| If you are ever going to hold this job, there's something you need to understand. City Council isn't about making everyone happy. In fact, every decision you make is going to make a lot of people very unhappy. We play with live ammo around here. |
| — Councilman Pillner |
"Live Ammo" is the nineteenth episode in the fourth season of the NBC television series Parks and Recreation. It originally premiered on April 19, 2012 to 3.46 million viewers.
Synopsis[]
Leslie takes action when she learns the Parks Department budget is about to be cut; Chris takes Ron to a meditation centre.
Storyline[]
Leslie learns the Parks Department budget is going to be cut, so she successfully the retiring Councilman Pillner – whose seat she is running to fill – to reconsider. Ben criticizes Leslie for allowing her preference for the parks department to get in the way of the election, which proves to be true when Pillner decides to cut the budget of an animal shelter instead, giving the animals only days to live. Bobby Newport's campaign manager Jennifer Barkley goes on Ya Heard? With Perd!, posing with a cute little puppy to label Leslie an animal killer, so Leslie adopts all of the animals to save them.
Meanwhile, Chris reveals that Ron is among the finalists for Assistant City Manager, but he first asks Ron to join him at a yoga studio for a meditation session. Although Ron agrees to go, he refuses to meditate. Nevertheless, Chris is impressed that Ron joined him despite his reservations and decides to hire him as Assistant City Manager once he is voted by the City Council for another term as City Manager.
April has been miserable trying to fulfill Leslie's duties in the Parks Department. Tom suggests she do something she's passionate about. Since Leslie is using her and Andy's home to house the shelter animals, April decides to hold an adoption fair at a park for the displaced shelter animals while Leslie and Ben figure out how to find something in the budget that can be cut. At the park, Jerry, Donna, and Andy help April set up the pet adoption fair. April feels happy to see a little girl take a puppy home, but then a woman shows up to drop off her cats. April is furious and ends the day with more animals than she started with.
Meanwhile, Leslie and Ben convince Pillner to cut the budget by releasing employees on retainer. This also backfires when Pillner goes further and cuts numerous employees, including Ann. When Leslie and Ben confront Pillner again, he tells Leslie that he plays with "live ammo", meaning any decision that he makes in his job will always negatively affect some people, and warns Leslie that she will have to do the same thing if elected. She only has until the end of the day to find a solution. Leslie still thinks she can find the money for the budget. Ben tells her that the city is not a bottomless trust fund, and Leslie gets an idea.
Councilman Howser tells Chris that the City Council is currently voting 3-2 to keep him as City Manager, but since Pillner is retiring, whoever is elected will be the new deciding vote. Bobby is not happy about Chris campaigning for Leslie in his spare time, so he will vote to remove Chris if elected. Chris goes to see Ron and tell him that the job he offered him may not be his to give. Ron decides it's time to unwind his way and invites Chris to have a glass of whiskey with him and tells him to consider the benefits of possibly losing his job. Chris feels better from Ron's reassurance and after seeing Ann walk by.
The next day, April is staying home, depressed about the failure of the adoption drive. Tom advises her to cherish the small victories rather than the many frustrations that come with the job. Meanwhile, Leslie and Ben ask Jennifer to advise Bobby to fund the animal shelter using his own wealth, as they convinced Pillner to cut the parks budget instead of cutting jobs should Bobby refuse. Jennifer is initially confused as to why Leslie would give Bobby's campaign such an opportunity for great press. Leslie confidently responds that she will easily defeat Bobby in the upcoming debate the following week.
Cast[]
Quotes[]
Ann: [on Tom] I think I’m ready to say I love you…to his apartment.
Leslie: Did he do all this just for you?
Ann: No, he just lives like this. He's deeply in debt, but who cares?
April: Get over here lady, come back here and get your f***ing cats back!
Andy: Hey, Ben, the pig ate your noise-canceling headphones. [he chuckles]
Leslie: I've gotten to know the city councilmen pretty well because of my campaign. If you hear them talking about that blonde pain in the ass, that's-a me.
Leslie: Our department is the only thing between her and a life of tube tops and tribal tattoos and barfing in hot tubs.
Gilles: All due respect Miss Ludgate, do you even know what you're doing here?
April: All due respect Mr. Hamster Penis, but no, I don't.
Ron: I have so many ideas. Some are simple like take down traffic lights and eliminate the post office. The bigger ones will be tougher, like 'bring all this crumbling to the ground.'
Chris: You and I will embark in a quick session of heart-rate meditation, focusing on conscious breathing and opening the heart shakra.
Ron: I'm not sure I'm interested in that. No, I am sure: I'm not interested in that.
Ron: [recalling his time at the yoga studio with Chris] I was told we were in there about six hours. [Ron looked like he was zoned out, as if he actually was meditating] And no, I was not meditating. I just stood there, quietly breathing. There were no thoughts in my head, whatsoever. My mind was blank. I don't know what the hell these other crackpots are doing.
Jennifer: I am not saying that Leslie Knope is a dog murderer. I just think her actions raise some questions. Like for example, is she a dog murderer?
Perd: I don’t know the answer to that, Jennifer. But your tone makes me think…yes.
April: They should be rewarded for not being people. I hate people.
Donna: A lot of these dogs have rescued people from burning buildings. This one helped Ray Charles around.
Andy: What?! This cat was in Boogie Nights?
Chris: I’m going to try your not trying method right here, right now.
Ron: Now if you'll excuse me, there's a hot, spinning cone of meat in that Greek restaurant next door. I don't know what it is, but I'd like to eat the whole thing.
Andy: [taking ship out of bottle] I did it! I got it out!
Chris: [drinking whiskey with Ron] I don't usually poison my body with dark alcohol... but this whiskey is excellent.
Ron: Nectar of the gods.
Ron: You might consider the upside of losing your job.
Chris: For example?
Ron: You would no longer be a government parasite, sucking the lifeblood from honest, hardworking people. Instead, you’d contribute to society like a man.
Jennifer: I swear, the air in this town is killing my brain cells.
Leslie: Actually, the water's not good for you either. You shouldn't drink the tap water. Has anyone told you that yet?
Jennifer: What's in it for you?
Leslie: A safe home for the animals, a job for my friend, and a full parks budget.
Jennifer: I wasn't born yesterday. You've got to have an angle. This is a home run for us. We're going to dominate the news cycle for a whole week!
Ben: Well, you can have this week. We'll take the next one.
Jennifer: Oh, yeah? What makes you so sure?
Leslie: Because in a week, we have a debate. And your guy, Bobby Newport, is going to have to show up and he's going to have to open his mouth. And I'm going to kick his ass.
Trivia[]
- This episode is an homage to Aaron Sorkin's The West Wing, which partly served as inspiration for Michael Schur during the development of Parks and Recreation.[1]
- The episode features guest star Bradley Whitford, who played Josh Lyman on The West Wing for all 7 seasons. Rob Lowe also starred in The West Wing for 4 seasons as Sam Seaborn.
- In the background of Councilman Pilner's office, a framed napkin reading "Pilner for Pawnee" can be seen on the desk. This is a reference to the "Bartlet for America" napkin that Josiah Bartlet receives from Leo McGarry, inspiring him to run for President.
- Councilman Pilner and Leslie do the iconic "Walk and Talk" that was often used in The West Wing.
- Pilner saying "We play with Live Ammo here" is a reference to when Sam Seaborn says the same thing to White House counsel Ainsley Hayes after her recommendation to him created a meaningful policy shift in the White House.
- Leslie saying "And I'm going to kick his ass" is a reference to President Bartlet saying "'Boy, crime, I don't know' is the moment I decided to kick your ass" to his opponent Governor Ritchie.