Five years ago, we left Pawnee in the year 2017 when Parks and Recreation ended its run. Now, it’s three years later and the cast reunited for a special social distancing episode to raise money for Feeding America. This episode was shot completely from the cast member’s homes and was written by Michael Schur, Megan Amram, Joe Mande, Dave King, Jen Statsky, Matt Murray, and Aisha Muharrar in a virtual writer’s room.

 In 2020, Leslie works at the Department of the Interior and Ben is a congressman. Leslie is at work and Ben is at home with the kids so Leslie calls Ben to check in and see how he’s doing. Ben tells Leslie about his new claymation script idea, which involves combining claymation and his complicated board game Cones of Dunshire. Leslie worries he’s going a little bit stir crazy. 

But Leslie has to start her daily phone tree with her old colleagues. She calls Ron, who is at his cabin in the woods and has built up a twelve year supply of meat. Ron says he’s fine and that he’s been practicing social distancing since he was four. Leslie accepts that and tells him to call Garry. But Ron calls April instead. April picks up the phone wearing five items that she randomly pulled out of a garbage bag, a new activity she and Andy have been doing. April and Andy are still living together, although, at the moment, Andy has locked himself in the shed and has been there for the past two days. Other than being a little bit hungry, they’re both fine. Now it’s their turn to call Garry, but they call Tom instead. Poor Garry. 

Tom was supposed to be on a book tour that ended in Bali so he’s pretending he’s there with his video call background. Tom calls Donna who is hiding in her walk-in closet while her husband tries to teach small children online. Donna tells Tom it’s a nightmare and changes her background to join him in Bali. They’re still trying to live their best lives. Finally, they call Garry, who is the mayor of Pawnee. Garry, who can’t quite figure out the video call and turns himself into a dog and the poop emoji, reports that Pawnee citizens are mostly listening to the guidelines although they are disappointed that the annual Popsicle Lick-and-Pass festival has been cancelled.

Leslie also calls her beautiful best friend Ann and Ann’s husband Chris. Ann is volunteering as a nurse in Michigan doing outpatient care and Chris has been exercising at home and donating blood four times a week. Because Ann is a nurse, she has been quarantining in a separate area of the house from Chris and her kids. 

Throughout the episode, Leslie appears on a series of virtual interviews on local Pawnee news networks, encouraging everyone to take care of their physical and emotional health. The newscasts and fake commercials for the Pawnee newscasts also give a great opportunity for Jean-Ralphio, Dennie Feinstein, Joan Calamezzo, and Perd Hapley to make their guest appearances, which was so great. They really got the entire gang back together. Bobby Newport introduced the episode and they even got Tammy 2 to make an appearance as she trespassed on Ron’s property and Ron tied her up (they are the only ones that are in the same room since Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally are quarantined together in real life). 

The episode finished with everyone singing Pawnee’s unofficial anthem “Bye Bye Lil’ Sebastian”, complete with the lighters and phone flashlights, which was just wonderful. This episode was the light that the world needs right now. It was a clever and creative gentle reminder to wash your hands, stay in touch with your loved ones, and take care of yourself. It was delightful to spend thirty minutes with these characters that we all love so much.