Canvassing (Parks and Recreation)

"Canvassing"
Parks and Recreation episode
April is caught playing Rock Band on the job.
Episode no.	Season 1 Episode 2
Directed by	Seth Gordon
Written by	Rachel Axler
Production code	103
Original air date	April 16, 2009
Guest appearance(s)
Eric Edelstein as Lawrence John Ingle as Man with Dog Jim O'Heir as Jerry Gergich Lennon Parham as Kate Speevak Chris Pratt as Andy Dwyer Pamela Reed as Marlene Griggs-Knope Phil Reeves as Paul Iaresco Retta as Donna Meagle
Episode chronology
← Previous "Pilot" Next → "The Reporter"
List of season 1 episodes List of Parks and Recreation episodes

"Canvassing" is the second episode of the first season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on April 16, 2009. The episode was written by Rachel Axler and directed by Seth Gordon. In the episode, Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation Leslie and her staff canvas the neighborhood to seek support for an upcoming town meeting on their park proposal but end up drawing more critics than allies.

The episode was originally supposed to be the third episode of the series, but the broadcast order was changed and "Canvassing" was switched with "The Reporter". The episode received generally mixed reviews. According to Nielsen Media Research, "Canvassing" was watched by 5.92 million households in its original airing, which media outlets said was commendable, although it was about 900,000 less households than the pilot episode received the previous week. "Canvassing" and the rest of the first season of Parks and Recreation was released on DVD in the United States on September 8, 2009.

The episode begins with Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), Deputy Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation for Pawnee, Indiana explaining to a documentary crew about the Annual Easter Egg Hunt, in which her colleague, Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari), has hidden the eggs, and Leslie notes that nobody is able to find them. Tom secretly confesses to the documentary crew that he forgot to plant the eggs.

Leslie plans for an upcoming town hall meeting about her proposal to turn a construction pit into a park. She invites her mother Marlene Griggs-Knope (Pamela Reed), an official with the county school system, but she does not appear supportive and tells Leslie she may be too busy to attend. Leslie holds a subcommittee meeting with Tom, interested citizen Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones), intern April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza) and city planner Mark Brendanawicz (Paul Schneider). Mark warns her it might be too early for a meeting with the public, who could opt to vote the proposal down if they are unhappy with it. Leslie remains confident about the meeting and says the group will be doing neighborhood canvassing to try to win support.