The Camel (Parks and Recreation)

The episode received generally positive reviews, with particular praise for the Ron and Andy subplot, and the jokes involving Jerry's "murinal".

Jerry presents a beautiful pointillist photomosaic of city hall, but everyone laughs at him and dismisses his entry when he accidentally calls his mural a "murinal".

[1] The episode features a guest appearance by stand-up comedian Kirk Fox as Joe, Leslie's nemesis from the Pawnee sewer department.

For her mural, Donna proposes a recreation of Leonardo da Vinci's painting The Last Supper with Indiana natives in place of the apostles.

Jerry presents for his mural a work of pointillism, a style of painting in which small distinct dots of color create the impression of a wider image.

[5] Leslie, upon the idea of putting the best parts of each design into a new mural, says it is like having Michelangelo, Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock and Jim Davis do one painting.

Matt Fowler of IGN said "The Camel" was a particularly funny episode, and that the parks department's collaboration on the mural allowed "each character being able to instill their own level of brand-specific insanity into the mix".

[8] The Star-Ledger television columnist Alan Sepinwall declared "The Camel" one of the episodes he would suggest to newcomers seeking to become familiar with Parks and Recreation.

[9] Sepinwall said the Ron and Andy subplot "made me laugh as hard as I have in a very long time",[10] and said the episode had a good mix of funny, sweet and ridiculous moments, and said the ensemble cast was starting to work extremely well together.

Club writer Leonard Pierce said the episode included great lines, strong personality-driven comedy and good character moments, specially Tom's emotional reaction to his painting.

[6] Sandra Gonzalez particularly praised the "murinal" jokes about Jerry's mural, as well as Ron's claim that he ran a sheet metal factory when he was nine, and that "Child labor laws are ruining this country.

"[4] Time magazine television critic James Poniewozik said make jokes connected in "The Camel", including the Andy shoeshine plot and the "unexpectedly glamorous" sewage department.

[11] Brad Sanders of the Indiana Daily Student praised the entire cast, particularly Offerman and Pratt, who he said provide the show's two best characters.

[1] GQ writer Dan Fierman said Parks and Recreation appeared to be "approaching early Simpsons-levels in its absurdity and comic pacing".