Ron and Tammy
Encyclopedia
"Ron and Tammy" is the eighth episode of the second season
of Parks and Recreation
, and the fourteenth overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC
in the United States on November 5, 2009. In the episode, the library department tries to take control of a vacant lot where Leslie
plans to build a park. Ron
's ex-wife, one of Leslie's directors, tries to use Ron to get her way. The episode was written by Mike Scully
and directed by Troy Miller
.
"Ron and Tammy" featured Megan Mullally
, the real-life wife of Parks actor Nick Offerman
, in a guest appearance as Ron's ex-wife, Tammy. According to Nielsen Media Research
, it was seen by 4.93 million household viewers; its rating of 2.2 was the season's highest to that point. "Ron and Tammy" received generally positive reviews and is widely considered one of the best Parks and Recreation episodes, with many commentators praising Offerman's performance. Tammy later returned for the third season
sequel episode, "Ron & Tammy: Part Two
".
(Chris Pratt
) takes over as the shoeshiner
at the Pawnee town hall, replacing "Old Gus" (Jack Carter
), who insults everybody during a farewell party. Later, Mark
(Paul Schneider
) breaks the bad news to Leslie
(Amy Poehler
) that the Pawnee library has placed a planning claim for Lot 48, which Leslie has been working to turn into a park. Leslie and the rest of the parks department express hatred for the library, which Leslie declares a "diabolical, ruthless bunch of bureaucrats", much to the confusion of Ann
(Rashida Jones
). Ron
(Nick Offerman
) is particularly angry to learn his ex-wife Tammy (Megan Mullally
), who he insists is evil incarnate, is the new library director.
Leslie decides to confront Tammy directly, only to find Tammy seems to be a friendly woman who instantly agrees to let Leslie have Lot 48 as a "professional courtesy". Impressed, Leslie brings Tammy to the parks department so she can talk to Ron and work out their differences. Tammy and an agitated Ron go off to have coffee, and Donna
(Retta) insists to Leslie that the arrangement is a mistake because the two act crazy when they are together. At a local diner, Ron and Tammy immediately start a very loud argument in front of the other patrons. Moments later, however, the two are publicly making out on the table in front of everyone. The two rush off to a motel, where they are removing their clothing before even entering the building.
Ann and her boyfriend Mark run into Andy, Ann's ex-boyfriend. Andy flirts with Ann in front of Mark, and openly admits he plans to win her back from him. Mark asks advice from Tom
(Aziz Ansari
), who suggests Mark should take the high road. Mark tries to have a gentlemanly discussion with Andy, who continues to insist he loves Ann, pointing to the many photos he has of her around his shoeshine station. Finally, Ann confronts Andy and tells him to stop discussing her with Mark, as well as to remove her photos from the wall.
A cheery and singing Ron openly discusses the details his sexual exploits with Tammy to an uncomfortable Leslie. Although she is initially pleased with the results of her meddling, Leslie soon realizes Tammy is using sex to manipulate Ron to give her control of Lot 48. Leslie confronts Tammy, who admits to the plot and brags that this is how the library operates. Leslie tries to get Ron to break up with Tammy, but he insists he cannot confront her without Leslie's help. The two go to the library, where Ron starts to cave in when Tammy flirts with him. Leslie tells Ron to do whatever will make him happy, even if it means giving up the lot. Ron, impressed that a woman would put his own needs first, decides instead to break up with Tammy and give the lot back to Leslie. After breaking the news to Tammy, he flees from the library with a push-pin stuck in his forehead, and part of his mustache missing.
and directed by Troy Miller
. The episode featured comedienne and actress Megan Mullally
in a guest appearance as Ron's ex-wife, Tammy. Mullally is the real-life wife of Nick Offerman, who plays Ron Swanson in Parks and Recreation. Parks and Recreation co-creator Michael Schur
conceived the idea for the story, and asked Offerman whether he and Mullally would be opposed to her playing such a terrible character. Offerman was extremely responsive to the idea. Mullally said she enjoyed the script, particularly the dialogue of Ron describing Tammy, more than Tammy's part herself. Offerman and Mullally improvised many of their on-screen fights, as well as the varied methods of unusual kissing between the two characters. During the diner scene, in which Ron and Tammy switch between violent fighting and passionate kissing, Offerman accidentally pulled a diner table out of the wall after placing Mullally on top of it and kissing her. The scene was used in the final episode. Offerman said of filming the diner scenes, "At the end of doing that for a few hours, we said, you know that feels like it was five weeks worth of really good therapy."
During a scene with Ron and Tammy start stripping while running into a motel room, Mullally removed her top and appeared topless during filming. Mullally improvised the move and did not tell the crew she planned to do it. She said of filming the scene, "I didn't care, it was six in the morning, who cares, I didn't know anybody." Offerman said his favorite scene in the episode was the one in which Leslie tried to break up with Tammy for him. He particularly enjoyed the rapport between Poehler and Mullally, and said he "just wanted to pinch himself" to prevent from laughing. After reuniting with Tammy, Ron puts a framed photo on his wall of a brunette woman holding a plate of breakfast, which he said symbolizes his relationship with Tammy and the breakfast she made him after sex. In the pilot episode
of Parks and Recreation, a photo of retired basketball coach Bobby Knight is on the wall. When it had to be removed for legal reasons, Parks and Recreation Schur searched an image library for "things we thought Ron would like" and found the breakfast photo. Schur said he thought it was perfect for the character, and it inspired the prop and the dialogue in the episode. The character Tammy later returned for the third season
sequel episode, "Ron & Tammy: Part Two
".
Within a week of the episode's original broadcast, two deleted scenes from "Ron and Tammy" were made available on the official Parks and Recreation website. In the first two minute-long clip, Ron describes Tammy to Leslie in increasingly horrible ways, and Leslie talks to Tammy about previous problem the two had, including an instance in which Tammy seduces Ron's father. In the second 90-second clip, Tom directs customers to Andy's shoeshine in exchange for a 40 percent commission, while Mark tries to get Ann to abandon her nursing patients to spend more time with him. Lawrence, a neighbor with a long-standing feud with Andy, mocks him Andy by giving him dozens of soiled shoes to clean.
after having sex. This joke was written before the story of Woods' extramarital affairs scandal broke in the news in November 2009. Andy is said to have auditioned for the reality television show Survivor
and the television game show Deal or No Deal
. During an audition tape, he is shown gutting a fish to prove he could perform on Deal or No Deal, even though the action is far more appropriate for Survivor. During one scene, to Leslie's shock and confusion, Tammy said she would rather be Cleopatra, the last pharaoh
of Egypt
's Ptolemaic dynasty
, than Eleanor Roosevelt
, the former First Lady
and wife of U.S. President
Franklin D. Roosevelt
.
. Among viewers aged between 18 and 49, the episode drew a 2.2 rating/6 share; a share represents the percentage of households using a television at the time the program is airing. It was the highest rating to that point for the season
, and a 10 percent jump from the previous episode, "Greg Pikitis".
said "Ron and Tammy" was the funniest episode of the season, particularly for the dead-pan performance of Nick Offerman. Sepinwall also praised the parks employees' hatred for the library, and the fact that minor characters Jerry and Donna are further developing. Matt Fowler of IGN
called it a "particularly solid episode", and he enjoyed seeing Leslie serve as the voice of reason. Fowler said the Andy subplot was less funny than the main plot, but it advanced Andy's character. Steve Heisler from The A.V. Club
praised the episode and the performance of Offerman, whom he said showed a deeper comedic range than in previous episodes. Heisler also praised Pratt and Poehler, who he said shined in showing a more sensible side. Entertainment Weekly
writer Hillary Busis called the episode "damn near perfect" and said it made her "fall truly, madly, deeply in love with Parks and Recreation." Ross Luippold of The Huffington Post
called "Ron and Tammy" one of the highlights of the season.
Steve Kandell of New York
magazine called "Ron and Tammy" one of the moments when Parks and Recreation "found its voice and its footing". Dose
writer Kat Angus said "Ron and Tammy" solidified Parks and Recreation as "the funniest show on TV this season". Angus praised Offerman's performance and his pairing with Mullally. TV Guide
writer Matt Roush, who had previously been very critical of Parks and Recreation, called "Ron and Tammy" "unquestionably the show’s best episode to date". Roush particularly praised the comedic chemistry between Offerman and Mullally, who he said "make beautiful comic music together". Time
magazine reviewer James Poniewozik
called it an "excellent episode", and said it balanced well the show's formula of comedy focused on people and small-town government. H.T. "Hercules" Strong, a regular columnist with Ain't it Cool News
, praised Poehler and Mullally, and said the editing, particularly during the diner scene with Ron and Tammy, was worthy of an Emmy Award nomination. CNN
associated producer Henry Hanks praised the "uproarious performances" of both Offerman and Mullally, while another CNN review of called Mullally's guest performance "Emmy
-worthy", and praised the performances of Offerman, Poehler and Pratt. It also said, "Poehler’s development of her character this season has been great to watch".
set in the United States on November 30, 2010. The DVD included deleted scenes for each episode. It also included a commentary track for "Ron and Tammy" featuring Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally, and series co-creators Michael Schur and Greg Daniels
.
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 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 fourteenth 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 November 5, 2009. In the episode, the library department tries to take control of a vacant lot where 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:...
plans to build a park. 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...
's ex-wife, one of Leslie's directors, tries to use Ron to get her way. The episode was written by Mike Scully
Mike Scully
Mike Scully is an American television writer and producer. He is known for his work as executive producer and showrunner of the animated sitcom The Simpsons from 1997 to 2001. Scully grew up in West Springfield, Massachusetts and long had an interest in writing. He was an underachiever at school...
and directed by Troy Miller
Troy Miller
Troy Miller is an American film producer, director and screenwriter. Miller is best known for his work in directing.- Stand-up comedy :Miller has produced and/or directed comedy shows and specials for a variety of comics including Robin Williams, Martin Short, Katt Williams, Jim Gaffigan, Brian...
.
"Ron and Tammy" featured Megan Mullally
Megan Mullally
Megan Mullally is an American actress and singer.After working in the theatre in Chicago, Mullally moved to Los Angeles in 1985 and began to appear in supporting roles in film and television productions. She made her Broadway debut in Grease in 1994 and she has since appeared in several Broadway...
, the real-life wife of Parks actor 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:...
, in a guest appearance as Ron's ex-wife, Tammy. 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...
, it was seen by 4.93 million household viewers; its rating of 2.2 was the season's highest to that point. "Ron and Tammy" received generally positive reviews and is widely considered one of the best Parks and Recreation episodes, with many commentators praising Offerman's performance. Tammy later returned for 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...
sequel 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...
".
Plot
AndyAndy 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...
) takes over as the shoeshiner
Shoeshiner
Shoeshiner or boot polisher is a profession in which a person polishes shoes with shoe polish. They are often known as shoeshine boys because the job is traditionally that of a male child. In the leather fetish communities, they are often called bootblacks...
at the Pawnee town hall, replacing "Old Gus" (Jack Carter
Jack Carter (comedian)
Jack Chakrin , known by his professional name of Jack Carter, is a Jewish-American comedian, actor and host. Brooklyn Born Carter had long-running comedy act similar to fellow rapid pace contemporaries Milton Berle and Morey Amsterdam...
), who insults everybody during a farewell party. Later, Mark
Mark Brendanawicz
Mark Brendanawicz is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. He is the city planner for Pawnee, Indiana, one of Ann Perkins's ex-boyfriends, and Leslie Knope's colleague. He is portrayed by Paul Schneider...
(Paul Schneider
Paul Schneider (actor)
Paul Andrew Schneider is an American film actor.-Early life and career:Schneider was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. He graduated from the North Carolina School of Arts...
) breaks the bad news 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:...
(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 the Pawnee library has placed a planning claim for Lot 48, which Leslie has been working to turn into a park. Leslie and the rest of the parks department express hatred for the library, which Leslie declares a "diabolical, ruthless bunch of bureaucrats", much to the confusion of 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...
). 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:...
) is particularly angry to learn his ex-wife Tammy (Megan Mullally
Megan Mullally
Megan Mullally is an American actress and singer.After working in the theatre in Chicago, Mullally moved to Los Angeles in 1985 and began to appear in supporting roles in film and television productions. She made her Broadway debut in Grease in 1994 and she has since appeared in several Broadway...
), who he insists is evil incarnate, is the new library director.
Leslie decides to confront Tammy directly, only to find Tammy seems to be a friendly woman who instantly agrees to let Leslie have Lot 48 as a "professional courtesy". Impressed, Leslie brings Tammy to the parks department so she can talk to Ron and work out their differences. Tammy and an agitated Ron go off to have coffee, and 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) insists to Leslie that the arrangement is a mistake because the two act crazy when they are together. At a local diner, Ron and Tammy immediately start a very loud argument in front of the other patrons. Moments later, however, the two are publicly making out on the table in front of everyone. The two rush off to a motel, where they are removing their clothing before even entering the building.
Ann and her boyfriend Mark run into Andy, Ann's ex-boyfriend. Andy flirts with Ann in front of Mark, and openly admits he plans to win her back from him. Mark asks advice from 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....
), who suggests Mark should take the high road. Mark tries to have a gentlemanly discussion with Andy, who continues to insist he loves Ann, pointing to the many photos he has of her around his shoeshine station. Finally, Ann confronts Andy and tells him to stop discussing her with Mark, as well as to remove her photos from the wall.
A cheery and singing Ron openly discusses the details his sexual exploits with Tammy to an uncomfortable Leslie. Although she is initially pleased with the results of her meddling, Leslie soon realizes Tammy is using sex to manipulate Ron to give her control of Lot 48. Leslie confronts Tammy, who admits to the plot and brags that this is how the library operates. Leslie tries to get Ron to break up with Tammy, but he insists he cannot confront her without Leslie's help. The two go to the library, where Ron starts to cave in when Tammy flirts with him. Leslie tells Ron to do whatever will make him happy, even if it means giving up the lot. Ron, impressed that a woman would put his own needs first, decides instead to break up with Tammy and give the lot back to Leslie. After breaking the news to Tammy, he flees from the library with a push-pin stuck in his forehead, and part of his mustache missing.
Production
"Ron and Tammy" was written by Mike ScullyMike Scully
Mike Scully is an American television writer and producer. He is known for his work as executive producer and showrunner of the animated sitcom The Simpsons from 1997 to 2001. Scully grew up in West Springfield, Massachusetts and long had an interest in writing. He was an underachiever at school...
and directed by Troy Miller
Troy Miller
Troy Miller is an American film producer, director and screenwriter. Miller is best known for his work in directing.- Stand-up comedy :Miller has produced and/or directed comedy shows and specials for a variety of comics including Robin Williams, Martin Short, Katt Williams, Jim Gaffigan, Brian...
. The episode featured comedienne and actress Megan Mullally
Megan Mullally
Megan Mullally is an American actress and singer.After working in the theatre in Chicago, Mullally moved to Los Angeles in 1985 and began to appear in supporting roles in film and television productions. She made her Broadway debut in Grease in 1994 and she has since appeared in several Broadway...
in a guest appearance as Ron's ex-wife, Tammy. Mullally is the real-life wife of Nick Offerman, who plays Ron Swanson in Parks and Recreation. Parks and Recreation 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...
conceived the idea for the story, and asked Offerman whether he and Mullally would be opposed to her playing such a terrible character. Offerman was extremely responsive to the idea. Mullally said she enjoyed the script, particularly the dialogue of Ron describing Tammy, more than Tammy's part herself. Offerman and Mullally improvised many of their on-screen fights, as well as the varied methods of unusual kissing between the two characters. During the diner scene, in which Ron and Tammy switch between violent fighting and passionate kissing, Offerman accidentally pulled a diner table out of the wall after placing Mullally on top of it and kissing her. The scene was used in the final episode. Offerman said of filming the diner scenes, "At the end of doing that for a few hours, we said, you know that feels like it was five weeks worth of really good therapy."
During a scene with Ron and Tammy start stripping while running into a motel room, Mullally removed her top and appeared topless during filming. Mullally improvised the move and did not tell the crew she planned to do it. She said of filming the scene, "I didn't care, it was six in the morning, who cares, I didn't know anybody." Offerman said his favorite scene in the episode was the one in which Leslie tried to break up with Tammy for him. He particularly enjoyed the rapport between Poehler and Mullally, and said he "just wanted to pinch himself" to prevent from laughing. After reuniting with Tammy, Ron puts a framed photo on his wall of a brunette woman holding a plate of breakfast, which he said symbolizes his relationship with Tammy and the breakfast she made him after sex. In the pilot episode
Pilot (Parks and Recreation)
"Pilot" is the first 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 9, 2009. The episode was written by series co-creators Michael Schur and Greg Daniels, and directed by Daniels...
of Parks and Recreation, a photo of retired basketball coach Bobby Knight is on the wall. When it had to be removed for legal reasons, Parks and Recreation Schur searched an image library for "things we thought Ron would like" and found the breakfast photo. Schur said he thought it was perfect for the character, and it inspired the prop and the dialogue in the episode. The character Tammy later returned for 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...
sequel 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...
".
Within a week of the episode's original broadcast, two deleted scenes from "Ron and Tammy" were made available on the official Parks and Recreation website. In the first two minute-long clip, Ron describes Tammy to Leslie in increasingly horrible ways, and Leslie talks to Tammy about previous problem the two had, including an instance in which Tammy seduces Ron's father. In the second 90-second clip, Tom directs customers to Andy's shoeshine in exchange for a 40 percent commission, while Mark tries to get Ann to abandon her nursing patients to spend more time with him. Lawrence, a neighbor with a long-standing feud with Andy, mocks him Andy by giving him dozens of soiled shoes to clean.
Cultural references
The day after having sex with Tammy, Ron comes to work wearing a red shirt and black pants, which prompts Tom to observe that Ron always dresses like golf pro Tiger WoodsTiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
after having sex. This joke was written before the story of Woods' extramarital affairs scandal broke in the news in November 2009. Andy is said to have auditioned for the reality television show Survivor
Survivor (U.S. TV series)
Survivor is an American version of the Survivor reality television game show, itself derived from the Swedish television series Expedition Robinson originally created in 1997 by Charlie Parsons. The series premiered on May 31, 2000 on CBS...
and the television game show Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal
Deal or No Deal is the name of several closely related television game shows, the first of which was the Dutch Miljoenenjacht produced by Dutch producer Endemol. It is played with up to 26 cases with certain sums of money...
. During an audition tape, he is shown gutting a fish to prove he could perform on Deal or No Deal, even though the action is far more appropriate for Survivor. During one scene, to Leslie's shock and confusion, Tammy said she would rather be Cleopatra, the last pharaoh
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
's Ptolemaic dynasty
Ptolemaic dynasty
The Ptolemaic dynasty, was a Macedonian Greek royal family which ruled the Ptolemaic Empire in Egypt during the Hellenistic period. Their rule lasted for 275 years, from 305 BC to 30 BC...
, than Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international...
, the former First Lady
First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president. The current first lady is Michelle Obama.-Current:The...
and wife of U.S. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
.
Ratings
In its original American broadcast on November 5, 2009, "Ron and Tammy" was seen by 4.93 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...
. Among viewers aged between 18 and 49, the episode drew a 2.2 rating/6 share; a share represents the percentage of households using a television at the time the program is airing. It was the highest rating to that point for the 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...
, and a 10 percent jump from the previous episode, "Greg Pikitis".
Reviews
"Ron and Tammy" received generally positive reviews and is widely considered one of the best episodes of Parks and Recreation. Alan Sepinwall of The Star-LedgerThe 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...
said "Ron and Tammy" was the funniest episode of the season, particularly for the dead-pan performance of Nick Offerman. Sepinwall also praised the parks employees' hatred for the library, and the fact that minor characters Jerry and Donna are further developing. 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 it a "particularly solid episode", and he enjoyed seeing Leslie serve as the voice of reason. Fowler said the Andy subplot was less funny than the main plot, but it advanced Andy's character. Steve Heisler from 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 and the performance of Offerman, whom he said showed a deeper comedic range than in previous episodes. Heisler also praised Pratt and Poehler, who he said shined in showing a more sensible side. 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 called the episode "damn near perfect" and said it made her "fall truly, madly, deeply in love with Parks and Recreation." Ross Luippold of The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
called "Ron and Tammy" one of the highlights of 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 "Ron and Tammy" one of the moments when Parks and Recreation "found its voice and its footing". Dose
Dose (magazine)
Dose is a daily Canadian news website and former daily print magazine.Dose was a mixture of standalone features and coverage of daily news, sometimes from an irreverent perspective...
writer Kat Angus said "Ron and Tammy" solidified Parks and Recreation as "the funniest show on TV this season". Angus praised Offerman's performance and his pairing with Mullally. 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, who had previously been very critical of Parks and Recreation, called "Ron and Tammy" "unquestionably the show’s best episode to date". Roush particularly praised the comedic chemistry between Offerman and Mullally, who he said "make beautiful comic music together". Time
Time (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 reviewer 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...
called it an "excellent episode", and said it balanced well the show's formula of comedy focused on people and small-town government. H.T. "Hercules" Strong, a regular columnist with Ain't it Cool News
Ain't It Cool News
Ain't It Cool News is a website founded and run by Harry Knowles, dedicated to news, rumors and reviews of upcoming and currently playing films and television projects, with an emphasis on science fiction, fantasy, horror, comic-book and action genres...
, praised Poehler and Mullally, and said the editing, particularly during the diner scene with Ron and Tammy, was worthy of an Emmy Award nomination. CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
associated producer Henry Hanks praised the "uproarious performances" of both Offerman and Mullally, while another CNN review of called Mullally's guest performance "Emmy
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
-worthy", and praised the performances of Offerman, Poehler and Pratt. It also said, "Poehler’s development of her character this season has been great to watch".
DVD release
"Ron and Tammy", 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. It also included a commentary track for "Ron and Tammy" featuring Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally, and series co-creators Michael Schur and Greg Daniels
Greg Daniels
Gregory Martin "Greg" Daniels is an American television comedy writer, producer, and director.-Life and career:...
.
External links
- "Ron and Tammy" at the official Parks and Recreation site
- "Ron and Tammy" at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...