Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 7 Episode 13 Review [’Lights Out’]

***Spoilers Ahead***

Lights Outs

Andre Braugher (left), Terry Crews (right). Photo Credit: Jordin Althaus/NBC

Whether it be a major disruption or a minor shift, Brooklyn Nine-Nine always strives to break free of its comfort zone for the finale episode. More often than not, Brooklyn closes out the season in a monumental manner, leaving viewers anxious to know how the issue will be resolved in the next broadcast. In comparison to past seasons, 'Lights Out' feels like less of a game-changer and more like a neatly-wrapped conclusion. While it does center on the major events of New York facing a blackout and Santiago giving birth, everything is resolved in a tidy fashion by the ending sequence. Still, 'Lights Out' introduces a unique threat to the precinct and caps off the seventh season in heartwarming fashion. The execution and pacing may be a bit clumsy but the race-against-the-clock premise helps the outing stay entertaining from beginning to end.

After a blackout hits the precinct in the main plot, a pregnant Amy decides to give up a day of her maternity leave and manage the crisis alongside the other officers. Amidst the already chaotic atmosphere, Holt & Terry get trapped in an elevator while Jake & Charles leave to capture the culprit who caused the disruption. The Amy-Rosa plot escalates rather quickly as Santiago goes from simply being pregnant to getting ready to give birth. As Santiago deals with the matter, Rosa conveys her extreme disgust to the idea of Amy giving birth to a child in the office. This dynamic may be common for the two but it still feels a touch disappointing given how supportive Diaz has been of Santiago in recent installments. Diaz's detesting attitude feels like a step back for her character, more reminiscent of how she would treat Amy in the early years of Nine-Nine. And, while it was comical to watch Santiago's futile attempts to hide her contractions, this story borrows too much of its framework from Sharon's precinct birth in season 3's 'Ava'. Furthermore, the addition of a kid leaves the writers in a difficult situation for future outings. They will now have to juggle Jake and Amy being parents with their usual detective work responsibilities, a balancing act that sitcoms rarely handle very well. Nevertheless, the pregnancy scene did manage to be emotionally gratifying because of the trials and tribulations the couple went through to make a baby.

In the Jake & Charles plotline, the two make countless attempts to return to the precinct so Jake can witness the birth of his son. Along the way, the pair meet a slew of new faces and deal with an absurd amount of traffic. Dottie the old lady ends up being the scene-stealer in this story as her regressive comments and actions brilliantly juxtapose her sweet outer appearance. Her bitter demeanor paired well with the surprisingly sensible bank robber, creating a humorous pairing in the process. Brooklyn loves to flip stereotypes on its head, so having the criminal be fairly sensitive and the "helpless" old lady be offensive and violent felt right at home for the series.

 At the same time, this plot showcases an incredibly unfavorable aspect of Boyle that seems to reappear everytime Jake & Amy's relationship reaches a new milestone. Essentially. Charles awkwardly obsesses over the birth of their child and completely disregards the matter at hand. This felt like a pretty large betrayal to his character as Boyle was starting to become more confident and laid-back this season. Here, he goes as far as to make creepy comments about Amy's genitalia and tell Jake to simply abandon a person crying out for help. Even for someone like Hitchcock, this behavior would be far too outlandish and sickening. Nonetheless, the supporting characters the two met along the way made the storyline a little more digestible than it would have otherwise been.

Terry and Holt take over the C-plot, remaining trapped in an elevator for a good portion of 'Lights Out'. One would be hard-pressed to find any real substance or character growth in this story, but it still does a nice job of providing some hilarious moments. With that said, the shtick of Holt acting out in an eccentric matter has long run its course. Had the captain performed a hip-hop dance routine in the one of the first three seasons of the show, it would have been equal parts jarring and hysterical. But, it has already been established that Braugher's character can let loose when he wants to. Because of this, the Terry and Holt dance scene may invoke a light chuckle but does not feel as abnormal or shocking as it tries to be.

'Lights Out' plays it safe and treats viewers with a sendoff that ties together all loose ends. Although there are some clear issues with the way some of the characters act, Brooklyn once more cements the charming message that the officers are all part of one big supportive family. It may be a sappy sentiment but also one that feels fitting for a season finale. The bright side of not going with a cliffhanger ending is that the writers have a clean slate for season eight. They will not have to spend several episodes addressing unresolved matters from the prior season and have the freedom to build a fresh, new arc. 'Lights Out' is not satisfying enough to stand out from the pack of Brooklyn finales but is pleasant enough to tide viewers over until the series returns from hiatus.

Stray Thoughts

• I'm glad they brought back the child Holt flashbacks. If they ever do a spinoff, Young Holt would be a neat concept. 

• This is now the first season to not feature Gina in any episode.

• Nice to know that Boyle and Sgt. Peanut Butters have finally ended their feud.

• Season Grade: B

Grade: B

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Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 7 Episode 12 Review [’Ransom’]

***Spoilers Ahead***

Ransom

Andy Samberg (left), Andre Braugher (right). Photo Credit: Jordin Althaus/NBC

While Brooklyn Nine-Nine's seventh season currently features a fairly solid set of episodes, the element of police work has tragically been absent for a good portion of them. Past seasons regularly displayed the characters racing against the clock to solve cases and putting their lives at risk in perilous confrontations, both cornerstones for the seasoned comedy. This year's batch of installments have mainly pushed that to the side in favor of mildly amusing office shenanigans or cheap retreads of better stories, usually detached from the police precinct backdrop. Because of all this, 'Ransom' largely feels like a return to form for the aging cop sitcom. Not only does it mark the triumphant revival of the case-oriented storyline but it also happens to summon two recurring characters that have not appeared in many moons.

The main storyline centers on the straightforward premise of Holt & Kevin's dog Cheddar being kidnapped and held for ransom. Holt orders Peralta to work on the case with him so they can get their beloved corgi back home. Right off the bat, 'Ransom' injects all the components that have sorely been missing from recent installments back into Brooklyn's bloodstream. This sets the stage for an outing that eloquently balances side-splitting comedic timing with high-adrenaline action sequences. As usual, Andre Braugher knocks it out of the park with his panic-stricken and enraged demeanor that appears throughout. Even though it's usually better to have Holt play the straight-man to counter the goofy energy Peralta brings, 'Ransom' proves that both characters can act out in an eccentric manner while still acknowledging the gravity of the situation. While Holt's behavior does veer into cartoon-like territory, it's perfectly warranted in this scenario as he could potentially never see the pet he has dearly cherished for years.

Although Holt clearly steals the show here, Kevin's character also gets his moment to shine, particularly during the scene where he and Holt train Peralta to impersonate him for the meetup with the kidnapper. With Holt spiraling out of control, Kevin takes on a more subdued role to neutralize the madcap energy showcased during  the outing. It's a perfectly familiar role for Marc Evan Jackson and one that he has flawlessly mastered over the seasons.

Once Peralta is held hostage, the episode transitions from relatively light-hearted to an action-packed thriller. Brooklyn is no stranger to engaging chase scenes and exhilarating cop versus criminal showdowns, but 'Ransom' dials it up a notch. Holt jumping onto a moving car and rising victorious in a genuinely intense fight goes down as one of the most breathtaking sequences the series has ever pulled off. Few Nine-Nine moments have been as satisfying as Holt knocking out the man who captured his dog and dismantling him in spectacular fashion. In all, there's hardly anything to criticize as the storyline is executed gracefully, jam-packed with comical banter and legitimately tense moments. The only real complaint that could be made is that the sheer ingenuity of this A-plot makes most season seven installments seem a lot weaker in comparison. 

Another familiar face returns to Brooklyn in the B-plot as Rosa volunteers to help Amy win an expensive stroller. During Rosa's attempt to win the competition by being the last person to hold onto the stroller, viewers are met with Teddy Wells (Amy's ex-boyfriend), a character that slowly devolved from harmless and well-meaning in the early days of Nine-Nine to pesky and dimwitted after he parted ways with Santiago. Although he does win the stroller and pesters Amy with an awkward marriage proposal, the friendship between Amy and Rosa does most of the heavy-lifting and overshadows Teddy's mediocre guest appearance. Despite not being an especially humorous story, it's still rather pleasant that Rosa has gone from demeaning Amy in past years to now standing by her side and helping her out in times of need.

The C-plot takes a look at the Charles & Terry pairing, fixating on their failed attempt to start a company selling Boyle's bone broth. While the Amy & Rosa storyline delivered a heartwarming moment and mostly put comedy to the side, this plot focuses mainly on cramming in as many jokes as possible. Because of this, the two side stories compliment each other rather nicely. The finest segment this plot has to offer is the amusing running gag of Boyle viewing himself as stronger than Terry. Considering how insecure he has been before, it's satisfying that Boyle can exhibit such confidence here. The story culminates with Terry ruining their meeting with the business executive after he forgets to put salt in the concoction, causing the glasses of bone broth to shatter sporadically. This plotline may follow a familiar pattern but one stark difference is that the usually competent Terry destroyed their chance at success instead of the normally inept and clumsy Boyle, serving as a nice change of pace for the Boyle-Terry dynamic. 

'Ransom' ends up being a stellar edition of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and an easy season best for the sitcom. The episode accomplishes this feat by simply playing to the strengths of the program and ramping up on action and suspense. The fact that the outing concludes with Holt making several references to iconic cop films perfectly captures why 'Ransom' hits all the right notes. Even if it's nice to have the characters stray away from police duty once in a while, case work is part of the show's foundation and a vital reason why it stands out from the pack of work-based ensemble sitcoms. What 'Ransom' ends up illustrating is that Brooklyn had the formula for making phenomenal episodes all season long, the writers just needed to revert back to the basics and refine their traditional format to achieve maximum quality. 

Stray Thoughts

• The movie that was based on Holt's life is certainly not Rush Hour (unless he is Lee). Jake's Lethal Weapon guess seems pretty spot-on

• That fumigation/Hitchcock & Scully cold opening was probably one of the best the show has done in a while. Also a very topical scene given the Covid-19 outbreak. 

• Andre Braugher has been robbed of an Emmy for Brooklyn Nine-Nine for many years. This episode would certainly be a good one to submit to the academy.

• This is the first season of Brooklyn to run uninterrupted from beginning to end. The season finale airs next week.

Grade: A+

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Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 7 Episode 11 Review [’Valloweaster’]

***Spoilers Ahead*** 

Valloweaster

Joe Lo Truglio (left), Melissa Fumero (right). Photo Credit: NBC

Even though the series has not been able to air in October since its fifth season, the Brooklyn Nine-Nine Halloween heists remain a staple for the police sitcom. Right alongside the seasonal Pontiac Bandit adventures, Brooklyn carves out one show per year to crown the ultimate human/genius in a heist packed to the brim with goofy slapstick humor and vicious verbal exchanges. While season six's telecast took place during Cinco De Mayo, 'Valloweaster' veers into a different direction. Instead of choosing just one holiday, the episode fits in three different segments taking place in Halloween, Valentine's Day, and Easter. While this does hurt the pacing of the episode, the writers admirably shift gears and keep things fresh with this new concept.

This year's tournament beings in Halloween 2019 with three different detective pairs competing against each other for three infinity stones (Jake & Holt vs Boyle & Amy vs. Rosa & Scully). Handcuffed to their partners, each team frantically tries to retrieve the plastic gems from Bill's pocket in their frivolous attempt to become the winner. Right off the bat, we are met with a familiar rhythm commonly composed for these annual capers. The groups that initially get along slowly devolve into a dysfunctional duo and many confusing distractions arise that hinder everyone from being able to capture the gems. The curveball is thrown when Cheddar swallows the gems and the event is postponed until Valentine's Day. Once Scully swallows the gems in that section of the episode, the series returns to present day and the rest of the heist takes place in Easter.

Although Rosa's win felt vindicating after she got stuck with the least competent cop, the installment as a whole lacked the chaotic vibe that past ones crafted so perfectly. Because the heist kept getting delayed, the flow of 'Valloweaster' was continuously interrupted by the tedious running gag of a scenery shift. Had this outing focused solely on the Easter theme, there would have been more room to focus on the hilarious betrayals and set-ups instead of cutting the contest short two times and resetting. Even then, the writers deserve credit for setting out to make refreshing changes to their standard formula. Outside of that negative aspect, one clear highlight to come out of 'Valloweaster' is the mean-spirited humor that consistently appears during these annual broadcasts.

While Brooklyn Nine-Nine frequently showcases that the members of the core squad have each other's backs, the Halloween episodes give the series a chance to have the gang jokingly spew outlandish insults and tear each other down through elaborate schemes. Between Amy hiring a fake therapist for Jake and Holt installing a surveillance system to spy on Jake & Amy, the sociopath-like tendencies of the cast members shine through in a somewhat unsettling but thoroughly entertaining fashion. The reason Brooklyn can make these otherwise disheartening scenes amusing is that the writers ensure that Jake, Holt, and the rest hold a special bond in regular installments. Because of this, the characters can be caricatures for one day a year and it can still pack a punch in the comedy department without altering their actual personalities. 

Due to the incoherent pacing and fairly basic framework, 'Valloweaster' ends up in the bottom-tier of Brooklyn Halloween outings. Nonetheless, even a weak heist episode supplies enough laughs to rival a regular installment. While far from perfect, it was certainly a blast to witness the detectives dress up in silly costumes and pull off calculated sneak-attacks on one other. One can only hope the series continue to hold onto this sacred tradition, making sure every remaining member of the precinct receives a chance to hold the title of amazing human/genius. 

Stray Thoughts

• Since Gina's gone, I see no reason why they can't change from "Amazing Human/Genius" back to "Amazing Detective/Genius.

• Rosa mentioned Arlo towards the end of the episode, a dog she adopted in season 3's "9 Days" where Jake and Holt were forced into quarantine. Feels like a fitting callback given the current climate. 

• It's rare to see how other cops feel about the core group. Unsurprisingly, they are tired of their shenanigans. 

• Hitchcock should win next year's heist given he didn't even get to participate this year.

• If Holt is still not captain in April 2020 than when did the past three episodes take place? 

Grade: B

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Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 7 Episode 10 Review [’Admiral Peralta’]

***Spoilers Ahead***

Admiral Peralta

Terry Crews (left), Andre Braugher (right). Photo Credit: NBC

In the first season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Peralta's dad was normally used in brief cutaway gags or mentioned in offhand comments, the main purpose being to convey how he abandoned Jake at a young age and never gave him the guidance a child needs. As the series progressed, Roger Peralta (portrayed by Bradley Whitford) became an on-screen figure that Jake first decided to remove from his life entirely but ultimately patched things up with. That sunny narrative is thoroughly dismantled in 'Admiral Peralta' as Jake's dad tries and fails to create friendlier relations with his own absentee father. Instead of going for a sugary sweet closer, the Nine-Nine writers inject a harsh but realistic element into the program's DNA.

Jake and his father Roger take over the main story as they prepare for the gender reveal party for Peralta and Santiago's child. After Roger mentions his own inept father, Jake decides to invite his grandfather (Roger's father, played by Martin Mull) so the two can ease tensions the same way Jake did with Roger. Surprisingly, Jake actually gets his father and grandfather to rebuild their broken connection for a good portion of the episode. This sets the stage for an installment that does its best to highlight the more mature facet of Peralta. Although he still loves Dino Bites and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the writers of the series make sure to emphasis that Samberg's character can maintain his childish side while still dealing with serious matters like a responsible adult. It's always a pleasant surprise when the more sincere aspect of Peralta's character shines through as it pushes him away from the cartoon-like manchild he is often seen as.

What this episode ultimately showcases is a fairly morbid but necessary aspect of broken family relationships. While Jake was able to create a bond with his father, Roger Peralta is unable to do the same with his dad because of his father's hardheaded and heartless mannerisms. A much lighter and safe sitcom might have closed out the storyline neatly with Jake's father and grandfather reconciling, but the Nine-Nine writers go out of their way to communicate that some family members are just not worth trying to connect or reconnect with. It may be a discouraging way to cap things off but the silver lining comes with the fact that Roger finally believes Jake will be a good dad in the future, putting his nonsensical theory about Peraltas being bad fathers aside. This story may have had few laughs as a whole but still displays a powerful and competently-crafted message.

In a similar vein to the central storyline, the B-plot highlights the usually hidden, levelheaded side of Hitchock and Scully. After Amy accidentally gives the sluggish duo a high-profile case, she and Rosa stress out over how incapable the two are but eventually realize their slothful outward appearances do not represent their true personalities. The fact that Hitchcock and Scully decide not to take the witness's name because of their undocumented status further illustrates that they can be solid detectives and well-meaning individuals when they choose to put in the effort. While a sound and heartwarming story, this is also territory the series has covered many times before, including in their own self-titled origin story episode. Even with that said, it did feel satisfying to have the senior officers be portrayed as something other than useless and lazy for one installment.

Terry and Holt take over the remaining plot of the episode as Holt viciously coaches Jeffords on his flute-playing skills before his try-out for the NYPD band. The ruthless and bombastic aspect of Holt is unleashed in full force as he hilariously attacks Jeffords, eventually making him reach his breaking point. Unfortunately, all the hard work ends up being for nothing as Terry is accepted to the band without an audition since he was the only one to sign up for the flute position. After 'Dillman' brought Holt back to grounded territory, it did feel a bit fitting to have Braugher show off his character's abrasive side for a small mini-story. Still, like with the Hitchock and Scully storyline, viewers have witnessed Holt's furiously passionate outbursts in numerous other broadcasts.

'Admiral Peralta' leaves the viewer with a bittersweet but appropriate ending that effectively manages to present a harsh truth that some relationships can not be repaired. If the other individual does not want to put in the work then the matter is simply out of your control. Despite that, much of the episode is full of sequences and plot-points that have been used and reused multiple times in past seasons. While there are some minor new twists to the familiar tropes, it's hard not to think back to the much better episodes the plots originated from. 'Admiral Peralta' is far from a bad episode of Brooklyn but also comes nowhere near memorable status.



Stray Thoughts

• It did feel nice to have all three plots intersect in a way. Boyle appeared in both the C-plot and the main one while Amy was part of the Hitchcock & Scully storyline and the central storyline.

• The final moment of the episode was also the best. Scully just wanted some milk.

• Unfortunately, there isn't a real book about parenting written by Bruce Willis called Cry Hard with a Vengeance. 

• The writers almost broke the fourth-wall when they showed all the ways Amy/Melissa Fumero hid her pregnancy. 

Grade: C+

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Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 7 Episode 9 Review [’Dillman’]

 ***Spoilers Ahead***

Dillman

Andy Samberg (left), Joe Lo Trugilo (right). Photo Credit: NBC

More often than not, the writers of Brooklyn Nine-Nine tend to scatter out the core characters of the series for each episode, placing a handful of them in the main story and others in smaller side plots. Because of this, screentime is divided disproportionately and some cast members get more time to shine than others. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this method of storytelling, outings that feature the entire squad in one overarching plotline always have a grander feel to them. Not only does the story have more time to develop with the absence of other plots, but there are more opportunities for characters that would not normally connect to interact with each other. In the same vein as season one's 48 Hours and season two's Lockdown, 'Dillman' forces the officers to remain in the precinct for a half-hour that advances the relationship between Peralta & Boyle while flawlessly using a guest appearance to drive the central conflict.

Laying out the foundation for the episode, the cold open scene involves Jake asking Holt to consider him for a task force that the captain is on a hiring committee for. Their exchanges are ultimately cut short as the explosion of a package full of red glitter sends the entire precinct into a frenzy. Desperate to figure out who was behind the prank, Holt sends in detective Dillman (Whiplash's J.K. Simmons) to find the culprit. After many episodes of Captain Holt acting out, engaging in childish insults, and partaking in meaningless competitions, Braugher's character makes a successful transition back to the rock-solid stoic demeanor he maintained during the early years of the series. Although his reckless side is always welcome, the reason his unprofessional behavior was so memorable was because the nuggets of comedy were administered in smaller doses. The more Holt acts out, the less amusing and jarring those sequences become. As a result, the fact that he acts more stern towards Peralta here (even going as far as suspending him) serves as a rather healthy return to his coveted role as an authority figure.

That being said, Holt's return to form is far from the only stimulating development to arrive with the episode. In fact, J.K. Simmons's Dillman steals the show with his apathetic attitude and intrusive investigation method. His tendency to play mind games with the squad makes him the clear antagonist figure and Simmons completely immerses himself in the role. The way he attempts to dismantle or strengthen the alibis of Terry and Rosa put the usually secure characters in an unfamiliar but exhilarating position. It's not often that the Nine-Nine officers face a serious mental threat from an outside force given they usually find themselves taking down criminals or engaging in office hijinks. Amidst that, the relationship between Peralta and Boyle return to the forefront after Holt reveals he wanted to give Boyle the task force instead of Peralta.

At first glance, Peralta's dismissive and demeaning reaction to finding out Holt chose Boyle over him comes off as rather upsetting. Considering how Boyle blindly supports him through thick and thin, the way Peralta initially acts like Boyle is not worthy of taking the task force portrays an alarming imbalance in their friendship. Thankfully, the storyline resolves in a satisfying manner with Boyle finding the policeman who actually placed the glitter package and ultimately saving Peralta from being suspended from the force. It's fairly rare to see Boyle not only save the day but showcase that he truly is a legitimately competent detective despite his quirks. To top it off, Peralta apologizes to Boyle and praises him for solving the case. It's a wholesome ending that vividly conveys Peralta does indeed care for Boyle, viewing him as his equal rather than a sidekick.

Above anything else, the members of the precinct are a tight-knit but dysfunctional family. 'Dillman' excels in the way that it pits some characters against each other while introducing a fresh new rival into the mix. Given season seven has mainly relied on old gimmicks and cast members (Pontiac Bandit, Pimento, Jimmy Jabs), it's a nice change of pace to introduce a new face and place Peralta, Boyle, and the others in uncommon scenarios. While it does have similarities to past installments featuring the core members in quarantine, 'Dillman' still manages to explore the dynamics between the squad in spectacular fashion.

Stray Thoughts

• It was pretty brilliant that the one who committed the prank was the same guy Peralta initially accused in a somewhat joking manner. 

• Scully never ended up cleaning the red glitter off his face. 

• The best exchange of the episode came when Jake & Charles had a fake conversation to throw off Dillman. 
• Boyle: Yes, Jake, you were young when you lost your virginity. 
• Jake: Thank you, Charles!

• The following episode features the return of Peralta's father. He hasn't appeared on the show since Fox canceled the series.

Grade: A

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