Summary: Kevin is put in a safe house against his will with Jake as protection, stirring conflict between Kevin and Holt. The rest of the precinct works to bust Seamus so that Kevin can go back to his normal life.
The Good: The Jake and Kevin pairing worked wonders. Their dynamic ended up being a tremendous amount of fun and many of the episodes funniest scenes featured the two of them interacting with each other. From a pure comedic standpoint, this episode was terrific and nailed a lot of things, particularly in this main storyline. Holt also had some really good moments, like his ridiculous text messages. All in all, I really enjoyed the main story. The side stories also had their moments. Rosa in particular was hilarious as she is forced to ham it up in order to get some information from Seamus' girlfriend, while also getting a terrible new hairdo. The Bad: Seamus as a character completely failed. He was another uninteresting villain that was taken out in a completely uninteresting way. I understand that serious plot isn't the point of this show and that comedy is the main goal. But if that's the case, then why introduce a story like this if the resolution is going to be as silly as this? It feels awkward and everything after Holt gets kidnapped felt completely at odds with the laughs happening in the safe house and library. I do find it hard to believe that Jake doesn't have any of the Die Hard movies in his DVD collection. The Scully/Amy/Terry storyline was very silly and simplistic and didn't do much for me in terms of comedy. It was a fine way to progress the story in a joking way though. Best Moment: Kevin realizing that Jake had some genuinely good movies in his collection that they never watched. Character of the Episode: Kevin. He really got to shine here. Conclusion: This episode was really funny with the interactions between Jake and Kevin being a highlight of the show. But there are still tonal problems with how the show utilizes its recurring villains and that hurts this episode. Score: 68
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Summary: Seamus Murphy gets Holt to do a favour for him, and Jake and Charles do their best to get Holt out of his involvement with Seamus. Amy gets Rosa to help her with complex bureacratic paperwork.
The Good: I thought the main storyline was pretty good. The introduction of Kyle as a silly side character works well enough and there are some good laughs that come about from his antics. The plot of Jake and Charles trying to save Holt does have weight to it, and it gave a good reason for Jake to never want to give up, highlighting his growth from season 1. Plus we got a lot of nice references to "The Godfather" which worked pretty well, especially with Charles relating everything to Diane Keaton. Amy and Rosa's story is also surprisingly well done and it utilizes both characters extremely well with a fun cameo from Hitchcock at the end. It was nice to get a side story that had relevance to the main story while also exploring the characters and their relationships in new ways. The Bad: Kyle was a bit too much at times, and I feel like more subtlety could have worked better. The Terry and Gina storyline wasn't interesting and it went to a predictable and underwhelming conclusion. Plus there weren't very many jokes in this story. Lastly, I find that the tone of having crime boss Seamus Murphy around is hurtful for the show and he seems like a very bland character. The overarching storylines typically haven't been very compelling and this episode does not give me hope for any change. Best Moment: Amy's speech on bureaucracy was a fantastic and creative piece of comedy. Character of the Episode: Amy. Conclusion: Overall this was another solid episode. It had some flaws to be sure, but as a whole I had a lot of fun and laughed several times. Score: 66 Summary: Jake helps Rosa when she struggles to tell her parents that she is bi. The precinct goes to Gina for help to get better internet from cyber crimes.
The Good: The Jake and Rosa story is really good. I love that an entire episode was dedicated to Rosa dealing with coming out to her parents and I thought that the story was very well written. It was funny at a lot of points, especially with Jake always being placed so awkwardly, but it never detracted from the seriousness of the story as Rosa's parents prove to be very unaccepting of her. There are ebbs and flows throughout and Stephanie Beatriz is superb here at conveying Rosa's emotional state throughout the episode. I especially appreciated the decision to end the episode without a cheap happy ending as Rosa's parents still have trouble accepting her. However, ending with the entire squad going to Rosa's place for game night was a lovely moment to close out the episode. Plus, Rosa's parents were a lot of fun and I really should have guessed that Danny Trejo would be Rosa's father, it makes perfect sense. Gina's return is pretty well handled and that storyline has some fun moments even though it clearly plays second fiddle in this episode. I thought there was a good story here with Gina deciding to stay with the Nine-Nine. Lastly, I really enjoyed the secret Santa cold open with Jake figuring out all the pairings. The Bad: The cyber crimes storyline led to some lame jokes about the Nine-Nine not being tech savvy which didn't really land for me. Other than that, I don't have anything big that I didn't like. Best Moment: Jake singing the "song" he apparently made for Rosa was the funniest joke of the episode for me. Character of the Episode: Rosa. Conclusion: This was an excellent episode that did a lot for Rosa as a character. While not the funniest or the most emotional the show has ever been, this was still an excellent episode of comedy. Season 5 continues to deliver. Score: 73 Summary: After going to LA for their former captain's funeral, the Nine-Nine try to rush back to Brooklyn to get Holt to an interview for the commissioner position.
The Good: This was tremendous fun. For a show that always splits its characters into multiple stories, it feels incredibly refreshing to have an episode where everyone is together for the whole episode in a single story. There are smaller subplots of course, but having everyone together makes this monumental 99th episode feel legitimately special (as a side note, I really appreciate the decision to focus on the 99th episode instead of the 100th). I thought that bringing back the Seamus Murphy plot line worked pretty well and it gave this episode a unique dynamic as Holt sabotages all of the attempts to get back to Brooklyn only for the Nine-Nine to step up and get him there anyways. Just about every character here was enjoyable. Jake and Holt's relationship is still a highlight of the show and their dynamic was explored well here with tons of excellent jokes. Furthermore, the trip to Nakatomi plaza was tremendous fun courtesy of Andy Samberg's intense excitement. Terry being obsessed about enjoying something has become something of a trait for him (first class Terry!) so I enjoyed seeing it here. The best storyline for me was Rosa and Charles. Charles trying to figure out the name of her boyfriend only for the reveal that Rosa is bi was a terrific story to tell, one that had actual consequence and developed both the characters and the relationship they have. And it was funny too. I wish all episodes had the consistency across all storylines that this one did. Lastly, the visit with the Texas Boyles was a lot of fun, fit the show perfectly, and led to plenty of good jokes. The Bad: The one character who didn't entirely work was Amy. Surely she should know not to try to be super chill anymore since it hasn't worked for her in the past. However, I will say that the resolution with Amy going crazy to get Holt back to Brooklyn was tremendously fun. Even though I've had problems with Gina's character last season, it doesn't feel right for her to be absent in an episode like this. Best Moment: Tough to call. Character of the Episode: Charles. Conclusion: This was an excellent episode that celebrated the show in a nearperfect way. A unique plot with some excellent character beats, a whole host of wonderful jokes, including several staples of the show that were used in an effective way. What's there not to love about this? I'm not sure what it is that the team behind the show realized after season 4, but this season has been a massive step up. Score: 82 Summary: When Parlov comes to the precinct with another problem, Jake and Terry take his case again, this time with Rosa's help. Holt, Amy and Charles prepare for a guest instructor in an attempt to get a certification for the precinct.
The Good: Some jokes here were pretty good, which is to be expected from the show. I thought that the main plot had a lot to it and did well to utilize a lot of different elements. The Bad: But much of this episode was a miss for me. Skyfire wasn't a great concept last season so I see absolutely no reason to revisit it here. The jokes were repetitive and felt familiar, and I didn't get much out of seeing Parlov and fantasy book parodies for a second time. The episode just didn't justify returning to this concept. Terry's writing was an okay storyline, but it was predictable and by-the-numbers the whole time. The Holt side story was weak. Charles constantly telling stories feels like one of those gimmicks that only exist for one episode, and I highly doubt we will see it again. Holt was out of character here as he inexplicably prioritized a certification over Charles' health, which is something that he is known to not do. It felt like regression to have Holt go through this storyline. Best Moment: Rosa wearing the exact outfit as another character and walking into the convention to find others dressed like her was the best laugh of the episode for me. Character of the Episode: I'll go with Rosa. Her reactions to Jake and Terry being nerds were fun. Conclusion: This was the first disappointing episode of the season. There just wasn't much to this episode and it's easily the weakest of the season so far. Score: 51 Summary: Jake and Amy unite their families for Thanksgiving. Holt's pie is stolen and he suspects everyone in the precinct of stealing it.
The Good: This episode was very rich in laughs. The huge influx of guest stars in this episode really helped it, and allowed the show to step out of its comfort zone in a number of ways. The Jake and Amy story is excellent. The concept is simple, relatable and set up perfectly for laughs. It's a basic sitcom storyline, but it's executed really well with the outlined differences between the Peraltas and Santiagos setting up for some really funny moments. Bradley Whitford and Jimmy Smits are a joy throughout the episode, and even though Jake and Amy get shifted to the background a bit, the episode does a wonderful job of letting these guest actors shine. The precinct storyline was also a blast and had a unique take on detective work with Holt accusing everyone of lying and breaking through their alibis. Holt's antics are a blast, and the 3 confessions that Rosa, Terry and Charles had to make were quite funny. I also really liked Hitchcock and Scully doing expert detective work when it comes to food, which was funnier than it should have been. The Bad: Not many gripes with this one. I thought that Jake and Amy could have done more than simply reacting to the chaos around them. Best Moment: Plenty to choose from. I'll go with the 3 confessions and Holt's dismissive reactions to them. He just needed to know who took his pie. Character of the Episode: Holt. Conclusion: This was an excellent episode that had plenty of laughs and 2 memorable storylines that utilized the main cast and the guest stars quite well. Not quite perfectly, but it was close. For a show that struggles with making consistent storylines, this is an especially impressive episode. This season has been very good so far with consistent episodes and a few that really shine. I'm hoping that this consistency can continue. Score: 74 Summary: Jake and Amy book a venue for their wedding only for it to be snagged by The Vulture. Charles and Rosa are tasked to find the missing Sergeant Peanut Butter. Holt tries to get Terry to acknowledge his problem that he loves to be loved by everyone.
The Good: I enjoyed a lot of this. Jake and Amy's enthusiasm carried the main story and I found their interactions to be tons of fun. The Vulture's cameo was pretty good and the show found a creative way to use him by having him snag Jake and Amy's venue despite not being into his own relationship at all. Having Jake and Amy go after him and ending up in a moral crisis was enjoyable television that had good storytelling and some nice laughs. Hitchcock's brief appearances were also excellent. Terry and Holt's story feels like filler but it's helped by the fact that both Terry Crews and Andre Braugher brought their A-game to some good dialogue and laughs, making the most out of every moment. Rosa and Charles' story was fine and had the odd laugh as well. What worked best was how Terry and Charles' storylines combined with a feel-good ending. The Bad: The two side storylines were rather dull until the ending. As much fun as I had with them, I can't overlook how thin they felt and how rushed they were throughout the episode. The toit nups line was very much hammered in and it felt like the episode was trying to hard to make a catchphrase. It was amusing the first time, but after that it became annoying. Best Moment: Holt's anger at being called Ray by Terry. Is there anything Holt says that isn't funny? Character of the Episode: Holt, though Terry is a close second. Conclusion: This was another solid episode, but another episode that didn't really excel. I'm glad that this season has found more consistency and this episode was a breeze to watch, but I can't help but feel that the show can do better than this. In spite of this, I have been enjoying this season so far. Score: 65 Summary: Holt falls back into a gambling addiction when helping Jake and Terry with a case. Rosa tries to prove to Hitchcock and Scully that she can sit for longer than them. Charles gets Amy's help to open up a food truck business.
The Good: I enjoyed much of this. The central story was very well done. Holt's gambling past feels odd to be brought up this late in the show, yet it fits perfectly with the character. There have been hints of his love for gambling before (like the one episode with Pimento) and this character conflict fits nicely with the less robotic personality that Holt had in the past. The story was told well, had some nice moments and a lot of good laughs. I really enjoyed the contractions reveal since it made perfect sense, was set up well, and made Jake look genuinely smart as a detective. The side stories were fine. Charles' murder truck had some good ideas and Rosa gaining respect for Hitchcock and Scully was a nice side venture. The Bad: I do wish that the side stories had been given more time to develop. They felt rushed and I feel like more could have been done with them. Amy investing in Charles' truck was a strange idea and not one that I ever bought into. Their storyline and conflict was silly and quite difficult to buy into. Neither character came off well in this episode. This episode as a whole wasn't as funny as the show usually is. It's still good stuff, but coming off of last week's hilarious episode it was a noticeable step down. Best Moment: I'll go with Charles becoming Jake's "BM" in the cold open. Easily the funniest part of the episode. Character of the Episode: Holt. Conclusion: While not one of the show's funnier episodes, this was pretty solid and it had some nice moments. A good episode. Score: 65 Summary: The precinct competes in its fifth annual Halloween heist, with everybody getting a chance to claim the title of amazing human/genius.
The Good: Halloween episodes always deliver and this was no exception. "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" excels when its characters are allowed to be them goofy selves for good reason, and that reason was provided here. The motivation of the heist allowed everyone to be at their entertaining best in attempts to win, and with the show's sense of humour getting better and better with each season, the Halloween episodes too continue to get better and better. This episode was absolutely hilarious with superb jokes surrounding things like Bill's pyramid scheme, Amy's constant trashing of Jake and Holt's never-ending supply of hilarious lines including "you're just some common bitch" and his excessive repetition of "cummerbund". As expected of Halloween episodes, this one had twists on top of twists until it ended and it was tremendous fun to watch all of them. Furthermore, the final twist of Jake asking Amy to marry him was absolutely perfect. Not only was it fitting for their relationship but it also gave this episode a greater purpose to it, and provided a genuinely touching and memorable moment to close out the episode. Plus getting the whole precinct's reactions was a magnificent touch. The Bad: Nothing I can call bad. This was tremendous entertainment. Best Moment: There are so many outstanding jokes and lines to choose from, and on top of that there's the wonderful moment of Jake proposing. If I had to single out just one moment, I'll go with Terry being given 3 GPS trackers before the heist, something that was laughably ridiculous yet fit in perfectly with the both the tone of the show and the crazy antics of Halloween heists. Conclusion: Such a magnificent episode of television. These Halloween heists feel like they are from a completely different show with their extreme absurdity, insane fun factor and crazy creativity. It's a blast every season and this one was the very best of them. This was both a hilarious episode and a touching episode and it was easily the best episode the show has ever done. I doubt we'll see this kind of quality from the show again... at least until the next Halloween episode. Score: 85 Summary: Jake gets Holt to evaluate him so that he can get back to working a case, as opposed to just doing desk work. Rosa gets advice from Terry and Amy when she thinks that Pimento is cheating on her.
The Good: This was a fun episode and a welcome return to the status quo after what was probably the show's longest overarching storyline so far. It was a blast getting a story just centered around the precinct for once. I greatly enjoyed Jake's storyline in this episode. Not only was it funny with Holt being a gem as usual (the squats were hilarious), but it also put Jake through some worthy character development, showing us how his time in prison affected him. I really like this detail and it's one of the first times in this show that I've felt like the events of these overarching storylines have had consequences. Rosa is handled similarly well. The writers are smart enough to run a different story with her, this time fixated on her relationship with Pimento. Their story is very well written as well and we get to learn more about how Rosa was affected by prison. The break-up with Pimento was well handled and well explored and I thought that the characters were very well utilized. And of course Terry and Amy were terrific in their supporting roles. Pimento was used sparingly here and that role fits him much better than being pushed the the forefront of the story. Pimento's always funniest when he comes in for the odd joke. The Bad: The only character who I thought wasn't handled well was Charles. He's funny, but it really feels like he's just along for the ride and is as useless as Hitchcock and Scully throughout the episode. A lot of Jake's poor decisions in this episode should have been checked up by Charles to properly draw on the fact that Jake may not be the same but instead Charles comes off as a total chump. Is he funny? Yeah. But the character looks like a woeful detective in this episode. Best Moment: There were lots of great jokes. I laughed the hardest at Pimento screaming during hopscotch. Character of the Episode: I'll give it to Terry, he was terrific here. Conclusion: This was a refreshing episode. The characters were all utilized well, the stories were good and the episode had tons of great jokes. Score: 70 Summary: Jake tries to get information on Romero to give to the warden. The Nine-Nine work to find some evidence on Hawkins to get Jake and Rosa out of jail.
The Good: There is a lot to enjoy here. Jake's story is pretty fun and has some fun moments like with Jake in solitary, and the creative turn of events that ended with Jake being found out as a snitch despite him doing everything right. The Nine-Nine working to free Jake had fun moments. I enjoyed Amy being weirded out by Charles' antics and straight Holt was an absolute delight to watch. The ending reveal with Holt using Seamus to frame Hawkins is an intriguing development that ends the episode fittingly. The Bad: It makes no sense that Romero would tell Jake where the blizz comes in just because he is using it. He's high, he could literally tell anyone else this information at any given moment! Romero as a whole didn't quite click because the character didn't have a whole lot to him. The same goes for Caleb who felt like he was straight out of a cartoon for much of this episode. As expected, Hawkins' defeat is very by-the-numbers and surprisingly unsatisfying. I suppose this will go down as another rather forgettable storyline due to the tame ending that Hawkins was given. Best Moment: Every moment with straight Holt was magic. Character of the Episode: Holt. Conclusion: This episode was a bit of a mixed bag. There were plenty of funny moments but some aspects of this overarching story didn't land as well as I had hoped. I suppose that's par for the course for "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" and its long-running storylines though. Score: 61 Summary: Jake tries to survive in prison with his cellmate Caleb the cannibal. Rosa sends Holt and Terry to do tasks for her when they make her feel uncomfortable by behaving weirdly around her.
The Good: This was overall a pretty good episode. I thought that the prison setting was utilized very well and Jake was hilarious throughout the episode as he tried to settle in. His interactions with Caleb were a ton of fun and the show did well in crafting a memorable side character with Caleb and his cannibalistic antics. The brief exploration of the corruption of the prison system worked surprisingly well, especially since the show actually focused on the topic for more than just a small laugh. I enjoyed Rosa's side story as well which was written brilliantly to showcase Rosa's discomfort while also allowing Holt, Terry and even Hitchcock to be at their comedic best. The Bad: Some of the jokes were far too dark for the show. I understand that spending so much time in the prison would cause tonal issues, but I still feel like much of this episode bordered on territory that was too dark and upsetting. Caleb is funny, but the more time the show spends on the cannibalism idea, the more uncomfortable I became. I feel similarly to the character of Romero who feels far too serious and threatening to fit appropriately in a comedy show. Best Moment: Holt playing the gay card (yas queen). Character of the Episode: Jake. Conclusion: This episode had tonal problems but overall it utilized the setting well and ended up being very funny. This was really enjoyable and is probably one of the show's better episodes that focus on an overarching story. Score: 69 Summary: Jake and Amy work together to find some evidence to stop him from going to jail. Holt tries to convince Rosa to not leave the country. Charles takes Terry to meet a hacker who he plans to use to get information on Hawkins.
The Good: This episode is a lot of fun. It certainly feels like the climax of the season and it does a lot of things well. A lot of the humour here goes more in the direction of parody and I thought it worked surprisingly well. There were plenty of courtroom tropes and clichés that were explored and laughed at in this episode and I enjoyed that. I also quite liked how Charles inexplicably aged so much despite it making no sense at all. The scenes with him were executed well enough that I bought into it, and the final gag of Charles "miraculously" standing up again was hilarious. I really enjoyed Charles and Terry's story and the constant hacking done to Terry was a great running joke. I also really liked Holt and Rosa's storyline. It made perfect sense and utilized a pairing that we haven't seen very much of to create a pretty touching story of Rosa being unable to leave her real family. Jake's antics in the episode were a ton of fun, including but not limited to his woefully timed bank robbery jokes and his constant repetition of "cool" to close out the episode. Another character who was used well is Gina. I thought that this episode recaptured what makes her so entertaining. I also applaud this episode for not taking itself too seriously and having there be consistent laughs to ensure that the episode remains entertaining. The Bad: However, the episode doesn't give enough detail to the courtroom scenes so under scrutiny a lot of things don't make sense. For example, lots of evidence isn't sufficiently made available and the idea that Holt wouldn't testify the idea of an off-the-books investigation is absurd. It makes the Nine-Nine seem like idiots for not taking the obvious route in planning Jake and Rosa's defense. Another issue is the two month time skip which feels oddly timed. It feels strange that nothing much happened in these two months, especially considering the new plot thread of Gina's pregnancy. I was excited for the news channel parody cold open but I found it to be very underwhelming as the jokes should have been much better. Best Moment: There were lots of great jokes. My favourite would probably be Charles' "miraculous" recovery. Character of the Episode: Jake. Conclusion: This was a very funny and very climactic episode that delivered exactly what I wanted. Under scrutiny a lot of this episode doesn't hold up and has the ability to really frustrate some people, but I think that the episode was better for focusing more on jokes than the intricate details of the judicial system. I may have enjoyed this episode more than most as a result since I could definitely see people being upset with how this was handled. For me though, I found this to be a funny and entertaining conclusion to season 4. Season 4 as a whole was easily the show's weakest season. The first 3/4 of the season were pretty poor and outside of the outstanding "Halloween IV", most episodes handled characters poorly and had some weak, aimless storylines. Furthermore, every overarching storyline in the first half of the season fell flat on its face and didn't satisfy me at all. The final few episodes of the season did have more consistency though, and even though I'm not a fan of the show's overarching storylines, I thought that the closing act to this season was well done. As a whole, I think the season did improve with these final few episodes but it's still a step down from the quality that "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" showed early in its run. The one bit of hope I have for the show is that I think it has gotten funnier as it has went along. If the writing can be stronger in the next few seasons, I can see this show recovering since its sense of humour has gotten really good this season. Score: 71 Summary: Jake and Rosa form a plan to take down Hawkins. Charles, Terry and Amy try to find out where Gina has been disappearing off to and discover that she is pregnant.
The Good: I enjoyed the main story quite a bit. The focus on the Jake and Rosa this season has been a welcome change and this episode did great to celebrate that. The past two episodes have handled both Jake and Rosa exceptionally well, and I think this is the most entertaining and well-defined Rosa has ever been in the show. I enjoyed the plan they made to take down Hawkins, and the twist at the end of the episode was very interesting and sets up what should be a very fun season finale. I also really enjoyed Pimento's brief scenes which utilized the character perfectly without putting too much of the focus on him. The Bad: The issue here is that the side story was really poor. With such a huge plot-heavy storyline going on with Jake, Rosa and Holt, it feels underwhelming to have everyone else in the precinct following Gina around to discover her secret. This story had some flaws too. Charles immediately spilling the beans about knowing about Gina's pregnancy felt far too forced and wasn't that funny. Then having the squad actually believe that Gina was knocking up a celebrity was absurd, they should know Gina well enough by now to know that it isn't true. So much for them being detectives. I also thought that Gina's relationship with Milton fell flat and it looks to be heading very much in the direction of Rosa/Marcus with how little I care. I also thought this story was woefully rushed as a lot of ideas were covered but none of them were properly explored in entertaining ways. As a final complaint, I thought that this episode didn't utilize Holt as much as it should have. Best Moment: Pimento snorting more and more cocaine. Character of the Episode: Rosa. Conclusion: This was an episode of two halves. One was really fun with an interesting twist at the end, and the other was very poorly executed and left me feeling rather empty. As a result this is a mixed episode. Score: 60 Summary: Jake and Rosa compete to try to join the task force of Lieutenant Hawkins, a revered detective. Terry and Charles struggle to stop Hitchcock and Scully from fighting. Holt loses Amy's pen and forces her to let out how she feels about that.
The Good: Jake and Rosa's story was really well done. The competition between them felt believable and the added detail of them taking time to declare it an official competition made the story much more believable. Jake and Rosa always feel like genuine friends when they are in a story together and that remained true here with how they treated each other. I thought the story of them both deciding to let the other get the position was perfect and it made for a worthy story. Plus the competition ended up being extremely funny. The end of the episode offers an interesting cliffhanger which will likely provide the story that will be used to conclude the season. The side stories here were pretty solid. Hitchcock and Scully fighting had some funny moments and I liked the continuity with the source of their frustrations being Scully's new girlfriend Cindy. I thought the Holt/Amy story was solid and had some funny moments, particularly Gina demonstrating that Amy is unable to be upset with Holt. The Bad: The Hitchcock/Scully story is a little bit too difficult to buy into and the resolution is cartoonish. And once again the show decides to portray Gina as a savior as she somehow solves this problem too. The character is funny when she believes she is a savior when she isn't, it comes off as ridiculous and annoying when Gina somehow is able to be the savior in many episodes in a row. The show has turned Gina into an annoying character with how she has been handled this season, which is a shame. Best Moment: The running joke of Rosa spiking Jake's drinks and then his gum with caffeine was excellent. Character of the Episode: Rosa. Conclusion: This was another strong episode with plenty of good laughs and three rock solid storylines. The Gina stuff continues to bring down the past few episodes, but thankfully the writing has become more consistent to make up for it. Score: 68 Summary: Jake gets to work a case with Holt regarding Holt's mother whose house was broken into and things take a personal turn. Amy tries to teach Gina how to change a tire. Terry, Rosa and Charles make modifications to the break room.
The Good: The Jake/Holt pairing does wonders again. It was tremendously fun seeing these two interacting regarding Holt's mother and the jokes in this storyline were superb. It was also nice to see a meaningful storyline being told which gives us more information on Holt's family and it gets to test Holt and Jake's relationship in a unique new way. This was a really well done storyline that stands out as one of the season's best. The side stories had their moments. Amy's awkward prank show recovery was fantastic, and I enjoyed seeing the new additions to the break room going awry. The Bad: Gina gets yet another episode to come across as needlessly annoying. It's hard to buy into Amy dedicating so much time to Gina who is always mean to her and clearly doesn't like her at all. What's worse is how Gina takes apart Amy's car to prove her point. The way that the show has used Gina this season has been puzzling. The break room storyline does feel like filler even if it is entertaining to watch. Best Moment: Andre Braugher's execution of "cowabunga mother!" was an absolute delight. Character of the Episode: Holt. Conclusion: The main storyline here is superb and has both jokes and story, while the side stories hold their own and don't feature as much sloppiness as the show has typically put in this season. This is a consistent episode and I enjoyed it a lot. Score: 68 Summary: jake and Rosa go hunting after Amy after she runs away before her sergeant's exam. Terry and Holt try to spruce up the kids room. Gina comes into possession of the Boyle family's mother dough.
The Good: Jake going after Amy is a fun storyline and it allows Jake to really shine as a character. Throughout the episode he is at his immature best with things like trivia night, his Amy impression and the die hard off the roof sequence being highlights. It's a lot of fun. I also liked that this episode touched on Jake and Amy's relationship in a meaningful way. Terry and Holt have some funny moments in their story, particularly Holt whose petty side returns in this episode. The Bad: Much of this episode felt kind of worthless. Terry and Holt's storyline is pure filler and has almost nothing to offer. On top of that, having Terry and Holt waste time playing with trains instead of working really demeans the fact that these characters have jobs to be doing. Charles and Gina's storyline is pretty poor. It's nothing new from these characters at all and feels like treading familiar ground. Gina is horribly annoying once again as she both blackmails Charles and destroys a family heirloom. Yet somehow the episode still expects it to be alright when she fixes everything by the end of the episode. The show has really been playing up Gina's annoying tendencies while thinking that it's acceptable and it's making me dislike the character a lot. Gina has never felt more selfish, and I feel a disconnect with the character this season. The Amy storyline is hurt by the fact that it seems so implausible for Amy to run away suddenly. She's a far more responsible character than that, so this decision feels very forced. Furthermore, having this sergeant's exam come right out of nowhere hurts the continuity of the show and makes it feel more like the gimmick of an episode instead of the significant plot development it should be. Best Moment: Jake's impression of Amy. Character of the Episode: Jake. Conclusion: This episode was fine for laughs and had some heart with the Jake/Amy storyline, but it had tons of flaws and left me feeling very unsatisfied by the end. Another below par instalment. Score: 54 Summary: The Nine-Nine goes to a cop-con at Rochester with plans to party. Holt runs for a high ranking position to earn the Nine-Nine back some prestige.
The Good: I really liked this. The episode reminded me of "Beach House" in terms of concept with the episode being about the precinct on a vacation with Holt feeling like he isn't included. But unlike that episode, this one felt like it had more to say and was much better executed. I really enjoyed Holt's storyline. His nemesis was avery fun character for Holt to play off of and I thought that the story of this episode was much mroe engaging and fit the character arc of how the Nine-Nine has transformed Holt into a goofier character. The transition hasn't been smooth at all and has been one of my bigger problems with this season, but moments like these still deliver really well. As for the vacation stuff, this was tremendous stuff. Rather than leaving cop stuff behind, this episode was firmly oriented around solving a case (where the laptop bag went), and because of that, this episode felt like a "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" episode with a twist rather than something that feels like it could belong in any other sitcom. I thought that this helped the episode a lot. The laughs in the episode in general were excellent and it was consistently funny. Seeing the squad hungover was a ton of fun and each character added to the humour in natural ways. I also really enjoyed Scully's little side arc. The Bad: Nothing I would outright call bad. This episode treads on very familiar ground due to its similarities with "Beach House" but seeing how well executed this was, I'm more forgiving of it. Best Moment: Lots of laughs to go around. The moment that did it for me was Hitchcock being knocked out and that somehow getting the party started. Character of the Episode: Jake. Conclusion: This is what I've wanted from "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" all season. An all around funny episode that has a storyline that makes sense and utilizes its cast well without any of the stupidity that has plagued many of the storylines this season. This isn't anything too special, but it's a load of fun and that's all that I want. More of this please. Score: 72 Summary: Terry gets racially profiled by a cop in his neighbourhood. Jake and Amy babysit Terry's kids.
The Good: This was extremely well executed. If "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" was going to execute a more serious episode, this is how to do it. The balance between serious content and jokes was near perfect. Even though there were fewer jokes in this episode, the ones we got were very memorable, like Margo talking about Scottsdale, Amy and Jake struggling to babysit and everyone's response to Terry being profiled. The comedy was excellent in this episode. I was also pleased by how well the show handled the complex topic of racism. With both Holt and Terry in the show, they were able to make a unique and more comprehensive examination of racism in the NYPD and I really appreciated that. Both of the characters of Terry and Holt were handled superbly, and the acting from Terry Crews and Andre Braugher was superb. This was certainly one of the most memorable episodes of the show and I really liked the switch from comedy to something more serious this time around. The Bad: Of course I don't watch sitcoms for serious examination of themes. I watch them to laugh. So as much as I loved what this episode did, I can only score it so high if it doesn't have that many jokes. Best Moment: Best laugh was probably Jake and Amy calling each detective in sequence for babysitting help. Best moment would have to be Terry's speech to Holt. Character of the Episode: Terry. Conclusion: This was a more serious episode, but it was executed tremendously well. The acting was great, and the writers overdelivered with the few laughs that were in this episode to make sure that it was still funny. This is easily one of the best episodes of the season, and even the series as a whole. Score: 74 Summary: Believing that the precinct will be shut down, Jake and Charles solve one final case together that turns into something much bigger. Holt tries to quickly finish mentoring Amy on their final day. Terry tries to break the record for most solves in the Nine-Nine.
The Good: There was a lot of emotion to this. In a lot of ways this felt like it could have worked as closing episode for the series with news that the precinct would be shut down. Jake and Charles' story capitalized the most on this as the two of them try their best to enjoy their final case. This is Jake and Charles at their absolute best throughout the episode and their dynamic has never been better. I especially liked Jake deciding to choose not to prematurely bust the drug dealers to save the precinct, delightfully showing us how he has matured as a character. The side stories were solid enough. Holt mentoring Amy was fun with some good laughs. I thought Hitchcock and Scully were standouts here with a lot of really strong jokes. Lastly, I loved getting to see Mark, another officer from the Nine-Nine get some screentime, while also addressing the presence of the inner circle of detectives. It was a good joke. The Bad: There was never any tension about the precinct shutting down so that took a lot away from this episode. It was obvious that the Nine-Nine would continue so the emotional beats that this episode hit didn't really feel as effective as they should have been. I feel that this story would have been much better had it come towards the actual end of the show, and it's wasteful to use the idea of the precinct being shut down so far away from the end. I thought that the handling of Gina in this episode was the worst that "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" has ever handled a character. Back when Holt was dismissed, Gina showed genuine maturity as a character by growing attached to the precinct and the people in it. Yet here she shows none of that maturity and pranks everyone like a cruel and heartless prick. And the prank of drinking cement is careless writing. At the very least, it will result in deadly burns, and at worst it could kill! What's worse than that is that even though Gina comes across as a selfish character with no growth since the start of the show, she gets to save the precinct with her prank. It's very poor character writing and woefully unsatisfying storytelling. It's tough to imagine anyone liking Gina after this episode. Best Moment: Hitchcock revealing his terrible tattoo that looked very much like a suicide was hilarious. Character of the Episode: Charles. Conclusion: This was a fun idea for an episode and a lot was done right, especially with the Jake/Charles dynamic. But the questionable placement of this storyline and the grievous mishandling of Gina ruined much of what this episode was going for. Another disappointing episode in a season that just hasn't gotten going. Score: 55 Summary: Jake and Rosa go to the set of a TV show to work a case. Gina and Amy try to figure out what Terry did that made Veronica so hateful. Holt and Charles try to find a way to get somebody else to assess their precinct.
The Good: The Jake and Rosa storyline was pretty solid. Rosa had a good episode overall and I think the show has done really well at learning how to use the character. Her relationship with Jake has always been a strong point of the series and that remained true in this episode with their work on the TV show case. Holt and Charles' story was a delight. It nicely tied into the Veronica story and it had some of the absolute best character interactions that Charles and Holt have ever had together. The Terry storyline was pretty good. Gina and Amy were fun in their opposing approaches and I thought that the writers did superbly to craft a believable story of Terry messing up without making the character come off poorly. The Bad: Apparently the NYPD does not care about conflict of interest because there is no way that something like this would be allowed. There really should have been some way to file a complaint against Veronica for what she did but the show makes it seem like there's nothing to be done. I was also thoroughly disappointed by how neatly the Terry/Veronica story concluded. It feels like there should have been more to it. Nathan Fillion doing a parody of himself was amusing but the character didn't add much to the show at all. The TV show storyline was also hurt by making Jake look like a terrible cop. This episode in general did not make the NYPD look good at all, which would have been fine had the show intended to examine the NYPD in this way. Since it did not, it detracts from the episode to have sloppy writing bring up issues of corruption. Best Moment: Holt and Charles discussing the "pump pump" of the eyebrows when preparing to blackmail was hilarious and one of the best jokes of the season. Character of the Episode: Rosa. I don't feel like I've credited the character enough. Conclusion: This was a funny episode with an engaging plot and I enjoyed it quite a bit. However, the problems with unaddressed corruption did bring the score down for this one. Score: 65 Summary: The Nine-Nine is in danger when the NYPD decides to shut down one precinct. Terry works to fix a copier than CJ impulse bought for the precinct. Rosa and Charles deal with a rat infestation. Jake and Amy work a case together to impress their auditor, Teddy.
The Good: The story here is fun. This season is much more interested in multi-episode storylines and I definitely approve of that. I just hope that these storylines utilize their potential better than the night shift storyline. So far, the precinct closing down business has worked well. There is a focus to the story and it gives a good reason to include new characters into the precinct like Teddy and now Veronica to make things more interesting. Some of the jokes here were quite good. Jake and Amy putting up with Teddy was a delight and their fake acting was hilarious. I also enjoyed Holt's desperation to fix the precinct, Charles getting stuck in the vents and Terry's attempts to fix the copier. The Bad: Even with all that I enjoyed, there was a lot that I didn't like about this. The whole episode delved too far into absurdity. The character of Teddy was utterly destroyed when they turned him into somebody with an inexplicable love for Amy and his constant proposals, while funny, were completely ridiculous and sacrificed the credibility of the character for laughs. Furthermore, it's ridiculous that Teddy would be allowed to audit the Nine-Nine when he used to date one of the detectives there. Is conflict of interest not acknowledged in this universe? Gina getting hit by a bus proved to be pointless since she is back now anyways and the extent of her role is just predictable and unoriginal physical comedy, the type that the show has already done far too many times. The threat of closing down a precinct never quite feels real. It's obvious that the Nine-Nine won't be shut down. Best Moment: Jake and Amy's staged fight at the jazz brunch was really well done. Character of the Episode: Jake. Conclusion: This episode fits perfectly in season 4. Lots of good laughs and a promising storyline marred by questionable writing and poor handling of the characters. I still liked this episode for its entertainment value, but I'm waiting for "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" to find some consistency in how it tells stories. At the moment the show is proving that it has nothing more to offer than dumb fun. With a show that has as strong of a cast and premise as this one, I expect more. Score: 58 Summary: Jake goes to Doug to help take down the final convict who is his brother. Holt tags along since he doesn't trust Doug. Amy and Gina let Charles into the office text chain but have to teach him how to behave. Terry is concerned that he is getting old.
The Good: Jake and Doug's interactions remain and highlight and it's always worth getting excited for the Pontiac bandit episodes each year because they are a blast. This year, Holt gets added into the dynamic and it is tremendously fun to see him interact with Doug and put up with Jake's childishness. The funniest bits of this two-parter came from the Jake/Holt/Doug dynamic and it's not even close. The story has some fun twists and turns and it's nice to see Doug honestly help out Jake and Holt this time. Plus it allows for the nice story of Holt admitting that he should have trusted Jake's instincts. The Bad: Unfortunately everything else didn't really work for me. Terry's story felt like pure filler and didn't offer much of anything aside from some okay laughs. The Charles storyline also didn't work for me as Charles was far too over the top throughout to be particularly funny. The ending with Gina being hit by a bus ended up being telegraphed too hard to be surprising, and it did not work at all. It seems very unlikely that Gina would be killed off in a sitcom and being hit by the bus is such a serious incident that it doesn't fit well with the lighthearted tone that the series maintains. It was a poor cliffhanger that confused me more than making me concerned for Gina. Furthermore, if this was played for laughs then that makes it even worse. Best Moment: Not too much stands out. I'll go with Holt's anger while Gertie is being taken apart in front of him and the great lines that followed. Character of the Episode: Doug. Conclusion: The second part ended up feeling very similar to the first part despite having wildly different plots. It was all about the main story while everything else was pretty poor. The episode gains points for the Jake/Holt/Doug dynamic, but loses just as many for that woeful ending. As a result, this is another middling episode. In the end, the two parter didn't deliver anything special at all. Score: 59 Summary: After several convicts escape from a prison van, the Nine-Nine starts a manhunt to find them. Jake and Amy make a bet over who can catch the most convicts with the loser having to move in with the winner.
The Good: This episode feels like a throwback to older days with Jake and Amy engaging in a competitive bet. It was a lot of fun going back to this dynamic, with the addition of them resolving some minor relationship conflict. I enjoyed them outwitting each other by bringing in more and more gadgets, and the final moment of Jake deciding to move in with Amy was really sweet. Their dynamic was highlighted perfectly in this episode. I also liked the plot quite a bit. It's refreshing when this show remembers that it takes place in a police precinct and that these characters have a job they are supposed to be doing. Overall, the plot worked and this was an effective first part with an enticing cliffhanger at the end. The Bad: The side stories weren't very good here. Sure, there were decent jokes but it's hard to believe that the foreign woman wouldn't have a translator to get her point across. That entire storyline didn't work for me. Worse was Marshawn Lynch getting so much time despite him not being funny at all. Furthermore, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" ran the whole meeting your heroes storyline AGAIN and it is beyond played out by now. The story was also extremely rushed and had nothing to it. The Jake and Amy storyline is hurt by their problem really not feeling like a problem at all. We aren't given a single good reason why Jake would want Amy to move in with him, so shouldn't moving in with Amy or getting a new place be the obvious option? Best Moment: Amy trying to burn the towel that never fully dries. Character of the Episode: Amy. Conclusion: This was your usual season "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" episode. A strong main story with weaker side stories and decent laughs all around. It's fine television that sets up for the next episode but fails to be anything special. Score: 59 Summary: Charles and Jake go on a quest to find the Captain Latvia doll that Charles promised to get for Nikolaj. The Nine-Nine tries to find a way to win a caroling competition against the MTA.
The Good: This is the Joe Lo Truglio show all the way through. Charles is the absolute standout here and he is tremendously fun to watch as his creepy/weird/hilariously quirky self. The mission to get back the Captain Latvia doll was a fun storyline that had some really nice moments throughout. Jake's role as the voice of reason was also excellent, and his interactions with Charles were as enjoyable as ever. The Bad: The show still isn't quite clicking this season. The cold open with the inflatable tree was a perfect example of the silliness that has taken over the show. It's silliness without reason and it just doesn't work. The caroling storyline was pretty weak. There weren't many laughs and the characters felt like silly caricatures of who they should have been. I also wasn't happy with the introduction of yet another group of people for the Nine-Nine to be rivals with (the MTA). Things were much simpler when the fire people were the only rivals since they were a familiar face and allowed the show a chance to further the relationship between the two factions. Now, the show likes to introduce rival group after rival group with no character growth whatsoever, and it becomes impossible to care about these storylines, or even remember them. Best Moment: Charles beating down the Latvian guy while saying ridiculous things in Latvian. Character of the Episode: Charles for sure. Conclusion: This episode was a showcase for Charles and it excelled in that regard. Unfortunately, nothing else really worked and even with Joe Lo Truglio's performance, the episode still wasn't very good. Score: 53 |
Aaron DhillonJust a university student who loves to watch TV. And analyze it way too much. Archives
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