Parks and Recreation S7 E6, “Save JJ’s”

Episode 6 begins with Tom and Craig holding a wedding cake taste test for Donna, Joe, and, oddly enough, Terry. Tom quickly springs a surprise on the group: there’s another, very special cake that he’s been hiding. This cake? It’s delivered by DJ Bluntz and says three words: Treat. Yo. Self.

That’s right! Treat Yo Self day is back in Pawnee. Tom and Donna embark on Treat Yo Self 2017, leaving a very confused Joe behind. No matter who he asks what is going on, the only reply he’s given is “Treat yo self,” which apparently means nothing to those who haven’t seen S4 E4, “Pawnee Rangers” aka Treat Yo Self 2011.

Right before leaving for their day of indulgence, Tom and Donna run into Lucy. Tom fumbles out an invitation to Donna’s wedding as his plus one, but doesn’t want to make it seem like he’s hitting on Lucy so soon post-breakup, or that she has to go with him because he’s her boss. So instead, he makes a bit of a fool of himself and asks her to come to the wedding and do paperwork. Real smooth, Tommy.

Tom throws another surprise at Donna on their way to go shopping. They’re not shopping at the swanky mall in former-Eagleton. They’re heading to Beverly Hills!

Donna and Tom live it up in Beverly Hills for the day. They go shopping, run into paparazzi, go on a star tour, and get their elbows bedazzled, a trend that will apparently be quite popular in 2017. Finally, the two end up in a swanky sushi restaurant where you can eat fish previously owned by celebrities. They even catch a glimpse of Josh Groban ordering his own fish! Then Donna imparts some much needed advice (and a new pair of shoes): be upfront with Lucy about what you want. Tom tries throwing all the “What ifs?” that’s he’s been worried about right back at Donna, but like the amazing friend that she is, she shoots them down and tells Tom what he needs to hear.

Back in Pawnee, Tom takes Donna’s advice and is completely upfront about his intentions with Lucy. Responsibility and vulnerability are a good look for you, Tom. And… he’s rewarded for his honesty! Lucy reveals that she doesn’t want to go to the wedding as friends, but as dates.

Meanwhile, the citizens of Pawnee are still incredibly angry about Gryzzl’s data-mining. In an interview, Gryzzl VP, Roscoe Santangelo, reveals that he realized just how “un-chill” it was by looking through the emails. In order to make peace with the people of Pawnee, Gryzzl is going to throw a giant free concert featuring Beyonce and U2. Seating is determined by income and sexual history, and that’s the last time they’ll look through personal information. Hopefully.

Leslie finally, for the first time in the battle for the Newport Trust, has the upper hand on Gryzzl. Though she doesn’t have the money, she does have public opinion on her side – and Ron Swanson.

Rather than trying to outright beat Gryzzl, April proposes a plan that will split the land between the National Parks Service and Gryzzl. By donating the land to the government, the company can make up for the mass invasion of privacy, and everyone will win. Ron points out that Gryzzl wants all the land, not some of it, but Leslie’s optimism can’t be squashed.

Unfortunately, right in the middle of the meeting they get notifications on their Gryzzl Phones that the Newport Trust is making an announcement. Gryzzl upped their bid to $125 million, and Jessica Wicks Newport accepted. With nothing left that they can do, the group heads over to J.J.’s Diner for some waffles.

While at J.J.’s, Leslie mourns all the changes that have come to Pawnee in the past several years. In addition to the technology provided by Gryzzl and the economy boost that came with National Parks opening there, there are some downsides to Pawnee’s growing name recognition. Many local establishments are being closed, J.J.’s diner included. Because she is recently without a project, Leslie decides to take the Pawnee establishment on as her next accomplishment. Hopefully it turns out better than the time she gave a bailout to a video rental store and it turned into a porn shop.

Turns out that the property was purchased by Dennis Feinstein, the cologne big shot that Tom once idolized.

Leslie decides to hold a rally to save J.J.’s and pulls together the strongest team she knows. April is in charge of getting the word out; Andy’s bringing out Jonathan Karate, Johnny Karate’s more serious older brother; and Ron is teaming up with Leslie to get stuff done.

The rally consists of a group of people gathered outside of Dennis Feinstein’s offices, eating J.J.’s waffles, and protesting the closure of the Pawnee staple. Even Ron manages to speak at the rally, a great accomplishment on Leslie’s part seeing as it’s basically everything he hates. Then again, there is no nobler war than one being fought over bacon and eggs, to paraphrase the man himself.

Andy, as Jonathan Karate, leads a group of five little ninjas from his show into Dennis Feinstein’s office. For a moment, it seems like Leslie’s rally and Andy’s karate skills have worked. He tells Andy that he’s convinced… but then he confronts Leslie, Ron, and the ralliers and tells them that they’re trespassing and douses them with “The Hounds,” an FDA-rejected scent.

April seems to have become quite the idea lady despite her apathy about her current employment situation. When all hope seems to be lost, she suggests that J.J.’s moves to one of the abandoned buildings near where she and Andy now live.

The group all heads over to Beachview Terrace to check out the properties. The name is certainly misleading; in fact it was named as such to try to up the appeal of the disgusting, abandoned part of town. Medical Waste Butt Sweat Grove is the more accurate name that Leslie suggests. I think it has a nice ring to it.