Tube Talk: Brooklyn Nine-Nine: The Chopper

GET TO THE CHOPPA!

SPOILERS!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2: Episode 22: The Choppter: GRADE: B+

One of the few problems Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s second year has stumbled with is the fact is its 23 episode order. Many of the great character growth and development, some of it if a little stalled by clearly filler episodes. Filler episodes and can entertaining, but again I gotta make my feelings be known on the struct of about 10-13 episode set like seasons. Many of my favorite shows now have that model and I wish network TV would with more of its shows if it wants to keep up with the likes of cable, Netflix, and Hulu. Really the show this seasons could have made a set focus of an arc focusing on the task force setup to find Giggle Pig, deal with the Jake and Amy situation, and still have classics such as “Chocolate Milk”, “USPIS”, “The Pontiac Bandit Returns”, “Windbreaker City”, and “Captain Peralta.

I say this as the season’s penultimate(!) episode indeed feels like it but I think it’d be stronger with a short episode order, but let us focus on the good we got now as Jake becomes his most coplike. Jake really is on point as a detective this week as an epic case seems to come by the Nine-Nine with four former bank robbers who are prime suspects from a case years ago when they stole $21 million and they seem to be dropping like flies. Jake is excited about the prospect of jumping out of a helicopter with machine guns in both hands and a knife in clenched between his teeth. Of course recovering millions of dollars too.

This episode also brings us the return of Chief Wuntch and I never knew how much I missed her until her and Holt’s first interaction in the episode.

Wuntch: “Hello, Raymond. How do you like my new office? 20th floor.”
Holt: “Yes, I never thought I’d see you this high up without a broom under you.”
Wuntch: “Enough niceties. Have a seat.”

Love it. She then gives all the requests they ask for which of course makes Holt hilariously paranoid as to her motive behind this and makes the case so much more important as she can officially have their asses if they fail. The way the case plays out is great as its wonderful to see the show be a great comedy, its also a very good cop show. It was a thrill to see this case play out and honestly it could have been perfect for the finale but the stakes and height of it are felt here.

A great moment comes in how much Holt needs this solved. He sees the failing of it as what Wuntch wants and he doesn’t want that since the Nine-Nine was his one chance since working in the public relations department. He needs this and its great to see Braugher play serious here again as it just shows what a great talent he is with his range. Then he gets hilarious again when getting right in the thick of things with Jake and Boyle and riding in the chopper is a series highlight. Alas the case is solved and for solving it, Wuntch promotes Holt to Head of Public Relations. Her plan was for her to succeed all along so she can promote him to make sure he doesn’t do police work again.

I feel more weight here with Holt possibly exiting the precinct than I did with Terry the previous week. This could really change everything and how its handled in the finale I can’t wait to see.

The only subplot this weeks deals with Terry trying his best to get his twin girls into a prestigious pre-school. Its nice and holds up the episode well but I didn’t get as much out of it. Laughs came from Gina getting involved in school gossip, kids getting excited over a dead body, and Rosa suggesting just getting one kid in and swapping them out. Sadly Terry’s wife rejected the idea. There are nice character beats that are hit but I didn’t see this holding up as well compared to the main plot of the episode.

The Chopper sets up events for the season finale very well and gives it some high stakes and from the looks of it the Jake and Amy situation will be resolved, but hopefully that’s not handled poorly as I now have more stakes in what happens with Captain Holt.

 

Tube Talk: Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Det. Dave Majors

Jake meets his idol, who then quickly becomes competition.

SPOILERS!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2: Episode 21: Det. Dave Majors: GRADE: B+

We’re at the doorstep of the finale of the second season and its not we finally seem to address the Jake and Amy situation. this episode both makes it a highlight. An investigation brings the precinct to work with another one, but more so the best detective in the NYPD, Dave Majors, who is brought to life via guest star Garret Dillahunt who is so welcome in anything at any time. Its hilarious as to how Jake and Amy both vying for Dave’s attention and approval. When you see him, you kinda want to as well. I mean its Garret Dillahunt. He’s so multitalented and ruggedly handsome. Dillahunt fits in here perfectly as any guest star on the show has before, he is no exception here. His cool and calm demeanor and confident swagger is nicely offset by the antics of Jake and Amy but they never really seem to clash which was something I expected to happen, but I was pleased it didn’t.

Their tracking of a joint, baby mask, check cashing robbery case and things go differently when at a private speakeasy bar, which I’m so glad still exists, Dave asks Jake about Amy as he would like to ask her out after solving the case.

Finally its brought back up. The show seemed to have forgotten that since the wedding, which shows how Nine-Nine might be better and stronger with 13 episodes a season. If you’ve noticed, I’m not often a fan of how long network shows can be despite how much I love the ones I love. Jake thinks to stall the case as long as possibly but accidentally ends up solving it. In an honest moment of emotion from Rosa, Jake realizes he has to step up and own up to his feelings while learning that when Amy really likes a guy, she tucks her hair behind both her ears. Jake’s attempts to get back in after learning the password changes each night is hilarious thanks in part to Reno 911’s Cedric Yarbrough being here. Jake is devastated and learned that Amy has a new rule to not date cops after Teddy. Then she tucks her hair behind both ears after Jake leaves.

Part of me was never against this story as long as it was well handled but when the show did what it does best with character interactions and building, they seem to forget how often the Jake and Amy love aspect came back up and while great moments came from it, its a bit jarring to see it back so suddenly before the season ends. Its clear the show will have a pure focus on that, but how its execution goes will have to wait. What we get from it is great and again we got to see Garret Dillahunt on here so I am very happy. The jokes came out of this from the feces puzzle to the “coolness” Jake and Amy try to put on at the crime scene, there’s still solid stuff here.

Only one subplot that’s how a private security firm wants to bring Terry over from the Nine-Nine. Charles and Gina freak out in how they might lose him and I would too. They both try to figure of ways to make him stay, though Gina seems to often want to sacrifice Boyle somehow. One way was to have frozen yogurt served by Pam Grier, which I’m fine with. It was a nice insight to see how much the Nine-Nine are close knit at the possibility of one of their own truly going away. Gina and Boyle work so well together again as they are a dynamic team together and try to get Holt in on the situation who orders Terry to digitize his case files, but that actually helps in getting Terry to stay. It reminds him of the good he helps do for the community, which is a believable end to the arc, but felt a bit rushed. This too had plenty of good jokes from Terry saying he does love walls and how his massive body explodes a puffy vest, which made me laugh way harder than I care to admit.

From a very snappy cold opening, I was on board with the incredibly solid episode that helps us get closer to our ending of the season, but I am getting nervous as to how Jake and Amy’s resolution or continuation will play into and if I might honestly care about it.

Tube Talk: Brooklyn Nine-Nine: AC/DC

Jake can’t stop!

SPOILERS!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2: Episode 20: AC/DC: GRADE: B

This week we learn that Jake Peralta can’t stop himself from working and that’s sad to me. Sad in the fact I realize how I relate to that given how I’ve given myself so much to do in my own personal life, but I weather it to make sure I accomplish my goals and such. I also liked realizing that through Jake, which is another great facet of the character that gets explored after a month in a half long hiatus. Sidenote, fuck broadcast network TV scheduling. FUCK!

Jake is a guy that wants to be the super awesome badass detective, as evident when he got excited to have a car roof chase in the beginning of the episode which leads us to the episode’s events as Jake is injured, but can’t stop working. He wants to catch his perp so bad that he tricks Boyle into an Atlantic City getaway on a hunch that he could catch him there. Terry wisely says its not healthy to be putting work ahead of everything, which was also an eye opener for myself as I’ve had bad burnout myself, but seeing Samberg play this aspect of Jake is certainly a nice way to keep things refreshing. Jake goes on a journey in this episode to realize there is more than trying to be the cops he clearly loves from the movies. Samberg plays some nicely downplayed physical comedy with how injured he gets and his stubbornness leads to great lines such as Terry telling Jake he’s lost the right to pee.

When Jake owns up to why he doesn’t take time off, its a really nicely done and poignant, feeling guilty over a vacation he took during a case and civilian lives were lost. Its greatly played and Samberg shows again what a great talent and asset he is to this show. Also Boyle’s reaction to Jake having friends before him is the biggest laugh of the night.

Given how good and eyeopening Jake’s story was, is a bit of let down for the rest of the episodes. Awkwardness abound for Rosa and Holt as they’re gonna have a dinner party with Marcus and Kevin, but Rosa might be pregnant. Now there could be great material, if it wasn’t Marcus. Marcus is a character that barely appears and is barely just a recurring character. No shocker its nothing, but if there was gonna be any impact behind this, I would have bought it more were she dating a more prominent character on the show. It leads to nothing really but awkward back and fourth between Rosa and Holt.

Subplot to that subplot, Amy and Gina are invited as buffers. Its oldhat for Gina to fuck with Amy to get her to loosen up even for how good this season is, but there are some laughs to be mined from this storyline that I get such as Amy’s salad stinking up the subway car they’re in and how Amy tries to play casually cool. Really this just was okay.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is back for the rest of the season and with how good this season is I’m excited. While not one of the more stellar installments of season two, I did find this a pleasant welcome back for the show and hope it ends out the season on a high note.

Tube Talk: Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Sabotage

I’m telling y’all its a sabotage!

SPOILERS!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2: Episode 19: Sabotage: GRADE: B

This week continues the overarching thread of the season by maturing Jake Peralta. For every instance we see him progress, we must not forget, there is still work to be done since the season really isn’t over. It doesn’t mean this week is a step backwards on anything the show has recently done, but its a nice little break along the way. We begin with Jake having some legitimate bad luck at arriving to meetings before he finally arrives on time, only to be told he’s been suspended for failing a drug test. Yes and Jake’s natural conclusion is that he was sabotaged and someone is out to get him. Given Jake’s attitude and how many enemies he has made over the course of the show, its extremely likely and he gets Rosa and Amy on the case.

This week is focusing on Jakes trust issues among others and its okay. I think last week as a stellar installment of the show as a whole that it would be a little hard for the next week to follow up. The chemistry for the three of them is as usual good, but the pacing for them was just off. Of course during the investigation there is a riff that separates them and then reconnection, but it felt all too slightly rushed. The flow just didn’t feel right and it really put Rosa and Amy off the sideline for too long for my taste. We do find out the person sabotaging Jakes is Sophia’s former boss Geoffrey Hoytsman, once again played by Chris Parnell. Hoytsman I’ll say wasn’t high up on my suspects list, but it fits given how crazy he gets when on drugs and hating Jake for simply just doing his job and thus sending Hoytsman’s life into a spiral. The confessions he wants Jake to make are certainly entertaining and garner many laughs, but part of me thinks Hoytsman is better with a one-off, but more Chris Parnell is never really a bad thing.

The plot also of course let’s Jake play out the gun an badge situation which is the best thing about the main plot.

We get some of Jake’s continued development but really this episode is more about Hitchcock and Scully. Yes those two. They are teamed with Boyle to look further into the investigation around Jake and show how capable they are as cop and closing cases. This is their Jerry/Gerry/Terry moment from Parks and Recreation. Always the incompetent goof in the office but secretly a master at getting shit done. We even see they used to be incredibly good at this and when given the chance to shine the spotlight they decline. The hard and fast life of being in the center is too much for out noble detectives. Its honestly the most surprising thing so far this season.

The best plot comes from Terry, Gina, and Holt. While not tellig us anything we already know about them each, its still very funny. Gina recently had a dance recital with her group but Terry and Holt couldn’t make it. Terry tells a little white lie about being there and asks Holt to do that same, but he’s so up-righteously moral he just can’t. Holt’s explanation as to his telling kids about Santa and the such is too good, I can’t explain it here. Just watch it. Gina’s acceptance to know Holt approves of her dancing was a bit much for me and felt like some forced conflict as it was wrapping it up, but again its still the biggest laugh I got of the whole night.

Sabotage isn’t gonna be fondly regarded as a high mark in an already outstanding season, but it still a nice filler episode with plenty of laughs to provide.

Tube Talk: Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Captain Peralta

Papa Peralta is here!

SPOILERS!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2: Episode 18: Captain Peralta: GRADE: A

No Jake isn’t in charge as would be indicated by the episode title, we already had that episode this season. Captain Peralta refers to Jake’s flakey father and airline pilot, Roger Peralta. Few details have been shared here and there of Jake’s childhood, mostly that he looked after himself a lot with absentee parents being a thing around him and how he’s formed much of his childish personality today, which is charming in many ways, yet has show maturity because of how he brought himself up. Its nice to see little things here and there so this week was all about the past of Jake and how he tries to make it better this week.

Roger is in town to visit Jake and Boyle is oddly defensive. Give his level of hero worship and unconditional love of Jake, it stands to reason for Boyle to act like this as it feels organic to his character. How (un)casually he throws in that Roger let Jake down as a dad, reminding Jake that he didn’t need anybody, and just about how good Jake looks. It made for a good use of Joe Lo Truglio in a small dose compared to last weeks big wedding episode.

Now to talk about the titular captain who is played by one of my personal favorite actors, Bradley Whitford. Whitford I love for his impeccable range. How his character can just turn on a time in a snap, which I think is perfectly executed in the entire run of The West Wing and in The Cabin in the Woods. He excels with dramatic moments but as is the case with Nine-Nine its about being funny and Whitford has more than enough experience and rolling with the laughs. Whitford plays the cool, calm, and collectiveness of Roger as you’d imagine a pilot. Confident, easy going, got plenty of stories, and adored by people from coast to coast. Its yet another winning case for Brooklyn Nine-Nine being perfect at getting guest stars the right roles for them.

His back and fourth with Andy Samberg is nicely executed. We know he’s not the best guy but he’s just so charismatic and effortlessly charming. He’s winning over everyone, even Holt, but not Boyle as mentioned above. Roger’s true intention is revealed as he’s facing a drug smuggling charge in Quebec Canada and needs Jake’s help. Samberg’s nicely timed facial expressions help as we honestly see he might have seen this coming, knowing his dad’s past behavior, but wants to help him because he honestly wants to hang out with his dad.

So he gets Boyle and Scully (who doesn’t seem to react well to poutine) to help out Roger, who is truly being honest for once. Sure he’ll have a side-piece to see when not with his girlfriend, blondes are his Kryptonite, but he’s never smuggle the Canadian equivalent of Viagra across borders. There are ethics man! Jake and Boyle’s strutting in pilot uniforms to Spirit in the Sky might just be one of the perfect things in all of existence.

An episode like this was truly needed and warranted to help continue Jake’s steady maturity into being (more like) an adult. This episode could have ended with the two sharing a drink at the bar and mending fences easily, but I can’t express how good the scene is when Jake shows up at Roger’s and completely shuts him out. He longer wants to try and get his approval and realizes that he doesn’t need someone like his dad in his life for all that he’s done. Some parents can be real screw ups to the point they honestly just can’t be forgiven just because they are our parents. I’m especially glad to see that in a modern day sitcom since so many would just gloss over this scene no matter how bad any parent is because family. Jake is working up to a true adult life and responsibilities and honestly there can’t be any room in that life for a dad like Roger. Sad as it seems this is all we’ll get of Bradley Whitford on the show, its fine by me in order to keep this development of Jake’s intact.

That’s a great reminder as to what works with Brooklyn Nine-Nine that while it will embrace typical sitcom tropes and ideas, it finds ways to make itself stand far from the usual ideas you’d get and make something new for themselves.

We only have one subplot this week and while not as rich in story as the main plot is, its still entertainingly funny. Captain Holt wants to keep the precinct on its toes so he decides to give them a puzzle to figure out with a prize to be rewarded. Said prize being two tickets to a Beyoncé concert.

Everyone gets excited. Amy because she gets to impress Holt, Gina because Beyonce, Rosa since she wants to have a date with Marcus, and Terry since he loves puzzles. He, and as I will from now on, refer to them as power squads for your brain. Hitchcock even seems to get in on this because well he’s Hitchcock, also we needed him to do something in this episode. Gina and Rosa are of course a perfect pairing with Rosa being Rosa and Gina’s superiority complex, but Amy and Terry are the main reason this subplot is so entertaining. Their way of figuring things out works so well and make the subplot worth watching as a whole episode. Amy’s trying to use pastries but learning doughnuts are Terry’s trigger food made me laugh more than it maybe should have. The other shining moment being Gina’s #nerdfail t-shirt she made from a picture of Amy realizing she was wrong about her answer.

In fact everyone was wrong. They couldn’t answer it and neither could Captain Holt who still wants to answer the riddle for his former C.O. even after 20 years. Its a nice little parallel to Jake’s realization about his father. So many plots on this show resolve around trying to get acceptance, more so this season, but just know someone is proud of you is a great reward itself in all honesty.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine continues its seamless transition from a wonderful sitcom into a fully great one. The amount of heart put into character centric stories and development on here is a reason I praise this show on a regular basis. Its great to see a fingerprint of the people behind Parks and Recreation still on my television screen, but Brooklyn has carved out its own full identity by this point and that’s a great thing.

Tube Talk: Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Boyle-Linetti Wedding

Pull out your tissues and throw the rice, we’re going to a wedding tonight!

SPOILERS!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2: Episode 17: Boyle-Linetti Wedding: GRADE: B+

We are gathered here today to celebrate the joining of Lynn Boyle and Darlene Linetti in holy matrimony. Yes the wedding event we’ve been waiting for has finally arrived and how about we first talk about sitcom weddings shall we?

The wedding episode is a long standard tradition within comedy shows. Two characters finally decide to tie the knot together and truly be by each other’s side forever. Typically things go wrong, cold feet happen, something outlandish happens, and well more often than not the result can either be the wedding goes through or someone is left at the altar. Again with anything, its all in execution and several shows has done the sitcom wedding right. How I Met Your Mother’s two part season 2 finale, Darlene’s wedding on Roseanne, Ellie and Captain Awesome’s on Chuck, and Ben and Leslie’s on Parks and Recreation are great prime examples of how you do that right. Even if the sitcom performing the wedding is already outrageous or not so, the wedding episode allows the writers and the show itself to let go and be loose. Its a showcase of straight, downplayed, and broad comedy, as well as nice, heartfelt sentiment. If the episode is truly funny and gets the heartstrings, its done its job well.

Brooklyn manages to get across so much in this episode that only furthers how strong the season is right now and why I can’t wait for season three to come along. Lynn and Darlene’s wedding is heartfelt, but not too heartfelt as its deeply grounded in the world of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which actually works to its benefit.

Gina is still upset at how her and Boyle having sex, which he does bring up often, led to this but is genuinely wanting happiness for her mother and Boyle just wants everyone to be happy. The setbacks that occur for the wedding flow nicely together. I think my favorite being Terry not being able to fully perform the vows of the ceremony since he only did it before with members of his local gym, totally buy it, and discover something deeper within him, so Holt is brought in to pinch preach. The way Holt goes to find true, deep emotion in what to say in the ceremony and his look back on his own marriage with Kevin might be the best character work of the whole episode. Its sweet, sincere, and downright funny.

Elsewhere Rosa is asked by Boyle to help Lynn get ready and thus sets off the cold feet portion of events where Lynn thinks he might be going too fast and not ready to go through with marriage again, two of them being back-to-back catfish situations. Boyle does his best to him in Boyle fashion but its Gina that saves the day actually by telling her what needs to be said and actually opening up again. Gina is perfect how she is, but the true moments of humanity with her always add something else extra to how well Chelsea Peretti plays the character.

As for Lynn and Darlene themselves, again I love Stephen Root and Sandra Bernhard in the roles. Their chemistry together and with the respective children feel natural and encapsulates what’s so good about the characters on the show. The vows are nicely done and yeah I felt a little moved. I’m a romantic, what can I say?

Now the other two subplots is what brings the show down. For as many good character jokes that came out of it, the Jake and Amy subplot when they chase down a lead of Amy’s and lose the rings just brings up my worst fears of this season again. Their feelings are brought up again and it gets slightly awkward, thankfully the wedding setting doesn’t make this overbearing but man I want them to get over with that now because I don’t want that to bring down the quality of the show. Jake’s old crush is there and he loses her to someone else. Yeah that wasn’t too interesting either. I hope the show has an interesting idea for this story but man if I have another Jim and Pam thing going on, I’m gonna get slightly agitated.

Rosa also doesn’t wanna bring Marcus because she’s Rosa. Now that could have been great to see her struggle with this big a move in the relationship, but we haven’t seen too much of Marcus to feel like there’s enough of a connection between them. Get more Nick Cannon on here, and I thought I’d never say that.

This is one of the few times this season where the show doesn’t perfectly balance all its stories in an episode together.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine flexes its heart muscles while sometimes forgetting to flex its writing muscles, but it comes out to an overall enjoyable half hour for the show that gets plenty of laughs in and gets to have some fun with emotional beats.

Tube Talk: Brooklyn Nine-Nine: The Wednesday Incident

A full on Marc Evan Jackson guest appearance makes for yet another classic episode.

SPOILERS!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2: Episode 16: The Wednesday Incident: GRADE: A

Now Brooklyn Nine-Nine is in the homestretch of its second season and they have two things to focus on now, the wedding of Boyle’s dad to Gina’s mom and resolving the Amy and Jake situation so The Wednesday Incident just feels like a filler episode. Nothing wrong with something like that but if you need a placeholder you need to make it a damn good one and thanks in part to more than just a cameo appearance from Marc Evan Jackson, The Wednesday Incident instantly became one of my favorite episodes of the show.

Really what makes The Wednesday Incident such a memorable episode is how tight and fast paced the script and direction is for the episode. There isn’t even really a cold open, the whole story is revolved around the main plot of Jake trying to figure out what has Captain Holt in a bad mood and proving it wasn’t his fault last Wednesday when he accidentally setting off the sprinklers in Holt’s office. Meanwhile Boyle is trying to prove he’s a damn good cop and did indeed crack his bank robbing case while his elderly suspect puts on a show to just outright fuck with Boyle. There’s even a minor sub story of Terry going around and keeping things in order so Holt don’t get angrier. It all ties and fits in so well together.

First to our main plot. As I’ve said in different reviews, I’d love to seen a guest appearance Marc Evan Jackson and Captain Holt’s husband Kevin Cozner since his first appearance last season was a genuine highlight to me and wouldn’t you know we get it this week. Jackson has become a recent favorite person of mine to see pop up from time to time. His straight frowardness in many roles is what is funny but his range and sense of timing just works wonders. I’m always pleased to see him whenever he’s on anything. His chemistry with comedy’s greatest gift this episode, Andre Braugher, still shines, but we get to see him stretch out as most of his screen time is with Gina and Jake trying to retrace Holt’s morning before getting into the office.

This was my favorite thing in the episode among a lot of favorite things in the episode. For as much progress Jake has made this season, there is still a lot to learn, how when and when not to meddle in the affairs of others. Jake’s relationship with the precinct this season has been a running plot point that’s even had its own couple of episodes dedicated to it, this is the case again when he tries to truly understand Captain Holt. They already have admiration and respect for each other but they just aren’t friends. Jake wants to change that. Through this search we get plenty of nice little moments such as Jake’s marveling at the fact Holt paints multiple still lives of a gray rock and how Holt only vents about Jake to those he encounters, and how Jake asks what they’re doing after this. Jake, stop getting everyone to like you so much.

Jake’s persistence almost gets everyone in trouble, including Holt’s marriage, but the way its all handled from character interactions just works. Holt’s confession that he prevented himself from being mugged was an honestly touching little moment that showed regret over something lets us see that Braugher still has got major chops. His bonding with Jake at the end is sweet and feels right given the progress of the characters and the story. As is how Jake makes up to Holt at the end and this is a big reason why I love Brooklyn-Nine-Nine. Also to go back to Braugher, his anger is a joy to look at from his tirade at the crew to a whole level of anger that’s just smiling, I believe this man was made for the stylings of comedy.

Speaking of comedy, Boyle shines this week with his subplot. He finally nails down the bank robber he’s been chasing, who turns out to be an elderly man played by legendary Garry Marshall. This subplot works well because not only do we get to see more Joe Lo Truglio being him. Boyle here isn’t hero worshipping Jake, though we get a quick bit of that, but doing his job. You know with Boyle being Boyle so much its easy to forget how good he is at his job as evidenced in this episode. He puts in about as much work as everyone else around the office.

Garry Marshall’s appearance is also spectacular with how he’ll play with Amy and Rosa asking for a ginger ale one moment then coyly mention to Boyle he did to watch the tellers squirm because he gets off on violence. Even have a tea party with Amy and Rosa, leading Boyle to wonder what they’re doing with the monster. Of course its wrapped up by how he is right since Amy was tipped with one of the stolen bills, but still for all the actors involved with this short and sweet subplot, they all win.

As I mentioned, a minor story of how Terry is again keeping things running by putting out fires all over from breakdancing the silver breakdancer away from the precinct to Rosa’s personal calls and stomping on burning oatmeal while holding a lit road flare. Just Terry doing Terry. He really shines through in small moments here and man I love it.

Again the real star is the script by Laura McCreary and the direction by Claire Scanlon. They melted so perfectly into one another and also the cast was firing on all cylinders from the opening shot. Everything went into one another nicely and just made watching (and re-watching) it a hilarious treat. There is no sophomore slump for Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Tube Talk: Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Windbreaker City

The Nine-Nine are back to shoot paintballs and chew bubblegum, and they’re all out of bubblegum.

SPOILERS!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2: Episode 15: Windbreaker City: GRADE: A

Break-ups are never easy. They can be pleasant sometimes, but underneath it is all that awkwardness of it and the constant mental anguish of losing what you loved and how you could fix things. Brooklyn Nine-Nine got to this with its opening as Jake brings the things Sophia left at his place to try and get it back to her. Of course the ones to help Jake are Terry and Boyle, by the way I want webisodes of them helping people with love advice, and they help Jake out by letting him know he needs to work through the pain, make it work him to get over Sophia. They let him text her to get her stuff. Jake’s reaction to why hasn’t she answered seconds answer also feels very much in character for him.

From there the episodes roles on as what is in many ways an spiritual sequel to season one’s Tactical Village, which is one the best episodes, in where the Nine-Nine are invited to take part in the Department of Homeland Securities multi-agency counter-terrorist drill. This is partly due to them replacing another agency last minute and their high scores in last year’s tactical village. Just the thing Jake needs to get his mind off of Sophia. But of course the highlight is Amy’s desperate attempt for cheers by shouting “Nine-Nine!” to boost morale. Sorry, but you madame are no Sgt. Terry.

When there, all confidence is taken away when agent in charge, Agent Kendrick, hello Nick Kroll, makes them the hostages. This makes the episode better as it really shows something only shown so often, the Nine-Nine are a group of very good and competent police officers that gets the job done. Yes even Hitchcock and Scully can get things done, occasionally. Jake riles them all up to lead a take over and it works to hilarious results. The action sequences as they are work very well and are nicely shot. I honestly think the show should showcase this more when possible as I think it can really help build the show up more by balancing the the comedy with the cop aspects of the show. It builds up well to a Die Hard referenced laden showoff with Agent Kendrick. I seriously love that Nick Kroll is the guest star for this as he perfectly conveys doucheiness well, which means he’s most likely one the most easy going guys offset. His back and fourth with Samberg is hilarious and had me rolling with laughter. He was on fire for the episode.

Samberg was the star of this episode as his excitement during the drill and his desperateness to hear from Sophia perfectly balance what a well developed character Jake is. He wants another shot and really that shows signs he might be over Amy than we thought, but then again he’s not getting back with Sophia any time soon. Its nicely done progression of the character while staying true to things we love about him from before, such as his willingness to not let some things go, such as being stuck in a role of hostage in the drill.

Within the drill is a Amy and Rosa subplot where they vie for most kills among them to see who gets Saturday off. Amy wants to go to a TED talk about the benefits of power posing, I think I know a National Geographic show that could help with that, while Rosa wants to go to dinner with her parents. Melissa Fumero just continues to kill it this season and Stephanie Beatriz gets to wisely use her emotional side when revealing the dinner is for introducing Marcus to her folks. What’s that? More solid character development? Yes it is. Amy and Rosa worked great together be it Rosa’s assertiveness or Amy over explaining why she’s like Pinocchio, they just were on fire this week.

Of course that leaves us with Holt and Gina who sparkle together. Yes I said sparkle as I believe Gina would say that. She needs someone to evaluate for her psych class and while she would love to have a great case with Amy, Hitchcock, or Boyle, which that would only guarantee an A+,  she goes for Holt. When they end up in the same psychological classification, Andre Braugher again proves he is a gift graced upon the world of comedy. He unravels so well trying to prove he stands out as an original being in a way that’s different than when he deals with Wuntch. Of course this is only half of what makes that funny as Gina just slays it. Their personalities clash in a beautiful way that’s similar and different from Jake and Holt. Jake is laid back, but Gina better exceeds at that with her superiority complex as well. This to me was the funniest bit of the night and what excelled it to its A grade, well that and how damn good the episode was itself of course.

I think this is one of the off pairings of the show that needs to be explored more. Holt and Gina are electric together.

This episode had everything working for it, but I think I’m ready for more consistent aired episodes as sports are over. I’d love for Nine-Nine to be here each week until summer hiatus to provide laughs, but be it on and off for weeks, you can still depends of this crew to make you enjoy taking 30 minutes out of your week to laugh.

Tube Talk: Brooklyn Nine-Nine: The Defense Rests

Complications hit the precinct hard this week.

SPOILERS!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2: Episode 14: The Defense Rests: GRADE: A-

First thing’s first, congrats to Brooklyn Nine-Nine on getting a season three renewal!

You know when I read up about what this episode was, I did get excited since I’ve liked all the episode featuring Jake’s new lady love. They have been on fire whenever Eva Longoria comes on and this latest outing isn’t any different. This episode dives more so into the complications of a cop and a lawyer dating each other, more so given the world built up in Nine-Nine where cops and lawyers don’t seem to respect each other too much. Its one of those nicely done details in a script I’ve always liked, like with the recent film John Wick, which I highly recommend, that the underground crime world is already fully built up and realized that the characters truly go along with things and bring us with them. Its also another reason as to why Parks and Recreation is so damn good.

Full realization through showing and not telling is a big part as to this show and this episode in particular being so good. Sophia feels as if her boss isn’t giving her good enough cases now because of her relationship to Jake and proposes a pause which Jake, in yet another sign of maturity and growth, agrees to, until he gets the bright idea to attend an event for her law firm and win over her boss in attempts to help her out. I think Terry said it best as how to describe Jake, “Jake is stupid, but he’s smart.” That is the best description of Jake Peralta I’ve heard yet. For as good a detective Jake is, he also still has noticeable flaws such as not understanding a lot about hygiene and banking and well while being a great friend, owing people large amounts of money at a time. Really that’s also the best way to accept Jake for who he is. His honesty also is what makes it entertaining to watch him. He truly believes in this plan and while it has a couple setbacks at first, he does get through to Sophia’s boss, Geoffrey Hoytsman, played so perfectly casted by Chris Parnell, who I’m surprised hasn’t been used before this episode.

Jake discovers Geoffrey likes to gamble and uses that to his advantage in a hilarious montage of outlandish bets they make throughout the party, including how many egg-rolls tall Terry is. Its 25 for the record. All is fine and god, until Jake catches Sophia’s boss doing cocaine in the bathroom. Longoria is once again damn go in this episode and fully fleshing out Sophia in a way that makes you wish this relationship could hold but it won’t and it honestly doesn’t. Jake being smart is him realizing this relationship is doomed, yet he’s stupid in how he wants to delays things for just a while. Its a nicely done scene outside the precinct when the breakup comes and both actors handle it quite well. Jake is of course gonna be sad and drink his sorrows, but he knows its the right thing to happen. Don’t you hate it when reality has to come crashing down on you? Life, dude, fucking life.

This leaves me mixed as I loved Sophia on here, but with the confession Jake made to Amy, one way or another, something involving them is coming around for the season finale. The good part was that wasn’t the reason as for the break-up, it was honest emotions an feelings that truly made way for the split here and I’m so happy about that. I really hope the show has a great endgame in plan for that because really I’ve felt like the show is much better than pulling something off like this. But hey, very good Terry lines came from this tonight so yay!

Now complications come around for everyone as our prominent B-story has Gina and Boyle dealing with the face Boyle’s dad wants to purpose to Gina’s mom, but Gina won’t give her blessing she that means with her life is intertwined with Boyle’s and to her that’s a fate worse than death. Well honestly not so much, we get a glimpse of Gina’s emotional side in how she’s not ready to sign off since she doesn’t want to see her mother’s heart get broken. Of course Amy is brought on as a middle ground to help things go smoothly, and of course use her giant ass binder of negotiation tactics. The scene where she ultimately gives her blessing is a nice back and fourth with Stephen Root, perfect casting and daddy Boyle, and sets the stage for what might be the setting for the season finale, which I would really love for it to be.

The C-story is pretty good, Wuntch is up for a promotion in Boston and needs Holt to give a good recommendation. His complication is of course that its Wuntch. This is such a pressing dilemma that Rosa is brought in as the voice of reason, yes, Rosa is the voice of reason to Holt, for the situation. Rosa knows how bad vengeance is having gotten a classmate kicked out of second grade, seriously, don’t take all the damn markers, then she knew about it and tortured Rosa throughout high school. That I think was my favorite detail of the whole thing to see a different side of Rosa and hear about a time when she wasn’t so much Rosa. Holt struggles since she doesn’t want her to have success, but yet wants to send her away as he hears all the children sing ‘Wuntch is gone.’ Its a nice and short subplot that ends with a very believable twist that it was really for a position within the NYPD and his good remarks for her is now on record.

Hilarious!

The episode was a delight from the cold open about the ants invading the office. Good stuff and keeps going there with plenty of weird and straightforward humor as to how “professional” many of these officers are and with honest complicating emotions that bring out the best in the characters and the actors that pay them. Its it just so damn good. Brooklyn’s second season keeps going strong right now and it doesn’t show signs of stopping.

Tube Talk: Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Payback

Jake’s in a giving mood this week.

SPOILERS!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2: Episode 13: Payback: GRADE: B+

As much I praise how much Brooklyn Nine-Nine works when everyone is on fire together, it still does work when specific characters are paired together for an episode and I’ll say one the most successful ones, if not the most successful is Jake and Terry. This isn’t going to turn into a Tumblr post full of black and white gifs showing how they have truly expressed their love for each other. I do love the chemistry between Andy Samberg and Terry Crews when they have scenes together as they just bounce off each other in rapid fire succession. This and Chocolate Milk really show that off here in the second season how well the show is whenever these two are paired off.

Speaking of that previous episode, remember how it revolved around Terry and a vasectomy, well he and his wife are now excepting another child. Terry tells Jake in confidence after Jake’s wondering why he’s so uppity about $2,000 and change he owes him. In fact, Jake owes damn new everyone a lot of money, but Terry doesn’t want everyone to know what’s going on right away since its too early in the pregnancy to know anything. Boyle and everyone gets suspicious and when Jake realizes he can’t pay everyone back, he instead decides to work off the debts and its hilarious. Cleaning Rosa’s bike is the least of all the things Jake had to do. What all does he do? give Scully a massage, who carries his stress in his buttcheeks, call up people to tell Gina is dead for the reactions, which yes is maybe the best joke all night. Speaking of Gina, she not has a hoodie that says “It’s Time for Gina’s Opinion.” Perfect. Oh yeah and wash Boyle’s dogs, who hump everything.

The gags are nice, but again the honest chemistry of Jake and Terry is the selling point of the episode. Its really nice to see how they have advanced as friend-friends and work friends. The effects of Chocolate Milk are still prevalent which is really good to see for a comedy show. In fact I have seen lately how many comedies on TV are sticking with continuity. Of course plenty of others have, but lately after Arrested Development is been more showcased. Just forgot things and development that happened really hinder my experience of watching a show and my opinion of it as I love there to be some thread of continuity, more so with important elements, like Gina’s new hoodie.

Jake of course accidentally sends an email to everyone spoiling the news and the resolution is typical, but again, that chemistry just sells it so well. Said chemistry also leads to Jake trying Terry’s workout plan and holy fuck, its damn good.

We only have to plots this week, the other being Amy and Holy working the arson case that Amy discovered. She of course tries too hard which provides the majority of enjoyment from the subplot. Amy wants to have a true cold case/bonding experience with Holt and while its in character for Holt to not already have solved the case and know who did it and want it does quickly, it kinda wasted some potential for them to keep trying for Amy to want senpai Holt to notice her. They still get some good laughs with her convincing him to try street meat as he does open up with tales of yesteryear, but then they discover the true arsonist is dead and Holt has diarrhea.

Really felt like that subplot had just come and go. There should have been just a little more with it, since speaking of pairings, Amy and Holt are very good together. They are as good a pairing as Jake and Terry are. When he attempted to get her to stop smoking, it was funny and made for a damn fine episode. I would have loved for Brooklyn to take the chance with this subplot and let it be more fully realized than it was, but hey, its all good, still a fine episode.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is off to a fine start with its back half of season 2 with the first two installments that remind us why its still deserving of its status as one of TV’s best comedies. I’m finding myself being enraptured by it again.