Office as well as roles in the films I Love You, Man and The Social Network...
) goes to a singles mixer where she is extremely uncomfortable. She runs into Donna
Donna Meagle
Donna Meagle is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. She is portrayed by Retta Sirleaf and has appeared in the show since the pilot. For the first two seasons of the show she appeared as a recurring character; she became a regular in the third season.-Background:Donna is...
(Retta), who at first views Ann as competition, but then offers her advice after witnessing Ann's awkward flirting. When Ann hears about Andy getting married from Leslie, she considers going home, as she and Andy dated for several years. Donna tells Ann to forget her past and enjoy herself in the present. Ann ends up having a good time at the mixer and gets several phone numbers.
Production
"Andy and April's Fancy Party" was written by Katie Dippold and directed by Michael Trim. It is referred to simply as "Fancy Party" in some publications. During a break between the development of the first six episodes of the season and the remaining episodes, the writing staff was contemplating what direction they should take with the romantic relationship between Andy and April. Parks co-creator Michael SchurMichael Schur
Michael Herbert Schur is an American television producer and writer, best known for his work on the NBC comedy series The Office and Parks and Recreation, the latter of which he co-created along with Greg Daniels...
said they wanted to avoid the "standard-issue TV romance plots: fights, other men/women driving them apart, and so on". They decided the two should get married after dating for only a short time because it was funny, it made sense with the characters' personalities, and it raised the stakes for future stories involving the two. Schur said: "We just thought about who they were – two impulsive goofballs who don’t approach their lives in a responsible, adult manner – and decided, what the hell? What if they just make a rash decision and get hitched?"
The cast and crew of Parks and Recreation made a conscious effort not to discuss the Andy and April wedding during media interviews with the hopes of keeping it a surprise. However, after the original broadcast of the third season
Parks and Recreation (season 3)
The third season of Parks and Recreation originally aired in the United States on the NBC television network between January 20 and May 19, 2011. Like the previous seasons, it focused on Leslie Knope and her staff at the parks and recreation department of the fictional Indiana town of Pawnee...
episode "Ron & Tammy: Part Two
Ron & Tammy: Part Two
"Ron & Tammy: Part Two" is the fourth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 34th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on February 10, 2011...
", NBC ran a commercial advertising "April and Andy's wedding registry" on the official Parks and Recreation website. At this point in the series, April and Andy were separated and had not yet reconciled. Shortly after the episode aired, HitFix
HitFix
HitFix, or the HitFix.com is an entertainment news website that launched in December 2008 specializing in breaking entertainment news, insider information and providing reviews and critiques of film, music and television...
television reviewer Alan Sepinwall wrote that the commercial mistakenly used the wrong names and was actually referring to Ron and Tammy's wedding registry. However, after "Andy and April's Fancy Party" aired, Schur admitted the commercial was intended to run with that episode, but ran with "Ron & Tammy: Part Two" due to an error by NBC employees:
"In an effort to undo the spoiler, we publicly stated, in a number of interviews, that NBC had just accidentally gotten the character names wrong, and that there was no upcoming Andy-April wedding. We sincerely hope that fans of the show are cool with us gently lying to them, in an effort to maintain the surprise nuptials as much as we could. Now if you'll excuse us, we have to go shoot the season finale surprise Jerry-Donna wedding scene."
"Andy and April's Fancy Party" featured several guest performances by actors who had appeared in previous Parks and Recreation episodes. Ben Schwartz
Ben Schwartz
Ben Schwartz is a writer, actor and comedian. His feature film credits include Peep World with Rainn Wilson, Michael C. Hall and Sarah Silverman as well as Everybody's Fine with Robert DeNiro...
reprised his role as Tom's playboy-like friend Jean-Ralphio. April's flower men
Flower girl
A flower girl is a participant in a wedding procession. Like ring bearers and page boys, flower girls are usually members of the bride's or groom's extended family, but may also be friends.Her male equivalent is the ring bearer or page boy...
were Ben and Derek, played by Josh Duvendeck and Blake Lee. Derek is April's bisexual ex-boyfriend and Ben was the boy he dated while simultaneously dating April; the two had appeared in several second season
Parks and Recreation (season 2)
The second season of Parks and Recreation originally aired in the United States on the NBC television network starting September 17, 2009, and ended on May 20, 2010. The season was produced by Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, and series co-creators Greg Daniels and Michael Schur...
episodes. Minni Jo Mazzola reprised her recurring role as April's sister Natalie Ludgate. Andy's band Mouse Rat, which has appeared in previous episodes starting with the first season
Parks and Recreation (season 1)
The first season of Parks and Recreation originally aired in the United States on the NBC television network between April 9 and May 14, 2009...
finale "Rock Show
Rock Show (Parks and Recreation)
"Rock Show" is the sixth episode and season finale of the first season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 14, 2009. It was written by Norm Hiscock and directed by Michael Schur...
", also appeared in "Andy and April's Fancy Party". Mark Rivers played the drums, Andrew Burlinson played guitar and Parks and Recreation screenwriter Alan Yang
Alan Yang
Alan Yang is an American screenwriter for the NBC sitcom, Parks and Recreation.-Career:His previous credits include the Carson Daly's Late Night Show and South Park. In 2009, he was named by Variety magazine as one of "10 Screenwriters to Watch". He currently has three screenplays in development,"...
played bass guitar. Eric Isenhower made his first appearance on the show as Orin, a creepy Goth
Goth subculture
The goth subculture is a contemporary subculture found in many countries. It began in England during the early 1980s in the gothic rock scene, an offshoot of the post-punk genre. The goth subculture has survived much longer than others of the same era, and has continued to diversify...
friend of April. The character was mentioned offhandedly in the episode "Time Capsule
Time Capsule (Parks and Recreation)
"Time Capsule" is the third episode of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 33rd overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on February 3, 2011. In the episode, Leslie tries to encourage civic pride through a...
" and Dippold loved the idea of him, so she worked Orin into the script.
The day the episode first aired, the term "Ron Swanson", and the misspelled "Rob Swanson", were so commonly discussed on the social-networking website Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
that they were listed among the site's trending topic
Trending topic
A trending topic is a word, phrase or topic that is posted multiple times on the social networking and microblogging service Twitter. Trending topics become popular either through a concerted effort by users or because of an event that prompts people to talk about one specific topic...
s, which are indicative of being the most popular topics being discussed on Twitter at a given moment. Shortly after the episode's original broadcast, NBC started a fake wedding website about the wedding called "Andy and April's Awesome Sauce Wedding", which included photos and a guestbook website visitors can sign.
Cultural references
Andy gets married wearing the jersey of Reggie WayneReggie Wayne
Reginald "Reggie" Wayne is a professional American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. Wayne was selected in the 1st round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Colts...
, wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
. April had previously given him the jersey as a gift in the second season episode "Christmas Scandal
Christmas Scandal
"Christmas Scandal" is the twelfth episode of the second season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the eighteenth overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on December 10, 2009...
". The Simon and Garfunkel
Simon and Garfunkel
Simon & Garfunkel are an American duo consisting of singer-songwriter Paul Simon and singer Art Garfunkel. They formed the group Tom & Jerry in 1957 and had their first success with the minor hit "Hey, Schoolgirl". As Simon & Garfunkel, the duo rose to fame in 1965, largely on the strength of the...
song "April Come She Will
Sounds of Silence (album)
Sounds of Silence is the second album by Simon and Garfunkel, released on January 17, 1966. The album's title is a slight modification of the title of the duo's first major hit, "The Sound of Silence", which originally was released as "The Sounds of Silence"...
" plays while April walks down the aisle. Chris performs a break dance to the House of Pain
House of Pain
House of Pain is an American hip hop group who released three albums in the 1990s before lead rapper Everlast left to pursue his solo career again. The group's name is a reference to the H.G. Wells novel The Island of Dr...
hip hop song "Jump Around
Jump Around
"Jump Around" is the title of a song by the band House of Pain, produced by DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill. This song became a hit in 1992, reaching Number 3 in the USA. A 1993 re-release of the song in the UK, where the original had been a minor hit, peaked at Number 8. On VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of...
". While trying to understand why the wedding is happening so quickly, Leslie asks whether April is dying, like the lead character from the 2002 romance film A Walk to Remember. While trying to decide on a joke for his best man speech, Tom asks Jean-Ralphio which Vince Vaughn
Vince Vaughn
Vincent Anthony "Vince" Vaughn is an American film actor, screenwriter, producer and comedian. He began acting in the late 1980s, appearing in minor television roles before attaining wider recognition with the 1996 movie Swingers...
movie he should choose; Jean-Ralphio confidently answers Fred Claus
Fred Claus
Fred Claus is a 2007 Christmas family-comedy film produced and directed by David Dobkin, written by Dan Fogelman and Jessie Nelson, and starring Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti.-Plot:...
, a 2007 Christmas comedy film.
Ben was asked to bring the 2009 science fiction film Avatar to the wedding, along with 50 pairs of 3-D
3-D film
A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
glasses and a 3-D-capable television. At one point, Tom makes fun of Ben's nerdiness by making a reference to the The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings is an epic film trilogy consisting of three fantasy adventure films based on the three-volume book of the same name by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are The Fellowship of the Ring , The Two Towers and The Return of the King .The films were directed by Peter...
, but Ben explains he did not enjoy the film adaptation by director Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
. When someone refers to actress Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts
Julia Fiona Roberts is an American actress. She became a Hollywood star after headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman , which grossed $464 million worldwide...
, Ron only recognizes her as "that toothy girl from Mystic Pizza
Mystic Pizza
Mystic Pizza is a 1988 American coming of age film directed by Donald Petrie and starring Annabeth Gish, Julia Roberts, and Lili Taylor.The title of the film was based on a pizza shop that caught the eye of Hollywood screen writer, Amy Holden Jones...
". After Ann acts awkwardly during the single nights, Donna asks, "Are you Nell? From the movie Nell
Nell (film)
Nell is a 1994 drama film starring Jodie Foster as a young woman who has to face other people for the first time after being raised by her mother in an isolated cabin. The film was directed by Michael Apted, and was based on Mark Handley's play Idioglossia. The original music score is composed by...
?", a film about a woman with serious developmental and social difficulties. In one scene, Andy used the phrase "Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
pancake", a reference to a video game console, while describing the idea of combining two great things.
Ratings
In its original American broadcast, "Andy and April's Fancy Party" was seen by an estimated 5.16 million household viewers, according to Nielsen Media ResearchNielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, with a 3.1 rating/5 share among all viewers and a 2.5 rating/7 share among viewers between ages 18 and 49. It constituted a slight ratings increase over the previous original episode "Camping
Camping (Parks and Recreation)
"Camping" is the eighth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 38th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on March 24, 2011...
". Parks and Recreation was defeated in its 9:30 p.m. timeslot by the Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
crime drama Bones
Bones (TV series)
Bones is an American crime drama television series that premiered on the Fox Network on September 13, 2005. The show is based on forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology, with each episode focusing on an FBI case file concerning the mystery behind human remains brought by FBI Special Agent...
, which was seen by an average of 11.1 million households. However, Parks defeated repeats of the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
medical drama Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
, which drew 4.18 million household viewers, and the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
which, although it had more viewers at 8.23 million households, had a lower rating than Parks, drawing 1.5 rating/4 share among viewers between ages 18 and 49. "Andy and April's Fancy Party" also outperformed an original episode of the CW Network
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
drama Nikita
Nikita (TV series)
La Femme Nikita is a Canadian action/drama television series based on the French film Nikita by Luc Besson. The series was co-produced by Jay Firestone of Fireworks Entertainment and Warner Brothers. It was adapted for television by Joel Surnow...
, which drew 2.14 million households.
Reviews
"Andy and April's Fancy Party" received generally positive reviews. Alan Sepinwall of HitFix called it "one of the funniest, sweetest, just plain best episodes of this season of this great comedy", and that it embodied "intoxicating mix of laughs and sweetness that "Parks and Rec" consistently nails". Sepinwall particularly praised the scene when April declared her love for Leslie, and enjoyed the comedic pairing of Ann and Donna. TimeTime (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine writer James Poniewozik
James Poniewozik
James Poniewozik is an American journalist and television critic. He writes Times Tuned In column and has a blog with the same name.Originally from Monroe, MI, Poniewozik attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, graduating with a BA in English. He subsequently attended the graduate program...
said the episode showed Parks and Recreation in "top form", and he praised the episode for avoiding television cliches about weddings. In most shows, he wrote, April and Andy would have been persuaded to stop the wedding at the last moment, or Andy would have panicked after realizing the enormity of what he had done. Matt Fowler of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
called the episode "charming, effortless and hilarious" and wrote "the strength of this episode was that it actually convinced us all that April and Andy getting married, after just a month of dating, was a great idea". TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
writer Matt Roush called "Andy and April's Fancy Wedding" the highlight of the night among NBC's Thursday comedy shows, and said he particularly loved the scene with Ron Swanson pulling out his tooth, and another later scene where Ron criticized Chris for bringing a vegetarian loaf to the party instead of cake.
ChicagoNow
ChicagoNow
ChicagoNow is a blogging site managed by a subsidiary of the Chicago Tribune. Launched in August 2009, the site features numerous blogs of mainly local interest on a variety of topics.The website of the Tribune daily RedEye is notably hosted on ChicagoNow...
writer Andy Daglas said the fact that Andy and April's wedding was subdued, not overhyped in commercials to attract ratings, shows how much the writers understand and respect their characters. He also praised the episode's blend of "humor and heart", of which he said: "No show on the air, and few shows I can think of ever, does it better." Zap2it
Zap2it
Zap2it is an American website and affiliate network that provides news, photos and video, local TV listings and movie showtimes. The site is produced by Tribune Media Services , part of the publishing division of the Chicago-based Tribune Company...
writer Rick Porter said he was surprised by the wedding twist, particularly by the fact that the wedding was not stopped at the last moment by a "TV-style complication". He also praised the subplot with Ann and Donna, and said he hoped the two characters would continue to interact with each other throughout the season. The Atlantic writer Scott Meslow said "Andy and April's Fancy Party" showed how well the April and Andy characters have developed since their romantic story arc began in the second season episode "Hunting Trip
Hunting Trip
"Hunting Trip" is the tenth episode of the second season of American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the sixteenth overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on November 19, 2009...
". Meslow said the episode "couldn't have been better" and was even effective during unabashed sentimental scenes, like the wedding itself and April voicing her appreciation for Leslie. Steve Heisler of The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
said the wedding felt appropriate for the two characters, and he enjoyed the progression of Leslie going from dreading the wedding to accepting it. Heisler wrote, "Truly, I don't think I've ever watched an episode of Parks & Rec without feeling great at the end."
Eric Sundermann of Hollywood.com said the fact that the wedding scene works shows how genuine the characters are and how well they are presented by the writers. Sundermann also praised the cold open with Ron ripping his tooth out, and said he enjoyed the way Ann Perkins' character has continued to develop through the season. Steve Kandell of New York
New York (magazine)
New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
magazine called April and Andy perhaps the "most convincingly matched and resoundingly sympathetic couple in sitcom history", and said their storylines have been handled much more effectively than those of Jim Halpert
Jim Halpert
James Duncan "Jim" Halpert is a fictional character in the United States version of the television sitcom The Office, played by John Krasinski. The character is based on Tim Canterbury from the original version of The Office...
and Pam Beesly in the NBC comedy The Office. Kandell was more critical of the Ann character, and said she did not seem to fit as a part of the show anymore. Some reviews were less positive. Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
writer Hillary Busis said there were individual elements of the episode she enjoyed, but felt the wedding happened too quickly and the lack of buildup reduced the tension leading up to the event. Joel Keller of TV Squad said, "In a mostly stellar season, this one sits near the bottom of the list." Keller said the wedding ruined an otherwise funny episode, and that it felt ineffective and rushed because April and Andy were fighting with each other only four episodes earlier. He also criticized the Ann Perkins character: "I've never seen Rashida Jones play a character this wishy-washy before, and it's not pleasant to watch."
External links
- "Andy and April's Fancy Party" at the official Parks and Recreation site