Top 10 "Liken the Scriptures" Songs

Back in the day, I was in love with this series called Liken the Scriptures (you know, like 1 Nephi 19:23 “for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.”) They were a series of movies made for kids that taught scripture stories. They always started out with a modern-day kid having a problem like moving to a new school, having to fast, getting teased, or something like that, so an adult tells them a scripture story to help them deal with it. The majority of the movie is the scripture story told through the child’s imagination.

They’re obviously super cheesy and goofy, but also kind of clever and actually pretty funny. They also are good at bringing the Spirit in and balancing out serious and fun moments (I mean, at least as much as a kid’s show can). 

Oh, and did I mention they’re musicals? 

The songs are probably the best part of the movies! I’ve got all the soundtracks and I still listen to them every once in a while. Not only are the melodies super catchy, but the lyrics are clever and often taken straight out of the scriptures. They make a great Sunday playlist if you want to change it up a little from the usual hymns and stuff.

Well, I was listening to some of the songs today and I thought, “I love these songs... but which ones are my favorite?” I decided to try ranking them and this is the list I came up with. Here is the list of my top 10 favorite Liken the Scriptures songs:

10) “A Little Bit More” from Esther and the King

I think the reason I like this song so much is because the situation is already really funny. This bit in the scriptures where Haman is giving the king advice on how to reward someone who has delighted the king, thinking it’s himself, but it’s really his enemy, Mordechai, is so hilarious! So just hearing it play out in song form is great. And the “record-scratch” ending tops it off perfectly when Haman finally realizes what’s up. Plus, it’s super catchy!

9) “His Love” from Samuel the Lamanite

So there’s the upbeat songs (usually the bad guy’s songs) and then there’s the slower, more spiritual songs. Here’s my first spiritual song. Not only is it beautiful, but I find the lyrics very inspiring. It talks about how no matter what life throws at you, God is always there for you. 

8) “No Way” from Jonah and the Great Fish

The first song of this movie and it’s mega catchy. I like how it starts out all slow and spiritual-sounding as Jonah professes that he’s willing to do whatever God asks and go wherever he’s needed... until he gets the revelation that he needs to go to Ninevah and immediately freaks out at the idea. It’s a total bop. Not to mention it’s David Osmond who’s got a great voice.

7) “Because of Thee” from Daniel and the Lions

If you know the story of Daniel in the lions den, you know his enemies twist his diligent praying on its head. This is one of his faithful prayers in song form. It’s a beautiful, simple song full of gratitude and love as a prayer should be.

6) “Look to the Light” from Samuel the Lamanite

This one is Samuel’s sermon to the Nephites from up on the wall. It’s full of warnings and advice. Of course, it includes the prophecy of Christ’s birth in five years. What I especially love about this song, though, is the melody. It’s just a beautiful and powerful song.

5) “I Am David” from David and Goliath

Talk about a power song! David is the ultimate example of standing up to hard things. This song demonstrates the great faith he had when he stood up to Goliath, fully confident he could bring down the giant. (Plus I love the parallel it draws to Goliath’s earlier song “I Am Goliath”).

4) “It’s Alright” from Alma and King Noah’s Court

This song is so funny because it’s set up like a disco which totally fits the message of the song (like “relax and party. It doesn’t matter!”) This is King Noah’s song and the lyrics are gold. It’s straight up the “eat drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die” outlook. They even chant “eat drink and be merry!” at one point. 

3) “What Would I Give?” from Esther and the King

Gorgeous song with a great message. It’s basically asking what would you be willing to do for God after He’s done so much for you? Is doing something as simple as fasting and praying such a hard thing in comparison to what He’s done?

2) “Here Waiting” from Nephi and Laban

This song is just plain amazing! It’s an upbeat song, but not sung by the bad guys. The sons of Lehi sing it outside Jerusalem while trying to decide who should go ask Laban for the plates. It’s set up like a 90s boy band song and they rock it! Laman’s tragic vocalizing when he draws the lot is fantastic! Also, I must shout out to “one day they’re gonna read it form the Book of Laman” haha!

1) “Lonely” from Samuel the Lamanite

I can never get enough of this song. It’s duet between Samuel and Nephi III as they separately sing about how God is always with them even when others can’t see it. Great song! Beautiful song! And the harmonizing is on point!

HONORABLE MENTIONS

“All’s Well in Zion” from Samuel the Lamanite

“A Mighty Change of Heart” from Ammon and King Lamoni

“Give Me Just One Chance” from David and Goliath

“It’s Great to Be the King to Be” from Esther and the King

“Just Say Yes” from Alma and King Noah’s Court

“Life Could Not Be Better” from Nephi and Laban

“This Light” from Ammon and King Lamoni

“We Are the Best” from Alma and King Noah’s Court

Green Eggs and Ham (Netflix)- REVIEW

Happy New Year! 

Most people have their New Years Eve traditions of partying, watching the ball drop, hanging out with friends, BBQs, or whatever. Me? My last few New Years Eves have been spent home alone chillin’ in front of the TV with some snacks. This year I was especially alone since my parents were out of town for most of the week and I had the house to myself (not counting pets). So, New Years Eve was all up to me... I chose my usual tradition of snacking in front of TV. But the question was, what was I going to binge-watch until midnight? (I sat down in front of the TV around 6:00pm so I had a lot of time to kill.)

I played with a couple ideas since I currently wasn’t watching a TV show: I could watch a couple different movies, I could rewatch an old TV show... but I didn’t have anything particularly pressing that I really wanted to watch. So, I fell back on the old standby: scroll through Netflix and hope something catches your attention.

I wasn’t scrolling very long when I came across something in the “Netflix Originals” section: a Green Eggs and Ham cartoon. At first glance, I assumed it was just a cheesy dumb show made for little kids; like just a straightforward retelling of the classic Dr. Seuss story (kind of like how Warner Bros did The Grinch back in the day). Since it was Green Eggs and Ham, I assumed they must’ve added a bunch of dumb stuff in order to make it longer and since it was (I assumed) for little kids, not a lot of effort was put into any of it-- jokes, characters, story, etc. As is usual for kids movies/shows these days, all money goes into being visually stimulating and not much else.

Anyways, back to the point, I was just going to skim over the show. However, as I passed over it, I realized I saw “watch Season 1 Episode 1” as I whizzed by. That intrigued me. It was a SERIES?? Making a movie would’ve been challenging enough, but how in the world did they manage to stretch Green Eggs and Ham into a full series?

If you’ve read the original book, it’s pretty darn simplistic with hardly any plot. It’s just one guy trying to convince another guy to try green eggs and ham... and that’s it. One of the characters doesn’t even have a name! Thus, we come back to my question: how did they manage to make an entire series out of that premise?

That question convinced me to check out the trailer, just to see what kind of stuff they put into the show-- what they might’ve added and whatnot... I had to admit, the trailer was different than I expected. It certainly wasn’t just a dumb little kids show and it looked like there was more effort put into it than I originally thought. Plus there were several big names involved (Ellen Degeneres produced it, then some voices included Michael Douglas, Adam Devine, Keegan-Michael Key, and Diane Keaton). Again, I was intrigued, but I went back to scrolling through Netflix.

However, I kept thinking back to the show as I scrolled. I even tried watching an episode of something else and ultimately decided I wanted to try watching Green Eggs and Ham. 

Well... I was pleasantly surprised. From the very first episode, I was drawn in. Like I said, I was wondering how in the world they were going to make an entire series out of the original book, but they did it. And they kept it fun and engaging the entire time.

Obviously they had to add a bunch of stuff to make it longer, but it all felt natural and everything progressed nicely. What they did was put the two main characters on a whacky road trip and all along the way, Sam I Am is trying to convince the other to eat green eggs and ham. The more I’ve thought about it, that makes perfect sense because in the book, Sam is asking his friend if he would like to eat the food in different locations and with different people/animals. It IS basically like they’re on a road trip.

I was super impressed with how the show didn’t make the green eggs and ham kind of a background thing that was brought up occasionally (which would’ve been super easy to do); they were always very present and were actually very central to the main characters’s relationship. 

So... what IS the plot? 

In a nutshell: polar opposites, upbeat and outgoing Sam I Am and grumpy and surly Guy Am I are forced to team up on a road trip to save an endangered animal from a rich collector. Along the way, they learn the value of trying new things, including love, hope, and friendship, but especially green eggs and ham.

That might sound a little cheesy, but hey, it’s Dr. Seuss. 

I know the buddy road trip schtick has been done 1001 times, but if it’s done right, it’s extremely entertaining. And this one is, for sure. The road trip itself is a lot of fun-- I mean, everything and everyone they come across is hilarious and/or interesting. Then, the transition of their friendship is extremely well done and very believable. It takes its time and doesn’t feel forced. You get seriously invested in them (I know I did). 

Then, the world around them is VERY Seuss-ish. There’s no other way to describe it. They nail all the kooky contraptions, the zany colors, the inventive background characters, and just the impracticality of everything (like a train that’s built like a rollercoaster, for example). It feels like it jumped right out of a Dr. Seuss book. Even the other characters that were invented for the story were designed perfectly and could’ve been designed by the man himself. 

Also, it’s FUNNY! As I said before, I was expecting some lame, cheesy show for kids, but I was dead wrong. Sure, it’s still a family show, but it’s got a much more sophisticated sense of humor. The jokes are not halved and pulled out of the writer’s butt, they’re legit. I was actually laughing out loud at some parts... by myself, just laughing. It’s totally my sense of humor; like, they’re kind of stupid jokes, but they’re thought-out/intentional stupid and not lame stupid, if that makes any sense? For example, Sam is talking about his childhood and he says when he got in trouble, his mom would call him by his full name: “Samuel I Amuel, put down that chainsaw.” Or another one is when Sam and Guy are getting on a train and Sam buys the tickets and Guys says, “We’d better not be sitting next to each other” and Sam says, “I wouldn’t dream of it.” Then it cuts to them sitting across from each other with Sam smiling and Guy sulking. Or lastly (this one made it into the trailer) Sam offers to make green eggs and ham for one of the characters and she responds, “I’m vegan,” then Sam solemnly takes her hand and says sadly, “I’m so sorry. How long have you known?” XD Good stuff.

On the flip side, it’s also emotional. When I turned on Green Eggs and Ham, I did not expect to CRY! Yeah, there were legit tears in my eyes at one point. I am not a crier, but somehow, this show got me right in the feels. I was especially impressed with those more serious moments; they were handled with so much respect (which a lot of kids movies/shows don’t often give a lot of time to).

Obviously, I have to talk about the animation... STELLAR! I was blown away by it! It’s Warner Bros and (I looked this up) it cost roughly $6mill per episode! 8O Yeesh! But, I can see it. The animation is breathtaking. The characters’s movements are so fluid and expressive, the worlds and backgrounds are stunning, and it’s just beautiful all around. *applauds* You can tell serious effort was put into it.

Just one more quick praise is the stellar voice work. I wouldn’t replace any of them. They all do an amazing job. Never at any point did I think, “eh, this is weird” or “that’s definitely a guy doing a voice” or whatever. The actors nailed their parts. 

My one criticism would probably be on the narration (no disrespect to Keegan-Michael Key). It wasn’t exactly the voice work, it was just that it sometimes took me out of the story because it played too hard to breaking the fourth wall. It would constantly directly address the audience with some commentary like “*gasp* did you see that? I can’t believe it!” It just didn’t feel very natural or consistent. 1) Obviously we saw it 2) How come you didn’t know it was going to happen? It bothered me that he knew somethings (he would brag about it like “I was dying to tell you that”) and then didn’t know others. Well, he wasn’t terrible. Just every once in a while, I would get slightly annoyed and think he wasn’t adding much to the story.

Anyways, needless to say, I was surprised by how much I liked it. There was one or two episodes that I wasn’t SUPER impressed by, but overall, I really liked it and would recommend it to anybody. I would watch it in a boat and I would watch it with a goat, and I would watch it in the rain, and in the dark, and on a train, and in a car, and in a tree. It is so good, you see! So I will watch it with a fox, and I will watch it in a house, and I will watch it here and there. Say! I will watch it anywhere! I do so like Green Eggs and Ham! (Thank you, thank you, Sam I Am.)

TRAILER

Harry Potter Characters (Books vs. Movies)- Top 10

I’ve been re-reading Harry Potter lately (or should I say, listening to the audio book whenever I’m in the car). Don’t ask me how many times I’ve read that series. It’s too many to count. Haha! They are literally are some of the best books ever written. It’s no wonder they became a world-wide phenomenon! I mean, I’m normally not a huge fantasy fan, but HP doesn’t really go overboard with its world-building and focuses more on creating awesome characters and a really interesting and fun story. But, in the meantime, obviously, the world is extremely creative and makes you wish you could be a part of it. I must attribute all of this to JK Rowling’s top notch writing. As I’m listening to the books again, I can’t help but marvel at how she describes things so simply and yet originally that you can picture it so vividly; also how she sets up characters and situations perfectly, writes really witty and realistic dialogue, and so on. 

You really love or hate the characters accordingly. She seriously knows how to write them. All of them are endearing with their own quirks and flaws and seem like real human beings. Even the villains/antagonists. From the first introduction, she gives you a sense of how we’re supposed to feel about them and she is SO good at showing and not telling. 

Anyways, as I’ve been re-reading the books, I’ve been marveling over all this stuff and I naturally thought how the books are so much better than the movies and I pity anyone who’s only watched the movies. But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t redeeming qualities to the films. They’re actually quite good depictions of their subject matter, but there’s only so much you can do when it comes to adapting a book, especially when the books get longer and longer AND they are literally the best books EVER! 

My point here is that as I’ve been comparing the books to the movies, I was thinking about who were the best casting choices for some of the characters because honestly, some of them were SPOT ON! So I did the only logical thing... I made a list ;P

This is the top 10 casting choices for the Harry Potter franchise. I’ve based my judgements not just on the visual elements (how much they look like their characters), but also on how well they capture the essence of their character. Off we go then:

10) Richard Griffiths as Vernon Dursley

“a large, beefy man with a mustache and very little neck.”

Harry’s uncle’s mustache is mentioned probably more than any of his other physical traits (unless you count the reddening or purpling of his face whenever he gets angry). So, of course, if he didn’t have a mustache, he wouldn’t be on this list. I think he might actually have dark hair as opposed to Richard Griffiths’s light hair, but that’s a technicality. This depiction of Uncle Vernon is perfect! His domineering, high-and-mighty, grumbling presence is spot on. The suspicious glare he always makes is exactly the kind of look I would imagine Uncle Vernon giving Harry. I might’ve put him further up the list if he had more screen time.

9) Brendan Gleeson as Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody

“he lowered his hood, revealing a long mane of grizzled, dark grey hair... a further flash of lightning illuminated his face; it looked as though it has been carved out of weathered wood by someone who had only a vague idea of what a human face looks like. Every inch of his face appeared to be scarred, a large chunk of his nose was missing and his mouth looked like a diagonal gash. One of his eyes was small, dark and beady; the other was large, as round as a coin, and a vivid, electric blue. The blue eye moved constantly, without blinking, and rolled around quite independently of the normal eye.”

If that’s not an introduction, I don’t know what is. Again, the hair color is different in the movie, but that’s just a technicality in this case. (Now if Ron’s or any of the Weasleys’s hair were different, then I would be outraged.) Looking at him, you can definitely tell who he’s supposed to be. I personally think they could’ve mangled his face up a little bit more according to JK Rowling’s description, but I’m still satisfied with what they gave us. Besides, I think they might not have wanted to scare any young children watching. Also, Gleeson’s performance is intimidating enough that they didn’t need any heavy prosthetics or makeup. Every scene he was in, I felt sucked into his performance and was sure I was watching the real Mad-Eye Moody. “CONSTANT VIGILANCE!!!”

8) Christian Coulson as Tom Riddle (Chamber of Secrets)

“a miniature of his handsome father; tall for his age, dark-haired and pale.”

I really didn’t like the depiction of Tom Riddle in the later films. They made him way too creepy and even sort of creepy looking. The books clearly say that Tom Riddle was handsome and charming and everyone liked him. It was really only Dumbledore who ever suspected he was hiding something darker underneath the facade. I mean, the movies make him so obviously a not-so-subtle bad guy. Anyways, to my point: I thought the depiction of him when we first meet him in The Chamber of Secrets was exactly how he was supposed to be. He was handsome, a smooth-talker, and seemed completely normal until he revealed his true colors. And to top it off, the actor fits that little description at the top there, eh?

7) Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy

“white-blond hair, cold grey eyes and a pale, pointed face.”

The description doesn’t say it, but Malfoy’s hair was always described as slicked back which the first two movies got right, but eventually they started doing his hair differently. However, this didn’t bother me because Tom Felton captured Malfoy’s pompous, sneering personality to a T. Even as a child actor where sometimes kids can be a little shaky in their acting, he knew exactly what he was doing and played Harry’s sworn enemy just as he should. Everyone loves how he says “Potter!” He’s such a little twerp.

6) David Bradley as Argus Filch

“Pale... with bulging, lamp-like eyes.”

Filch doesn’t have a lot of physical description in the books, but you really get a feel for who he is and can picture what he looks like based on his personality and actions. So when the movies came out and David Bradley was cast, I was immediately like, “Yes! That’s EXACTLY Filch!” Even though Filch doesn’t get a lot of screen time in any of the films, every time he shows up, I am so impressed with how well he’s portrayed. Just the way he looks and talks, you hate him. You can see how cantankerous and bitter he is and why the students despise him. He’s such a little busy body. 

5) Julie Walters as Molly Weasley

“a plump, red-haired witch”

Again, another character without a lot of physical description, but you really get her essence through her actions. Julie Walters exactly captures that essence. She’s so motherly and kind, but also fussy and stern when she needs to be. Plus, she’s the one who kills one of the biggest... shall we say nuisances (to put it lightly?) in the book which makes her a total boss! The movies leave out several big scenes involving her, but the scenes that are there, she plays perfectly. And if her hair wasn’t red, that obviously would be a deal breaker. Ha!

4) Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore (movies 1-2)

“an elderly man with bright blue eyes, silver hair and beard long enough to tuck into his belt... half-moon spectacles and his long, crooked nose looked as though it has been broken at least twice.”

I don’t think it would be that hard to get any elderly person to look like that description. Just put on a wig and fake beard and bam! Dumbledore. However, all HP fans know for a fact that not anybody can play him. We are actually able to compare performances in this case. Richard Harris died shortly after completing The Chamber of Secrets and had to be replaced. While Michael Gambon did a fine job (save the infamous “HARRY DIDJYA PUT YOUR NAME IN THE GOBLET OF FIYAH!?!!!?!!), there’s no replacing Richard Harris. Throughout most of the books, Dumbledore is a pretty mysterious figure and no one really knows what he’s actually thinking or planning, or even how much he knows about things. A lot of people sort of think he’s a little bit off his rocker 50% of the time. He’s kind and understanding, always with a (shall we say mischievous?) twinkle in his eye. But then you get the sense that he’s at least three steps ahead of everybody and knows more than he’s telling. Plus, everyone knows he’s one of the greatest wizards who ever lived... And that is all encapsulated in Richard Harris’s performance. He was the PERFECT Dumbledore. 

3) Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter

Harry is described as having his father's perpetually untidy black hair, his mother's bright green eyes, and a lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead. He also is "small and skinny for his age" with "a thin face" and "knobbly knees" and he wears round eyeglasses.

As the main character, there was obviously a lot of pressure to find the right kid to play him. Personally, I think they hit the mark. Daniel Radcliffe is a really good actor and gets it all pretty much right, not to mention he looks the part. There’s been a lot of alterations as far as his appearance goes as the movies go on and of course he’s grown up; but I think the third movie best captured his character’s book description. I know his eyes aren’t green (which is a big deal to some), but I can look past it (usually). The only time it becomes annoying is in the last movie when we actually see Lily and her eyes are NOTHING like his! Anyways, Radcliffe really does his best to play his character to the best of his ability. There are a few things off about the character throughout the movies, but it’s not his fault, it’s the scriptwriters. For example, in the books, Harry is a sassy little turd, always coming up with great zingers. In the movies, this isn’t captured very well, and yet I feel like Radcliffe does a pretty good job of bringing some humor to the character all the same; he always has the best facial expressions and reactions. Harry’s also very angsty and dramatic, particularly in the later books. It takes a strong actor to pull off those dramatic scenes. I know, for example, one of the reasons Sirius’s death is muted is because Radcliffe’s scream of agony was so sad, the director didn’t want to include it. 

2) Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockhart

“handsome... a wide, white smile and wavy blond hair.”

Another character whose essence is more captured through his actions rather than his descriptions (though there are several mentions of his stupid smile). Here’s one character who you love to hate. He’s SO completely useless and stupid! It’s really difficult to convey how ridiculous he is-- for example, in an attempt to show off, he accidentally makes all the bones in Harry’s arm disappear while trying to mend one broken bone. He’s always convinced everyone wants a picture or an autograph and is bragging about some feat he performed. What a twit! He wears a lot of flashy, bright-colored robes and goes around winking and flashing his dazzling smile at everyone. He also keeps several pictures of himself in his office who all wink and smile just like the real thing. Anyways, Kenneth Branagh IS Gilderoy Lockhart! First of all, look at him! It’s like he jumped out of the book. And then, the stupid voice he uses is just EXACTLY what I hear in my head when I read. I get such a kick out of watching his performance 1) because Lockhart is so ridiculous and 2) because I’m in awe of how spot on he is.

1) Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagall

“A tall, stern-looking witch with black hair usually drawn into a tight bun... an imposing figure who can quickly spot trouble.”

I think every single Potter fan will agree with me on this one. Maggie Smith is THE most perfect casting choice in the franchise. First of all, she 100% looks the part. I mean LOOK! Harry’s first impression of her is that she’s not a person to be crossed. And isn’t that your impression of her too, looking at her? The books always talk about how McGonagall’s mouth tightens when she’s angry or thinking and Smith gets that exactly. Also, while McGonagall is very stern and strict, she has a soft side and a hidden sense of humor which occasionally shines through. Smith really knows how to balance these sides of McGonagall perfectly. I cannot even convey well enough how perfect this casting choice is! It still impresses me! I’ve heard before that JK Rowling had Maggie Smith in mind either when they were casting or even when she was writing the character (I can’t remember which). In any case, bravo!

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

David Thewlis as Remus Lupin

"The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with grey.”

Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid

“He was almost twice the height of a normal man and at least five times the width, with feet the size of baby dolphins and hands the size of dustbin lids. His black eyes glint like beetles and his face was almost completely hidden by a wild, tangled beard and bushy, black hair.”

Alan Rickman as Severus Snape

“sallow skin, greasy hair, a hooked nose, and black eyes.”

Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge

“a short squat woman resembling a large pale toad. She had a broad, flabby face, a wide, slack mouth, and little neck. Her eyes were bulging and pouchy, and in her mousy brown hair she often wore a black velvet bow, which reminded Harry of a fly perched dangerously above a toad, furthering Umbridge's toad-like characteristics. She spoke with a simpering high-pitched voice that was girlish and breathless, contrary to her appearance.”

Top 10 Parks and Rec Episodes

I recently finished watching Parks and Recreation all the way through for the first time. I’d been meaning to watch this show for a while now, but I’ve been busy or just haven’t gotten around to it. I did try to watch it a while back, but like a lot of character-centric comedy sitcoms, the first season is a bit rocky (since even the writers and actors are still trying to figure out the feel of the show and characters). I couldn’t really get into it at the time. But since I’ve been home, my parents have been watching it. I was slowly drawn in and I eventually decided I needed to start over. I did and soon I surpassed my parents and now I’ve finished the series.

What a show! A lot of people compare it to The Office, which yes, I can see that because of the similar documentary-style set-up, kooky characters, and rather boring setting (aka an office or a lowly government job), but I think the shows have different tones. Both rely on the characters, but in different ways. In The Office, a lot of the comedy comes from how inept, idiotic, and awkward their characters are whereas Parks and Rec’s comedy comes from how crazy, exaggerated, and goofy their characters are. I felt like Parks and Rec often was very true to life (though in an exaggerated way most of the time). It often frustrated me because I was like, “But this is how people are!” and it made me mad because the stupid and unreasonable people usually won. The Office made me cringe and Parks and Rec made me angry.

That’s not to say I didn’t totally love the show though. There were plenty of knee-slapping moments. As per the norm, I felt the need to compile a list of my favorite episodes. This was a little tough since I’ve only seen most of the episodes once. There were a few standout ones that I definitely remembered (those are my number ones), but coming up with a top 10 took a lot of reviewing. 

However, I’ve done it and here we go (DISCLAIMER: There will be spoilers.)

10) 3x14- Road Trip

Chris sends Leslie and Ben on a trip to Indianapolis for an important meeting. Fearing she will be unable to resist her strong romantic feelings for him any longer, Leslie attempts to “anti-seduce” Ben through boring conversation topics, horrible music, and ugly clothes. Meanwhile, Tom tries out a gameshow idea on Andy, April, Donna, and Jerry called “Know Ya Boo.”

Obviously, the highlight in this one is the “will-they-won’t-they” of Ben and Leslie. It’s just like FINALLY the tension between the two of them is confronted. I love how Chris randomly shows up just when they’re expressing themselves and ruins everything. Haha! Gotta love him. “You wanna Boggle?” I also appreciate this one for exploring the complexities of April and Andy’s relationship too; they're not perfect and they ARE very different, but at the end of the day, they totally love and support each other.

9) 3x07- Harvest Festival

The Harvest Festival has, at last, arrived. Things seem to be going perfectly smooth-- they even got Pawnee’s icon Li’l Sebastian to make an appearance. But things begin to unravel when reporter Joan Calamezo gets wind of a phony curse put on the festival by the Wamapokes (which is only spurred on by Li’l Sebastian’s disappearance).

This episode really starts to show the extent of Leslie and Ben’s growing friendship. I love their excessive secret handshake. Haha! There’s so many things that happen in this one. Like Andy’s “awesome sauce” response to April saying “I love you”, Tom trying to blame Jerry for losing Li’l Sebastian, everyone getting mad at Ben for not understanding why Li’l Sebastian is a big deal, or the horrible animated recreation of when the chief visited Leslie in her office. I “awesome sauce” it all! Haha!

8) 3x16- Li’l Sebastian

Pawnee’s treasure and icon Li’l Sebastian passes on, so the Parks Department decides to hold a memorial in his honor. However, things get a bit chaotic when a maintenance worker catches Leslie and Ben kissing and they send him home early in exchange for his silence. 

One of my favorite running jokes in the series is how much everyone loves Li’l Sebastian (except for Ben, of course, who just doesn’t get it). I love this episode because of how far everyone goes to commemorate Li’l Sebastian. Also the song Mouse Rat writes is actually kind of a bop. It gets stuck in my head a lot. It’s like “A Candle in the Wind” but 5000x better... that’s why it’s called “5000 Candles in the Wind.” LOL

7) 3x05- Ron and Tammy II

Hoping to get revenge on Ron for dating his ex-wife, Tom brings Tammy II to a party as his date. However, it was all a ploy by Tammy to get to Ron and after a wild night, the two end up remarried. The Parks Department holds an intervention with Ron in an attempt to break the spell Tammy holds over him.

As ridiculous and disgusting Ron and Tammy II's relationship is, it’s weirdly funny also. Mostly because of the other characters’s reactions to them. I liked this one more than the first Tammy encounter because of how completely out of character Ron gets; his cornrows, the Kimono robe, missing part of his mustache (which the explanation behind is outrageous!). I love the video he makes for himself for the intervention. Also, the way Tom gets all tangled up in the madness is too funny! His confrontation with Tammy at the end had me in stitches. 

6) 2x10- Hunting Trip

Leslie and the other women in the Parks Department decide to crash the men’s annual hunting trip. While out, someone accidentally shoots Ron in the head which then begins a series of mishaps and cover-ups.

My favorite quote: “Men love it when you show them you’re better at something they love.” Haha! Boy, does Leslie understand men. I love all the other awkward moments of Leslie and the other girls trying to fit in with the guys. And then Ron getting shot in the head is golden! I was honestly baffled on who did it throughout. And then Donna seriously FLIPPING OUT over her Mercedes was hilarious! This episode also showcased how caring and genuine Leslie is for her friends which I appreciated. Then, of course, this is the episode that really kicks off the relationship between April and Andy who are OTP for life!

5) 3x09- Andy and April’s Fancy Party

After dating for a month, Andy and April decide to throw a fancy dinner party with a surprise ending. Meanwhile, Ben plays with the idea of staying in Pawnee permanently.

First off, I have to say, this episode has easily the funniest scene out of the entire series: Ron’s tooth-ache scene. Holy moly! I literally had tears coming out of my eyes and I had to go back and watch it again because it was so hysterical! The rest of the episode, though, is also very good. I love April and Andy so much! They’re just the funniest and cutest couple. There’s so much going on at this party that’s hilarious. I particularly love April’s friend Orin who just freaks everyone out. I also love that April’s ex-gay boyfriend and his boyfriend are part of the ceremony. So random.

4) 5x14- Leslie and Ben

While at the gala for the new park, Leslie and Ben make the spontaneous decision to push their wedding forward three months. Their friends rush to put together all the preparations in time. Meanwhile, Councilman Jamm is bitter that Leslie got one over on him and proves to be a major roadblock for what could be the happiest day of her life.

What a perfect episode! The wedding they end up having is actually my ideal wedding; it’s elegant, but simple and only consists of friends just having a good time together. And Ben and Leslie are totally the cutest, amiright? Also, it was about time Councilman Jamm got punched in the face.

3) 4x11- The Comeback Kid

After her campaign managers leave her when her relationship with Ben gets exposed, Leslie rallies her friends to set up her own campaign with Ann as her manager. Although tenacious and spirited, the crew has zero know-how and limited resources. Meanwhile, Ben explores his different hobbies during his unemployment.

Where do I even start with this one? The complete train wreck that is the rally where they slip and slide on the ice? And Gloria Estefan’s “Get On Your Feet” just makes it 10x funnier. Or what about the tiny stage, the short carpet, the ridiculous banner with just Leslie’s eyes on it? Haha! And then that horrible basketball dunk. The other half of the episode with Ben and Chris is also amazing! Freakin’ Ben and his hobbies. “Could a depressed person do this? No!” The Low-cal Calzone Zone. Bahaha! The real clincher is when they finally watch his stop motion video that he’s been working on for three weeks and it’s only like two seconds long. OMG I died! 

2) 3x2- Flu Season

A bout of flu sweeps through Pawnee and Ann is left caring for April (who hates her), Chris (who has a complete physical breakdown), and Leslie (who is determined to escape). Ben and Tom decide to take on Leslie’s presentation for the Chamber of Commerce since she is sick, but Leslie refuses to let them go without her and will do whatever it takes to make an appearance.

Apparently a lot of Leslie’s sick hallucinations were improv by Amy Poehler (-"If I was sick could I do this?" -"What are you doing?" -"Cartwheels. Am I not doing them?"). That’s where a lot of the comedy comes from. However, easily, the funniest part of the episode are Chris's scenes. His over-dramatic reactions to himself and everyone else being sick are hilarious. And then his complete breakdown once he’s admitted into the hospital is just the best! I also love the end where Chris and Ben decide to stay in Pawnee a bit longer for ONLY professional reasons *wink wink*. The little scene where Ben visits Leslie in the hospital at the end is cute, with the soup and all. Haha!

1) 3x13- The Fight

A job for Health Department Public Relations Director becomes vacant and Leslie tells Ann to apply. Meanwhile, Tom encourages his coworkers to come to the Snakehole Lounge to promote his own drink invention, Snake Juice. Instead of staying home and preparing, Ann comes to the club with everyone else which upsets Leslie. Snake Juice completely wastes everyone and as Leslie and Ann get increasingly drunk, their disagreements escalate into an enormous fight.

The best part of this episode is how totally blackout drunk everyone gets because of Snake Juice; as Donna says, “it’s basically rat poison.” All their different reactions to it are laugh out loud hilarious. And then the part where they all pile into the car with Jerry literally strapped to the top is the cherry on top. I died! I also love April and Andy’s roleplaying. There’s so many comedy gems in this episode, I couldn’t even list them all. -"I feel great. I ran a 5K this morning." -"Really?" -"No, I threw up in the shower." Bahaha! Or Andy puking on Kyle's shoes. So unexpected! LOL. And then the whole fight with Leslie and Ann puts an interesting look on their relationship. I also appreciated the whole “this is so high school” conversation Ann has with Ben. It’s just a golden episode!

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

6x09- Cones of Dunshire

Leslie tries to come to even terms with Councilman Jamm while Chris literally referees their encounter. Ben returns to his job at the accounting firm for the third time where they welcome him like a king.

2x19- Park Safety

While in one of the parks, filling hummingbird feeders, Jerry is mugged and injured. Incensed, Leslie launches a campaign for safer parks and to also increase the budget for the park rangers.

4x04- Pawnee Rangers

In an effort to fight inequality, Leslie create a girls-only wilderness troop to combat Ron’s boys-only troop and the two groups passive-aggressively compete in the woods to be the best one. Back in town, Tom and Donna go out for a “Treat Yo’ Self” trip to the mall. They decide to take Ben since they’ve noticed he’s been down and might need a day off. Meanwhile, Jerry takes Chris out to lunch with his inexplicably attractive daughter.

7x02- Ron and Jammy

Leslie goes to try to win over Councilman Jamm’s vote for a major project, but finds he is dating a familiar face: Tammy II. And she has an iron hold on him. Leslie is forced to go to Ron and the two of them team up to help Jamm escape Tammy’s clutches.

5x10- Two Parties

Chris and Ann are busy getting ready to throw bachelor/bachelorette parties for Ben and Leslie. Leslie’s party is ruined when she finds out Councilman Jamm is turning lot 48 into a Paunch Burger. So she and her friends come up with ways to delay this plan. While at Ben's party, the other men realize that none of them have had a bachelor party (even though most of them have been married). So they go out and have bachelor parties for all of them.