Go Big or Go Home who encourages him not to give up and to "go big or go home". Inspired by her own advice, Leslie proposes restoring the parks department with a Harvest Festival, which was once a Pawnee tradition until eliminated by budget cuts. Leslie and the other parks employees agree that if it is not a success, the parks department will shut down. Impressed by their enthusiasm, Chris and Ben agree to the idea. "Go Big or Go Home", the third season premiere, was written by Alan Yang and directed by Dean Holland. It was the first to feature Adam Scott, Rob Lowe,
Go Big or Go Home characters were funny and the two new cast members had been seamlessly integrated into the show. "Time" magazine writer James Poniewozik called the episode an "excellent start" to the season, and said the harvest festival subplot would help better focus the series by giving the characters a single goal. Poniewozki said it also "reminds us that the show is about something: the idea, maybe quaint-seeming in this political climate, that civil servants can actually see themselves as servants and work in their community's interest". Damian Holbrook of "TV Guide" said "Go Big or Go Home" was an improvement on an