S05E20 - Jerry's Retirement

Live from Pawnee: A Parks and Recreation Fan Rewatch Podcast

This week Mark and Allen break down the Episode where our beloved Jerry Gergich retires! Ben has talked Leslie into taking a VERY rare day off and spending it with him. However, when they learn Jerry is retiring ... THAT DAY ... their plans are put on hold, as Leslie furiously works to send Jerry off on the right note. Leslie turns to the goals Jerry originally set for himself when he was first hired ... not that ambitious, but appropriate for him, such as eating in the private city council dining room. Unfortunately, that goal and many others prove to be out of reach for various reasons. As the day rolls on, Leslie becomes worried - above all, she doesn't want Jerry to leave this job with nothing, and go home to an empty life. Finally, Leslie decides that, while they can't name a building after him (one of his original goals), they CAN name the Parks and Rec conference room after him, and she does so with a custom plaque and cake before he says his goodbyes to everyone. Meanwhile, the fertility clinic got the results back from Chris' tests. During Ann and Chris' next visit, they tell them Chris is very healthy, and, that he can give a specimen whenever he's ready, including that day. However, with the concept of artificial insemination no longer just a distant thought, Chris and Ann start to get cold feet and decide to take a few days to think things over before rushing any decisions. Ann invites Chris over to her house so that they can discuss things. Reading the pamphlets, they become rather put off by the medical, emotionless verbiage. This leads them to reminisce about their relationship, and the good times they had ... especially the good times they "physically" had. Finally, when the gang discusses the ramifications of Jerry retiring, Ron shares his philosophical theory that, since nature abhors a vacuum, the office will naturally select someone to assume the role of "punching bag". This makes everyone a little nervous, especially Tom, who takes every precaution to make sure he doesn't become the "new Jerry". Unfortunately, when Tom has a series of verbal flubs during a meeting, his worst nightmare comes true - everybody piles on, gives him a new embarrassing nickname, and makes fun of him non-stop. It gets so bad that, out of desperation, he asks Ron to hire a new intern in the hopes that the mantle of punching bag will pass onto someone else. As always, we tackle the tough questions, such as ... Does the room-naming ceremony go smoothly, or does it get "Jerry'd" up somehow? Will Chris still decide to be the sperm donor for Ann? What nickname does the gang give to Tom? Can Leslie try anything else to soften the blow of retirement for Jerry? Is there still a spark between Ann and Chris, physical or otherwise? Can Tom pass on the "punching bag" mantle to Ron's new intern? Will we see Jerry again, or is this really goodbye? Will Ann and Chris consider approaching fertility from a more "natural" route? What else can be done to help Tom avoid the fate of "the new Jerry"? Loyal viewers, we're getting close to the end of Season 5, and it's been a non-stop roller coaster ride ... will it continue with this episode? Tune in and find out! Many thanks to our amazing sponsor, "Pawnee Diagnostic Imaging", or PDI.