"Where's all the faces?"

Ben Wyatt, stop breaking my heart.

Both Community and Parks & Recreation showed spectacular episodes last night, but we're going to start with Parks & Rec for the arbitrary reason that I had a dream last night that Leslie Knope kidnapped me and took me to a party where Britta was trying to make out with me but only so she could impress Jeff. It was a weird dream.

A few times every season in both Community and Parks & Rec, there will be an episode that is still hilarious, yes, but that also transcends hilarity to bring real emotional depth to the characters and serves to draw the audience deeper into the story purely on the basis of the connection the characters are making. "End Of The World" was one of those episodes.

Let's look at Tom first. His business with Jean-Ralphio has officially failed, but he decides to throw the party of his dreams and go out with a true bang. What was incredible about this storyline is that it showed how talented Tom really is at this, given the resources. That really did look like an amazing party (shuttles home with free valet service? Every party should have that.), and I think that anyone awesome would agree. Magically (because Jean-Ralphio was trying to hit that), Tom's ex Lucy shows up and they reconnect. That moment at the end where he's expressing his uncertainty about his future and then she kisses him and then...it was a brilliant moment of acting from Aziz Ansari. A little sad but sweet, hopeful, and still very Tom Haverford. Sigh.

April and Andy crossing things off of Andy's bucket list was reliably funny (Andy's face lighting up when he thinks of nickels) and then became incredible romantic and touching when they drive all the way to the Grand Canyon and share a moment of awe (also of awwwwww)(sorry, couldn't resist). We've known that these two are perfect together for a while now, but moments like these reaffirm the audience's feeling that they really will grow old together. They accept each other so completely and have one of the best and most stable relationships in the history of television, hands down.

Ok, now on to Leslie and Ben. I really might start crying here, so bear with me, because it is SUCH A TRAGEDY. I understand why Ben doesn't want to be around her because it makes it too hard, and I understand why Leslie doesn't want cute reporter ladies flirting with him because they are PERFECT together in a different and yet very similar way as Andy and April are. But Leslie has chosen this other path, and thanks to the sage advice of Ron Swanson, she realizes that she can't just act impulsively and do whatever her heart tells her she wants to do with Ben. But seriously, has there ever been a more tragic moment than when Leslie tells him that she knows their romantic relationship is over? His face fell so much it almost came off his head. As a viewer, I refuse to let this stand. If this season doesn't include more Ben & Leslie being adorable and awkward and totally in love, I will be crushed. But again, kudos to the writers for writing realistic, emotionally-honest yet not ever sappy romances. They are my favorite romances, and I want it to be next week NOW so I can see where we're heading from here.

Thought: The tag included Leslie giving the crazyman another date in the park for the revised end of the world. Perhaps, since she realized that if the world really were ending she would want to be with Ben, she'll have another chance to act on that realization just in time for the season finale. A big perhaps, but I'm just putting it out there. Oh, Ben Wyatt. SIGH.

Notes & Quotes

"You had me at 'every dime we have left'"

"I'd like to remake the movie Kazaam with Shaquille O'Neal, and this time get it right"

"A billion nickels!"

"The End, by Leslie Knope"

'It's half-Chess, half-Risk, and it takes like fifteen hours to play"

"No thinking, just stupid!"

"Socket wrench sounds pretty good, actually"

"If you're one of our designated drivers, please take a thank you bag and enjoy the giant bows I put on your car"

Image via Videogum