Fancy Party (Season 3, Episode 9)

Not just one of the series’ finest episodes, but also an all-timer for TV weddings, period, “Fancy Party” is a wonderful celebration of a spontaneous, weird, and joyous relationship that was the heart of Parks and Recreation through much of its run. April and Andy bring out the best in one another, just as Aubrey Plaza’s winning deadpan and Chris Pratt’s unflappable enthusiasm made the two a perfect match. Simply hiding the episode’s true intent by calling it “Fancy Party” was its own tribute to an unexpected, unpredictable romance that came together as swiftly as it did sweetly. Unlike a lot of sitcoms, Parks rarely hamstrung or backtracked on winning pairings just to draw things out. The show allowed its characters to pursue the people who were right for them, which is as daunting for showrunners as it is real people. Though Leslie’s initial apprehension at the union is better expressed in the previous season’s “94 Meetings” (“Every time a couple gets married, two single people die.”), “Fancy Party” did justice to the show’s most adorable couple by honoring the exciting, scary, but ultimately rewarding process of watching the people you love grow up.