Every once in a while, an episode comes around that is not only hilarious, original, and creative, but not a second is even wasted. An episode is so tightly written, that after you watch it, you just marvel at how many great moments and scenes were packed in just the 20 minute runtime. Season 2's "Greg PIkitis" is certainly one of those episodes, and I consider it to be one of the best episodes in the entire series.
Where do I even begin with an episode like "Greg Pikitis??" I suppose the opening scene. The episode begins with Leslie at a high school, waiting to confront a boy named Greg Pikitis. It is clear right away that these two have history, and they don't like each other one bit. Leslie believes he has been the one who has been vandalizing an important Pawnee statue every Halloween, but Greg denies every claim that Leslie throws at him. The way they talk to each other is similar to the way a super hero and super villain would talk to each other, which is what makes this episode so funny. The scene is a perfect setup for the entire episode, and the episode has as many twists and turns as an episode of LOST would have.
It features major characters at their absolute best; specifically Leslie, Andy, Tom, and Ann. Now, the episode is separated into a main A-story and a smaller B-story, and both of them are equally excellent. The main story focuses on Leslie's investigation on the Pawnee vandalizer, and the side-plot focuses on Ann's Halloween party. Leslie brings a long her cop boyfriend, Dave, to help her catch Greg Pikitis, who is her main suspect. She also brings a long Andy once things get more serious. Now, when I think of all-time great Andy Dwyer scenes, one of the first that come to mind is the interrogation scene with Andy and Greg. Chris Pratt is so funny! The way he is able to express different emotions and his use of physical comedy is great. He also introduces his alter-ego, FBI agent Burt Macklin: one of the show's best running gags. It's the commitment these actors have for their characters that make this episode work so well. Leslie is so serious about catching Greg, and Andy is so serious about being part of the FBI. It's silly, but it works so well because of the great performances.
As I already mentioned, the B-story is great too. Everyone has been in those situations where they have either thrown or been invited to a party that is just not coming together the way they wanted, and people are bored and want to leave. It's a very relatable scenario and it's fun to see everyone dressed up! Also, once Tom enters the story, things get even more funny and epic! His T-Pain costume is just perfect.
Overall, "Greg Pikitis" is an extremely funny episode with excellent writing (written by show creator Mike Schur) and features great performances from the entire cast. The episode has many great moments and the episode will fly by and immediately make you want to watch it again once it ends. I can't say enough great things about it, and I hope if you haven't seen the episode yet, you will like it just as much as I do!
