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Parks and Recreation Season 2 Episode 4

The Practice Date

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AIRED: 10/8/09

Ann helps Leslie work through her nervousness over her first date with Dave while the folks in the P&R office try to dig up dirt on each other.

FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (8)

Leslie goes on a first date

8.5

By Lostindharma, Feb 01, 2012

This episode had a lot of laughs. I think this showed why Leslie is the way she is with guys and why she pined over Mark. It was very funny the bad things that happened to Leslie on dates. It makes you appreciate her more. I also enjoyed how Ann has helped Leslie prepare her for the date. The whole practice date was very funny. I also enjoyed how everyone was trying to get dirt on each other. I think Ron's secret was best. When Tom's secret is raveled it's the start of showing his human side and the development of his character. Another funny part is when Leslie came over drunk at Dave's house. This was a brilliant episode from start to end.moreless
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The episode I've been waiting for for awhile.

9.0

By JaCkKbAuEr2424, Sep 23, 2010

I have to say, this episode of Parks and Recreation, along with a couple of other episodes from this season, show why its different than The Office. Maybe not in style, but in the writing and humor used. The characters are different, there's no serious romantic arc that takes place a la Jim and Pam and the Office doesn't have an Aubrey Plaza or Aziz Ansari, who bring a new level of deadpan and insanity, respectively, to the show.

The episode has two main points, both of which are superior to half of the plots that were in Season 1. Leslie is nervous about her date with Dave, a cop who's played nervously by Louis C.K. He plays Dave as if he's constantly worried about saying something stupid in front of her, which makes them perfect for each other. Leslie, however, has a bad track record with first dates and turns to Ann to help her work out the kinks. Not only is there a dozen classic lines in the practice date alone, but the result of it is the real payoff.

And back at the office, the announcement of a sex scandal in the Senate makes everybody want to try to dig up dirt on each other, which leads to some hilarious reveals and a chance for Ron to finally have another standout episode. Him and Tom trying to "best" each other was great, and we learn a little bit about each their pasts at the same time.

Leslie still comes across as Michael Scott-lite and the supporting characters of the show are less than compelling, but the show is heading in the right direction. If the showrunners can find a way to bring humor like this, and find a way to significantly boost ratings, than I think the show could easily get renewed. The only question is can they do it?moreless
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Hilarious.

10

By Canogaparkcindy, Sep 23, 2010

Well, picking up where the last episode left off. Leslie is nervous about her date with Dave, so Ann helps her throughout the episode. The whole situation was hilarious. Funniest scene: Leslie talking about her past experiences with men. "All of those things have happened to me" That was hilarious. Another scene that laugh out loud hilarious, is when Ann starting playing out the worst date imaginable. Leslie getting drunk was also very funny. I don't really like the Dave/Leslie couple, but I love the development. The game, trying to dig at someone's past. Jerry always getting hurt by the game. Funny. April feeling bad about not getting any dirt digged up. Hilarious! "It's on the internet!"moreless
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My body caught on fire and it burnt down the restaurant

9.0

By Water78, Sep 23, 2010

Parks and Recreation,

The Practice Date, - In the funniest episode of the season, so far, we get Leslie getting nervous over her first date with Dave. Ann helps Leslie out and practises her all the wrong stuff that can happen on a first date. Leslie steals the show here by going off about how every one of her first dates ends in a big disaster. Then Leslie becomes drunk and then walks over to Dave's house and demands to go on the date before the date was actually supposed to happen. The rest of the P&R crew watch was a senator on tv admits he cheated on his wife with two people a person he doesnt remembers name and a navitive of some place in south american in a cave. The crew then plays a game on who can dig up the most dirt on somebody. Jerry becomes the easy target as it's mostly Ron vs Tom. We find out that Tom is only married because his wanted to become a citizen and Ron sings at a women's bar. Alot of good comedy in this episode, and by far the best episode of the season, So Far.moreless
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Ann tries to help and everyone looks for dirt on each other in the office.

9.5

By Schrutentag, Sep 23, 2010

This is what "Parks and Recreation" is supposed to be. Funny, smart, fast, and original. I have a few complaints with this episode, but so what. "Practice Date" was the best episode of "P & R" yet. First of all, this episode had many parts that were hilarious. Ron being caught having another identity was hands-down the most funny part of this episode. Leslie Knope also was great in this episode and seeing her and Ann drunk was odd but it was still funny. The Bill Dexhart plotline scandal was also interesting and was funny, but it didn't add much, although if it's funny, I'll take it. Parts that didn't work: almost non-existent but the mockumentary format isn't really working for this show. Why would a crew focusing on a parks and recreation department actually follow Leslie to Dave's home and follow Ann and Leslie wherever they go. It's just a bit weird. But this episode was near perfect and I'd highly recommend it. It manages to keep the characters who they are but also manages to make them funny, funny, funny.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Amy Poehler	Leslie Knope
Rashida Jones	Ann Perkins
Paul Schneider	Mark Brendanawicz
Aziz Ansari	Tom Haverford
Nick Offerman	Ron Swanson
Aubrey Plaza	April Ludgate

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Kevin Symons	Councilman Bill Dexhart	Guest Star
Danilo Di Julio	Bartender	Guest Star
Duane R. Shepard Sr.	Emcee	Guest Star
Louis C.K.	Sargeant David Sanderson	Recurring Role
Jim O'Heir	Jerry Gergich	Recurring Role
Retta	Donna Meagle	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (0)
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QUOTES (9)
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- Mark: A little birdie told me that your adopted mother was arrested for marijuana possession.
  Jerry: What?
  Mark: You didn't know that, huh?
  Jerry: I didn't know I was adopted.
  Mark: Oh no, oh, Jerry. Oh, Jerry, I'm so sorry.
  Jerry: I really didn't want to play.
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- Bill Dexhart: And to my wife, I apologize. All I can say is, I wasn't just having sex. I was making love... to a beautiful woman. And her boyfriend. And a third person whose name I never learned. Furthermore, it was wrong of me to say I was building houses for the underprivileged when I was actually having four-way sex in a cave in Brazil.
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- Donna: You guys will never believe what I just found on Jerry's facebook.
  April: A friend? Burrrrrn.
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- Leslie: Hey, guys. What are you guys doing?
  April: Trying to see who has the least amount of dirt on them -- in case someone wants to run for office.
  Dave: Oh, well it ain't Jerry, that's for sure. He's got a couple of 359's on him. Public urination.
  Jerry: I don't like this game. I just don't like it. (leaves room)
  Dave: He's probably gonna go anger pee in the courtyard.
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- Jerry: Hey, Mark. A little birdie told me that you have one unpaid parking ticket.
  Mark: That's funny, because a little birdie told me that your adoptive mother was arrested for marijuana possession.
  Jerry: What?
  Mark: You didn't know that, huh?
  Jerry: I didn't know I was adopted.
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- Ron: I've established a scientifically perfect, ten-point scale of human beauty. Wendy is a 7.4, which is way too high for Tom, who is a 3.8. 10 is tennis legend Steffi Graf.
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- Leslie: One time, I accidentally drank an entire bottle of vinegar. I thought it was terrible wine.
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- April: I love games that turn people against each other.
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- Leslie: I think it's a real shame when people focus on the taudry details of a scandal. Personally, all I care about is Councilman Dexhart's policies; not whether he was high on nitrous and cocaine during the cave sex...which, by the way, I heard he was.
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NOTES (1)
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- Original International Air Dates:
  Canada: October 8, 2009 on CityTV
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ALLUSIONS (0)
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