Ep 18. The Possum

Leslie Knope has always been a tireless advocate for the town of Pawnee, but in this episode of Parks and Recreation, she takes her enthusiasm to new heights when she becomes determined to catch a pesky possum that has been wreaking havoc in the community.

The episode opens with Leslie and her team trying to find a solution to the possum problem. The creature has been spotted all around town, scurrying through backyards and raiding trash cans. Leslie is worried that if they don't catch the possum soon, it could cause even more damage.

Meanwhile, Ron is dealing with his own animal issues. His ex-wife, Tammy, has returned to town and is causing chaos at the Parks department. When they were married, Tammy was Ron's superior at the Parks department and their relationship was tumultuous at best. Now, she has come back to Pawnee and is trying to sabotage Ron's career once again.

As Leslie and her team try to devise a plan to catch the possum, they realize that they'll need to do some serious research on the creature in order to outsmart it. They turn to a local wildlife expert, played by Andy Samberg, for help. He teaches them everything they need to know about possum behavior and how to set traps that will actually work.

The plan seems foolproof, but when Leslie and her team set the traps, things don't go according to plan. Instead of catching the possum, they accidentally trap a different animal - a beaver. This only further complicates things as they now have to figure out what to do with the beaver, while still trying to catch the possum.

Ron, on the other hand, is dealing with Tammy in his own way - by completely avoiding her. He refuses to engage with her in any way, which only makes her more determined to mess with his job. When she starts causing trouble with his projects, Ron realizes that he'll need to confront her head-on if he wants to salvage his career.

Back at the Parks department, Leslie is working tirelessly to come up with a new plan to catch the possum. She enlists the help of her co-worker, Tom, who suggests setting up a stakeout to try and catch the creature in action. Together, they stay up all night, armed with snacks and binoculars, hoping to catch a glimpse of the possum.

As the night wears on, Leslie starts to become disillusioned with her mission. She realizes that catching the possum isn't going to solve all the problems in the town, and that maybe she's been too obsessed with this one problem. She starts to see things in a new light and realizes that there are bigger issues at play in Pawnee that need her attention.

In the end, Leslie and her team do finally catch the possum, but it's not the victory they thought it would be. They release the creature back into the wild and ultimately it's Tammy who ends up with the last laugh. Despite Ron's attempts to shut her down, she manages to cause chaos at the Parks department and make Ron's life miserable once again.

Overall, this episode of Parks and Recreation is a hilarious and heartwarming exploration of community empowerment and persistence. Leslie's determination to catch the possum is admirable, but it's her realization that there are bigger issues at play that really drives the episode home. Fans of the show will love seeing their favorite characters back in action, and newcomers will be sure to fall in love with the quirky town of Pawnee.