Camping (Parks and Recreation)
Encyclopedia
"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. In the episode, the parks department goes on a camping trip to think of a way to follow up on the harvest festival, but Leslie
struggles to come up with an idea. Meanwhile, Chris
returns to Pawnee as the new city manager, as Ann
continues trying to cope with their recent break-up.
The episode was written by Aisha Muharrar
and directed by Rob Schrab
. It marked the reappearance of Rob Lowe
, who was originally expected to depart the show after the episode "Indianapolis
" after a recurring guest role, but instead joined the regular cast. "Camping" featured guest appearances by Phil Reeves
as outgoing city manager Paul and Annie O'Donnell as the owner of a bed and breakfast
.
Prior to the episode's broadcast, Rashida Jones
said she liked the new storylines that had developed for Ann Perkins' character, preferring that she remain single than simply get back together with Chris. According to Nielsen Media Research
, "Camping" was seen by 5.15 million household viewers, a 39 percent increase from the previous episode, "Harvest Festival
". The episode received generally positive reviews, with several commentators praising Jones' performance and the new direction her character was taking.
) suffers a massive heart attack. Chris
(Rob Lowe
) accepts an offer to work as acting city manager while Paul recovers from bypass surgery. Chris requests of Leslie
(Amy Poehler
) more large-scale ideas to generate revenue, placing pressure on her to follow up the harvest festival, so she organizes a camping trip for the parks department to discuss ideas. Ann
(Rashida Jones
) feels awkward now that Chris is back; the two previously dated, but Chris broke up with Ann in such a friendly manner that she did not initially realize it was a break-up. Leslie invites Ann to the camping trip to help her feel better.
Nobody except Leslie really cares about the trip: Ron
(Nick Offerman
) just wants to fish, Ben
(Adam Scott
) failed to bring a tent, and Tom
(Aziz Ansari
) just wants to relax in his huge tent filled with luxury electronic items. Tom expresses confusion as to why Ben, a state auditor who had been helping with Pawnee's financial problems, has not returned to his old job at Indianapolis
; Ben does not explain his reasons, but it is hinted he harbors romantic feelings for Leslie. Meanwhile, Andy
(Chris Pratt
) sets up a romantic tent for April
(Aubrey Plaza) in the wrong campsite miles away, forcing him to trek through the wilderness to find everyone and leaving April miserable on the campsite without Andy. During brainstorming sessions, nobody produces any good ideas because they assume Leslie will think of one. However, she worriedly confides to Ann and Ben she cannot think of anything on the same level of the harvest festival.
Chris pays a visit during his nightly jog, and Ann leaves with him so they can clear the air. Over dinner, Chris once again acts so optimistic while discussing the break-up that Ann thinks their relationship is back on and tries to kiss him, severely embarrassing her. Meanwhile, the camping trip proves unsuccessful and everybody decides to go home that night, but they are left without transportation because Tom hooked all his electronics to the van's battery, draining it. Everybody hikes to a strange bed and breakfast
filled with cats and dolls called The Quiet Corn, run by a strict old lady named Elsa Clack (Annie O'Donnell). Andy arrives and rebuilds the romantic tent in the yard for a flattered April. Leslie tells Ron about her mental block, worrying she will never again reproduce an idea better than harvest festival. Ron, recognizing how burnt out she is, solves Leslie's problem by locking her in a bedroom and ordering her to get some sleep. With a rare full night's sleep energizing her, Leslie wakes up with numerous big ideas that are well-received by Chris.
"Camping" was written by Aisha Muharrar
and directed by Rob Schrab
. It featured a guest appearance by Phil Reeves
, who has played Pawnee township manager Paul Iaersco in several episodes dating back to the second season
episode "Canvassing
". Paul's departure from that position is used as a means to reintroduce Rob Lowe's character, Chris Traeger. Lowe was originally expected to be a guest star departing from the show after the episode "Indianapolis
". However, after his original string of episodes were filmed, Lowe was signed as a permanent Parks and Recreation cast member, prompting the writers to find a way to reintroduce the character to the series. "Camping" also featured a guest appearance by New York-based actress Annie O'Donnell as Elsa Clack, owner of The Quiet Corn.
Prior to the episode's broadcast, Rashida Jones said she liked the new storylines that had developed for Ann Perkins' character, preferring that she remain single than simply get back together with Chris: "It was pretty embarrassing what Ann went through, so I think she kind of has to recover from that before anything else. And this is a good time for Ann to be single too, because she hasn't been single ever on the show. I think she needs to do that a little bit." Shortly after "Camping" first aired, a fake website for the bed and breakfast business The Quiet Corn was put up on the official NBC website, advertising the fictional establishment's features, room amenities and meal services. During one scene in "Camping", Tom refers to one of the gadgets in his tent as DJ Roomba, an iPod
music player attached to an autonomous robotic
vacuum cleaner. The gadget, built by Tom, was previously featured in the second season episode "Sweetums
".
, a chain of luxury item retail stores. He nicknames the tent "The Thunderdome", named after the gladiator arena in the action film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
(1985). While watching TV inside his tent, Tom claims to be recording the Food Network
show Cupcake Wars
, the CBS
police procedural drama NCIS: Los Angeles and the sixth season
of the Bravo reality series Top Chef
. Later, while pitching his idea for a Pawnee ampitheatre, Tom expresses hope it would entice performances from such rappers as Lil Wayne
, Drake
and Jay-Z
.
While searching for inspiration for an idea, Leslie reads from her dream journal
and recalls a dream where she happily married ALF, the alien protagonist of a science fiction sitcom of the same name
. Later, Leslie listens to the Len
song "Steal My Sunshine
", which she calls a one-hit wonder
and compares to her own lack of ability to come up with a second idea. Ben cheers Leslie up and compliments her work ethic by calling her the "Energizer Bunny
of city government." During a later scene, Tom mockingly calls Ben the "white Urkel", a reference to the archetype nerd
character Steve Urkel
from the comedy series Family Matters. Donna can be seen reading a book called Your Erogenous Zones.
, with a 3.0 rating/5 share among all viewers and a 2.4 rating/7 share among viewers between ages 18 and 49. It constituted a 39 percent increase from the previous episode, "Harvest Festival
", which was seen by 4.08 million household viewers, a low for the season. Parks and Recreation was defeated in its 9:30 p.m. timeslot by the ABC
medical drama Grey's Anatomy
, which was seen by an average 10.1 million households; the Fox
crime drama Bones
, which was seen by 8.78 million households; and CBS
coverage of NCAA
basketball, which was seen by 6.82 million household. In network television, it beat only a repeat of the CW Network
drama Nikita
, which drew 1.397 million households.
writer Hillary Busis said she particularly enjoyed the jokes involving Jerry's character, and said she enjoyed that Ann once again misinterpreted Chris, although she said the joke was predictable. Zap2it
writer Rick Porter said the episode was not as funny as the previous episode, "Harvest Festival", but said "if this is what qualifies as a (slightly) down episode for the show, then that's the sign of a comedy that's hitting for a very high average". He particularly praised the "fantastic dynamic" that has developed between Rashida Jones and Rob Lowe. TV Squad writer Joel Keller said the camping trip was a good way to avoid making the show feel stale following "Harvest Festival", and that the outdoors setting created strong potential for character-driven jokes by putting them out of their elements.
Steve Heisler of The A.V. Club
praised the episode for highlighting each of its characters, all of whom he said were at their best except for April, who he said seemed out of place in the camping storyline. He also said he was glad Ann's recent breakup with Chris "has allowed her true colors to shine through". Matt Richenthal of TV Fanatic called it a "tremendously enjoyable episode" and "mostly just a chance to sit back and spend time with these goofy, lovable individuals". He praised the new storyline for Ann Perkins, claiming it created more comedic potential for Jones. Matt Fowler of IGN
praised the performance of Rashida Jones and Chris Pratt, and called Leslie's stress over failing to come up with a new idea a "great little story". Alan Sepinwall of HitFix said "Camping" was not as funny as previous third season episodes but was still an enjoyable episode that he found more "slow and contemplative", which he found indicative of the fact that the series was still on a strong track.
Steve Kandell of New York
magazine compared it to the second season episode "Hunting Trip
", but said "Camping" was "somewhat more of a placeholder". Kandell compared the characters' pressure to meet the city's expectations to those the show faces now that they have been renewed for a fourth season
. ChicagoNow
writer Andy Daglas called it "a fun episode, but also one that felt like sort of a pause, a chance to reset the pins". He compared the pressure on Leslie to come up with an idea on the harvest festival to pressure on the show's writing staff to follow up on the harvest festival story arc. The Atlantic writer Scott Meslow called it funny and charming, but also a low point in the season following seven excellent episodes. He said it depended too much on the show's romantic relationships, which he feels are growing stale, although he praised Rashida Jones's performance and the focus on the strong platonic relationship between Leslie and Ron.
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 38th 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 March 24, 2011. In the episode, the parks department goes on a camping trip to think of a way to follow up on the harvest festival, but 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:...
struggles to come up with an idea. Meanwhile, 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...
returns to Pawnee as the new city manager, as 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:...
continues trying to cope with their recent break-up.
The episode was written by Aisha Muharrar
Aisha Muharrar
Aisha Muharrar is an American television writer and author of the book More Than a Label. She is currently a writer for NBC's Parks and Recreation, created by Greg Daniels and Mike Schur. Previously, she was a staff writer for Fox's animated comedy Sit Down, Shut Up, created by Mitch Hurwitz...
and directed by Rob Schrab
Rob Schrab
Rob Schrab is a comic book creator, actor, comedian, writer, and film and television producer. Schrab grew up in Mayville, Wisconsin. He is known as the creator of the comic book, Scud: The Disposable Assassin, co-writer of the feature film Monster House, the unaired pilot Heat Vision and Jack,...
. It marked the reappearance of 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...
, who was originally expected to depart the show after the episode "Indianapolis
Indianapolis (Parks and Recreation)
"Indianapolis" is the sixth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 36th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on February 24, 2011. In the episode, Leslie and Ron travel to Indianapolis to receive a...
" after a recurring guest role, but instead joined the regular cast. "Camping" featured guest appearances by Phil Reeves
Phil Reeves
Phillip Reeves is an American film and television actor and screenwriter. His major roles so far is that of Charles Swedelson on the sitcom Girlfriends, as General Krieger in Commander in Chief and as the doctor in My Wife and Kids.So far he has written the script for one movie - Happy, Texas,...
as outgoing city manager Paul and Annie O'Donnell as the owner of a bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
.
Prior to the episode's broadcast, 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...
said she liked the new storylines that had developed for Ann Perkins' character, preferring that she remain single than simply get back together with Chris. 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...
, "Camping" was seen by 5.15 million household viewers, a 39 percent increase from the previous episode, "Harvest Festival
Harvest Festival (Parks and Recreation)
"Harvest Festival" is the seventh episode of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 37th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on March 17, 2011. In the episode, Leslie and her co-workers hold Pawnee's ...
". The episode received generally positive reviews, with several commentators praising Jones' performance and the new direction her character was taking.
Plot
During a press conference about the success of the recent Pawnee harvest festival, city manager Paul (Phil ReevesPhil Reeves
Phillip Reeves is an American film and television actor and screenwriter. His major roles so far is that of Charles Swedelson on the sitcom Girlfriends, as General Krieger in Commander in Chief and as the doctor in My Wife and Kids.So far he has written the script for one movie - Happy, Texas,...
) suffers a massive heart attack. 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...
) accepts an offer to work as acting city manager while Paul recovers from bypass surgery. Chris requests of 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...
) more large-scale ideas to generate revenue, placing pressure on her to follow up the harvest festival, so she organizes a camping trip for the parks department to discuss ideas. 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...
) feels awkward now that Chris is back; the two previously dated, but Chris broke up with Ann in such a friendly manner that she did not initially realize it was a break-up. Leslie invites Ann to the camping trip to help her feel better.
Nobody except Leslie really cares about the trip: 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:...
) just wants to fish, 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....
) failed to bring a tent, and 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....
) just wants to relax in his huge tent filled with luxury electronic items. Tom expresses confusion as to why Ben, a state auditor who had been helping with Pawnee's financial problems, has not returned to his old job at 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...
; Ben does not explain his reasons, but it is hinted he harbors romantic feelings for Leslie. Meanwhile, 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...
) sets up a romantic tent for 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) in the wrong campsite miles away, forcing him to trek through the wilderness to find everyone and leaving April miserable on the campsite without Andy. During brainstorming sessions, nobody produces any good ideas because they assume Leslie will think of one. However, she worriedly confides to Ann and Ben she cannot think of anything on the same level of the harvest festival.
Chris pays a visit during his nightly jog, and Ann leaves with him so they can clear the air. Over dinner, Chris once again acts so optimistic while discussing the break-up that Ann thinks their relationship is back on and tries to kiss him, severely embarrassing her. Meanwhile, the camping trip proves unsuccessful and everybody decides to go home that night, but they are left without transportation because Tom hooked all his electronics to the van's battery, draining it. Everybody hikes to a strange bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
filled with cats and dolls called The Quiet Corn, run by a strict old lady named Elsa Clack (Annie O'Donnell). Andy arrives and rebuilds the romantic tent in the yard for a flattered April. Leslie tells Ron about her mental block, worrying she will never again reproduce an idea better than harvest festival. Ron, recognizing how burnt out she is, solves Leslie's problem by locking her in a bedroom and ordering her to get some sleep. With a rare full night's sleep energizing her, Leslie wakes up with numerous big ideas that are well-received by Chris.
Production
Aisha Muharrar
Aisha Muharrar is an American television writer and author of the book More Than a Label. She is currently a writer for NBC's Parks and Recreation, created by Greg Daniels and Mike Schur. Previously, she was a staff writer for Fox's animated comedy Sit Down, Shut Up, created by Mitch Hurwitz...
and directed by Rob Schrab
Rob Schrab
Rob Schrab is a comic book creator, actor, comedian, writer, and film and television producer. Schrab grew up in Mayville, Wisconsin. He is known as the creator of the comic book, Scud: The Disposable Assassin, co-writer of the feature film Monster House, the unaired pilot Heat Vision and Jack,...
. It featured a guest appearance by Phil Reeves
Phil Reeves
Phillip Reeves is an American film and television actor and screenwriter. His major roles so far is that of Charles Swedelson on the sitcom Girlfriends, as General Krieger in Commander in Chief and as the doctor in My Wife and Kids.So far he has written the script for one movie - Happy, Texas,...
, who has played Pawnee township manager Paul Iaersco in several episodes dating back to 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 "Canvassing
Canvassing (Parks and Recreation)
"Canvassing" is the second episode of the first season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on April 16, 2009. The episode was written by Rachel Axler and directed by Seth Gordon...
". Paul's departure from that position is used as a means to reintroduce Rob Lowe's character, Chris Traeger. Lowe was originally expected to be a guest star departing from the show after the episode "Indianapolis
Indianapolis (Parks and Recreation)
"Indianapolis" is the sixth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 36th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on February 24, 2011. In the episode, Leslie and Ron travel to Indianapolis to receive a...
". However, after his original string of episodes were filmed, Lowe was signed as a permanent Parks and Recreation cast member, prompting the writers to find a way to reintroduce the character to the series. "Camping" also featured a guest appearance by New York-based actress Annie O'Donnell as Elsa Clack, owner of The Quiet Corn.
Prior to the episode's broadcast, Rashida Jones said she liked the new storylines that had developed for Ann Perkins' character, preferring that she remain single than simply get back together with Chris: "It was pretty embarrassing what Ann went through, so I think she kind of has to recover from that before anything else. And this is a good time for Ann to be single too, because she hasn't been single ever on the show. I think she needs to do that a little bit." Shortly after "Camping" first aired, a fake website for the bed and breakfast business The Quiet Corn was put up on the official NBC website, advertising the fictional establishment's features, room amenities and meal services. During one scene in "Camping", Tom refers to one of the gadgets in his tent as DJ Roomba, an iPod
IPod
iPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
music player attached to an autonomous robotic
Autonomous robot
Autonomous robots are robots that can perform desired tasks in unstructured environments without continuous human guidance. Many kinds of robots have some degree of autonomy. Different robots can be autonomous in different ways...
vacuum cleaner. The gadget, built by Tom, was previously featured in the second season episode "Sweetums
Sweetums (Parks and Recreation)
"Sweetums" is the fifteenth episode of the second season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 21st overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on February 4, 2010. In the episode, the Parks and Recreation Department hosts a public...
".
Cultural references
Tom fills his tent with electronics and other extravagant items from Sky MallSky Mall
Sky Mall is a specialty publishing firm headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. SkyMall produces a quarterly in-flight publication, SkyMall, with an annual circulation of approximately 20 million copies distributed in airplane seat pockets...
, a chain of luxury item retail stores. He nicknames the tent "The Thunderdome", named after the gladiator arena in the action film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome is a 1985 Australian post-apocalyptic film directed by George Miller and George Ogilvie, written by Miller, Doug Mitchell and Terry Hayes, and starring Mel Gibson and Tina Turner. It is the third installment in the action movie Mad Max franchise...
(1985). While watching TV inside his tent, Tom claims to be recording the Food Network
Food Network
Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
show Cupcake Wars
Cupcake Wars
Cupcake Wars is a Food Network reality-based competition show hosted by Justin Kredible based on creating unique and professional-style cupcakes that began airing in June 2010. The show is similar to its successful Chopped show in that it starts with 4 contestants who are eliminated one by one in 3...
, 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...
police procedural drama NCIS: Los Angeles and the sixth season
Top Chef (season 6)
Top Chef: Las Vegas is the sixth season of American reality television series Top Chef and was filmed first in Las Vegas, Nevada, and concluded in Napa, California...
of the Bravo reality series Top Chef
Top Chef
Top Chef is an American reality competition show that airs on the cable television network Bravo, in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges. They are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one or more contestants...
. Later, while pitching his idea for a Pawnee ampitheatre, Tom expresses hope it would entice performances from such rappers as Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...
, Drake
Drake (entertainer)
Aubrey Drake Graham , who records under the mononym Drake, is a Canadian recording artist and actor. He originally became known for playing Jimmy Brooks on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation....
and Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
.
While searching for inspiration for an idea, Leslie reads from her dream journal
Dream journal
A dream journal is a journal in which dream experiences are recorded. A dream journal might include a record of nightly dreams, personal reflections and waking dream experiences. It is often used in the study of dreams and psychology. Dream journals are also used by people trying to lucid dream....
and recalls a dream where she happily married ALF, the alien protagonist of a science fiction sitcom of the same name
ALF (TV series)
ALF is an American science fiction sitcom that originally aired on NBC from 1986 to 1990, created by Paul Fusco. The title character was Gordon Shumway, a friendly extraterrestrial nicknamed ALF , who crash lands in the garage of the suburban middle-class Tanner family.The series starred Max...
. Later, Leslie listens to the Len
Len (band)
Len is a Canadian alternative rock group from Toronto, Ontario. They are best known as a one-hit wonder for their song "Steal My Sunshine" in 1999. The band consists of siblings Marc Costanzo and Sharon Costanzo .-Studio albums:...
song "Steal My Sunshine
Steal My Sunshine
"Steal My Sunshine" is a song written by Marc Costanzo for Len's third album You Can't Stop the Bum Rush. The backdrop is based on a sample of a short instrumental portion of Andrea True Connection's 1976 disco single "More, More, More"...
", which she calls a one-hit wonder
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
and compares to her own lack of ability to come up with a second idea. Ben cheers Leslie up and compliments her work ethic by calling her the "Energizer Bunny
Energizer Bunny
The Energizer Bunny is the marketing icon and mascot of Energizer batteries in North America. It is a pink toy rabbit wearing sunglasses and blue and white striped sandals that beats a bass drum bearing the Energizer logo. It is a parody of the preexistent Duracell Bunny, still seen in Europe and...
of city government." During a later scene, Tom mockingly calls Ben the "white Urkel", a reference to the archetype nerd
Nerd
Nerd is a derogatory slang term for an intelligent but socially awkward and obsessive person who spends time on unpopular or obscure pursuits, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities. Nerds are considered to be awkward, shy, and unattractive...
character Steve Urkel
Steve Urkel
Steven Quincy Urkel, generally known as Steve Urkel or simply Urkel, is a fictional character on the ABC/CBS sitcom Family Matters, portrayed by Jaleel White...
from the comedy series Family Matters. Donna can be seen reading a book called Your Erogenous Zones.
Ratings
In its original American broadcast, "Camping" was seen by an estimated 5.15 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 3.0 rating/5 share among all viewers and a 2.4 rating/7 share among viewers between ages 18 and 49. It constituted a 39 percent increase from the previous episode, "Harvest Festival
Harvest Festival (Parks and Recreation)
"Harvest Festival" is the seventh episode of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 37th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on March 17, 2011. In the episode, Leslie and her co-workers hold Pawnee's ...
", which was seen by 4.08 million household viewers, a low for the season. Parks and Recreation was defeated in its 9:30 p.m. timeslot by 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 was seen by an average 10.1 million households; 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 8.78 million households; and 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...
coverage of NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
basketball, which was seen by 6.82 million household. In network television, it beat only a repeat 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 1.397 million households.
Reviews
"Camping" received generally positive reviews, with several commentators praising the performance of Rashida Jones and the new comedic direction her character was taking. Eric Sundermann of Hollywood.com praised how the script featured the entire ensemble cast together, rather than in separate subplots like recent episodes. He also enjoyed the developments with Ann's character, claiming it gave Jones more opportunities to shine than past episodes. Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment 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 she particularly enjoyed the jokes involving Jerry's character, and said she enjoyed that Ann once again misinterpreted Chris, although she said the joke was predictable. 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 the episode was not as funny as the previous episode, "Harvest Festival", but said "if this is what qualifies as a (slightly) down episode for the show, then that's the sign of a comedy that's hitting for a very high average". He particularly praised the "fantastic dynamic" that has developed between Rashida Jones and Rob Lowe. TV Squad writer Joel Keller said the camping trip was a good way to avoid making the show feel stale following "Harvest Festival", and that the outdoors setting created strong potential for character-driven jokes by putting them out of their elements.
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...
praised the episode for highlighting each of its characters, all of whom he said were at their best except for April, who he said seemed out of place in the camping storyline. He also said he was glad Ann's recent breakup with Chris "has allowed her true colors to shine through". Matt Richenthal of TV Fanatic called it a "tremendously enjoyable episode" and "mostly just a chance to sit back and spend time with these goofy, lovable individuals". He praised the new storyline for Ann Perkins, claiming it created more comedic potential for Jones. 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...
praised the performance of Rashida Jones and Chris Pratt, and called Leslie's stress over failing to come up with a new idea a "great little story". Alan Sepinwall of HitFix said "Camping" was not as funny as previous third season episodes but was still an enjoyable episode that he found more "slow and contemplative", which he found indicative of the fact that the series was still on a strong track.
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 compared it to 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...
", but said "Camping" was "somewhat more of a placeholder". Kandell compared the characters' pressure to meet the city's expectations to those the show faces now that they have been renewed for a fourth season
Parks and Recreation (season 4)
The fourth season of Parks and Recreation originally aired in the United States on the NBC television network, and began on September 22, 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...
. 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 called it "a fun episode, but also one that felt like sort of a pause, a chance to reset the pins". He compared the pressure on Leslie to come up with an idea on the harvest festival to pressure on the show's writing staff to follow up on the harvest festival story arc. The Atlantic writer Scott Meslow called it funny and charming, but also a low point in the season following seven excellent episodes. He said it depended too much on the show's romantic relationships, which he feels are growing stale, although he praised Rashida Jones's performance and the focus on the strong platonic relationship between Leslie and Ron.
External links
- "Camping" at the official Parks and Recreation site