In season four's penultimate episode the loyal Knope2012 team is forced to use its final days of campaigning to overcome no small number of unforeseen obstacles, including but not limited to a broken bus rental agreement, Chris' lady troubles, a would-be pie assassin (don't worry, Burt Macklin was on the case), and of course, death. And at the end of the day, Leslie and company find themselves about as certain as the rest of us as to whether she will emerge the victor in next week's finale, "Win Lose or Draw."
Though Leslie makes up for some of her (colossal) missteps by the episode's end, mostly due to Bobby Newport's naivete, there is still a lingering feeling of doubt in many viewers' minds. I've found myself thinking of this election the same way I would any non-fiction one, wondering if Leslie has succeeded as a politician, and if her earnestness and candor will be enough to overcome the inherent corruption of politics, even local (and fictional) politics. I also can't wait to see how this will be handled from a writing standpoint. As we've all surely read by now, Mike Schur has been quoted on multiple occasions as saying that they've shot three different endings to next Thursday's finale, as per the title: a victory, a loss, and a draw. And what's more, his statement of only a few weeks ago warned us of his own uncertainty, and the possibility of a last-minute game change. I'm hoping there will be a healthy dose of suspense in next week's episode, ideally even some kind of fake-out or last minute twist, because if I have to go to sleep that night heartbroken on Leslie's behalf, I want to at least feel like the journey was worth it.
Some of the other things going on in the midst of Leslie's scramble to get back on Bobby Newport and the press's good side must be applauded, namely Andy's latest (and most hilarious) turn as Burt Macklin, erstwhile FBI agent. His investigation of the pie incident, the reenactments of the crime (assisted by Jerry, naturally), and the code names he assigns--all of it is just about perfection, and a welcome lighter contrast to the semi-seriousness of Leslie's plot in this episode. Chris Pratt has proven once again that he is a performer not to be taken lightly by any means, and that he ought to be a serious contender for some of this year's comedy accolades.
Also, Leslie's cold open, envisioning Obama at her swearing in? Absolute perfection.
Basically, there's no way next week's finale could really disappoint me, or fail to bring this just about perfect season to a close. In fact, I'm pretty damn certain it will prove more satisfying than any of us are anticipating. Just think, in four days' time the results will be in, and we'll be all set for three months of television nowhere near the standard that has been set by Parks and Recreation this season.
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