Parks and Recreation: Christmas Scandal

I suspect the writers of "Parks and Rec" (like the writers of "Community") knew they would have to create a holiday episode to compete with the always-stellar holiday-themed eps of "The Office" and "30 Rock." Well, "Parks and Rec" made a hilarious and heartfelt Christmas episode that holds its own against those tried-and-true comedies.

After performing a cheesy (but also, somehow biting) skit based on the sexual escapades of local councilman Bill Dexhart at the annual Pawnee government Christmas party, Leslie is asked to meet by the councilman. Thinking she's in trouble, she's disgusted to find that he just wants to know where she got her information. (She made it up.) Shortly thereafter, photos of their meeting make it into a Pawnee tabloid, where she's accused of being his newest conquest. (Since when do small towns have tabloids and their own news shows?)

Ron gives Leslie time off to lay low and try to clear her name. The rest of the Parks department tries to do Leslie's job, but they find it daunting. After inadvertently dragging Ann into the scandal, Leslie goes on a local news show to clear their names. Dexhart claims that he and Leslie were involved and he can prove it - she has a mole on her rear end. Leslie promptly moons the host in order to prove that she has no mole and therefore did not sleep with Dexhart.

Meanwhile, April's crush on Andy continued to develop as she tried to figure out what to get him for Christmas by asking him for tips on what to get her gay boyfriend.

The episode had so many great moments, from Tom's dismissal of the radio broadcast of the tree lighting ("Listening to that tree lighting is gonna be so dope.") to Jerry's embarrassment over farting in the Santa suit last year. The best part about this episode was that it stopped to revel in some quiet moments, like when Leslie seemed fed up with Pawnee and considered moving away with Dave, whose Army Reserve unit was called into duty.

"Parks" seems to be following the same successful formula that "The Office" took in its second season: toning down the zany shenanigans and getting to know minor characters.