April interrupts Leslie’s plans to be “Gov Buds for Life” and Ben makes one last desperate attempt to convince people calzones are great. Check out our recap and share your thoughts on Parks and Rec episodes 8 and 9: “Ms. Ludgate-Dwyer Goes to Washington” and “Pie-Mary.”

‘Parks and Rec,’ ‘Ms. Ludgate-Dwyer Goes to Washington’ recap

Parks and Rec season 7 has felt like an Oprah style emotional catharsis giveaway among its main characters at times and I mean that in the best possible way. On “Ms. Ludgate-Dwyer Goes to Washington,” it’s Leslie and April’s turn to step into the vaunted Michael Schur Chamber of Feels (TM). But first, there’s that matter of going to Washington.

Leslie goes to Washington to drum up support for her Newport land park project. She brings April along because young Ms. Ludgate-Dwyer is destined to be her “Gov Bud for Life.” Yes, Leslie made them t-shirts and yes, Leslie also made April a massive five-year plan to go far in federal government. The only problem is that April doesn’t want to work in government any longer.

In fact, back in Pawnee, Ben, Ron and Andy have taken it upon themselves to find her a job. All they know is that she likes being creative and bossing people around. When it becomes clear that April won’t be fulfilled at Ron’s company (with Ron’s surprise three brothers), Ben decides to look into the accounting firm Tilton and Radomski that he has come close to working at so many times. They find April’s lack of education or any relevant accounting experience troubling but Ben is able to convince them to give her a shot through his natural charm and awful accounting puns.

Too bad April has already decided on her new job back in Washington. She finally reveals to Leslie that she wants to leave the public sector. Leslie naturally has a giant freak out but a nice talk over waffles with Madeline Albright reminds Leslie that she needs to let the people in her life grow on their own. Madeline Albright is just one of many senatorial cameos in the episodes. From Barbara Boxer to John McCain to Cory Booker and Orrin Hatch’s Polynesian folk music band, “Across the Aisle,” Parks always goes big when they get to film in Washington.

Anyway, in her reluctance to let Leslie in, April must have forgot just how an amazing an asset Leslie is. After April finally tells her mentor she loves her, Leslie has her off to the American Service Foundation to find the right job for her. It turns out that the American Service Foundation IS the right job for April. She’ll get to tell people what to do and then never see them again. Win-win.

The American Service Foundation is an unexpected choice for April’s eventual career but Amy Poehler and Aubrey Plaza dod a good job of selling April’s sincerity for the position. And another half hour of Parks and Rec ends happily for everyone except Barney at Tilton and Radomski.

‘Parks and Rec,’ ‘Pie-Mary’ recap

Ben and Leslie meet with a poncho-wearing Jen Barkley to discuss his campaign (every inch of Leslie and Ben’s house is sticky, you see). They had a whole host of responsibilities and appearances to prioritize and Leslie decides not to participate in the “Pie-Mary” the event where candidate’s wives engage in a pie-making contest. Big mistake.

Pawnee-ans are prone to overreact to every possible move from their public figures and this is no different. Eagleton talking head Mike Patterson of “No, You’re Wrong with Mike Patterson” fame confronts Leslie with statements like “Leslie, you’ve made it pretty clear you don’t care about homemakers” and “She’s saying women who love their families are stupid.”

Begrudgingly, Leslie and Ben decide to follow Jen’s advice and apologize then just suck it up and bake the stupid pie. Of course that in turn makes Pawnee’s women’s organization (the same one that once named Ron Swanson “Woman of the Year”) upset. They liked the idea of Leslie declining to participate in such an antiquated and misogynist tradition and don’t want want her to back down. Leslie helpfully argues that she’s okay with losing a battle to win the war, but no Pawnee extremists see it that way.

Ben thinks he has a great idea that can solve all their problems and also force his love of calzones down an unwilling populace’s throats yet again. After all, a pie is just some dough with meats or veggies in it…much like a calzone. BEN. CALZONES ARE LAME. MOVE ON. It seems like a good idea in theory but he can’t account for Pawnee’s Men’s Rights Activists (Oh my God, of course Pawnee has Men’s Rights Activists) protesting against him and Leslie for…having a happy marriage? Who knows. Ugh, these Pawnee-ans.

The episode writes itself into a bit of a corner here where the only thing that can get it out is an uncommonly good Leslie and Ben speech. And that’s just what they deliver. Realistically, they get about 50/50 boos to cheers ratio but that’s far better than they could have expected. Also, Amy Poehler gets to say “Male-Men. You’re ridiculous and Men’s Rights is nothing.”

“Pie-Mary” then tops “Ms. Ludgate-Dwyer Goes to Washington’s” emotional catharsis with a double-dose of its own. Both Ron and April and Garry and Donna get their “I can’t believe the series is over and I’m going to miss you so much moments.” April and Ron’s comes when April tells Ron she’s going to be leaving for Washington, D.C. soon. Ron responds in as emotional way as he can: by asking for his house key back. April tries to find it but Past April hid it from her future self for the lulz. She thinks Ron is going to be furious but on the contrary he’s ecstatic to join in one last scavenger hunt – this one potentially impossible.

Just as they’ve given up all hope April remembers where she hid it: under a strong, sturdy tree that reminds her of Ron. D’aww.

Donna and Garry reminisce about the good old days when Garry loses his wedding ring and key down a storm drain. The morning after Donna bribes the maintenance guys to retrieve everything Garry has lost down there. D’aww.

All in all it’s another strong hour for Parks and Rec‘s final season. Only two more remain!