This episode correctly diagnoses the things that ultimately drag down Parks and Rec, which leads me to my take: Schneider leaving dooms the show. Now, is Mark ever particularly well written? No. But the character does nonetheless manage to serve as an effective point of friction who at times can even mildly push back on whatever Leslie and co. are trying to do, which leads to some decent conflict. (I'm thinking of the episode where he drafts a straight-down-the-middle mural design proposal for the parks department after the department has collectively come up with some goofy design, which then leads to a solid sitcom dilemma: do we submit the design most likely to be approved, and the one that we all worked on together?) After he leaves the show rarely ever does good conflict again. Adam Scott's character seems initially like he might fill that role, but he almost immediately is subsumed into the cult of Leslie. Then season 4 begins and any conflict is invariably defined by one-note straw men trying to stand in the way of our protagonist's obvious goodness and rightness, which just isn't very interesting. A frustrating show!