The Most Underrated Episodes Of Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Brooklyn Nine-Nine has captured the hearts of countless fans who are all too ready to plead guilty to loving the sitcop (pun intended). Sure, the officers on the show solve crimes, but they also find time to prank each other, compete with each other, occasionally fall in love with each other, and generally have each other's backs at work and in life.
It's understandable that some episodes have resonated with audiences more than others, particularly when it comes to those that shake up the show's typical workplace formula. The Halloween heist episodes, for example, are a highlight of every season. Sometimes it's because they involve a memorable guest star who keeps the precinct on its toes. As much fun as it is watching Jake (Andy Samberg) solve every case, it's a nice change to see him outsmarted by charismatic longtime frenemy Doug Judy (Craig Robinson), a.k.a. the Pontiac Bandit. And Pimento (Jason Mantzoukas) was a fun injection of unpredictability, Tai Chi, and PDAs.
In other cases, episodes stand out because of the show's handling of real human drama. One of the most famous episodes showed African American Sergeant Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews) dealing with the emotional aftermath of being stopped by a white cop while looking for his daughter's toy. Another episode puts Rosa (Stephanie Beatriz) at the center of a shooter situation. Drama can even come from outside police business — watching Rosa come out as bisexual to her parents is an emotional ride. And saying goodbye to Gina when Chelsea Peretti left Brooklyn Nine-Nine produced enough feelings to fill an interpretive dance recital.
However, in a series with around 22 episodes a season, the truth of Brooklyn Nine-Nine is that there are episodes that don't get the love they deserve. Let's look at a couple of Brooklyn Nine-Nine's most underrated episodes.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine's "Beach House" episode showed new sides to the characters
Brooklyn Nine-Nine fans can barely recall a time when Captain Raymond Holt (Andre Braugher) was the newcomer attempting to bring the precinct into the kind of order exemplified by a perfectly aligned desk. But the overarching plot of the first season was the team's adjustment to their rigidly disciplined new boss.
The tension came to a head in episode 12, "Beach House," in which Gina (Chelsea Peretti) and Terry plan to spend a wild winter weekend at Boyles' (Joe Lo Truglio) vacation home, only to learn that Jake (Andy Samberg) has invited their humorless captain along too.
Watching characters in workplace sitcoms get out of their professional environment can freshen up a series, opening up new sides to their personalities and new dynamics between them (that's why The Office made the "Dinner Party" episode). In "Beach House," we get to see the still-new characters out of uniform, interacting with each other in ways they couldn't at work. This is the episode in which we learn about Gina's Santiago Drunkenness Scale, and meet Six Drink Amy for the first time. We also meet Vacation Terry, who wears slippers and a fanny pack filled with mini liquor bottles, and doesn't have to give anyone instructions. But as with all the best Brooklyn Nine-Nine episodes, mixed in with the humor are moments of genuine friendship and bonding among the team, culminating in them embracing Holt's approach to partying and including him in the group.
"Tactical Village" brought action, romance, and a smartphone addiction to Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Another episode that takes most of the Nine-Nine out of the office, "Tactical Village" combines all the essential elements of Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
The detectives and Terry head out to a training exercise that pits them against other NYPD precincts, where they also test out new, terrifying weapons. Rosa is annoyed at Boyle for not inviting her to his wedding. Jake teases Amy (Melissa Fumero) mercilessly, but is also jealous when she runs into her ex. Terry is trying to keep everyone on task, while Hitchcock (Dirk Blocker) is in the way until he unexpectedly comes through with a good idea. Despite all the personal tensions, the team unites to rescue the fake hostages, thanks to Jake's impulsive tactics. This episode makes headway on the Jake-Amy story, brings closure to the Rosa-Boyle story, and watches the team — notably Jake — score an unlikely victory against the odds. And there's paintball.
However, the best comedy in the episode happens back in the precinct. Holt chides Gina for playing Kwazy Cupcakes on her phone constantly, but becomes addicted to the game himself. The dynamic between Braugher and Peretti's characters is one of the most interesting on the show, since both are self-possessed control freaks in their own right, and even though she's his assistant, she has no problem standing up to him. It's fun to watch an episode exploring this relationship with no distractions. Also, watching Holt wrestle with anything that threatens his highly disciplined personality is always enjoyable, and Gina being her best passive-aggressively helpful self is a high point in any episode. Bring those two together and there are comedy fireworks... or exploding cupcakes.