Kittens With Mittens

Season 4, Episode 13, 1/26/2012 (“Bowling for Votes”)

Leslie: I’ve never been very good at letting things go. I can’t tell you how many times a fun tug of a war with a dog over a chew toy turned contentious. One of always gets mad.

Last night’s Parks and Recreation started off hilariously with a focus group (“She’s aggressively short” “I hate all Leslies”) and ended hilariously with a press conference to deal with what happened in between the two events. Which was basically the insane, hyper-focused Leslie finally making a much-welcomed appearance this campaign season. When Derek, one of the focus group members, questions Leslie’s likability (and bowlability!), this sparks the needs to PROVE HIM WRONG, in Leslie Knope fashion, of course. Which includes a dossier about his favorite things (wings, beer and Ice Road Truckers), twisting her body in an attempt to look ‘laid back,’ losing to Derek at bowling on purpose, and then, when he deigns to still not like her, squashing him at bowling. She’s good remember? Ron can tell you. Unsurprisingly, Derek ends up disliking Leslie even more, calls her a bitch, and then gets punched in the face by Ben. After Leslie makes out with him because this is awesome, she admits to the press that she made out with him because this was awesome. And that Derek’s just a jerk and it’s okay when people don’t like you. I’m not sure she really believes that, but I’m glad she is pretending to.

Overall, it was a really funny episode. Tom’s odd bowling technique clearly rattles Ron, a man so awesome he makes food scared of him when he eats it. And April, Jerry, Andy, Donna, and Chris gets some good laughs in while attempting to raise money for Leslie. And some sadz when Millicent comes by to dump Chris. And then some warm fuzzies when April awkwardly attempts to be nice to a less-than-perky Chris.

But… I have to admit I didn’t enjoy Leslie spending the night needing men to validate her: Ron validating of her bowling skill, Derek validating her likability, Ben validating her worth when someone is mean to her. Leslie Knope, especially when she’s ‘off-the-rails’ Leslie, doesn’t need anybody to stick up for her. Even if it is her cute boyfriend. The boyfriend that Leslie knocked to the ground last week, btw… Case in point: Leslie can handle herself, thank you very much.

Finally, I’m 99% sure that Leslie has Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder. I came to this conclusion as I’ve recently been diagnosed with it (yes, I have both OCD and OCPD, I’m that awesome at being wonky) and when reading the traits last night during Parks and Recreation commercials, I couldn’t help but see Leslie Knope:

• Excess devotion to work. Um, obviously yes to this. She created an ENTIRE notebook to one dude who didn’t like her in a focus group. And that was just last night’s episode.
• Inability to throw things away, even when the objects have no value. Remember what her house looked like? I know, I blocked it from my memory too. So, yes.
• Lack of flexibility. Did you see how she beat up her boyfriend because she was unwilling to air an add that didn’t fit her vision as a child? And, like, the last 3 seasons? Her best friend called her a steamroller, so, yes.
• Lack of generosity. This is a definite no. Leslie is generous to a fault. Unless she’s being a steamroller (see above).
• Not wanting to allow other people to do things. Again, have you ever watched the show?
• Not willing to show affection. This one certainly doesn’t apply to Leslie. She’s all about making out with Ben. And telling Ann how much she loves her.
• Preoccupation with details, rules, and lists. As a devoted model UN lover, a collector of ideas, binders, and, yes, lists, Leslie is most definitely obsessed with details.

I love Leslie Knope super hard. I consider her a fictional heroine of mine. And? My answers to these traits are almost exactly the same! Except I don’t collect Model UN flags. I’m thisclose to being as awesome as Leslie Knope! While the writers of Parks and Recreation may not have this particular disorder in mind when creating Leslie, she certainly shows a lot of the traits, often to our comedic delight. Either way, Leslie Knope is who she is. And I wouldn’t want her any other way.