[s3e1] Go Big Or Go Home -

While Leslie plays politics, the rest of the crew engages in what was intended as simple community outreach: youth basketball.

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.

The date is crashed by both Leslie and the skeptical auditor Ben Wyatt, eventually moving to Pawnee's local gay bar, The Bulge . [S3E1] Go Big or Go Home

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

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 While Leslie plays politics, the rest of the

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

Desperate to restore funding beyond basic park maintenance, Leslie Knope enlists a reluctant Ann Perkins to go on a "strategic" date with the hyper-optimistic state auditor, Chris Traeger. While Leslie nearly convinces Chris, her excitement leads

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