From '30 Rock ' to 'Parks and Rec' : Every TV Show and Film You Should Watch on Leap Day

Because every holiday deserves its own TV special, right?

Leap Day 2020 is upon us, and sure, you don’t get the day off for the occasion — in fact, you’ll have to go to work for an extra day this year — but there’s still something novel about saying that it’s February 29th!

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And because there really is a TV special or movie for everything, here are the four episodes (and one iconic movie starring Amy Adams) that you should be watching in honor of the honorary 366th day of the year. These pop culture gems are proof that every holiday deserves a weird tradition, a mascot and a theme song.

30 Rock, “Leap Day,” Season 6, Episode 9

Put on your yellow and blue and get ready for Leap Day William to appear! Legend has it that Leap Day William “emerges every four years to trade children’s tears for candy.” As if the antics of Tina Fey and Co. aren’t enough, James Marsden is also in the episode.

Parks and Recreation, “Sweet Sixteen,” Season 4, Episode 16

Justice for Leap Year babies! In order to prove that she isn’t dropping the ball by running for City Council and working for the Parks Department, Leslie (Amy Poehler) attempts to throw a Leap Year birthday party for Jerry (Jim O’Heir) that doesn’t go quite as planned.

The Middle, “Leap Year,” Season 3, Episode 18

Sue (played by Eden Sher) is a Leap Day baby, so she assumes that she’ll be getting a surprise party since it only comes around even four years. Her parents assure her that she won’t be getting a party. In fact, they forget to celebrate all together. Thanks to some quick thinking, the family surprises her in the middle of the night and she is elated.

Modern Family, “Leap Day,” Season 3, Episode 17

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Another episode of television that sympathizes with leaplings! In this episode of Modern Family, Cam (played by Eric Stonestreet) is turning 40, but because he is a leapling, he’s really only turning 10. Let the party planning and hijinks begin!

Leap Year

What better way to celebrate Leap Day than by watching Amy Adams decide that she should force her boyfriend into becoming her fiancé? In the romantic comedy, Adams goes to Dublin for Leap Day to pop the question because of a real-life Irish tradition that says a man proposed to on Feb. 29 must say yes. The film came out in 2010 which was, funnily enough, not a Leap Year. The more you know!

The Pirates of Penzance

Believe it or not, there is such a thing as a Leap Day carol, and it comes in the form of the song “Paradox” from Pirates of Penzance. In the movie musical, the lead, Frederic, attempts to leave his pirate life behind, having promised to be a pirate until he hit 21 years old. Turns out that he can’t leave because he’s born on Leap Day, meaning he’s really only 5 years old.

Happy Leap Day!

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