[s3e1] Go Big Or Go Home — Must See

In the high-stakes world of Pawnee's local government, the Season 3 premiere of Parks and Recreation , titled serves as both a literal and metaphorical reboot for the series. After a three-month hiatus caused by a government shutdown, the Parks Department returns to find itself on a "shoestring budget" that threatens its very existence. The Central Hustle: Leslie vs. The Auditors

The date is crashed by both Leslie and the skeptical auditor Ben Wyatt, eventually moving to Pawnee's local gay bar, The Bulge .

The episode concludes with Leslie pitching an "all or nothing" play to save the department: the resurrection of the . Ben Wyatt approves the plan, but with a dire caveat—if the festival isn't a massive success, the entire Parks Department will be eliminated forever. Character Shifts & Trivia [S3E1] Go Big or Go Home

April Ludgate returns from South America with a new boyfriend, Eduardo, leaving a heartbroken Andy determined to win her back.

Ron Swanson employs a strictly disciplined approach (wearing a red sweater in a nod to legendary Indiana coach Bobby Knight ), while Andy Dwyer allows his team to run wild. In the high-stakes world of Pawnee's local government,

Tom Haverford, moonlighting as a referee in his Lady Foot Locker uniform, uses the game to sabotage Ron out of jealousy over Ron dating Tom's ex-wife, Wendy. Tom eventually goads Ron into a chair-throwing tantrum that gets him ejected. Raising the Stakes

Leslie suggests Ann use Jurassic Park as a conversation starter for why parks need money; four years later, Chris Pratt (Andy) starred in Jurassic World . The Auditors The date is crashed by both

While Leslie nearly convinces Chris, her excitement leads her to accidentally reveal the scheme, causing Chris—who admits to being a "born-again" optimist due to a rare blood disorder—to leave feeling betrayed. The B-Story: "Bobby Knight" Swanson