Ready for Anything: Parks & Recreation "One Last Ride" series finale

The series finale of Parks and Recreation aired tonight after seven seasons on the air, and it left us thinking of what happens next.

"One Last Ride" had the group performing one last task together before moving on to their next adventure. Their task was to fix a swing at a park. As Leslie gets everyone one by one to talk and get the job done, she touches and hugs everyone, and we see the future for them.

Donna Will be living in Seattle with her husband. She's working in the retail market and has a perfect life.

April and Andy: Living in DC, they finally grow up and become parents of a baby boy, Jack.

Tom: Invest his restaurant to go public and fail, but he cashes in that failure and becomes a superstar with his book.

Ron: Resigns from his business and asks for help from Leslie to help him find something to do. He becomes that Pawnee National Park Ranger.

Garry: Becomes mayor of Pawnee so many times, he lives to be 100 in 2045. He may have aged, but his wife still looks hot.

When it comes to Ben and Leslie, we see them as the super couple they are; when they're at a party at Joe Biden's place, Jan asks Ben to run for Governor of Indiana, and someone also asks Leslie to. When they confront each other, they make a pros and cons list but decide to go and ask the group when they go to Pawnee.

As we see Ben and Leslie go into the Park's office, everyone is there, including Ann and Chris (tissue time). After each and everyone catches up, Leslie tells Ben that they should flip a coin, and whoever wins gets to run for Governor. When Leslie was about to speak, Ben announced that she was running for Governor and mentioned every reason why.

Later on, in 2035, Leslie was given a speech at Indiana University, where she was rewarded an honoree doctorate and also won a second term. Leslie's speech is about a great team she had throughout her career, and that's what makes life possible.

But at one point when Garry died, Ben and Leslie had a group of security that asked: has she become President of the United States?

When we get back to 2017, Leslie is having second thoughts, but Ben tells her that everything will be good. We get one last time with the group when Garry takes a photo. Everyone from April to Tom and Ron complains about the waiting. But when we see Leslie, she looks on and looks ready for anything. Finally, Leslie got what she wanted: to have the group together one last time.

This series finale was magnificent, giving us characters closer and an idea of what we think happens to them in the future. It's like what we got for the "Friends" series finale with what we believe happens with everyone.

There were many scenes that you couldn't help but laugh and cry simultaneously.

This whole season was, I believe, the best season throughout the series. Each episode was solid and tight, with the story arc of Grizzel and the rest of the episodes having everyone on a swan song ride along.

No holding back the tears, it was emotional. I loved the video montage of the fun times everyone had, the video of everyone hugging at the end of shooting, and finally, the honor message of "We Love You, Harris" -The Parks Crew for Harris Wittles, a producer and writer who passed away last week.

The series finale of Parks and Recreation was, as Chris would say, literally the best finale that I've seen.

What did you think of the series finale of Parks and Recreation? Was it satisfying?

The End of an Era: Parks & Recreation

Tonight's an end of an era in television, as tonight's the series finale of Parks and Recreation. For seven or six seasons, the show has been "literally" the best comedy series ever. If you watch how much this cast does playing their characters, it's mind blowing.

I remember when I fist watched Parks and Rec. It was April of 2009, the week before ER had just ended it's 15 season run and two new shows would be airing next week.

I was looking forward to see Amy Poehler in the new show. I've loved her since she was on Saturday Night Live, Baby Mama and not to mention Mean Girls as well.

After the pilot, I was hooked. I would agree if there was a choice between the pilot and the second season premiere episode, I would go with the second season because you would have a quick understanding of who everyone else is and the humor is just spot on. The writers really found the characters in the second season and after that, I sat back and enjoyed every second of the show.

Poehler might be the driving force of the show but it's really her and the ensemble cast. Nick Offerman, Chris Pratt, Rashida Jones, Adam Scott, Rob Lowe and many more. This cast lives off on one another. Each and everyone gives their best. It's like Cheers or Friends.

Who doesn't want to be friends and hang with Leslie Knope or Ann Perkins? Who doesn't want to go out and Treat Yo Self with Donna and Tom? Who doesn't want to learn the meaning of government or life from Ron Swanson? Who doesn't want to talk nerd/sports with Ben or go out running and eating organic foods with Chris? Have a play date with April and Andy and yell at Jerry/Larry/Barry/Garry? I want to do all that!

I will mention that during it's run, I was just starting community college and this show helped me calm down during finals when my stress levels were at an all time high.

So as the time draws closer and closer to when we have to say goodbye to the driving workforce of the Pawnee, Indiana's Parks Department. I just want to throw a Top 10 list of my favorite Parks & Rec episodes. I literally don't think there's a top ten list for this show, each episode throughout it's run have been amazingly outstanding.

Top 10:

10 Pilot, Season One
9. The Fight, Season Two
8. Citizen Knope, Season Four
7.Ron and Tammy, Season Two
6. Lil Sebastian, Season Three
5. The Stakeout, Season Two
4. Flu Season, Season Three
3. Pawnee Zoo, Season Two
2. Leslie and Ron, Season Seven
1. Leslie and Ben, Season Five



It's going to be hard to say goodbye but when you're on top you should end on top. And I'm just saying this as a fan, for tonight's series finale, I'm serving waffles, with extra whipped cream and lots and lots of bacon. There's no proper way to say goodbye without having the #1 meal of the day that you can have any time of the day, breakfast.

This Week's Catch Up

I thought I would write up a quick recaps of the shows that I haven't written up yet. I thought I would take this time to write it up in a post called Catching Up. There are times when writing up a recap or so doesn't get done til the next day or so. So with my busy schedule going on, I think that I might be doing this for the weekend, even though this is Monday. Don't worry there's a lot more shows that I'm still catching up on. 

The Blacklist
"The Kenyon Family"

I consider this episode to be The Blacklist meets the Children of the Corn meets Waco type. When a polygamous cult leader disappears, Red has Liz and the FBI looking for them as bombings have been placed and set in vans, When they found out that kids are involved here, they never image what the outcome might be.

When Liz and Ressler found one kid alive in a place where there were dead bodies everywhere, they take her into their protection. When they head out they get stopped and run off the road. Ressler is trapped in his seat, one officer is out while Liz goes out and looks for help but when she comes back the officer is hurt badly and Ressler and the kid is gone. But not long that Liz is also taken too.

Liz founds herself tied up with a bunch of kids looking at her. The leader is in the other room talking to the polygamous that Liz has been looking for but we see later that he's been dead for quite some time with sticks in his eyes and mouth. When Liz ask to see Ressler, they bring him out and with a few minutes Liz breaks free and gets the others to freeze but soon a kid in a van not far had the other bomb but is killed by a gun shot.

In the meantime, Red is looking for the safe that Alan had told him about in the fall finale. He goes to his little friend for help locating the place. He did and got on Red's nerve on coming along and he did. They search one room and it turned out to be the wrong floor and room.

I do enjoy watching this guy get on Red's nerve. And when things cooled down from the FBI at the place where the killings happen, Red gotten in and found a secret basement, went in and found a 1960's presidential car. He soon starts it and find files and other things. He did goes back to the car and calls a number with a mysterious person answering it.  And the question: "Who the hell are you?"

This week's episode will be one of the most creepiest Blacklister so far. With the name Deer Hunter, but what would be the creepiest isn't the name but what this person does. Also the man who lied to Liz has returned, the man we hate or love, right?

You can catch The Blacklist Thursday nights at 9/8c on NBC.

The Mysteries of Laura

"The Mystery of the Alluring Au Pair"

When a woman is found dead i a park, Laura and the gang investigate and turns up that the victim was more than what they had imagine. The team search's the victim's past and found out that she was a sitter for a woman that later turned into a missing person when the victim was watching a child. Turns out that the father took the kid, due to he was upset that he didn't have any parental rights to see his kid more often but he didn't kill the victim.

As they investigate more, they found that the victim was more than what she was, turned out that she was part of a top dollar dating service. When they busted a suspect, the last person to has dated the victim, turned out not to be the person that killed her but it was the guy who gave the victim a work visa.

Meanwhile, the gang was being reviewed for miss leading relationship between two high power officers, or I'll just say after the act between Laura and Jack. The person to do the interview, everyone thought it was a dude but it was a lady name Frankie (played by Meg Chambers Steedle from Boardwalk Empire).

One of the hilarious scenes when she goes around and talks to each member of the gang one by one and tries to get them to talk. Max and Billy blew it, Meredith gave away that she's a bit jealous of how Laura gets the good cases and well, Laura tries to play her by kissing her boyfriend in-front of them.

In the end, we learn a bit about Frankie, lost her husband and is trying to find a new adventure, and that she's going to join the team since they have been under staff for a long time.

This episode was pretty good. The case may not be all that but it was surely fun to see everyone get questioned by Frankie about Jake and Laura.

This week's episode of Mysteries of Laura will have a blast from the past when Eric McCormick stops by and is trouble.

You can catch Mysteries of Laura Wednesday nights at 8/7c on NBC

Odd Couple
"Pilot"

Probably one of the funniest new shows on television this season. Who know that Matthew Perry and Thomas Lennon have a good chemistry.

Two different characters, one's clean while the other is dirty. Felix just got kicked out from his wife and is filed for divorce, while Oscar is living his life, trying to forget his last relationship and hitting on women.
The pilot was very funny, and had lots of humorist jokes about each other. I feel that Perry's characters on television is probably always going to be a sports broadcaster (thinking about him in Go On).

One of the funnest scenes was when Oscar grabs Felix out and tells him about the notes on his sports ticker and informs him about how much he hates it. Also that it took him two days that the two letters "F.U." stood for Felix Unger.

I'm interested in turning in to see where this series is going. I only say the first film and never seen the second or the Broadway show.

You can catch The Odd Couple Thursdays at 8:30/7:30pm on CBS.

The Jack & Triumph Show
"Triumph Comes Home"

It's funny and yet it's awkward. I grew up watching Triumph the insult Comic Dog on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Jack McBrayer on 30 Rock. I never knew that these two use to work together on Late Night til later on. Now these two have their own sitcom, if you will, and it's one hell of a show.


The show is about Jack and Triumph, who were on a hit 80's or 90's TV show "Triumph's Boy" and when the show got cancelled, both of them faced a a spiral downhill career. And when Jack's TV mother June, played by June Squibb, takes him in to live in her house, she takes Triumph far, far away so he wouldn't be part of Jack's new life.

Years later and many, many nose sniffing to get back, Triumph comes back and brings Michael Winslow along. One of many best scenes was when June and Triumph insult one of another.  When Winslow makes a move on June, her stuff was gone.

So Jack and Triumph tries to make enough money to pay Winslow to get June's stuff back and they decided to sell autographs and stuff at comic con. In that old fashion style, Triumph goes his way insulting others while trying to get people to come to them. And well, he goes his way to getting people with signs that have Jack licking someone's hand, putting stuff on an autograph photo and the best part having someone being his mommy by wearing a rubber breast on his chest and have Jack nip it.

I couldn't stop laughing, there were so many insult jokes that there needed to be time to catch my own breath. I've never watched anything on Adult Swim but now that this show is on, I might have to. Even if there's awkward stuff in the show and breaks the fourth wall many times, its still hilarious.

You can catch The Jack and Triumph Show Friday nights at 11:30/10:30pm on Adult Swim.

Thoughts on:

Elementary: "When Your Number's Up"

I love Sherlock Holmes from books to film series and even television series as well. I enjoy the series Elementary a lot but it's not like the other series Sherlock which has a lot of character depth in my book. I caught this week's episode and even thought I haven't watched the series like a regular, I still how this version "solves" crime and his relationship with his partner Watson. 

I do hope that these two do not get involved in a relationship lie Bones ad Booth or Scully and Mulder. That would kind of ruin the whole Sherlock-Watson dynamic. But all in all, I enjoy the series much and I'm always trying to catch up when I have time for it. Heck it's pilling up on my DVR and most of the time, it gets deleted from someone else.

Elementary is on Thursdays at 10/9c on CBS.

Allegiance:

It's probably one of the most dramatic series I've seen and yet people compare it to The Americans meets Parenthood. Allegiance is about when a newbie FBI agent, smart enough to solve anything, but one problem, he doesn't know that his mom, dad and sister are Russian KGB spies. Well, they're former spies until now. Things gets out of hand, mom and dad don't want to work for their former country anymore. 

There's dramatic suspense in both the family side and work side. 

This past week's episode I couldn't breath at all. Even though the CIA is in the hunt for the laptop that has files of important information. The parents work til the sound of the door being open to get the files and sneak out of the place. 

The mother is dying to tell his son the truth about them and it seems that they will tell him this week. 

Allegiance is on Thursdays at 10/9c on NBC.  

State of Affairs: "Deadcheck" season finale

If you haven't seen State of Affairs, it one of the best new series on television. This season has been nothing but amazing. Amazing in a way that it doesn't disappoint and keeps you on the edge of your seat. 

Yeah there might be a lot of shows like this but it's one that I can watch and don't have to wait til the DVD comes out. 

Last week's season finale, was everything that they said it was going to be. When things didn't go the way they hopped, Charlie decided to take things into her own hands and well to go out in the field and killed the man that played them the whole time. 

Well, things get intense for both Charlie, her team and the fabulous Alfre Woodard as the President of the United States, as they are trying to take the terrorist. 

When Charlie gets there, she goes full blast shooting and all. When she was talking to the terrorist, the President meets with a man, played by Adam Arkin, who threatens the her and propose a situation. With minutes later as Charlie killed the terrorist, she tries to call the President but no answer. Soon jets are heard and she turns and sees airstrikes about to hit, leaving us with a cliffhanger. 

It was so good that I hope there's a season two but I don't think that's going to happen.

   

Clock-In to The Night Shift

It was last summer's number-one new drama on television. The Night Shift season premiere is tonight after The Voice on NBC, and if you haven't seen the series, it's one that you surely can't miss.

The series follows the lives of the staff of doctors and nurses who work the late night shift at the San Antonio Medical Center. It stars Eoin Macken as Dr. TC Callahan, a war veteran who has PTSD. Think of him as a young, wilder version of Dr. Doug Ross. He's in and off relationship with Dr. Jordan Alexander, played by former Royal Pains star Jill Flint, is his supervising boss of the whole ER department.


It also stars Ken Leung (Rush Hour), Brendan Fehr (Bones), Freddy Rodriguez (Six Feet Under), and Scott Wolf (Party of Five). So it's got a great ensemble cast with complex characters.

The series is the best medical drama on television since ER, House, and Royal Pains. There's not a medical drama that deals with medical cases.

With these stories and characters, the show's pace makes it really life and death.

So, if you haven't heard of The Night Shift, you should check in and see how different the show is from the rest of these soap medical dramas that are on right now.

You can catch the season premiere of The Night Shift tonight at 10/9c on NBC.

Change Can Be Good...Sometimes: Chicago PD "What Do You Do"

This episode wasn't so disappointing at all. In fact, I believe that it was one of it's best episodes yet with the fact that it was about one character, Burgess. Since that fall finale ending of getting shot, it's time that we see her face some changes in her life as well. 

With her typical day of going to a local dinner, eating the same breakfast as always. One costumer talks to her and guesses currently about the price of her meal. I'd be like freaking out and leaving if someone did that to me. 

Anyway, it comes to mind that Burgess is a bit predictable, and soon when she's with Roman on the beat, they make a stop at the local grocery store and sees two guys walking into a building. Burgess tells Roman and goes over to investigate it. 

Roman talks her down, by telling her that they need to call it in. She doesn't, just wants to check it out. When she bangs on the door, gunshots were heard and when the door open the person that came out was the one who got shot and well hell breaks loose for the two officers. 

Roman gets a gun to the head as Burgess tries to save the guy, but he dies anyway from the shooter. As things get heated up, Roman takes the bold move and attacks the shooter and they both go in the building with Burgess lockout and makes a run to find another way in just before she hears gunshots.

As Burgess finds a way in, she tries to find something to use a weapon, looks for her partner and sees that both men and more are down. She tends to Roman who has a head injury and soon as she tries to stop the bleeding, the shooter slowly gets up and tries to grab one of the officer's gun. Burgess fights like hell but lost and later, the shooter gets shot by someone that was already shot. 

Burgess, stunned, talks to the other shooter and tells him that she wants to help her partner. She goes but things soon turn bad later on. As Burgess talks to the guy, Roman makes another bold move and tries to grab the metal pipe but fails. Then comes the shooter's partners walking in as Burgess tries taking Roman out. 

The shooter then needs help as he couldn't breathe, his cousin runs to the store to get some supplies. As that went down, the shooter talks and saying the other guy's name, which he was pissed off because he doesn't want his named heard in front of the cops. 

Later, as Burgess helped the shooter, his partner then shoots him and his cousin because of saying his name. Things get suspenseful later as Burgess and Roman try to escape. They go up the stairs and Roman yells at Burgess to go out the window to get help. What we thought she left to get help, didn't turn out like that. 

As soon as the shooter walks up the stairs and see Roman on the ground, he's about to take a shot when Burgess jumps him and fights like hell, Roman tries to move to help, slides down the stairs to grab the gun while the shooter and Roman both had it, Burgess stabs the guy in the neck with a piece of glass. 

Now, you would think that after facing like four people that it would be over. As they walk down the stairs, two other people get out of the van and starts shooting. It was like a video game movie, when you think that you got them all and all of the sudden, there's more. That was exciting and thrilling.

As all this was going down, the unit was in some deep teaser training, while Voight and Al have a nice lunch talking about Justin and other things. It was probably one of the most humorist parts in the episode as Adam was trying to hurry up the lesson, because he was trying to get a hold of Burgess. Then Halstead's turn was when Erin takes it and I think we kind of know where she put that stun gun at. 

Everyone else that we know got teased. Later, Adam starts worrying about Burgess. Not returning her calls and such. He talks to Platt about it and later on he tells Voight about checking up on her and Roman since they haven't returned or responded. They all go and just in time, they take out the other two guys. 

Apparently Burgess and Roman took down one of the biggest drug bust in Chicago. Everyone was very proud of how she handled everything. Well, maybe not Burgess as she was in the locker room and Adam comes in and soon she just lets everything go and cries it out.     

As I said before this is one of the best episodes that centered one character. Burgess has been through a lot within the last couple of months, and with this episode I think it just makes her more stronger and probably something might come off on this later on. Who knows? But maybe for Burgess, that change can be good sometimes in life.

You can catch Chicago PD Wednesday nights at 10/9c on NBC.

Mean Cheif Chicago Fire "Headlong Towards Disaster"

While Bowden takes sometime to be with his family and taking care of his father's things, tensions rise in the firehouse with a replace chief and a fill in squad member too.

First off, the new fire chief at first seemed to be a nice guy until when who else Welch comes in the house and told that the's filling in for Squad. Casey, Dawson and Severide talk to the chief about Welch but he response that they'll have to get over the bad blood that happen.

Other members didn't seem to like that he was there too. Acting a bit tough but from what Welch was looking and acting that the's just trying to help out and get the job done without any tensions.

Things take another turn with the Chief when a call from a bowling alley of a guy stuck inside the pin machine. Casey and Severide looks at the situation, the others go behind with Capp going in to look at the victim close and for Mils to check him too.

With nothing everything taking too much time, Severide asks for the saw and the victim is free. As soon as everyone is done, Otis walks on the line and not the sideline and falls off. The chief laughs his head off, talking to him like a little baby. After that the chief keeps making fun of him and calling him gutter-ball.

He keeps calling him that throughout the episode, really pissing Otis off to the limit that I don't think we've never seen before.

In the meantime, Casey is got some action with the lady that he met at the party last week. It was later that him and Severide were walking out and he sees her there in the hallway, it turns out that she was waiting for her ex-husband which was the new chief. Big red flag there I would say.

Casey is freaking out about it, scared that he being with her might risk his career. On that Welch did see them kiss but he doesn't tell the chief, I don't think, but tells Dawson about it, as he's trying to make peace with her and the others. He tells her that Casey needs to watch it.

Bowden tires parenthood for the first time that we know and he's kind of needs a bit of help who has experience with a lot of kids, Herrmann. Herrmann tells him what's happening and he freaks out just a bit. But he keeps his cool and later on he watches his boy sleep and his wife comes in. He tells her that he doesn't want to hear about what's going on at the firehouse or his father's fiance but wants to stay here and be with her and their son.

Tensions rose high after a fire, when Otis almost could have bitten the bucket there. The new chief makes fun of him again and Casey tells him to cool it and not to talk to his guys like that. That kind of send hi in a mood, he brings both Casey and Severide in his office and tells them to get their men and wash the windows, so they can learn respect.

The new chief sure has a mean side to him. I didn't like Welch coming in but I'm kind of thinking that he might be turning a new leaf now. I think he's trying to help Casey not get in trouble. I loved and miss Casey and Severide together as buds, talking about his love life and smoking a cigar while washing windows.
Those two remind me of Dr. Greene and Dr. Ross from ER.

Britt has become the good angel in this episode, with the girl that was high and had a metal bar in her side, came by to talk with her and hang a bit. She told Britt that she had a guitar but lost it. Her mom won't buy a new one because she works two jobs and she thinks that her daughter needs to take responsibility. So Britt see a guitar shop and buys one for her but mom told her no and stay way from her. So later, Britt told the girl that she can come here and play with it whenever she wants.

Next week Chicago Fire won't be on, due to the series finale of Parks and Recreation, which I recommend tuning in.


You can catch Chicago Fire Tuesday nights at 10/9c on NBC.

Parks & Recreation "The Johnny Karate Super Awesome Musical Explosion Show" & Two Funerals"

In probably one of the best episodes ever, we come to see the end of the Johnny Karate Super Awesome Musical Show. It was like watching a real Saturday morning cartoon/kiddie show like Barney or Sesame Street

Each cast member, expect for Tom, was there and then as soon as Leslie got on, they started to give a farewell to Johnny. His final show began with a hunt a hunt that drives him through every friend on the show until he found it or John Cena came out with his guitar. He even got an honorably police badge from the Pawnee Police.

While Johnny Karate was on the hunt, there were tributes to him from his friends. You can see April not looking happy at all, but getting a bit upset that they have to leave what he loves doing, even if it's really stupid and bad.

And as the show was getting done, he talked to his kiddie audience of what they got done on their check out list and the last one was to be kind to someone and that was when April left the studio. Andy went out there and talked to her about how it's about her and he'll find something else there in DC to do. The camera caught all the too.

I couldn't help to tear up with that scene. Also a music tribute too was very good too.

The last regular episode dealt with two deaths, which was the mayor of Pawnee and Ron's barber. All of which, felt emotional for his barber than the mayor.

In the meantime, Tom just got back with Lucy but she went to see family and friends in Philly. Soon after watching a taped video of the mayor, Leslie told Tom that he should propose to her when she gets back and they were off on the hunt to make the Tom's action-packed proposal video.

They did like a James Bond theme with stunts and all. Damage was done but Leslie argued that they knew what was going to happen.

Also there was a hunt for a new Mayor, Ben, April ad Garry interviewed everyone about if they would take the Mayor position for the next couple of months. Each and everyone turned to be not good (one of them being Paul Rudd) until April had an idea of Ben taking the position. Ben was close but then asked Garry to take it and he did.

Ron did find his new barber or should I say stylist thanks to Donna. Best part is that they were talking to each other, which Ron doesn't do.

As soon as Lucy is seen, Tom decides not to do what  Leslie and him have planned but instead did it the way that Tom wanted it, by doing a magic trick. Of course, she pulls a card out and it asked if she would marry him. She says yes and its a celebration.

The other celebration came the next day with Garry being the new mayor of Pawnee. That doesn't sound right at all doesn't it? Beautiful ceremony and a hot air balloon ride.

I can hardly believe that these are the last two regular episodes of Parks and Recreation. The first episode was a teary one and the second was just hilarious. I can't believe that next Tuesday is the finale.

You can catch the series finale of Parks & Recreation Next Tuesday at 10/9c after the two night season premiere of The Voice.