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.
Summer catalog logistics anchor 70 jokes, but midseason slump shows in modest 72.1 index.
Directed by Ken Whittingham · Written by Katie Dippold
WAR
117.5
Wins Above Replacement
“Summer Catalog” ranks #31 of 123 Parks and Recreation episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 94.1 — Elite. The episode packs 81 scored jokes at 3.1 per minute, averaging 7.5 on craft and 7.4 on impact, with Tom landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Leslie · Ron: 'I really made love to the pooch on this one.' / Ron: 'Screwed the pooch?' / Leslie: 'I don't like that term. It's so vulgar.'
Leslie Ron Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Ron · Clarence: Ron reveals Michael made a water pipe out of a stuffed raccoon — 'He made a bong out of a taxidermied raccoon'
Tom: You gotta have a motto. Mine is: 'If you really wanna get the hoochie, you gotta pay the price to get the smoochie.' It's like Manimal, but about gettin' ladies.
Ron Character Comedy Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Tom: Ann, you look like a young Meryl Streep mixed with a young Grace Jones.
Ann: Those are both compliments?
Tom: No, not really. One's a bit cold, and the other one scares people.
Ann: So both comparisons are insulting?
Andy Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Tom: You know what? Let's just photoshop Leslie's head onto a more attractive body.
April Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch All Jokes — 81 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Tom: Ron, what's with the hat? You look like you're about to join the Swiss Family Swanson!
Tom Ron Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Tom: Can I try on your hat, Ron?
Ron: No.
Tom: I'm gonna put this bad larry on my dome.
Tom: I mean, this hat on my head.
Tom Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Tom: Hey ladies, check out this hat. It's made from the pelt of an animal that Ron killed with his bare hands.
Tom Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun Tom: You know, that raccoon hat really brings out your eyes. We actually have a lot in common, you and that raccoon.
Tom: You both dig through trash.
Tom Absurdist Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Tom: Hey baby, are you a raccoon? Because you're trash— wait, no, that's not... that came out wrong.
Tom Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Tom: You know what? Forget everything I just said. I'm just gonna be honest. You are incredibly beautiful, and I would very much like to take you to dinner.
Tom Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Tom: Hey baby, are you duck season? Because I want to blast you with my shotgun.
Jerry: Tom, that doesn't even make sense.
Tom: Well, it's rabbit season then. Same thing.
Tom Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Tom: You gotta have a motto. Mine is: 'If you really wanna get the hoochie, you gotta pay the price to get the smoochie.' It's like Manimal, but about gettin' ladies.
Ron Character Comedy Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Tom: Your beauty is so blinding, it killed my hat.
Leslie Character Comedy Observational Tom: I own a raccoon hat. I'm interesting.
Tom: That's it. I'm done. This hat is cursed. I'm throwing it away.
Woman: Wait! I love that hat. Where did you get it?
Tom: You... you like it?
Woman: Are you kidding? It's amazing. Can I have your number?
Tom: Of course! Finally!
Ron: I don't like surprises. They're inefficient, they're unpredictable, and they often involve people screaming.
Leslie: But Ron, we just want to do something nice for you.
Ron: The last surprise party I attended ended with me calling the police on my own friends and filing a restraining order against the host.
April Character Comedy Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Leslie: This parks catalog is as important as Vogue magazine.
Leslie: We don't get Vogue.
Tom Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Tom: You know what? I'm putting myself in the next parks catalog. Full centerfold. Really sell the department.
Tom: I'll call it 'Parks and Rec-reation.' Get it?
Tom: Justin? Justin, buddy? No? Nothing?
April Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch April: He's not going to respond to you. He doesn't know who you are. You're not in his phone. You're not in his life. You're a stranger to him.
Leslie Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Tom: Hey, who is this guy? He looks familiar... Oh wait, isn't that Jerry Gergich's cousin? No, that's the guy from the sex offender registry.
Tom Cringe/Discomfort Visual Gag Jerry: Well, I had dinner with him last week, so...
Jerry: I can photoshop his face out of the picture.
April: Or you could photoshop your entire life out instead.
April: The parks catalog should reflect the duality of nature and civilization. It's about the liminal space between order and chaos, where the soul finds its true reflection in the mirror of existence.
Mark Reaction Beat Deadpan/Understatement Callback April: What is the sound of one hand clapping? What is the sound of one person not caring? Because that's me. I'm that person.
April: If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? If I leave this meeting early, does anyone notice I'm gone? Probably not.
April: We are all just floating through an infinite void of meaninglessness, searching for purpose in a purposeless universe. Also, I need everyone to sign these expense reports.
Leslie: April, I love the concept, I really do, but the lighting is all wrong, your posture is terrible, and honestly, the whole vibe is just... basically, boo.
Tom: Whoa, whoa, whoa! That's not—that's a personal photo!
Tom: Can we just skip past that? Nobody needs to see that.
Tom: You know what? Forget about the embarrassment. We should use that photo for the cover. It's perfect.
Tom: People connect with vulnerability. It's authentic. It's raw. It shows I'm real.
Andy: Wait, is this a normal-sized cup, or is it a really big cup?
Tom Ann Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Ann: I got you something special for our anniversary.
Ann: It's a sandwich.
Ann: Happy anniversary! I got you a sandwich.
Mark: A sandwich? Ann, that's... actually really thoughtful. I got you something too.
Mark: It's a weekend trip to the spa. We're gonna get massages, facials, the whole thing.
Ann: Mark, that's amazing! I can't believe you did this.
Mark: That's what I'm talking about. We out here living our best life, you feel me? This anniversary is straight fire.
Ann: Well, the patient is dead, so... I don't think they'd mind.
Ann: Oh my God, I don't mean like, in a creepy way. I just mean like, they're gone, so...
Mark: Well, he's not dead. He's just sleeping.
April: Baseball is just the boy version of softball.
Ron Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Leslie: Do we have everything for the picnic?
Andy: Yeah, we got it all. Well, we did until April threw all the food on the roof.
Leslie: What? Why would she do that?
Andy: I don't know. I stopped trying to understand April a long time ago.
April: I'm sorry I threw the smoked salmon on the roof.
Tom Character Comedy Escalation Mark: Why would you even believe that text was real?
Leslie: Because I wanted to believe it. And when you want to believe something, you'll convince yourself that it's true. It's called being in love, Mark. It's the most romantic thing in the world.
Mark: Tom, there is no such thing as a city-planning emergency.
Tom: So Ann and Mark... Ann and Mark... What about 'Marm'? No, that's not good. 'Marl'? 'Nark'? Wait, wait, wait. What about 'Merkins'?
Ann: What?
Tom: 'Merkins.' Mark and Ann. Merkins.
Mark: That's not a couple name, that's a thing.
Ann: Yeah, I wanted to go on dates with Tom.
Tom: What?
Ann: I'm kidding. No, I didn't.
Leslie Reaction Beat Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Tom: Ann, you look terrible. Like, genuinely awful. But I need a huge favor from you.
Ann: What? Tom, what are you talking about?
Tom: I need you to be in this photo shoot. You're perfect for what I'm going for.
Andy: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Did you guys switch sweaters? Because that one's way too big on you, and that one's way too small on you.
Andy April Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch David: I thought you were dead.
Clarence: Dead? I'm not dead. I've been too busy having sex with your wife.
David Dark/Subversive Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Leslie: Okay, so when I say 'Parks,' you say 'and Rec!' Ready? Parks!
Clarence: ...Volleyball?
David Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Ron: I'm hungry. I normally have three breakfasts by now.
Tom Ann Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Ron: Where did you get this bacon?
Leslie: I made it this morning. It's just a trail snack.
Ron: This is the best thing I've ever tasted. I can detect the exact temperature it was cooked at, the breed of pig, and the emotional state of the person who cured it. You're telling me you made this?
Leslie: Yes, Ron.
Ron: I'm going to have to ask you to make this every day for the rest of my life, or I will die. And it will be your fault.
Tom Character Comedy Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Tom: Okay, Ann, Mark—I need you two to slither. Like snakes. Sensual snakes.
Ann: Tom, what are you talking about?
Tom: Just trust me. Slither toward the camera. Let your bodies undulate with raw, primal energy.
Mark: This is ridiculous.
Tom: No, no—Mark, you're not committed enough. More slithering! Ann, you're perfect. Keep your eyes locked on mine as you slither.
Tom: Mark, you are absolutely killing it. You're a natural. You've got the look, you've got the presence, you've got the cheekbones.
Mark: I'm just standing here.
Tom Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Clarence: Well, you see, the female brain is about 10% smaller than the male brain, which means women are naturally less suited for leadership positions. It's just science.
Tom Ann Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Clarence: You know, I've been reading about the female circulatory system. Women have less blood flow to the brain during their menstrual cycle. It's just science.
Leslie: That's not... that's not how that works.
Clarence: I'm just saying, maybe you should take it easy this week. For your own good. I care about your health.
Tom Ann Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Andy: This love song could be about a girl... or Peyton Manning.
Leslie: 'Holy god.' — Leslie's reaction to Clarence's bear comment
Leslie Reaction Beat Character Comedy Callback Clarence: 'Hey! I just whizzed on a butterfly.'
Clarence Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Tom: Ann, you look terrible. No, worse. Even worse than that. I need you to really lean into looking like you haven't slept in weeks and someone stole your will to live.
Ann: Tom, what are you doing?
Tom: I'm directing. This is what I do now. I'm very good at it.
David Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Tom: Ann, you look like a young Meryl Streep mixed with a young Grace Jones.
Ann: Those are both compliments?
Tom: No, not really. One's a bit cold, and the other one scares people.
Ann: So both comparisons are insulting?
Andy Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Tom: Ann, you looked great out there. Really great. I mean, for someone who has the natural charisma of a filing cabinet and the stage presence of a potted plant.
Michael Ron Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Tom: You know what? Let's just photoshop Leslie's head onto a more attractive body.
April Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Clarence: You shouldn't lead us to the picnic. Bears can smell the menstruation.
Leslie: What? That's not true.
Clarence: Well that's what I read on the bear community website.
Ron Character Comedy Physical/Slapstick Clarence: Clarence: 'I don't need your help, jailbird.'
Ron: You were on parole.
Michael: Yes, okay, fine. I was on parole. And yes, I may have used drugs. Constantly. But that's not the point.
Michael: The point is, drugs should be legal. All of them. We're criminalizing a plant that grows out of the ground. That the government put there. To test us.
David Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Ron: I have no strong feelings one way or the other about marijuana legalization. But I do have strong feelings about hippies, and it's that they should all be eliminated.
Michael Dark/Subversive Escalation ★ Rewatch April: I'd need to see their eyebrows first. I have very specific tastes. They need to be thick, dark, and most importantly, edible. I want to consume them slowly while they sleep.
Ron Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch April: Why are you asking me for water? You're not elderly enough yet.
Leslie Character Comedy Escalation Callback David: I got that job the same way I got this baked potato at the airport: I saw it, I wanted it, and I took it.
That's not how you acquire things.
David: It's worked for me so far.
Andy Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Michael: Look, I'm just saying, if we legalize marijuana, think about all the tax revenue. It's a win-win.
Leslie: Michael, that's... actually not a terrible point.
Michael: Right? I've been doing my own research. You know, for a long time now. Very hands-on research. I have like eight plants in my apartment right now.
Leslie: Wait, what?
Michael: What? I thought we were having a hypothetical conversation!
Tom Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement Clarence: Can we do one where we're all making funny faces?
April Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Callback April: I'm trying to Photoshop these old men to look happy, but it's really hard because their mouths are so ancient and rigid. I think I'm just going to have to draw new mouths on them.
Tom Ann Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Tom: This one is called 'The Future.' It's blurry, which represents the uncertainty of what's to come.
Tom Callback Character Comedy Callback Ann: What about these normal swing photos?
Tom: Those are my 'unhappy wife' photos.
Leslie: This is a disgusting fragrance flap.
Tom: I don't need a fake ID. I rely on confidence. Confidence and a very convincing story about how I left my wallet at home.
Ron Deadpan/Understatement Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Leslie: So wait, you're saying that every Parks director before me left on bad terms with the one after them?
Ron: That's correct.
Leslie: Well, that's not going to happen with us, right? I mean, we're friends. We'll always be friends.
Ron: We'll see.
Leslie: What do you mean 'we'll see'? Ron, you're scaring me.
Leslie Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Leslie: Ron said he wants to be city manager so he can dismantle the government from the inside. Well, I want to be city manager so I can build it up, make it better, expand it. And unlike Ron, I'm actually going to win.
Ron: Some people want to enjoy their life.
Ron: Michael made a bong out of a stuffed raccoon. Right here in this office.
Andy · April: After being denied entry, April awkwardly offers to take Andy to another bar that 'always lets me in' — followed by mutual fumbled excuses to leave separately.
Andy April Awkward Silence Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Ron · Leslie: Ron and Leslie's bar — 'The usual, Marta' — they have regulars at a diner that serves breakfast at night
Ron Leslie Character Comedy Observational ★ Rewatch Leslie · Ron: 'I really made love to the pooch on this one.' / Ron: 'Screwed the pooch?' / Leslie: 'I don't like that term. It's so vulgar.'
Leslie Ron Character Comedy Wordplay/Pun ★ Rewatch Ron: Ron's impression of what Leslie wanted the old directors to say: 'Leslie, you are the next link in a wonderful chain... you are the chosen one.'
Ron Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Leslie · Ron: Leslie: 'Are we gonna hate each other someday?' / Ron: 'I don't think so. I think we're gonna be fine.'
Leslie Ron Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Ron: Ron talks-head: 'When I become city manager, my first act will be to propose eliminating the parks department, although I expect a spirited debate with Leslie.'
Ron Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Leslie: Leslie's counter talking-head: 'I'll win.' — after detailing her plan to double the parks department
Leslie Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Callback Ron · Leslie: Ron: 'Oh, why would anybody ever eat anything besides breakfast food?' / Leslie: 'People are idiots, Leslie.'
Ron Leslie Character Comedy Observational ★ Rewatch Leslie: Leslie's welcome letter conclusion: 'they taught me a valuable lesson — there's nothing more important than friendship'
Leslie Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Ron · Clarence: Ron reveals Michael made a water pipe out of a stuffed raccoon — 'He made a bong out of a taxidermied raccoon'
Andy: 'Right in Clarence's ancient junk.' — during a food fight at the end
Andy Physical/Slapstick Character Comedy Top Episodes — Parks and Recreation
