'Parks and Recreation' Season 4, Episode 14 Recap - 'Operation Ann'

Things got very weird last night on "Parks and Recreation," and I'm not sure it was in a good way. There was a lot to love about "Operation Ann," but there were also parts that were very disjointed and made little sense, if any.

First off, Leslie may have just coined "Galentine's Day," which is on February 13th and involves having a girl's day out with all of your best girlfriends. Like "treat yo' self day," we might have a new celebration on our hands.

It is on Galentine's Day that Leslie learns that Ann might be hurting a bit about being single. So, Leslie's mission the next night, at the Valentine's Day singles dance, is to set Ann up on a date. This side of the episode works pretty well, and there are some funny appearances from potential suitors. Ultimately, Ann and Tom end up on a date, a pairing that we've seen hints of ever since the end of last season. But it looks like it probably won't last... which is probably the right move.

It's the other half of this episode that gets a little strange. Leslie has set up clues across town for Ben, which starts with a "DaVinci Code" type cryptex. The scavenger hunt sends Ben across town looking for clues, along with the help of Andy and Ron. There's some delight in the revelation that Ron is legitimately excited about cracking the clues, but it's strange that he solves them so quickly. Rather than coming across as excitement about the game, it seems more like Ron already knows the answers, which makes for a weird vibe.

Martin Starr of "Party Down" also makes a brief appearance, continuing his apparent circuit of NBC sitcom appearances. However, he's a bit underused. It seems as though these scenes with Ben are lacking a true punchline, which makes them feel a little uneasy.

Nonetheless, it's all worth it for the episode's tag, which has Ron subtly attempting to tell Leslie to give him a scavenger hunt for his birthday without admitting as much. Plus, Ron at the gay bar was pretty priceless, too.

Notes & Quotes:

-"Did you try f**ks?"

-Chris' depressing DJ-ing. Rob Lowe is a damn funny individual.

-"It kinda sounds like the end of a movie about a monk that killed himself."

-"Oh, no Jeff."

-"Noooooooo!"