Road Trip (Parks and Recreation)
Encyclopedia
"Road Trip" is the fourteenth episode of the third season
of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation
, and the 44th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC
in the United States on May 12, 2011. In the episode, Leslie
and Ben
are sent on a road trip together and struggle to keep their romantic feelings for each other at bay due to a policy that forbids office romances. Meanwhile, a Newlywed Game
-style game show hosted by Tom
leads to a fight between Andy
and April
.
Written by Harris Wittels
and directed by Troy Miller
, "Road Trip" originally aired back-to-back along with "The Fight
". The two are stand-alone episodes not originally meant to run together, but because the third season premiered late, they had to be shown together so the series' season would conclude by the end of the television season. "Road Trip" marked the beginning of a romantic relationship between Leslie and Ben, which culminated a growing development between the two characters that began when Ben was first introduced at the end of the second season
.
The episode featured several appearances by recurring guest stars, including Jay Jackson as Perd Hapley, Kirk Fox
as Joe and Mark Rivers, Andrew Burlinson and Alan Yang
as the members of Andy's band, Mouse Rat. "Road Trip" received generally positive reviews and, according to Nielsen Media Research
, was seen by an estimated 3.5 million household viewers, a drop from both "The Fight" and the previous original episode, "Eagleton
".
(Amy Poehler
) still harbors strong romantic feelings for Ben
(Adam Scott
) but cannot date him due to Chris'
(Rob Lowe
) strict policy against workplace dating. Just as Ann
(Rashida Jones
) suggests to Leslie that she should avoid being alone with Ben, Chris asks Leslie and Ben to drive to Indianapolis
to pitch Pawnee as the next host of the Indiana Little League Baseball tournament. Leslie and Ann devise numerous boring conversation topics for the trip to prevent it from becoming romantic. After an awkward drive to Indianapolis, Leslie and Ben speak before the little league commission, which seems reluctant to choose Pawnee for the tournament. Ben delivers a heartfelt speech about the town, but also appears to be secretly speaking about his feelings for Leslie.
The speech clearly impresses both the judges and Leslie, and Pawnee is ultimately selected for the tournament. Leslie reluctantly accepts Ben's invitation to a celebratory dinner that night, where Ben brings up his feelings for Leslie. She slips away to call Ann for advice, and she urges Leslie to act on her feelings. Just as Leslie decides to do so, she is surprised to find Chris has arrived at the dinner to congratulate the two personally. He insists they sleep at his home in Indianapolis, ruining their night. The next day, Leslie and Ben run into each other alone and Ben reveals Chris is out for the day. Ben then immediately kisses her, leaving Leslie simultaneously delighted and nervous about their future.
Meanwhile, Tom
(Aziz Ansari
) asks Andy
(Chris Pratt
), April
(Aubrey Plaza), Jerry (Jim O'Heir
) and Donna
(Retta) to participate in a new game show called Know Ya Boo, that he is hoping to pitch to networks; he admits that it is a rip-off of The Newlywed Game
. It quickly becomes clear that Jerry and Donna know much more about each other than the recently-married Andy and April. When April reveals her favorite band is Neutral Milk Hotel
and not Andy's band Mouse Rat, Andy angrily leaves the game and they later have a big fight which causes him to quit his music. April seeks advice from Ann because, although she dislikes her, Ann previously dated Andy for several years. Ann tells April she has to be supportive of Andy no matter how she feels. The next day, April brings the other members of Mouse Rat to city hall and surprises Andy by singing one of his songs. A thrilled Andy reconciles with April.
In a separate subplot, a young girl named Lauren (Alyssa Shafer) asks to interview Ron
(Nick Offerman
) for her school's field trip assignment to city hall. Ron initially resists, but soon espouses his libertarian
beliefs to her. He illustrates the concept of taxes by eating 40 percent of Lauren's lunch, to compare his actions to those of the government. She eagerly accepts his anti-government views. The next day, Lauren's furious mother reveals her daughter's assignment was "Why Government Matters", and that Lauren simply wrote "It doesn't". Ron apologizes, and later tells Lauren she should keep her views on government to herself until she gets older.
and directed by Troy Miller
. It was originally broadcast on May 12, 2011, and ran back-to-back with the Parks and Recreation episode "The Fight
", which aired immediately before. The two are stand-alone episodes that were not originally designed to be shown together. However, because the show premiered late as a mid-season replacement in January, the two episodes aired together so the third season
could conclude at the end of the television season. "Road Trip" marks the first time Ben and Leslie kiss and the beginning of their romantic relationship, which culminated a developing relationship between the two characters that began when Ben was first introduced at the end of the second season
.
The episode featured several appearances by actors who had appeared in previous Parks episodes, including Jay Jackson as Pawnee reporter Perd Hapley and stand-up comedian Kirk Fox
as sewage department employee Joe. Andy's band Mouse Rat, which has appeared in previous episodes starting with the first season
finale "Rock Show
", also appeared in "Andy and April's Fancy Party
". Mark Rivers played the drums, Andrew Burlinson played guitar and Parks and Recreation screenwriter Alan Yang
played bass guitar. In "Road Trip", the band performs "The Pit", a song first featured in "Rock Show", which was about Andy falling into a construction pit and breaking his legs.
, the band's vocalist and guitarist, is the rock star she was most attracted to. While going through Ann's wardrobe, Leslie finds the outfit Julia Roberts
wears in the 1990 romantic comedy Pretty Woman
, in which she plays a prostitute; Ann claims to look really good in it. While explaining that everybody steals ideas from other people, Tom points out the 2003 comedy film Love Don't Cost a Thing
is based on the 1987 comedy film Can't Buy Me Love
. He then falsely claims that film was based on the 1979 drama film Kramer vs. Kramer
, which he incorrectly believes was written by the English poet and playwright William Shakespeare
. One of the boring conversation topics Leslie brings up to reduce the sexual tension with Ben is the dormitory buildings at John Hopkins University, a university in Baltimore
, Maryland
. While hosting his fake game show, Tom plays the theme music through his iPhone
, a smartphone produced by Apple Inc.
, with a 2.4 rating/6 share among viewers between ages 18 and 49. A rating point represents one percent of the total number of television sets in American households, and a share means the percentage of television sets in use tuned to the program. This rating constituted a drop from "The Fight" before it, which was seen by an estimated 4.55 million households. The viewership for both was lower than that of the previous episode, "Eagleton
", which was seen by an estimated 5.06 million household viewers. In its 10 p.m. timeslot, "Road Trip" was outperformed by the CBS
police procedural drama The Mentalist
, which was seen by 14.07 million households, and the ABC
medical drama series Private Practice, which was seen by 7.27 million household viewers.
".
Zap2it
writer Rick Porter said he was glad to see Ben and Leslie come together the way they did, particularly because he feared the no-dating rule would become an "artificial barrier" that dragged out the romance subplot. Porter also praised Rob Lowe's performance, and said it made the character likeable even as he kept Leslie and Ben apart. Steve Heisler of The A.V. Club
called it a "stellar" episode that was "loose, silly, rich with details and heart". While he said the episode included good "outrageous comedy", he said the script strives on the more subtle scenes about Leslie and Ben coming together, along with Chris' constant interruptions. Nick McHatton of TV Fanatic was underwhelmed by the Know Ya Boo story, but strongly praised Leslie and Ben's scenes, which he said were both touching and very funny. He particularly praised the way scene when Ben describes his feelings for Leslie through his description to the baseball tournament panel about why he loves Pawnee.
Steve Kandell of New York
magazine praised the episode, and said the kiss between Leslie and Ben was emotionally effective. He said Chris' obliviousness to the sexual tension between Leslie and Ben seemed unusual, but wrote, "Maybe this is just another case of a show hitting so many perfect notes that the slightest deviation seems off-key." Matt Fowler of IGN
said "Road Trip" was less funny than "The Fight", and that the Know Ya Boo subplot "fizzled a bit". But he called it a "sweet episode" for its developments with Leslie and Ben, and said Ron and Chris were especially funny in their scenes. Entertainment Weekly
writer Hillary Busis said "Road Trip" was "pretty great" but less funny than the previous episode, "The Fight". She praised the Ron subplot, but said Tom's game show was "much more predictable and rote".
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 44th 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 May 12, 2011. In the episode, 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:...
and Ben
Ben Wyatt
Benjamin Sana Wyatt is an Indigenous Australian politician. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly since March 2006, representing the electorate of Victoria Park.-Early life and education:...
are sent on a road trip together and struggle to keep their romantic feelings for each other at bay due to a policy that forbids office romances. Meanwhile, a Newlywed Game
The Newlywed Game
The Newlywed Game is an American television game show that pits newly married couples against each other in a series of revealing question rounds to determine how well the spouses know each other. The program, originally created by Nick Nicholson and E. Roger Muir The Newlywed Game is an American...
-style game show hosted by 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...
leads to a fight 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...
and April
April Ludgate
April Roberta Ludgate is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. She is an apathetic college student employed by the Pawnee Department of Parks and Recreation as Ron Swanson's assistant. She is married to Andy Dwyer. She is portrayed by Aubrey Plaza...
.
Written by Harris Wittels
Harris Wittels
Harris Wittels is a comedian, writer and musician. He is best known as a writer for The Sarah Silverman Program, Parks and Recreation and as a recurring guest on Comedy Bang Bang.-Life and career:...
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...
, "Road Trip" originally aired back-to-back along with "The Fight
The Fight (Parks and Recreation)
"The Fight" is the thirteenth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 43rd overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 12, 2011. In the episode, the parks department employees become very...
". The two are stand-alone episodes not originally meant to run together, but because the third season premiered late, they had to be shown together so the series' season would conclude by the end of the television season. "Road Trip" marked the beginning of a romantic relationship between Leslie and Ben, which culminated a growing development between the two characters that began when Ben was first introduced at the end of 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...
.
The episode featured several appearances by recurring guest stars, including Jay Jackson as Perd Hapley, Kirk Fox
Kirk Fox
Kirk Fox is an American actor, screenwriter, and stand-up comedian.-Career:Fox has been acting in television and film since the early 1990s. In 2003 he received attention for his work with Pauly Shore as co-writer and co-star of the film Pauly Shore Is Dead, and in 2005 he wrote, co-produced, and...
as Joe and Mark Rivers, Andrew Burlinson and Alan Yang
Alan Yang
Alan Yang is an American screenwriter for the NBC sitcom, Parks and Recreation.-Career:His previous credits include the Carson Daly's Late Night Show and South Park. In 2009, he was named by Variety magazine as one of "10 Screenwriters to Watch". He currently has three screenplays in development,"...
as the members of Andy's band, Mouse Rat. "Road Trip" received generally positive reviews and, 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...
, was seen by an estimated 3.5 million household viewers, a drop from both "The Fight" and the previous original episode, "Eagleton
Eagleton (Parks and Recreation)
"Eagleton" is the twelfth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 42nd overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 5, 2011...
".
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...
) still harbors strong romantic feelings for 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....
) but cannot date him due to 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...
) strict policy against workplace dating. Just 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:...
(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...
) suggests to Leslie that she should avoid being alone with Ben, Chris asks Leslie and Ben to drive to 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...
to pitch Pawnee as the next host of the Indiana Little League Baseball tournament. Leslie and Ann devise numerous boring conversation topics for the trip to prevent it from becoming romantic. After an awkward drive to Indianapolis, Leslie and Ben speak before the little league commission, which seems reluctant to choose Pawnee for the tournament. Ben delivers a heartfelt speech about the town, but also appears to be secretly speaking about his feelings for Leslie.
The speech clearly impresses both the judges and Leslie, and Pawnee is ultimately selected for the tournament. Leslie reluctantly accepts Ben's invitation to a celebratory dinner that night, where Ben brings up his feelings for Leslie. She slips away to call Ann for advice, and she urges Leslie to act on her feelings. Just as Leslie decides to do so, she is surprised to find Chris has arrived at the dinner to congratulate the two personally. He insists they sleep at his home in Indianapolis, ruining their night. The next day, Leslie and Ben run into each other alone and Ben reveals Chris is out for the day. Ben then immediately kisses her, leaving Leslie simultaneously delighted and nervous about their future.
Meanwhile, 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....
) asks 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), 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...
) 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) to participate in a new game show called Know Ya Boo, that he is hoping to pitch to networks; he admits that it is a rip-off of The Newlywed Game
The Newlywed Game
The Newlywed Game is an American television game show that pits newly married couples against each other in a series of revealing question rounds to determine how well the spouses know each other. The program, originally created by Nick Nicholson and E. Roger Muir The Newlywed Game is an American...
. It quickly becomes clear that Jerry and Donna know much more about each other than the recently-married Andy and April. When April reveals her favorite band is Neutral Milk Hotel
Neutral Milk Hotel
Neutral Milk Hotel was an American indie rock band formed by singer, guitarist and songwriter Jeff Mangum in the early 1990s. The band was noted for its experimental sound, obscure lyrics and eclectic instrumentation....
and not Andy's band Mouse Rat, Andy angrily leaves the game and they later have a big fight which causes him to quit his music. April seeks advice from Ann because, although she dislikes her, Ann previously dated Andy for several years. Ann tells April she has to be supportive of Andy no matter how she feels. The next day, April brings the other members of Mouse Rat to city hall and surprises Andy by singing one of his songs. A thrilled Andy reconciles with April.
In a separate subplot, a young girl named Lauren (Alyssa Shafer) asks to interview 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:...
) for her school's field trip assignment to city hall. Ron initially resists, but soon espouses his libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
beliefs to her. He illustrates the concept of taxes by eating 40 percent of Lauren's lunch, to compare his actions to those of the government. She eagerly accepts his anti-government views. The next day, Lauren's furious mother reveals her daughter's assignment was "Why Government Matters", and that Lauren simply wrote "It doesn't". Ron apologizes, and later tells Lauren she should keep her views on government to herself until she gets older.
Production
"Road Trip" was written by Harris WittelsHarris Wittels
Harris Wittels is a comedian, writer and musician. He is best known as a writer for The Sarah Silverman Program, Parks and Recreation and as a recurring guest on Comedy Bang Bang.-Life and career:...
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...
. It was originally broadcast on May 12, 2011, and ran back-to-back with the Parks and Recreation episode "The Fight
The Fight (Parks and Recreation)
"The Fight" is the thirteenth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 43rd overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 12, 2011. In the episode, the parks department employees become very...
", which aired immediately before. The two are stand-alone episodes that were not originally designed to be shown together. However, because the show premiered late as a mid-season replacement in January, the two episodes aired together so 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...
could conclude at the end of the television season. "Road Trip" marks the first time Ben and Leslie kiss and the beginning of their romantic relationship, which culminated a developing relationship between the two characters that began when Ben was first introduced at the end of 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...
.
The episode featured several appearances by actors who had appeared in previous Parks episodes, including Jay Jackson as Pawnee reporter Perd Hapley and stand-up comedian Kirk Fox
Kirk Fox
Kirk Fox is an American actor, screenwriter, and stand-up comedian.-Career:Fox has been acting in television and film since the early 1990s. In 2003 he received attention for his work with Pauly Shore as co-writer and co-star of the film Pauly Shore Is Dead, and in 2005 he wrote, co-produced, and...
as sewage department employee Joe. Andy's band Mouse Rat, which has appeared in previous episodes starting with the first season
Parks and Recreation (season 1)
The first season of Parks and Recreation originally aired in the United States on the NBC television network between April 9 and May 14, 2009...
finale "Rock Show
Rock Show (Parks and Recreation)
"Rock Show" is the sixth episode and season finale of the first season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 14, 2009. It was written by Norm Hiscock and directed by Michael Schur...
", also appeared in "Andy and April's Fancy Party
Andy and April's Fancy Party
"Andy and April's Fancy Party" is the ninth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 39th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on April 14, 2011...
". Mark Rivers played the drums, Andrew Burlinson played guitar and Parks and Recreation screenwriter Alan Yang
Alan Yang
Alan Yang is an American screenwriter for the NBC sitcom, Parks and Recreation.-Career:His previous credits include the Carson Daly's Late Night Show and South Park. In 2009, he was named by Variety magazine as one of "10 Screenwriters to Watch". He currently has three screenplays in development,"...
played bass guitar. In "Road Trip", the band performs "The Pit", a song first featured in "Rock Show", which was about Andy falling into a construction pit and breaking his legs.
Cultural references
April reveals her favorite band is Neutral Milk Hotel after she responds that Jeff MangumJeff Mangum
Jeff Mangum is a musician best known for being the lyricist, vocalist and guitarist of the band Neutral Milk Hotel, as well as being one of the cofounders of The Elephant 6 Recording Company. Mangum, along with the other founding members of the Elephant 6, attended Ruston High School in the late...
, the band's vocalist and guitarist, is the rock star she was most attracted to. While going through Ann's wardrobe, Leslie finds the outfit Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts
Julia Fiona Roberts is an American actress. She became a Hollywood star after headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman , which grossed $464 million worldwide...
wears in the 1990 romantic comedy Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman is a 1990 romantic comedy film set in Los Angeles, California. Written by J.F. Lawton and directed by Garry Marshall, this motion picture features Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, and also Hector Elizondo, Ralph Bellamy, and Jason Alexander in supporting roles. Roberts played the only...
, in which she plays a prostitute; Ann claims to look really good in it. While explaining that everybody steals ideas from other people, Tom points out the 2003 comedy film Love Don't Cost a Thing
Love Don't Cost a Thing (film)
Love Don't Cost a Thing, stylized as Love Don't Co$t a Thing, is a 2003 teen comedy film written and directed by Troy Beyer and starring Nick Cannon and Christina Milian It also stars Steve Harvey, Kenan Thompson and Kal Penn...
is based on the 1987 comedy film Can't Buy Me Love
Can't Buy Me Love (film)
Can't Buy Me Love is a 1987 teen comedy feature film starring Patrick Dempsey and Amanda Peterson in a story about a nerd at a high school in Tucson, Arizona who gives a cheerleader $1,000 to pretend to be his girlfriend for a month. The film was directed by Steve Rash.-Plot:Ronald Miller is a...
. He then falsely claims that film was based on the 1979 drama film Kramer vs. Kramer
Kramer vs. Kramer
Kramer vs. Kramer is a 1979 American drama film adapted by Robert Benton from the novel by Avery Corman, and directed by Benton. The film tells the story of a married couple's divorce and its impact on everyone involved, including the couple's young son...
, which he incorrectly believes was written by the English poet and playwright William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
. One of the boring conversation topics Leslie brings up to reduce the sexual tension with Ben is the dormitory buildings at John Hopkins University, a university in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. While hosting his fake game show, Tom plays the theme music through his iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
, a smartphone produced by Apple Inc.
Ratings
While "The Fight" aired in the show's regular 9:30 p.m. timeslot, "Road Trip" immediately followed it at 10 p.m. In its original American broadcast, "Road Trip" was seen by an estimated 3.5 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 2.4 rating/6 share among viewers between ages 18 and 49. A rating point represents one percent of the total number of television sets in American households, and a share means the percentage of television sets in use tuned to the program. This rating constituted a drop from "The Fight" before it, which was seen by an estimated 4.55 million households. The viewership for both was lower than that of the previous episode, "Eagleton
Eagleton (Parks and Recreation)
"Eagleton" is the twelfth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation, and the 42nd overall episode of the series. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 5, 2011...
", which was seen by an estimated 5.06 million household viewers. In its 10 p.m. timeslot, "Road Trip" was outperformed by 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 The Mentalist
The Mentalist
The Mentalist is an American police procedural television series which debuted on September 23, 2008, on CBS. The show was created by Bruno Heller, who is also the show's executive producer...
, which was seen by 14.07 million households, and 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 series Private Practice, which was seen by 7.27 million household viewers.
Reviews
"Road Trip" received generally positive reviews. Alan Sepinwall of HitFix said the episode was a good payoff to the romance between Leslie and Ben all season, a story arc he initially had problems with. Sepinwall also called the Ron Swanson subplot "simply fantastic in both concept and execution". Scott Meslow of The Atlantic called "Road Trip" a very funny episode and strong pay-off to the romance between Leslie and Ben that had been building all season. Joel Keller of TV Squad said the Know Ya Boo story felt simply like an excuse to include Andy and April in the show, but that Ron's subplot with the little girl was "classic Ron Swanson". Eric Sundermann of Hollywood.com said the plot felt "admittedly, a little more sitcom-y than I like" but was very funny and progressed the Leslie and Ben story arc without letting the show "jump the sharkJumping the shark
Jumping the shark is an idiom used to describe the moment in the evolution of a television show when it begins a decline in quality that is beyond recovery....
".
Zap2it
Zap2it
Zap2it is an American website and affiliate network that provides news, photos and video, local TV listings and movie showtimes. The site is produced by Tribune Media Services , part of the publishing division of the Chicago-based Tribune Company...
writer Rick Porter said he was glad to see Ben and Leslie come together the way they did, particularly because he feared the no-dating rule would become an "artificial barrier" that dragged out the romance subplot. Porter also praised Rob Lowe's performance, and said it made the character likeable even as he kept Leslie and Ben apart. 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 it a "stellar" episode that was "loose, silly, rich with details and heart". While he said the episode included good "outrageous comedy", he said the script strives on the more subtle scenes about Leslie and Ben coming together, along with Chris' constant interruptions. Nick McHatton of TV Fanatic was underwhelmed by the Know Ya Boo story, but strongly praised Leslie and Ben's scenes, which he said were both touching and very funny. He particularly praised the way scene when Ben describes his feelings for Leslie through his description to the baseball tournament panel about why he loves Pawnee.
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 praised the episode, and said the kiss between Leslie and Ben was emotionally effective. He said Chris' obliviousness to the sexual tension between Leslie and Ben seemed unusual, but wrote, "Maybe this is just another case of a show hitting so many perfect notes that the slightest deviation seems off-key." 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...
said "Road Trip" was less funny than "The Fight", and that the Know Ya Boo subplot "fizzled a bit". But he called it a "sweet episode" for its developments with Leslie and Ben, and said Ron and Chris were especially funny in their scenes. Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
writer Hillary Busis said "Road Trip" was "pretty great" but less funny than the previous episode, "The Fight". She praised the Ron subplot, but said Tom's game show was "much more predictable and rote".
External links
- "Road Trip" at the official Parks and Recreation site