Tube Talk: Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Beach House

Vacation time for the squad!

SPOILERS!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2: Episode 12: Beach House: GRADE: B

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is back. There really wasn’t too much fanfare for the return, but that’s fine, I really didn’t need a big sequence to let me know the show is back from winter hiatus, just some laughs and I got plenty of that from this episode. I love the idea of the episode so much, seeing how the detectives truly get together outside of work aside from the bar or doing stuff off duty together. An annual detective only getaway, this year at the beach house of Boyle’s ex wife, which Boyle gets every December through February. Its a nice premise and makes for some interesting new ways to see the characters such as six drink Amy and vacation Terry who is untethered, but still very much tethered to his wife.

So what the hell is Captain Holt doing in the heading image I bet you’re wondering? Well He knows what’s up and isn’t against this, in fact he tells Jake as he brings in the last paperwork he filed before leaving being a gay black detective meant he wasn’t too involved in social gatherings with his co-workers. He also resented that and Jake starts to feel a little guilty which I think is once again a sign of great character progression on Jake’s part. Thing about it, were this episode in season one, no way this happens, but because of the progression overtime and what all they been through, it seems right that Jake would feel guilty about this given his respect, admiration, and yes, even love for Captain Holt. So Holt comes along and predictably brings things down but with hilarious results as the awkwardness makes for plenty of good laughs within the story. Though I think that’s mostly because of the stellar cast work once again being put on display here.

Holt’s realization after he catches the crew having a separate party from the one their having with him is nice and the talk with Jake in the hot tub is good, again thanks to the chemistry mostly. The ending with Holt joining in a game that takes jabs at him is wonderful to see as he does have some fun with it. again its the progression from last season that really makes this great and really work.

I think honestly the one subplot I liked most was Gina trying to see what Amy is like after six drinks. One drink makes her spacey, two makes her loud, starts dancing after three, pervy with four, and very confident after five, but Gina is determined to see what she deems as her Sasquatch. This works to not only give us more Gina and Amy together which is very funny, but also letting Melissa Fumero play with new dimensions of Amy Santiago. She continues to really bring something new to her character this season, constantly making her an episode highlight regardless of the episode’s overall quality.

Rosa using Holt to help send some romantic texting to Marcus to advance their relationship is just eh. Its an old sitcom favorite to use someone to help speak your words in pursue of romance but the writing was just okay. I didn’t find it particularly memorable and really wasn’t producing a laugh until its conclusion. Honestly they were better when interacting with the rest of the cast, such as in the hot tub where Rosa finds it awkward to be there with Holt and she wears a white t-shirt, which still shows her bikini top. Hilarious stuff.

The episode is strong for the most point and with little sprinkles of Terry Crews here and there its makes for a worthwhile return of one of TV’s absolute best comedies. Even when dealing with some standard storytelling, Brooklyn Nine-Nine can have some fun with it and make it their own, Rosa subplot this episode aside. It was good to see a more fun side to out lovable gang of misfit police detectives and how reaching out can really mean something to someone. I still think this season is going to keep going strong.

Tube Talk: Brooklyn Nine-Nine: The Pontiac Bandit Returns

Brooklyn Nine-Nine takes elements from two of its best episodes and combines them into one great new episode.

SPOILERS!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2: Episode 10: The Pontiac Bandit Returns: GRADE: A

From the moment we first saw Jake undercover as Santa ringing a bell on the street asking for donations and on walked by Craig Robinson as Doug Judy AKA The Pontiac Bandit, I could tell we were in for such a treat of an episode. Back in season one, “Christmas” was the last episode of 2013 for the then new Fox comedy and it returned in early January with “Pontiac Bandit”, both of which helped really showcase what Brooklyn Nine-Nine is capable. I bring up the opening scene again as to bring up that the ensuing chase and fight in a lot of Christmas trees along with an accidental fire among them and Jake proclaiming this is what happens when you’re on the naughty list that goes into a wide shot of him in the forefront of said burning trees got the biggest gut laugh out of me and it never stopped for the rest of the night.

Craig Robinson and Doug Judy both help to bring out the best in what is still the most surprising aspect of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Andy Samberg and Jake Peralta. While the show is a full ensemble and completely character driven, its Samberg at the center. He surprised me and all of us with his capable range and ability to keep things funny, sharp, and act as a capable straightman. Now as an actor of course he’s gotten have range but this was the first time I got to see him use it fully to the best of his abilities and I must say I’m impressed. The great chemistry between Samberg and Robinson is ever so present here as it was back in January. Jake truly doesn’t like the Pontiac Bandit since he’s been eluding him for so long and yet Jake doesn’t mind Doug Judy as they weirdly bonded with each other when they last encountered. Its expected Jake would be soured on that now that Doug’s back and he is but yet they do find ways to keep bonding. Jake is a straightforward cop and as its been brought up tries too often to see the good in people, but Jake can and does get the full job done when he needs to.

The reason for their bonding this time, Doug just so happens to know someone who is involved with Giggle Pig distribution and Rosa still needs a huge win for the task force and the department as a whole. So of course a deal is made where he’s put up in a four star hotel, Rosa has to call him Big Sugar, and a reduced jail sentence. Negotiation was a nice, sharp, quippy exchange which brought in Captain Holt.

The bonding is a good part of what makes this episode so funny, Robinson is a great comedian and performer in his own right and he is once again a prime example of the perfect casting the show has in who to bring on to interact with the main cast. Especially when Doug helps Jake steal a car to help give a good impression in front the Giggle Pig contact. Of course Doug screws them over and plans an escape during the bust which is followed by hilarious confession shot on the very far away beach he’s on. Jake and Rosa vow to get Doug the next time, which I already look forward to.

Meanwhile Amy finds a loophole on Captain Holt’s no gift policy for the upcoming Christmas party, she makes one seeing as how Holt sees a gift being something bought for someone else, which yeah kinda, but because of that Amy makes a scrapbook of Holt’s greatest hits which are put together by tape she refuses to let Hitchcock uses to tape the nasty cut on his hand. Though he does logically since he doesn’t wanna pay someone at a hospital $100 to use the same tape on his hand. He’s truly the voice of reason of reason. Anyway its because of this that she and Terry comes across and very interesting subplot for the season that most likely will involve Wuntch. Years ago Holt put away an arsonist and while he was arrested for the fires he started, Amy discovers three of the fires he’s charged with might not have been started by him. I’m honestly intrigued by this to see what drama and jokes can come from this. What comes from this is still of course character moments from Amy’s scrapbooking, Terry being Terry, and just Holt. Its all a fine plot for the episode.

Just like Boyle and Gina’s story of their parents getting a lot closer together. Literally in the sense they will be moving in together and I am happy they brought them back so we could get more of Stephen Root and Sandra Bernhard. Joe Lo Trugilo and Chelsea Peretti’s disgusted reactions are perfectly suited for their characters in how they would react to such news being announced. They still bounce off each other so well and keep up the timing and pacing of jokes perfectly. Having both characters still involved with each other via their parents relationship is great since I was hoping they would interact together more after they were so suddenly discovered earlier in the season. I’m never going to doubt these writers again. Well except maybe the Jake and Amy situation, but that’s not here this week.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine has been on a roll lately with the latest batch of episodes that not only make me laugh and showcase it as one the best offerings on TV at the moment but will kindly provide a gapping hole of good network sitcoms with The Middle, Black-ish, Bob’s Burgers, Mindy Project, and New Girl with reigning chamption Parks and Recreation and sadly cut short newcomer A to Z going away. Season 2 is doing a great job improving upon the show and I can’t wait to see what else is in store.

Tube Talk: Brooklyn Nine-Nine: The Road Trip

An inventible episode happens and its not as bad as expected.

SPOILERS!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2: Episode 9: The Road Trip: GRADE: B+

I called it back in my Jake and Sophia review that an episode with Jake and Sophia and Amy and Teddy together somewhere was going to happen and I was right. SUCK IT! Wait, I didn’t bet anyone that, never mind let’s move on to the episode itself. The set up is actually pretty nice with Jake and Amy having to go upstate for a prison transfer and staying at a bed and breakfast which Jake uses to have a romantic weekend with Sophia and Amy let’s it be known that she wishes Teddy was more like that. So cue Jake surprising Amy with inviting Teddy. Double surprise, Amy wants to break up with Teddy.

I honestly thought we were going to get Jake and Amy confused about each other’s feelings and lead to an awkward breakup for one of the couples but that isn’t the case. Amy doesn’t feel anything with Teddy anymore who seems more preoccupied with his home brewed pilsners. Of course Amy already had an outline of her breakup letter ready but the scene where it has to happen is glorious. Eva Longoria get’s to play with more than Andy Samberg and she once again fits into the world Nine-Nine has set up. She even notes how Jake looked when Teddy said Amy maybe liked him. The scene is as hilarious as it is awkward. also props to Teddy guest actor Kyle Bornheimer for playing it up so well. We get no huge declaration of love between Jake and Amy, things are actually smoothed over with Sophia, creepy dolls and puppets and all. Though there is just this nagging part of me that feels its going to lead to something in the fall finale or the full season finale. It was brought back to the forefront tonight and will obviously be something that works itself into the upcoming events of the season. Given how the show has handled some storytelling cliches before I think it could pull it off, but I’m not sure. Almost any story has been told, there are just news ways of telling them.

While the prospect of a “will they, won’t they” kinda hinders our main story, our two side stories are excellent comedy setups. Holt asks Boyle to help him teach him how to cook breakfast as an anniversary surprise for Kevin, sadly no Marc Evan Jackson appearance, but loads of chemistry between Andrea Braugher and Joe Lo Truglio. Apparently Holt would just have beige, bland, tasteless smoothies since he doesn’t understand food. Joe Lo Truglio was born to play a role like Charles Boyle. He’s so weird and out there that coupled with the hero worship of Jake and his ability to self sabotage himself makes him pathetically charming. He has wonderful line delivery and can make some the most absurd sounding dialogue work because he’s becoming this character. The way he gets upset at Holt for how he prepares scrambled eggs, remember to put salt on from the hand people, is so brilliantly in character that it was the biggest laugh I had all night. The resolution even makes sense since Holt remembers a dish he and Kevin shared together on their one year anniversary and it told a story, the way food should according to Boyle. It was honestly sweet.

Then there’s a storyline I though we would have gotten back in season 1, but makes sense now that we’ve fully progressed our character we get an episode where Rosa is weak and her strength is in question as she has the cold when trying to find out a Giggle Pig dealer. The hilarity mostly comes from how Gina reacts as she tricks Rosa into a locked room where she can shake things off. Terry Crews gets a couple good lines in there, and the name of said dealer, that’s punctuated with its finale of Rosa punching her way through the glass pane of the door after a day long coma. It really shows the love between the characters of the station. Its a really good episode.

Now while the main plot might have been hindered by a Sam/Diane situation brewing, just like Teddy’s pilsners, it didn’t stop yet another week of Brooklyn Nine-Nine being brilliantly held up by its fantastic characters. These are what makes the show so fantastic.