Sorry for the late review on this week’s Parks and Recreation, unfortunately life got in the way. I’d like to think this episode was good enough to be worth the wait. “Halloween Surprise” offered just that. Ron and Diane continue to date and Leslie and Ben have an exciting resolution to their long distance relationship.

We start the episode with Ron very reluctantly agreeing to go trick or treating with Diane and the kids. Leslie and Ann go house hunting and pick out Leslie’s dream home (it looks awesome) and celebrate with an awkward victory dance.

Back in DC, Ben announces that the election is all but won and when he’s still basking in the victory, after sending April home, Jen tells him that she wants him to stay on with her and run a campaign in Florida. While Ben want to just eat a chicken parm and watch Blade Runner, she wants to talk his future in campaigns. It surprises me that Ben hadn’t thought of this prospect at all, as he must of known that this election would end. I can’t really say the show nailed the suspense of Ben staying away, the show needed Ben and Leslie in the same room again (something that will again show itself to be true later in the episode) and the prospect of Ben being gone much longer would have been a detriment to the show.

Having to go trick or treating, Ron is left to his own devices with the kids as he is left to be the boss since Diane is called upon with vice principal duties (some dang kids pooping on the soccer field). Ron says what we know to be true, he has no clue what he’s supposed to be doing. We see this come to a head when one of Diane’s daughters complains after her tiara broke. Making what he thinks is a fair response, Ron breaks the other girl’s tiara, pissing off their mother. Ron handling of children, especially girls, feels organic, and it’s a necessary hurdle in his (probably) eventual coupling with Diane. I can’t help but feel it’s all a bit too neat and perfect, though having these types of bumps in the road helps.

After Leslie has a discouraging conversation with Ben about his future possibly running a campaign in Florida, she and Ann inadvertently give Jerry a heart attack after trying to go after Tom. Jerry loses control, going on a farting spell which Tom lovingly calls a fart-attack. It seems like a gag that they wanted shoved in the show. I laughed. I apologize for nothing, no matter how base of a joke it was.

Trying to raise money for Jerry’s hospital bills, the Parks Department has a garage sale (cleverly titled Jerry’s Kids’ dad). Ron is down after Diane seems to be pissed after his unique brand of justice. Meanwhile, Ann is selling all the crap she picked up from past relationship. Again I hope it’s a post-mortem on a bunch of storylines that didn’t really quite click in the everlasting quest to figure out what exactly to do with her character.

Back in Florida, Ben and Jen are meeting with a lawyer who now has political aspirations, like any good politician his qualifications are useless and he’s most known for a case of an alligator eating a severed penis. So he’s the perfect candidate. Ben, in a surprising display of loyalty to the campaign company, says that he’s determined to make him a winner (even though he has no business being in politics).  Ben again calls telling Leslie about the possible campaign. Later he and Jen meet and talk about his future. She basically tells him that he has what it takes, but gives him a night to think about his future.

Ron goes over to apologize and gets it right by bringing over some romantic flowers and even more romantic grout cleaner. He explains that he’s been alone most of his life so this is all new – especially the kids. Diane seems to take to Ron’s honesty well and their relationship is saved for the moment. Plus he’ll teach them to saw!

So that brings us to the last scene, which is really where the show wins its points this week. Leslie goes back to the house and expects to have to give it up. Ben shows up unexpectedly and gets down on one knee to propose. As he’s going through the spiel, she stops him so she can remember what’s going on. It’s a sweet genuine moment between the two and it makes for a great moment, and she says yes to his proposal before he can even get it out. I’m glad that Leslie and Ben have been reunited and now they’re hitched. I think I’ll likely enjoy this before the wedding episode where chaos will surely ensue. Just for a moment, this show made me forget how cynical I am about the overplayed nature of the sitcom proposal. But then again, this show is constantly making me remember about the best that comedies can offer.

Notes:

• Loved the Death Canoe storyline, Retta is also known to live tweet things she watches in real life like Buffy.
• Chris is dressed as his greatest fear – getting older
• Ron’s contribution to the sale is a beautiful table he built
• Poor Ann, she gets auctioned off to the creepiest guy at the auction
• Again, fart attack
• Great job by Amy Pohler this week, still a lot of season left, though this may be her Emmy submission.
• Can’t wait for next week, fucking Jonathan Banks aka Mike from Breaking Bad will play Ben’s father!