The Best Episodes of Parks and Recreation Season 2
Every episode of Parks and Recreation Season 2 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Parks and Recreation Season 2!
In an attempt to beautify her town — and advance her career — Leslie Knope, a mid-level bureaucrat in the Parks and Recreation Department of Pawnee, Indiana, takes on bureaucrats, cranky neighbors, and single-issue fanatics whose weapons are lawsuits, the jumble of city codes, and the democratic process she loves so much.
Season 2 Ratings Summary
The best episode of "Parks and Recreation" season 2 is "Pawnee Zoo", rated 7.8/10 from 3327 user votes. It was directed by Paul Feig and written by Norm Hiscock. "Pawnee Zoo" aired on 9/17/2009 and is rated 0.2 point(s) higher than the second highest rated, "The Stakeout".
7.8/10 3,327 votes#1 - Pawnee Zoo
Season 2 Episode 1 - Aired 9/17/2009
When Leslie decides to marry two penguins to promote the local zoo, she inadvertently causes an uproar when both penguins turn out to be male. Meanwhile, Mark puts Ann in an awkward situation when he asks her to go see a movie.
Director: Paul Feig
Writer: Norm Hiscock
8.0/10 3,176 votes#2 - The Stakeout
Season 2 Episode 2 - Aired 9/24/2009
While tending to the new community garden, Leslie and Tom discover someone has planted marijuana among the vegetables. In an effort to catch the people responsible, they pull an all-night stakeout. With Leslie's permission, Ann decides to go on a date with Mark.
Director: Seth Gordon
Writer: Rachel Axler
7.6/10 3,054 votes#3 - Beauty Pageant
Season 2 Episode 3 - Aired 10/1/2009
Leslie gets to judge a beauty contest, but ends up having conflicting opinions on "the ideal woman" with the other judges. While on a date with Mark, Ann learns Andy has been living in the pit.
Director: Jason Woliner
Writer: Katie Dippold
8.2/10 3,125 votes#4 - Practice Date
Season 2 Episode 4 - Aired 10/8/2009
Leslie is nervous about her first date with Dave, so Ann takes her on a practice date to help her prepare. Meanwhile, after a local councilman is caught up in a sex scandal, Tom, Ron, April and Mark decide to see who can uncover the worst dirt on each other.
Director: Alex Hardcastle
Writer: Harris Wittels
7.6/10 3,279 votes#5 - Sister City
Season 2 Episode 5 - Aired 10/15/2009
Leslie plays host to the Parks and Recreation department from Pawnee’s sister city, Boraqua, Venezuela, and is shocked at the cultural differences. Tom becomes an errand boy, and April plays hard to get.
Director: Michael Schur
Writer: Alan Yang
7.6/10 2,879 votes#6 - Kaboom
Season 2 Episode 6 - Aired 10/22/2009
Leslie, Ann and the rest of the Parks Department volunteer to help the organization KaBOOM! build a playground for a neighboring town. After building an entire playground in one day, Leslie gets frustrated at the lack of progress with the pit, and takes some advice from Mark to cut through the red tape.
Director: Charles McDougall
Writer: Aisha Muharrar
8.2/10 3,127 votes#7 - Greg Pikitis
Season 2 Episode 7 - Aired 10/29/2009
Leslie enlists the help of Dave and Andy in order to catch a local teen vandal. Meanwhile, Ann struggles to make her Halloween party fun, and ends up getting help from an unlikely source.
Director: Dean Holland
Writer: Michael Schur
8.3/10 3,132 votes#8 - Ron and Tammy
Season 2 Episode 8 - Aired 11/5/2009
Leslie is upset when she learns the library department wants to take over her lot. Making matters worse, the library is run by Ron's ex-wife Tammy, who still has a powerful emotional hold on him. Meanwhile, Andy gets a job in hopes of winning Ann back.
Director: Troy Miller
Writer: Mike Scully
7.7/10 2,850 votes#9 - The Camel
Season 2 Episode 9 - Aired 11/12/2009
After one of the murals ("The Spirit of Pawnee") in City Hall is defaced, Leslie and the Parks Department compete to come up with a new design. Meanwhile, Andy and Ron share an uncomfortable moment at the shoeshine stand.
Director: Millicent Shelton
Writer: Rachel Axler
8.6/10 3,392 votes#10 - Hunting Trip
Season 2 Episode 10 - Aired 11/19/2009
Leslie tries to prove she can hang with the guys so she invites herself on Ron’s annual hunting trip, but things don’t go as planned. Meanwhile, April and Andy bond in the office while everyone is away.
Director: Greg Daniels
Writer: Daniel J. Goor
7.7/10 2,777 votes#11 - Tom's Divorce
Season 2 Episode 11 - Aired 12/3/2009
After Leslie finds out that Tom is getting a divorce, the department takes him out on the town to cheer him up. Meanwhile, Andy tries to hustle Mark in a game of pool.
Director: Troy Miller
Writer: Harris Wittels
7.9/10 2,803 votes#12 - Christmas Scandal
Season 2 Episode 12 - Aired 12/10/2009
Leslie designs the Pawnee Winter Wonderland Festival, but has to hide from the press when a meeting with a disgraced Councilman lands her in the middle of a sex scandal. Meanwhile, Ron offers to cover for Leslie for the day, and quickly discovers how much work she really does.
Director: Randall Einhorn
Writer: Michael Schur
7.9/10 2,813 votes#13 - The Set Up
Season 2 Episode 13 - Aired 1/14/2010
Ann sets Leslie up on a blind date with a co-worker, which does not go as well as Leslie hoped. An old friend of Ann's makes Mark feel insecure.
Director: Troy Miller
Writer: Katie Dippold
7.8/10 2,737 votes#14 - Leslie's House
Season 2 Episode 14 - Aired 1/21/2010
After an amazing date with Justin in Indianapolis, Leslie tries to impress him with a dinner party at her house.
Director: Alex Hardcastle
Writer: Daniel J. Goor
7.8/10 2,696 votes#15 - Sweetums
Season 2 Episode 15 - Aired 2/4/2010
The Parks Department forms a partnership with a local company to sell energy bars at the parks in Pawnee, but Leslie tries to stop the deal when she discovers how unhealthy the snacks are. Mark reluctantly agrees to help Tom move out of his house.
Director: Dean Holland
Writer: Alan Yang
7.5/10 2,694 votes#16 - Galentine's Day
Season 2 Episode 16 - Aired 2/11/2010
When Leslie hears her mom’s story about an old flame, she and her boyfriend Justin track him down and reunite them on Valentine’s Day. Meanwhile, Andy and his band are nervous about playing a gig at the Senior Center.
Director: Ken Kwapis
Writer: Michael Schur
7.9/10 2,677 votes#17 - Woman of the Year
Season 2 Episode 17 - Aired 3/4/2010
Leslie is outraged when Ron wins a “Woman of the Year” award for a project she started. Meanwhile, Tom is desperate to find some money to invest in a local Pawnee club.
Director: Jason Woliner
Writer: Norm Hiscock
7.9/10 2,691 votes#18 - The Possum
Season 2 Episode 18 - Aired 3/11/2010
When a possum bites the mayor's dog on a golf course, Leslie is asked to form a task force to catch the pesky animal. Meanwhile, Ron is upset when Mark refuses to bend the rules for him.
Director: Tristram Shapeero
Writer: Mike Scully
8.0/10 2,781 votes#19 - Park Safety
Season 2 Episode 19 - Aired 3/18/2010
After Jerry gets mugged by a bunch of kids, Leslie meets with the head park ranger in hopes of improving park safety. Meanwhile, everyone tries to be nicer to Jerry once he returns to the office.
Director: Michael Trim
Writer: Aisha Muharrar
7.8/10 2,632 votes#20 - Summer Catalog
Season 2 Episode 20 - Aired 3/25/2010
Preparing the Summer Events Catalog, Leslie decides to take Ron and the past directors of the Parks Department out for a picnic lunch. Tom enlists the help of Ann and Mark to pose for the cover photo.
Director: Ken Whittingham
Writer: Katie Dippold
8.4/10 2,854 votes#21 - 94 Meetings
Season 2 Episode 21 - Aired 4/29/2010
Ron is furious when April mistakenly schedules a ton of meetings for him. Meanwhile, Leslie fights to preserve a historical landmark.
Director: Tristram Shapeero
Writer: Harris Wittels
8.2/10 2,745 votes#22 - Telethon
Season 2 Episode 22 - Aired 5/6/2010
Leslie hosts a late-night shift for a local telethon, and lands former Indiana Pacer Detlef Schrempf as a celebrity guest. Meanwhile, Mark has big plans for his relationship with Ann.
Director: Troy Miller
Writer: Amy Poehler
8.4/10 2,814 votes#23 - The Master Plan
Season 2 Episode 23 - Aired 5/13/2010
Leslie is disappointed when her new park plans are put on hold by a visit from two state auditors. April has plans for Andy at her birthday party, and Ann tries to piece together a romantic mystery.
Director: Dean Holland
Writer: Michael Schur
8.5/10 2,843 votes#24 - Freddy Spaghetti
Season 2 Episode 24 - Aired 5/20/2010
When Ben prevents Leslie from holding a children’s concert, she takes matters into her own hands. Mark makes some big decisions about his life, and Andy gets some unexpected romantic attention.
Director: Jason Woliner
Writer: Daniel J. Goor