After well over a month of no new episodes, Brooklyn Nine-Nine returned last night, not missing a beat from where it left off. The show continued its impressive second season with an episode that explored Jake’s work ethic, Holt and Rosa’s juggling of their personal and professional lives, and Amy’s attempt to play it cool around Holt. While some of the plots, especially that involving Amy and Gina, seemed reminiscent of things the show has done in the past, Brooklyn Nine-Nine was able to put a new spin on it all and provide us with another spectacular episode.
Like in most episodes of the show, it was Jake who had the biggest lesson to learn in last night’s return. In the cold open, which Brooklyn Nine-Nine always nails, Jake took part in a chase across non-moving vehicles but ended up injured after falling through a sunroof (yes, it was as hilarious as it sounds). Despite Terry and Boyle telling him to relax and heal before coming back to work, Jake refuses to do so, instead remaining focused on catching the perp. This trio works so well together, with Charles constantly going along with whatever Jake wants and Terry being the opposing figure, not letting him get away with anything. Last night, however, both worked together to attempt to stop Jake from injuring himself further.
While they may not have succeeded in stopping Jake, Terry and Boyle’s insistence on helping him paid off in the end when Jake finally admitted why he was so dead set on continuing to work through his injury. In the past, Jake had let a case go so that he could spend a holiday with friends, which caused innocent people to be injured. Since then, he has sworn to never give up on a case no matter what. Terry ends up teaching him an important lesson in this episode, showing him that sometimes it really is more important to take care of yourself so that you can come back to work at your best. We’ve seen how passionate and responsible Jake can be when it comes to his job, and last night showed why that is, as we also saw him grow and realize that he has to watch out for himself, too.
The B-plot of this episode dealt with how Rosa and Holt handle keeping their personal and professional lives separate now that she is dating his nephew. Both characters have very closed-off personalities, not often expressing emotion. When finally forced to have dinner together with their significant others, they continue trying to avoid bringing anything personal into it, even going so far as to invite Amy and Gina to the dinner. Their plan backfires when Amy and Gina show up late, and their significant others insist on talking about their personal lives.
By the end of the episode, Holt and Rosa realize that maybe talking to each other about personal topics isn’t as horrible as they thought it might be. A pregnancy scare for Rosa, which she confides in Holt about at dinner, leads them to conclude that it’s better and easier to be able to talk to each other about anything. For two characters who are so private, this is a big step in their friendship, and hopefully one that will lead to some great interactions in the future.
Last night’s most played-out storyline was the one between Gina and Amy, who we’ve seen in the past interact in the same way they did in this episode. Gina is the effortlessly cool character who goes with the flow and doesn’t let disapproval affect her. Amy, on other hand, is obsessed with getting approval and is known to be uptight. Previously, Gina has tried to help Amy let go of some of that uptightness with limited success, and last night we saw them further explore that idea. Amy didn’t want to come across as too anxious or excited about the dinner party, instead taking on Gina’s ‘go with the flow’ approach and being willing to show up late. When they end up arriving at Holt’s house so late that the party is already over, Amy outwardly doesn’t let it affect her, going out and having a fun night with Gina anyway.
While she did prove that she can let loose and not worry about what Holt thinks, Amy will always be the character that inwardly seeks approval. She’s one of my favorite characters on the show, but I do wish that so many of her stories didn’t involve either her seeking that approval or trying to act like she doesn’t care about it. This can be a part of her personality without every other episode hitting us over the head with it. Other that this one minor complaint though, Brooklyn Nine-Nine came back just as strong as ever, and I couldn’t be more glad to see it return.
[Photo via FOX]
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