Tom's Rent-A-Swag store is a flying success. Due to the high demand, he has to hire an assistant. He brings on Mona-Lisa Saperstein, the twin sister of Jean-Ralphio. Mona-Lisa slacks off on the job and Tom is outright terrified of her due to her tendency to throw tantrums.
Meanwhile, Leslie is shocked to learn that the Pawnee Video Dome, a local movie rental store, is closing. No one is surprised, however, since video stores are going out of business left and right and the Video Dome doesn't even carry any mainstream films. But Leslie is determined to keep the it afloat and petitions the city council to declare it a historical landmark. This especially offends Ron, since there's nothing he hates more than the government meddling in private matters. Ron shows up at the city council meeting to express his feelings, stating that this is nothing more than a thinly veiled government bailout.
Chris voices his concerns about Ann asking him to be a sperm donor to Ben. Though the thought of being a father excites him, he's worried he's not qualified to be a parent. Ben suggests that Chris practice his parenting skills on Tom and help him work out his issues with Mona-Lisa. Meanwhile, Ann is anxiously waiting to hear back from Chris about whether or not he'll be her sperm donor.
April begrudgingly comes to Ann, asking for a favor. She's applying to veterinary school and needs a letter of recommendation. Ann agrees to write the letter for April on the condition that April has to be her friend for one whole week and do everything she says. April has no choice but to agree to Ann's terms and takes part in Ann's parade of girly activities, like manicures and boy talk. Later, April senses a strange vibe between Ann and Chris and finally forces the truth out of Ann about the sperm donor debacle. The two share a surprisingly warm moment, and Ann is thrilled to finally have a breakthrough with April.
Chris tries to dispense fatherly advice to Tom, advising him to lay down the law and tell Mona-Lisa that he won't be disrespected. Tom takes the advice and stands up to Mona-Lisa, threatening to fire her if she doesn't do her job. It backfires, as Mona-Lisa thinks it's sexy when Tom's bossy and assertive, and they become a couple.
Leslie's initiative passes and the Pawnee Video Dome receives government funding as a historical landmark. But Leslie is horrified to see the outcome - the owner, Dennis, has transformed the store into a pornography rental service, giving the people what they want. Local Pawnee porn star, Brandi Maxxxx, is there to celebrate the rebranding of the Video Dome and encourages the crowd to join her in thanking Leslie for reinvigorating the porn industry in Pawnee.
After learning about Tom and Mona-Lisa's relationship, Chris worries that he just made everything worse. But Jerry jumps in with some surprisingly wise words – every parent makes mistakes, but the small victories keep you going. This encourages Chris to commit and he informs Ann that he's all in.
Tropes
- Actually Pretty Funny: Ron is vehemently against the government bailing out the video store, but once he discovers the owner used it to start carrying pornographic films, he finds it hysterical.
- Allegory: The Wall Street bailout is satirized when Leslie wants the government to save a failing video store.
- Bittersweet Ending: Leslie's plan to save the Video Dome goes up in flames when the owner turns it into a pornography store against her wishes. However, she's able to start a weekly movie night program at the community center so the town will still have a place where everyone can gather to watch and discuss films as she wanted.
- Distaff Counterpart: Mona-Lisa is essentially a female version of Jean-Ralphio, but taken up to eleven.
- Hard Truth Aesop: As Ron tells Leslie, government services and private businesses need to be kept separate because they run on different principles. Free market capitalism runs entirely on the concept of companies thriving when they profit and failing when they don't. If the marketplace evolves to a point where a business dies because of a lack of customers, it's best to let nature take its course.
- Hypocrite: Despite considering the Pawnee Videodome an important institution for film buffs, Leslie herself hardly, if ever, rents any of the movies the store carries:Leslie: Pawnee needs a place where the community can gather to discuss and appreciate art! A place where you can rent such films as Cinema Paradiso or Rashomon.
Ron: You rented Rashomon? What was your favorite part of that?
Leslie: ...I haven't rented it, actually, yet. But I like the idea that there is a place where I could rent Rashomon. - Insistent Terminology: Leslie repeatedly stresses that the video store isn't being given a "bailout", it's being given landmark status so it gets the encompassing tax break and that will allow the store to stay in business. Nobody buys it.
- Parallel Porn Titles: Brandi Maxxx's movie "Too Big to Nail" is a pun on the phrase "too big to fail"
. - Spoiled Brat: Mona-Lisa Sapirstein is a loud and obnoxious idiot with no work ethic and just wants easy money.
- The Friend Noone Likes: Mona-Lisa is a loud, obnoxious, and bratty nutjob that even her own twin brother Jean-Ralphio describes as "the worst person in the world".
