25 best Christmas TV episodes to watch this holiday season
Parks and Recreation – “Christmas Scandal”
It’s not really Christmas until you’re embroiled in a sex scandal by the local press, or at least that’s what happens to Leslie Knope on the season 2 episode “Christmas Scandal.”
Leslie meets Councilman Bill Dexhart for lunch one day, after he was recently mocked in a sketch at the annual Pawnee City Government Follies. The sketch made fun of Dexhart for some bizarre sex scandals he had recently been involved in. When Leslie is seen out with him, a photo is snapped, and local tabloid The Pawnee Sun starts reporting that she’s Dexhart’s new mistress. Only Leslie could get herself into this situation!
The local media frenzy around the scandal gets out of control, and Leslie is rightfully upset, especially since it’s distracting from the Winter Wonderland event she set up for the holidays. When Leslie is given the day off work to lay low, she has lunch with Dave, who reveals he’s moving to San Diego and wants Leslie to join him — and she considers it.
The speculation and scrutiny surrounding Leslie’s affair with Dexhart is only getting worse when the show Pawnee Today finds an old video of the two shaking hands and they analyze every single aspect of the clip. Ann and Leslie confront Dexhart to convince him to clear Leslie’s name with the truth, but since this fake scandal is drawing attention away from his real scandal, he refuses. So Leslie takes matter into her own hands and appears on Pawnee Today to clear her own name, but they bring Dexhart out as a surprise.
Dexhart tries to prove he’s having an affair with Leslie by saying she has a mole on her butt, knowing Leslie would never prove him wrong live on the air, but guess what? Never underestimate Leslie Knope! She pulls her pants down on live television and moons the host to prove once and for all that this affair is a lie, and finally Dexhart admits it was all fake.
With the scandal behind her, Leslie decides against moving to San Diego and is finally able to focus on the tree lighting ceremony, where she’s congratulated by everyone for clearing her name.