10 essential Parks and Rec episodes to watch when you’re missing Pawnee

Season 3, Episode 13: “The Fight”

Anyone who believed the Parks and Rec characters couldn’t possibly get any more ridiculous was probably in for a surprise when they watched “The Fight” during the show’s third season. The episode follows Tom Haverford as he embarks on one of his typical schemes to come up with a groundbreaking idea and become an entrepreneur.

During this episode, he tries to make “Snake Juice” his big break. To make Snake Juice, Tom mixes alcohol, coffee, sugar, and “some other stuff.” Naturally, the end product is disastrous. But even in spite of its questionable ingredients, a local bar allows Tom to market Snake Juice to its patrons, resulting in a sloppy evening for the Parks and Rec crew who come out to support Tom’s endeavor.

Viewers get to see the employees of Pawnee’s Parks Department after they’ve had a little too much Snake Juice, and the results are hysterical. April and Andy don their alter ego attire, with Andy playing the role of Burt Macklin and April pretending to be Janet Snakehole. This would be humorous sober, but the addition of the Snake Juice just makes it that much more hilarious.

Leslie and Ann also get into their first fight during Tom’s event, giving the episode its title. Leslie is upset that Ann is partying with the rest of them when she should be preparing for a job interview that Leslie got her. Unfortunately, by the time the two of them are done drinking Snake Juice, they can barely speak in full sentences, much less have a mature conversation about the problem.

Donna’s the only character who escapes the effects of Snake Juice, very clearly pointing out that it’s essentially “rat poison” while the event is going on. Fans have to give her some credit for babysitting the other characters, especially given that even Ron winds up plastered—and Ron acting character is enough reason in itself to enjoy any episode of the show.