| It's true. I no longer have highly trained, professional campaign managers. So what? Are most murders committed by highly trained, professional assassins? No, they're committed by friends and coworkers! That analogy was way better in my head. |
| — Leslie Knope |
"The Comeback Kid" is the eleventh episode in the fourth season of the NBC television series Parks and Recreation. It originally premiered on January 12, 2012 to 4.09 million viewers.
Synopsis[]
Leslie asks everyone for help in raising awareness about an event and appoints Ann as the new campaign manager. Meanwhile, Ben explores a new hobby, and April and Andy get a pet. Later, Chris finds out that Ben is depressed about leaving his job.
Storyline[]
Leslie and the Parks Department are planning a big comeback for Leslie's campaign. She asks Ann to be her campaign manager, turning down Ann's suggestion of the unemployed and experienced Ben since his presence may remind voters of their scandal. The team organizes a rally at the Pawnee Sports Building, and Ann manages to land high school basketball legend "Pistol" Pete Disellio, who is famous for winning against the Eagleton team for a last-second dunk he performed in a high school basketball game several years ago, as a special guest.
Andy and April reveal they've adopted a three-legged dog they've named Champion. Ben is annoyed but lets them keep the dog as long as they don't dump the responsibility off on him.
Leslie and Ann visit Pete. He says he will endorse Leslie but refuses to allow the campaign to associate him with basketball or even use his nickname since he is tired of the town always bringing up his one famous game.
Meanwhile, Chris visits Ben at his home, where he sees Ben is involved in a variety of hobbies, such as claymation and calzone making, neither of which are very good. Chris guesses that Ben is actually very depressed and is using the hobbies as a distraction, but doesn't say anything and decides to let Ben figure it out for himself.
At the same time, Ron, Andy, April, Tom, and Champion pile into a truck with the supplies and red carpet for the stage that Ron will build. On the way to the sports center, they are pulled over by a cop for multiple violations. They call Leslie to help, so she leaves Ann to convince Pete to do the dunk. Throughout the day, Pete continues to open up more about his life problems to an increasingly uncomfortable Ann. Leslie is able to convince the officer not to arrest her team, but he says they can't drive the truck. They are forced to leave behind most of the lumber for the stage, as they can only fit a small amount in the car.
Ben shows Chris the claymation video he was working on for the last three weeks. He's crushed and disappointed when he sees his work was only five seconds long. Ben finally admits he's unhappy without some sort of direction in his life. Chris cheers Ben up and Ben is touched by his friend's efforts to help.
Upon arriving at the venue, the disasters keep piling up. The basketball court April supposedly booked has in fact been converted into an ice hockey rink, Ron was only able to create a miniature podium with no stairs because he didn't have enough wood, and the banner didn't turn out how Leslie wanted it. She hopes that Jerry, who was in charge of gathering a crowd, failed in his task, but for once he did well – there are at least a hundred people in attendance. Ann arrives to announce that she brought Pete, but she doesn't know if he'll dunk or not, as he's now an emotional mess and crying in her car. Leslie and the rest want to give up, but Ann rallies the team.
When Leslie goes out on the ice to give her speech, Tom's red carpet ends abruptly, so she and the whole department slowly creep their way to the podium, while Champion pees all over Ron. Leslie finally gets to the podium, but her index cards are out of order and her speech falls flat. Suddenly, Pete arrives – having sorted out his issues with Ann – and endorses Leslie to the crowd's delight. He attempts to dunk, but he immediately slips and breaks his arm. The event is a complete disaster.
After the event, Leslie decides to have Ben be her new campaign manager. He agrees, to Ann's relief.
Cast[]
Quotes[]
Leslie: Ann, you beautiful tropical fish.
Leslie: You're smart as a whip and you're cool under pressure. You've resuscitated a human heart in your bare hands.
Ann: No, I haven't.
Leslie: [surprised] You haven't??
Ann: No!
Leslie: You will. You're that good of a nurse.
Leslie: I believe in you, Ann. And your first job as my campaign manager is to start dressing like one. Don't want to have this conversation again.
Ann: Again? [confused] You just hired me like eight seconds ago.
April: Wow, you're doing a really bad job.
Ben: [having met Champion, the three-legged dog] Okay, I have to ask this and I'm sorry, but, how many legs did that dog have when you found him?
Andy: [cheerfully] Three! That's what makes him the best! He can do more with three legs than most dogs can with four.
April: Except for digging. He's really bad at digging.
Ron: Leslie wanted to hire a contractor to build the stage. I don't want to paint with a broad brush here but every single contractor in the world is a miserable, incompetent thief.
Leslie: See, there's more things to look at on the internet other than naked guys, Ann.
Ann: What?
Ron: Officer, I have been operating heavy machinery since I was 8 years old. Now I respect you and your service to this town and your country, but what laws are we breaking exactly?
Officer: Well, you got 4 people in the front seat, nobody's wearing a seatbelt, you were speeding and blasting your horn through the hospital zone, the rear of the vehicle is open, debris has been falling out, and you don't have a commercial license to drive a truck.
Ron: [chuckles slightly] Okay. Well, we have a philosophical difference on what constitutes a law.
Ron: Tom, we're already late. Now be a man and sit on that girl's lap!
April: [on the phone with Ann] Hi! I just wanted to let you know we're about to be arrested.
Ann: Oh my God, April! That's horrible! Where are you? "My mother's butt." Really? [sarcastic] That's really helpful.
Ben: Pizza is old news.
Ben: And will call my new Italian fast casual eatery the Low Cal Calzone... Zone.
Chris: [to Ben] That idea is literally the greatest idea I have ever heard in my life. [to camera in private] That idea is terrible.
Leslie: April, I need a status report. How's it looking out there?
April: Perfect, but just one thing - it's not a basketball court, anymore. It's an ice skating rink.
Leslie: [surprised] Wait, what? Why? What happened??
April: The stupid guy I called to book this place didn't tell me they took off the basketball floor for a hockey game. Or maybe he did tell me, but he was so stupid and boring that I wasn't listening. And either way, it was his fault because he was stupid and I hated him.
Leslie: Jerry, you were in charge of getting a crowd. Please tell me you pulled a Jerry and no one's here.
Jerry: [offended] Okay, well, first of all, I don't like it when you guys use that term. And for the record, [excitingly] I came through - there are almost 100 people out there!
Leslie: [upset] Oh, dammit Jerry. You just had to do your job, didn't you?
April: Yeah. Can't you do anything wrong, Jerry?
Leslie: Ben, my campaign manager and I have made a decision.
Ann: We've decided to fire that campaign manager, me.
Leslie: And hire you.
Chris: I've known you a long time. And, right now, you need help.
Ben: With my clay-mache?
Chris: You are wildly, insanely depressed.
Ben: [to the camera] Depressed? I'm the furthest thing from depressed! I mean, look at what I've accomplished. [holds up his clay man] Do you see him? Do you think a depressed person could make this? No!
Ben: [to Chris] I'll show you my claymation project. Okay, now I have been working pretty hard on this and I think it's really good. So just hang onto your hat, okay? Here it goes. [he presses play, the title shows "Ben Wyatt Presents 'Requiem for a Tuesday'", and the video begins with the clay man standing up in bed to the opening of R.E.M.'s "Stand"... and the video abruptly ends; Ben and Chris are stumped]
Chris: Did you pause it?
Ben: No. I- Hang on. [he plays the video again and it ends as soon as it begins; Ben sighs disappointingly] Oh, my God. That's the whole thing. [he buries his face in his hands]
Ben: You see, in my head, I thought that was really, really cool. I-I-I emailed Leslie two days ago and I compared it to "AVATAR", Chris! And how could it not be longer??!
Leslie: [upon noticing the red carpet ends shortly] Tom?
Tom: I couldn't afford enough premium carpet to get us to the stage. I mean, it was a short walk but it was pretty luxurious right?
Leslie: Okay. [she braces herself and carefully shuffles onto the ice]
Ron: I'm holding the dog - he is peeing. He is now peeing. And I'm putting him down.
Intercom: [repeatedly plays Gloria Estefan] "GET ON YOUR FEET! GET UP, AND MAKE IT HAPPEN!"