Park Safety
Encyclopedia
"Park Safety" is the nineteenth episode of the second season
of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation
, and the 25th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC
in the United States on March 18, 2010. In the episode, Jerry is apparently mugged, which forces his co-workers to be nicer to him, and prompts Leslie
to seek stronger safety measures for the city's parks.
The episode was written by Aisha Muharrar
and directed by Michael Trim. The writers sought to establish in "Park Safety" that the other characters liked Jerry, even though they make often jokes at his expense. It featured a guest appearance by comedian Andy Samberg
, who previously worked with Parks star Amy Poehler
on the sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live
, as a parks ranger named Carl. It also featured Mo Collins
in her recurring guest role as Joan Callamezzo, host of the morning news program Pawnee Today.
According to Nielsen Media Research
, "Park Safety" was seen by 4.7 million household viewers. Among audiences between ages 18 and 49, it experienced a slightly lower rating than the previous week's episode, "The Possum
", in part due to competition from the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
. "Park Safety" received generally positive reviews, with several reviewers praising the comedic scene in which Jerry gives an embarrassing presentation to his co-workers. Samberg's performance, however, received mostly negative reviews.
(Amy Poehler
) holds a drawing to determine who will fill the park's hummingbird feeders, a job reviled by the parks and recreation department. Jerry (Jim O'Heir
), who is often mocked by his co-workers, is chosen because everybody writes down Jerry's name instead of their own. Later, Leslie receives a call from Ann
(Rashida Jones
) that Jerry is in the hospital with a dislocated shoulder. Jerry claims to have been mugged in the park, and Leslie decides nobody should tease Jerry anymore. When Jerry returns, he acts particularly buffoonish during a slideshow presentation, and ends up farting and splitting his pants, but everyone holds back laughter at Leslie's request. Leslie meets with Carl Lorthner (Andy Samberg
), a park security ranger who is incredibly loud but oblivious to the fact. Leslie suggests Carl get more help for the park to be safe. Meanwhile, Ron
(Nick Offerman
) teaches a self-defense course to the rest of the department so they don't end up like Jerry.
Leslie, Tom
(Aziz Ansari
), and Jerry join Carl to take a tour of the park where Jerry was mugged. Carl says the area is largely unprotected due to budget cuts, so Leslie vows to get more funding. She appears on Pawnee Today, the local news show, saying the Pawnee government failed the parks and that security is poor. Paul (Phil Reeves
), the city manager, is angry over the television appearance, but informs Leslie the stunt worked and the mayor is offering $2,500 to help fix the park. While at a press conference about the money, Jerry confesses to Leslie that he wasn't mugged: he dropped a breakfast burrito in a creek, then fell while trying to grab it and dislocated his shoulder. He fabricated the mugger story because he was embarrassed and didn't want everyone to make fun of him. Leslie angrily relates Jerry's story to Mark, but he stops her short when he says that Jerry was too scared of his co-workers to be honest with them. Leslie soon discovers Carl was offended by Leslie's statements about park security and plans to show footage of Jerry falling into the creek on Pawnee Today. Leslie negotiates with Carl to not show the event, and instead they talk during the show about how much they enjoyed the film Avatar, much to the anger of host Joan Callamezzo (Mo Collins
). As part of their deal to not show the tape, Leslie buys Carl a brand new security cart. Carl hands over the tape, which she agrees to throw away after she watches it one last time. The office goes back to mocking Jerry, but with less venom than before, while Jerry confides that he doesn't really care because he's just two years away from retiring on a full pension and enjoying a peaceful retirement.
In a side plot, a love triangle develops between Andy
(Chris Pratt
), April
(Aubrey Plaza) and Ann. In an interview, Ann says Andy is a fun person but was a terrible boyfriend because he is completely reliant on others. When learning self defense from Ron, Ann takes down Andy with a wrist grab, impressing Andy but making April jealous. After Andy is accidentally knocked out by Ron, Ann later approaches Andy at his shoe shine stand and brings him gifts to help him feel better. April arrives and Andy gives her a vegetarian muffin. Surprised Andy got something for someone other than himself, Ann believes Andy has changed.
and directed by Michael Trim. It featured a guest appearance comedian Andy Samberg as Carl, the park ranger. Samberg and Parks and Recreation star Amy Poehler previously appeared together as regular cast members in the NBC
sketch comedy series, Saturday Night Live
. The role of Carl was written with Samberg in mind because the writing staff knew they could get him as a guest appearance as long as filming corresponded with his Saturday Night Live schedule, although the character was tweaked slightly when it was confirmed Samberg would definitely play him. Samberg also knew most of the supporting cast, writers and staff when the episode was filmed. During an interview about his performance in the episode, Samberg jokingly responded:
The idea of a Jerry-centered episode arose when the writers decided one of the characters would get mugged. Muharrar said, "Once we thought about it, it was obvious it had to be Jerry. He's the Parks Department punching bag, and it seemed like it was time for Jerry's revenge." Muharrar said the script tried to convey that although his co-workers mock him, they do not hate him, and that Jerry does not take the jokes against him personally. Series co-creator Michael Schur
said once it was established in the episode "Practice Date" that Jerry was the co-worker everyone else picked on, he felt it was important to write an episode that established the other characters actually liked Jerry, despite their jokes at his expense.
For the scenes involving self-defense courses, the supporting cast underwent stunt training with the help of stunt coordinator Sean Graham. Ron wears a back support belt
during the course, which was actor Nick Offerman's idea. Offerman has many fight choreography skills from his past work in the Chicago theater, and he combined those skills with his training in Kabuki
dance and theater. Offerman said, "I threw in a couple of Kabuki moves that we all had a hard time keeping a straight face through." It was a reference to the episode "The Stakeout
", in which Ron suffered a hernia
, and Muharrar said, "The idea [is] that Ron has the belt in his car trunk and is ready to go at a moment's notice."
"Park Safety" also featured Mo Collins as Pawnee Today host Joan Callamezzo, who previously appeared in the episodes "Pawnee Zoo
" and "Christmas Scandal
". Poehler was pregnant when "Park Safety" was filmed, and some commentators said it was visibly clear in certain scenes. A newspaper clipping with a story and photo of Andy is taped to the wall of his shoeshine stand. This is a reference to the Pawnee Journal article written about him in the previous episode, "The Possum
". A stand selling Sweetums nutrition bars is visible during one of the park scenes. This is a reference to the previous episode "Sweetums
", where the company lobbies to sell its unhealthy snacks at the parks. A downloadable version of the "Safe Parks Now!" poster Leslie made in the episode, which featured a photo of Jerry with a black eye, was also featured on the website.
epic science fiction film released a few months before the episode first aired. Ann explains her proficiency during Ron's self defense training courses results from her strong interest in female-centric original movies on the women's television network Lifetime. While describing how Tom would react to the news that Jerry dislocated his shoulder reaching for a breakfast burrito, Leslie said, "What would you do for a Klondike bar
? Kill your wife?" This is a reference to the commercial jingle for the ice cream snack: "What would you do for a Klondike bar?"
. Although an increase in viewership over the 4.6 million household viewers of the previous episode, "The Possum
", "Park Safety" marked a five percent drop in the Nielsen rating itself. It drew a 2.0 rating/6 share among viewers between ages 18 and 49, compared to 2.1 rating/6 share the previous week. "Park Safety" suffered from competition from CBS
footage of the first round of the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
, which drew 10.32 million household viewers during the 8:30 p.m. timeshot it shared with Parks and Recreation. "Park Safety" also drew less viewers (although a higher Nielsen rating) than the ABC
drama series FlashForward
, which drew 6.3 million households, and a repeat of the Fox
crime drama Bones
, which drew 6.6 million household viewers. Parks and Recreation outperformed a repeat of the CW
supernatural–fantasy horror series The Vampire Diaries
, which drew 1.49 million household viewers.
"Park Safety" received generally positive reviews, with several reviewers particularly praising the scene in which Jerry gives an embarrassing presentation to his co-workers. Andy Samberg's performance, however, received mostly negative reviews. Entertainment Weekly
writer Sandra Gonzalez called "Park Safety" a great episode, and complimented the scenes involving Jerry and the growing romance between Andy and April. Gonzalez said the only negative aspect was Samberg, of whom she said, "the scream-talking gag got old fast". Alan Sepinwall, television columnist with The Star-Ledger
, also enjoyed the scene with Jerry's presentation, and praised the show for fleshing out its minor characters, comparing it to The Office and its similar treatment of supporting characters during its second season
. Sepinwall said Samberg's character was "a little too broad for the show's buttoned-down style" but led to some funny moments.
Steve Heisler of The A.V. Club
called Jerry's presentation "one of the most amazing scenes in Parks & Rec history". Heisler also praised Pratt's performance and felt Ann was unusually sympathetic in "Park Safety", but felt Samberg was poorly used and his loud talking quickly grew tiresome. New York
magazine writer Steve Kandell said "Park Safety" continued an ongoing development of the mythology of the Pawnee community, comparing it to "a live-action Springfield
", the setting of the animated comedy series The Simpsons
. Kandell said Samberg's character "could have been irritating but somehow wasn't". Matt Fowler of IGN
called Jerry's presentation "one of the best, most pointed moments of crude humor that we've ever seen on the show". Fowler also said Swanson's expertise in self-defense "fits perfectly" to his character. Kona Gallagher of TV Squad said the constant mocking of Jerry made him feel uncomfortable, and that Samberg "just seemed like the personification of an SNL skit instead of a real character". But Gallagher praised Ron Swanson's role in the episode, as well as the apparent rekindling of Ann's feelings for Andy.
set in the United States on November 30, 2010. The DVD included deleted scenes for each episode.
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...
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 25th 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 18, 2010. In the episode, Jerry is apparently mugged, which forces his co-workers to be nicer to him, and prompts 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:...
to seek stronger safety measures for the city's parks.
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 Michael Trim. The writers sought to establish in "Park Safety" that the other characters liked Jerry, even though they make often jokes at his expense. It featured a guest appearance by comedian Andy Samberg
Andy Samberg
David Andrew "Andy" Samberg is an American actor, comedian, rapper and writer best known as a member of the comedy group The Lonely Island and as a cast member on Saturday Night Live...
, who previously worked with Parks star 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...
on the sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
, as a parks ranger named Carl. It also featured Mo Collins
Mo Collins
Maureen "Mo" Ann Collins is an American actress and comedian. Collins is perhaps best known for being a member of the ensemble on FOX's sketch comedy series MADtv. She became well known for several characters during her tenure on the show...
in her recurring guest role as Joan Callamezzo, host of the morning news program Pawnee Today.
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...
, "Park Safety" was seen by 4.7 million household viewers. Among audiences between ages 18 and 49, it experienced a slightly lower rating than the previous week's episode, "The Possum
The Possum
"The Possum" is the eighteenth episode of the second season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 24th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on March 11, 2010...
", in part due to competition from the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The first and second round games were played at the following sites:*March 18 / 20*March 25 / 27*March 26 / 28Each regional winner advanced to the Final Four, held on April 3 and 5 in Indianapolis, Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium, hosted by the Horizon League and Butler University, as per the NCAA's...
. "Park Safety" received generally positive reviews, with several reviewers praising the comedic scene in which Jerry gives an embarrassing presentation to his co-workers. Samberg's performance, however, received mostly negative reviews.
Plot
LeslieLeslie 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...
) holds a drawing to determine who will fill the park's hummingbird feeders, a job reviled by the parks and recreation department. Jerry (Jim O'Heir
Jim O'Heir
Jim O'Heir is an American actor. He was active in the Chicago theater during the 1980s and 1990s as part of the theater group White Noise, and appeared in such plays as The Book of Blanche, Stumpy's Gang and Ad-Nauseam with the group...
), who is often mocked by his co-workers, is chosen because everybody writes down Jerry's name instead of their own. Later, Leslie receives a call from 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...
) that Jerry is in the hospital with a dislocated shoulder. Jerry claims to have been mugged in the park, and Leslie decides nobody should tease Jerry anymore. When Jerry returns, he acts particularly buffoonish during a slideshow presentation, and ends up farting and splitting his pants, but everyone holds back laughter at Leslie's request. Leslie meets with Carl Lorthner (Andy Samberg
Andy Samberg
David Andrew "Andy" Samberg is an American actor, comedian, rapper and writer best known as a member of the comedy group The Lonely Island and as a cast member on Saturday Night Live...
), a park security ranger who is incredibly loud but oblivious to the fact. Leslie suggests Carl get more help for the park to be safe. Meanwhile, 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:...
) teaches a self-defense course to the rest of the department so they don't end up like Jerry.
Leslie, 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....
), and Jerry join Carl to take a tour of the park where Jerry was mugged. Carl says the area is largely unprotected due to budget cuts, so Leslie vows to get more funding. She appears on Pawnee Today, the local news show, saying the Pawnee government failed the parks and that security is poor. Paul (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,...
), the city manager, is angry over the television appearance, but informs Leslie the stunt worked and the mayor is offering $2,500 to help fix the park. While at a press conference about the money, Jerry confesses to Leslie that he wasn't mugged: he dropped a breakfast burrito in a creek, then fell while trying to grab it and dislocated his shoulder. He fabricated the mugger story because he was embarrassed and didn't want everyone to make fun of him. Leslie angrily relates Jerry's story to Mark, but he stops her short when he says that Jerry was too scared of his co-workers to be honest with them. Leslie soon discovers Carl was offended by Leslie's statements about park security and plans to show footage of Jerry falling into the creek on Pawnee Today. Leslie negotiates with Carl to not show the event, and instead they talk during the show about how much they enjoyed the film Avatar, much to the anger of host Joan Callamezzo (Mo Collins
Mo Collins
Maureen "Mo" Ann Collins is an American actress and comedian. Collins is perhaps best known for being a member of the ensemble on FOX's sketch comedy series MADtv. She became well known for several characters during her tenure on the show...
). As part of their deal to not show the tape, Leslie buys Carl a brand new security cart. Carl hands over the tape, which she agrees to throw away after she watches it one last time. The office goes back to mocking Jerry, but with less venom than before, while Jerry confides that he doesn't really care because he's just two years away from retiring on a full pension and enjoying a peaceful retirement.
In a side plot, a love triangle develops between 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...
), 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) and Ann. In an interview, Ann says Andy is a fun person but was a terrible boyfriend because he is completely reliant on others. When learning self defense from Ron, Ann takes down Andy with a wrist grab, impressing Andy but making April jealous. After Andy is accidentally knocked out by Ron, Ann later approaches Andy at his shoe shine stand and brings him gifts to help him feel better. April arrives and Andy gives her a vegetarian muffin. Surprised Andy got something for someone other than himself, Ann believes Andy has changed.
Production
"Park Safety" was written by Aisha MuharrarAisha 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 Michael Trim. It featured a guest appearance comedian Andy Samberg as Carl, the park ranger. Samberg and Parks and Recreation star Amy Poehler previously appeared together as regular cast members in the 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...
sketch comedy series, Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
. The role of Carl was written with Samberg in mind because the writing staff knew they could get him as a guest appearance as long as filming corresponded with his Saturday Night Live schedule, although the character was tweaked slightly when it was confirmed Samberg would definitely play him. Samberg also knew most of the supporting cast, writers and staff when the episode was filmed. During an interview about his performance in the episode, Samberg jokingly responded:
"Well, I don't want to jinx it, but I'm pretty sure it's the best episode, and maybe not just of this show but of any show on television ever, any theater show, any staged show, movie, or any, like, campfire ritual performed by cavemen. Take it all the way back. I think this is going to be the thing everyone talks about for the rest of their lives, and it will live on in infamy and history. If aliens came down and wanted one artifact to learn about human life, I think it would be this episode of Parks and Recreation. And you can take that to the bank."
The idea of a Jerry-centered episode arose when the writers decided one of the characters would get mugged. Muharrar said, "Once we thought about it, it was obvious it had to be Jerry. He's the Parks Department punching bag, and it seemed like it was time for Jerry's revenge." Muharrar said the script tried to convey that although his co-workers mock him, they do not hate him, and that Jerry does not take the jokes against him personally. 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...
said once it was established in the episode "Practice Date" that Jerry was the co-worker everyone else picked on, he felt it was important to write an episode that established the other characters actually liked Jerry, despite their jokes at his expense.
For the scenes involving self-defense courses, the supporting cast underwent stunt training with the help of stunt coordinator Sean Graham. Ron wears a back support belt
Back belt
Back belts, or lumbar support belts, are generally lightweight belts worn around the lower back to provide support to the lumbar. Industrial back belts tend to be similar to weight lifting belts or special belts used in medical rehabilitation therapy...
during the course, which was actor Nick Offerman's idea. Offerman has many fight choreography skills from his past work in the Chicago theater, and he combined those skills with his training in Kabuki
Kabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
dance and theater. Offerman said, "I threw in a couple of Kabuki moves that we all had a hard time keeping a straight face through." It was a reference to the episode "The Stakeout
The Stakeout (Parks and Recreation)
"The Stakeout" is the second episode of the second season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the eighth overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on September 24, 2009...
", in which Ron suffered a hernia
Hernia
A hernia is the protrusion of an organ or the fascia of an organ through the wall of the cavity that normally contains it. A hiatal hernia occurs when the stomach protrudes into the mediastinum through the esophageal opening in the diaphragm....
, and Muharrar said, "The idea [is] that Ron has the belt in his car trunk and is ready to go at a moment's notice."
"Park Safety" also featured Mo Collins as Pawnee Today host Joan Callamezzo, who previously appeared in the episodes "Pawnee Zoo
Pawnee Zoo
"Pawnee Zoo" is the second season premiere of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the seventh overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on September 17, 2009...
" and "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...
". Poehler was pregnant when "Park Safety" was filmed, and some commentators said it was visibly clear in certain scenes. A newspaper clipping with a story and photo of Andy is taped to the wall of his shoeshine stand. This is a reference to the Pawnee Journal article written about him in the previous episode, "The Possum
The Possum
"The Possum" is the eighteenth episode of the second season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 24th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on March 11, 2010...
". A stand selling Sweetums nutrition bars is visible during one of the park scenes. This is a reference to the previous 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...
", where the company lobbies to sell its unhealthy snacks at the parks. A downloadable version of the "Safe Parks Now!" poster Leslie made in the episode, which featured a photo of Jerry with a black eye, was also featured on the website.
Cultural references
When Leslie and Carl agree not to discuss Jerry on Pawnee Today, they instead discuss the quality of the film Avatar, the 2009 James CameronJames Cameron
James Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...
epic science fiction film released a few months before the episode first aired. Ann explains her proficiency during Ron's self defense training courses results from her strong interest in female-centric original movies on the women's television network Lifetime. While describing how Tom would react to the news that Jerry dislocated his shoulder reaching for a breakfast burrito, Leslie said, "What would you do for a Klondike bar
Klondike bar
Klondike is a brand name for a dessert generally consisting of a vanilla ice cream square coated with a thin layer of chocolate-flavored coating. The first recorded advertisement for the Klondike was on February 5, 1922 in the Youngstown Vindicator. They are generally wrapped with a silver-colored...
? Kill your wife?" This is a reference to the commercial jingle for the ice cream snack: "What would you do for a Klondike bar?"
Reception
In its original American broadcast on March 18, 2010, "Park Safety" was seen by 4.7 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...
. Although an increase in viewership over the 4.6 million household viewers of the previous episode, "The Possum
The Possum
"The Possum" is the eighteenth episode of the second season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 24th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on March 11, 2010...
", "Park Safety" marked a five percent drop in the Nielsen rating itself. It drew a 2.0 rating/6 share among viewers between ages 18 and 49, compared to 2.1 rating/6 share the previous week. "Park Safety" suffered from competition from 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...
footage of the first round of the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The first and second round games were played at the following sites:*March 18 / 20*March 25 / 27*March 26 / 28Each regional winner advanced to the Final Four, held on April 3 and 5 in Indianapolis, Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium, hosted by the Horizon League and Butler University, as per the NCAA's...
, which drew 10.32 million household viewers during the 8:30 p.m. timeshot it shared with Parks and Recreation. "Park Safety" also drew less viewers (although a higher Nielsen rating) than 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...
drama series FlashForward
Flashforward
A flashforward is an interjected scene that takes the narrative forward in time from the current point of the story in literature, film, television and other media. Flashforwards are often used to represent events expected, projected, or imagined to occur in the future...
, which drew 6.3 million households, and a repeat of 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 drew 6.6 million household viewers. Parks and Recreation outperformed a repeat of the CW
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...
supernatural–fantasy horror series The Vampire Diaries
The Vampire Diaries
The Vampire Diaries is a young adult vampire horror series of novels written by L. J. Smith. The story centers around Elena Gilbert, a high school girl torn between two vampire brothers. The series was originally a trilogy published in 1991, but pressure from readers led Smith to write a fourth...
, which drew 1.49 million household viewers.
"Park Safety" received generally positive reviews, with several reviewers particularly praising the scene in which Jerry gives an embarrassing presentation to his co-workers. Andy Samberg's performance, however, received mostly negative reviews. 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 Sandra Gonzalez called "Park Safety" a great episode, and complimented the scenes involving Jerry and the growing romance between Andy and April. Gonzalez said the only negative aspect was Samberg, of whom she said, "the scream-talking gag got old fast". Alan Sepinwall, television columnist with The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
, also enjoyed the scene with Jerry's presentation, and praised the show for fleshing out its minor characters, comparing it to The Office and its similar treatment of supporting characters during its second season
The Office (U.S. TV series) season 2
The second season of the American situation comedy television series, The Office, premiered in the United States on NBC on September 20, 2005, and ended on May 11, 2006. The season had 22 episodes, including its first 40-minute "super-sized" episode...
. Sepinwall said Samberg's character was "a little too broad for the show's buttoned-down style" but led to some funny moments.
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...
called Jerry's presentation "one of the most amazing scenes in Parks & Rec history". Heisler also praised Pratt's performance and felt Ann was unusually sympathetic in "Park Safety", but felt Samberg was poorly used and his loud talking quickly grew tiresome. 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 writer Steve Kandell said "Park Safety" continued an ongoing development of the mythology of the Pawnee community, comparing it to "a live-action Springfield
Springfield (The Simpsons)
Springfield is the fictional town in which the American animated sitcom The Simpsons is set. A mid-sized town in an undetermined state of the United States, Springfield acts as a complete universe in which characters can explore the issues faced by modern society. The geography of the town and its...
", the setting of the animated comedy series The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
. Kandell said Samberg's character "could have been irritating but somehow wasn't". 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 Jerry's presentation "one of the best, most pointed moments of crude humor that we've ever seen on the show". Fowler also said Swanson's expertise in self-defense "fits perfectly" to his character. Kona Gallagher of TV Squad said the constant mocking of Jerry made him feel uncomfortable, and that Samberg "just seemed like the personification of an SNL skit instead of a real character". But Gallagher praised Ron Swanson's role in the episode, as well as the apparent rekindling of Ann's feelings for Andy.
DVD release
"Park Safety", along with the other 23 second season episodes of Parks and Recreation, was released on a four-disc DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
set in the United States on November 30, 2010. The DVD included deleted scenes for each episode.
External links
- "Park Safety" at the official Parks and Recreation site