Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 5 Episode 22 Review ’Jake & Amy’ [Season Finale]



***Spoilers Ahead***

Jake & Amy

Photo: Gina Rodriguez. Credit: John P. Fleenor/FOX

For the past two years, Brooklyn Nine-Nine has capped off its season with a captivating cliffhanger. Even if the first two seasons ended without any form of closure, the finales of season three and four upped the ante. In short, they were game-changing and paved the way for unique, engaging arcs. Unfortunately, the actual cliffhanger ended up being more pleasing than how the storylines ended. The Figgis and prison arcs both closed in anti-climatic fashion as the writers rushed to return to the familiar case-of-the-week structure. While that's not a bad thing, it did defeat the purpose of introducing a new setting or serious challenge. Because of that, it's both satisfying and admirable that 'Jake & Amy' abandons the typical approach of venturing into new territory. Instead, the season five finale provides laughs and suspense while also neatly wrapping things up before the clock runs out.

The main story focuses on Jake, Amy, and Boyle tracking down the criminal who planted the bomb at their wedding venue. As the bomb squad arrives, the character of Teddy makes a shocking return. It has been nothing short of ridiculous witnessing how Teddy has devolved from a mature love interest to a one-note character throughout the series. Nonetheless, his pathetic attempts to woo over Amy are hilarious enough to forgive the writers for making his character one-dimensional. His advances are just far too absurd to not be humorous, especially since Santiago is getting married. While being a caricature works for a recurring character like Teddy, that look does not fit well on Charles Boyle. Throughout the episode, Boyle constantly blames himself for ruining the wedding of Jake & Amy while exclaiming that he'll kill himself over it. Boyle's preoccupation with the duo has always been a tedious and generally annoying trope. The character of Charles has made significant progress throughout five seasons. But, whenever the topic of those two come up, he immediately reverts into a cartoonish comic relief. Given the two have married, I do hope this is the last of this running gag. If nothing else, Brooklyn Nine-Nine should definitely dial back on the insanity of Boyle. Outside of that quibble, the rest of the storyline moves smoothly. The constant setbacks are reminiscent of season 1's 'Thanksgiving'. Even when everything else fails, the squad will always have the precinct to fall back on. The fact that Peralta and Santiago hold their wedding in a place full of sentimental value is simply poetic. Additionally, Holt's speech during the ceremony helps the viewer understand how far the series has come. Complaints aside, it's tough to find a better way to have handled their wedding

In the B-plot, Rosa and Terry take Amy's veil to the dry cleaner and Terry attempts to set Rosa up with Alicia the uber drive (Gina Rodriguez). This story puts Terry in a Boyle-like position since he feverishly tries to get Rosa to fall in love with Alicia. Since she came out, the writers have glossed over Diaz's love life and rarely focused on her bisexuality. Because of that, it's legitimately fulfilling that this crucial component of Rosa's character is being pushed into the spotlight once more. Terry's enthusiasm and Rosa's initial reluctance perfectly matched their character traits and produced some amusing moments. At the same time, it's relatively heartwarming to see Terry possess so much passion for finding love for Rosa. Unlike Boyle's creepy obsession with Jake and Amy, Jefford's interest in Rosa comes off as genuinely sincere. Ultimately, the sweet relationship between Rosa and Terry helps this plot shine through. Hopefully, Rodriguez's character returns as a potential love interest and isn't neglected to a one-off cameo appearance.

The C-plot closes out the arc of Holt running to become commissioner with the captain receiving an email that determines his fate. Andre Braugher's portrayal of a worried Holt comes off as poignant and relatable. The relaxed persona of Gina balances out the gravity of the situation and provides a bit of much-needed comedy to a tense situation. In the end, Holt's fate remains up in the air. This minor cliffhanger is enough to make viewers want more but it doesn't put the characters in dire situations like past finales.

'Jake & Amy' serves as a refreshing finale after many years of cliffhangers and unsatisfying closers. Although whether Holt is a commissioner or not remains a mystery, the episode still provides with enough closure to tide viewers over before the sixth season. Sure, it's not as exciting and suspenseful as the likes of 'Greg and Larry' or 'The Bank Job'. With that said, that's not the purpose of this season five finale. 'Jake & Amy' does its job of skillfully tying things together and keeping a relatively relaxed, leisurely tone. In all, it's commendable that the Brooklyn Nine-Nine writers took the more calm route to cap off a strong fifth season.


Stray Thoughts
  • Bringing Mlepnos back was a wonderful surprise.
  • If Holt had gotten the job, this could've served as a nice series finale. Nevertheless, I'm happy there is more to come.
  • Thanks to everyone who has read my reviews, commented, and voted in the polls. 
  • Season Grade: B+

Grade: A-


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