Which episode introduces Ben Wyatt and Chris Traeger?

The episode that introduces Ben Wyatt and Chris Traeger is “The Master Plan.”

“The Master Plan” is the penultimate episode of Parks and Recreation’s second season and the 29th episode overall. It first aired on NBC on May 13, 2010, with Adam Scott appearing as Ben Wyatt and Rob Lowe appearing as Chris Traeger.

The characters arrive in Pawnee as Indiana state auditors investigating the city’s severe financial problems. Their assignment threatens the Parks Department and creates an immediate clash with Leslie Knope, who resists the proposed cuts. Ben is initially presented as a skeptical, budget-focused official, while Chris’s relentless optimism and enthusiasm make him an instant contrast to Ben and the rest of the department.

The episode is important beyond its plot because Scott and Lowe became major additions to the ensemble. Ben eventually develops a relationship with Leslie, while Chris becomes a central figure in Pawnee city government and in the show’s comic exploration of extreme positivity. “Freddy Spaghetti” follows “The Master Plan,” so it is not the introductory episode, even though it continues the same state-auditor storyline.