Parks and Recreation Episode 4.16 Jerry's Sweet 16

Working on the campaign while running the Parks Department is proving to be more than Leslie can handle, though she refuses to admit it. Ron tells Leslie that she needs to take a leave of absence while she's on the campaign trail; things are falling through the cracks. Leslie refuses to back down, determined to prove to Ron that she can handle both jobs.

Jerry shows up wearing an outrageous shirt that Gale got him for his birthday. Leslie can't believe it; how did she manage to forget Jerry's birthday! Determined to prove that she's still got it, Leslie gathers the gang to organize a surprise "Sweet Sixteen" party for Jerry since he's turning 64, which is divisible by 16. Leslie convinces Donna to let them use her family's lake house for the occasion, despite Donna's resistance.

The gang arrives at the lake house and is bombarded with Donna's outlandish list of house rules. After seeing the photos and records on the wall, Tom is completely floored to learn that R&B artist Ginuwine is Donna's cousin. When Tom's new boo Ann doesn't know who Ginuwine is, he's aghast. Not loving '90s R&B is number three on Tom's list of dating deal breakers, or "oh-no-nos." Can Tom and Ann work through this?

Leslie's decorations are in place for Jerry's big party. The only question is... where's Jerry? Leslie realizes that inviting Jerry was her responsibility; she dropped the ball yet again. Ron and Leslie hit the road to pick up Jerry, interrupting his relaxing bath for a "parks emergency." On their way to the party, Leslie notices her new campaign signs have a glaring error, sending them on an extensive detour to the poster printing store.

Tom tries to get to the bottom of his "oh-no-no" list, asking Ann a barrage of questions, and she fails every time. What does this mean for his and Ann's budding relationship? Tom unloads on April, who is completely indifferent and less than thrilled to be the soundboard in their relationship. Luckily, April has alcohol to help her through these troubled times. As Ann and Tom fight out their issues, a drunk April reaches her breaking point, telling them that the stupid stuff isn't worth fighting about. Without even trying to, April gets Tom and Ann to overlook their differences and mend their relationship.

Meanwhile, Chris and Andy take Champion on a walk, and Andy lets Champion off his leash despite Chris' warning that it may not be the best idea. Andy insists he knows his dog; it shouldn't be a problem. But of course, Chris is right, and Champion takes off into the night. After hours of searching, a frustrated Andy is ready to give up. But Chris insists that sound of Andy singing will surely bring Champion back to his owner. Andy belts his rocker tunes and is amazed when Champion returns. Little does he know that Chris is slyly blowing a dog whistle in the background.

Late that night, Leslie, Ron, and Jerry finally return to Donna's cabin, only to find everyone asleep. Leslie refuses to give in, but her attempt to salvage the party is a huge bust. Leslie's so exhausted that she falls asleep against Jerry on the couch. The next morning, Leslie and Ron have a heart-to-heart, as Ron tells Leslie that it's better to give her campaign 100% than do a half-ass job. Leslie understands, and finally agrees to scale back her work hours.