Camping (Parks and Recreation)

During a press conference about the success of the recent Pawnee harvest festival, city manager Paul suffers a massive heart attack. Chris accepts an offer to work as acting city manager while Paul recovers from bypass surgery. Chris requests of Leslie more large-scale ideas to generate revenue, placing pressure on her to follow up the harvest festival, so she organizes a camping trip for the parks department to discuss ideas. Ann feels awkward now that Chris is back; the two previously dated, but Chris broke up with Ann in such a friendly manner that she did not initially realize it was a break-up. Leslie invites Ann to the camping trip to help her feel better.

Nobody except Leslie really cares about the trip: Ron just wants to fish, Ben failed to bring a tent, and Tom just wants to relax in his huge tent filled with luxury electronic items. Tom expresses confusion as to why Ben, a state auditor who had been helping with Pawnee's financial problems, has not returned to his old job at Indianapolis; Ben does not explain his reasons, but it is hinted he harbors romantic feelings for Leslie. Meanwhile, Andy sets up a romantic tent for April at the wrong campsite miles away, forcing him to trek through the wilderness to find everyone. This leads to April feeling miserable at the campsite without Andy around. During brainstorming sessions, nobody produces any good ideas because they assume Leslie will think of one. However, she worriedly confides to Ann and Ben that she cannot think of anything on the same level as the harvest festival.

Chris pays a visit during his nightly jog, and Ann leaves with him so they can clear the air. Over dinner, Chris once again acts so optimistic while discussing the break-up that Ann thinks their relationship is back on and tries to kiss him, severely embarrassing herself. Meanwhile, the camping trip proves unsuccessful and everybody decides to go home that night, but they are left without transportation because Tom and Ben have hooked all of their electronics to the van's battery, draining it. Everybody hikes to a strange bed and breakfast filled with cats and dolls called The Quiet Corn, run by a strict old lady named Elsa Clack. Andy arrives and rebuilds the romantic tent in the yard for a flattered April. Leslie tells Ron about her mental block, worrying she will never again produce an idea better than the harvest festival. Ron, recognizing how burnt out she is, solves Leslie's problem by locking her in a bedroom and ordering her to get some sleep. With a rare full night's sleep energizing her, Leslie wakes up with numerous big ideas that are well received by Chris.

"Camping" was written by Aisha Muharrar and directed by Rob Schrab. It featured a guest appearance by Phil Reeves, who has played Pawnee township manager Paul Iaresco in several episodes dating back to the first season episode "Canvassing".^[1][2] Paul's departure from that position is used as a means to reintroduce Rob Lowe's character, Chris Traeger.^[1][3] Lowe was originally expected to be a guest star departing from the show after the episode "Indianapolis".^[4][5][6] However, after his original string of episodes were filmed, Lowe was signed as a permanent Parks and Recreation cast member, prompting the writers to find a way to reintroduce the character to the series.^[6][7][8] "Camping" also featured a guest appearance by New York-based actress Annie O'Donnell as Elsa Clack, owner of The Quiet Corn.^[9]

Prior to the episode's broadcast, Rashida Jones said she liked the new storylines that had developed for Ann Perkins' character, preferring that she remain single than simply get back together with Chris: "It was pretty embarrassing what Ann went through, so I think she kind of has to recover from that before anything else. And this is a good time for Ann to be single too, because she hasn't been single ever on the show. I think she needs to do that a little bit."^[10] Shortly after "Camping" first aired, a fake website for the bed and breakfast business The Quiet Corn was put up on the official NBC website, advertising the fictional establishment's features, room amenities and meal services.^[11][12] During one scene in "Camping", Tom refers to one of the gadgets in his tent as DJ Roomba, an iPod music player attached to an autonomous robotic vacuum cleaner. The gadget, built by Tom, was previously featured in the second-season episode "Sweetums".^[10][13][14]

Tom fills his tent with electronics and other extravagant items from Sky Mall, a chain of luxury item retail stores.^[15][16] He nicknames the tent "The Thunderdome", named after the gladiator arena in the action film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985).^[13][17] While watching TV inside his tent, Tom claims to be recording the Food Network show Cupcake Wars, the CBS police procedural drama NCIS: Los Angeles and the sixth season of the Bravo reality series Top Chef.^[1][17][18] Later, while pitching his idea for a Pawnee amphitheatre, Tom expresses hope it would entice performances from such rappers as Lil Wayne, Drake and Jay-Z.^[17]

While searching for inspiration for an idea, Leslie reads from her dream journal and recalls a dream where she happily married ALF, the alien protagonist of a science fiction sitcom of the same name.^[15] Later, Leslie listens to the Len song "Steal My Sunshine", which she calls a one-hit wonder and compares to her own lack of ability to come up with a second idea.^[17][19] Ben cheers Leslie up and compliments her work ethic by calling her the "Energizer Bunny of city government."^[17] During a later scene, Tom mockingly calls Ben the "white Urkel", a reference to the archetype nerd character Steve Urkel from the comedy series Family Matters.^[1][17] Donna can be seen reading a book called Your Erogenous Zones.^[15] The bed and breakfast owner plays Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" on a harpsichord.