While comparisons to The Office always seem required in a Parks and Recreation review, especially when a dinner party is involved, this week Leslie has secured her right to never be compared to Michael Scott again.

While both leads of their respective shows may have thrown dinner parties for their co-workers, the comparisons end there.  This week's episode of Parks, "Leslie's House," featured a refreshing take on a recycled plot line that only this show's premise could have allowed for.

We see Leslie's house for the first time in this episode, and it turns out she's a pack rat!  Who would have seen it?  Luckily, Leslie has connections in low places and she can call in General Beckman, who apparently doubles as a Recreation teacher, to help her organize her life.

Beckman and the rest of the teachers are desperate to impress Leslie as each of their classes are endangered of being canceled when the Recreation department is short $1,000 and will be forced to shut down five classes.

In typical Leslie fashion, she tries to never abuse her office, which she takes so seriously, and promises the teachers it will have no impact on her decision.  However, also in typical Leslie fashion she's so desperate to impress Justin things spiral out of control and she finds herself bringing in literally every teacher.

In a great twist, and perhaps the best irony in abuse of power, Leslie ends up turning herself in and having a hearing just to have Justin state on record he had a good time.  In the end, you can never get frustrated with Leslie the way you could with Michael Scott (I swear, last comparison ever!) because Leslie donated the $1,000 to let all the teachers keep her job.

What keeps this show strong is that Leslie may screw things up, but her heart and intentions are always in the right place.   She's a much more lovable person by both the characters on the show and the audience.

Plus this show has Ron F*cking Swanson.  The man brought his own deviled eggs (for just himself) and practically stole Wendy away in his mustache.

Overall, this was one of the series' stongest outings and gave each of the characters a chance to shine whether it was Tom googling Indian to impress Justin or April sticking gum in Justin's coat pockets to prove her loyalty to Andy.

While we have plenty more Parks and Recreation quotes coming up later in the day, we'll leave you with two of our favorites from the over ex-foliated hands of Tom:

Tom: How could you invite Wendy when Ron's here? He's gonna wrap her up in his mustache and take her home! | permalink

Tom: I don't have the heart to tell them what happens to Kurt Cobain in 1994. | permalink

Eric Hochberger is the programmer of TV Fanatic, so please forgive his mediocre writing. His programming is far better. Follow him on Twitter and/or email him. Just don't request threaded comments. They're coming.