Brooklyn 99 - S1 and S2 Reviews

 

 1 Pilot-The ep that started it all! I love how everyone is introduced and how you might have your own ideas of what they’ll be like based on your first impressions but how they defy and subvert expectations in the best way. The chemistry between the cast is already so good and it’s cute to see Jake and Amy flirting and giving each other heart eyes even when they’re teasing and competing.😊 I like that Holt’s already starting to let loose and feel comfortable around the squad as he proves he’s not always serious by getting the squad to come in when Jake’s in his speedo and it’s really cool when Jake starts to understand why wearing ties is so important to Holt and I love how it sets up the fact that they’re already a supportive team. 7/10.  

2 The tagger-This ep’s quite interesting for teasing a will they/won’t they with Rosa and Charles, as his crush on her would lead most people to think that they’d get together at some point. Even if it wasn’t hygienic, Jake was adorable with his desk mouse, Algernon, too.The scenes with Gina and her psychic were good too and the Jake/Holt father-son dynamic is first explored here as Holt’s helping Jake become more responsible and it’s implied that he’s only being hard on him because he cares for him and knows how talented he is and wants the best for him and the squad. I also love that Jake doesn’t stand for it when the commissioner starts saying ‘boys will be boys’ as it shows that Jake believes boys should be held accountable. 7.5/10 

 3 The slump-I love the plot with Terry and Charles and the princess castle as while scary Terry was so funny, it also shows what a dedicated father he is and that he’ll do anything to make his twins happy. It also proves that Charles cares a lot about Terry and it’s awesome how the characters don’t stand for stereotypical gender roles by making it a princess police station and not saying that making a princess castle is ‘too girly’ for men to do. The Amy/Rosa/Gina plot is good too and it’s hysterical when Amy gives Holt the thumbs up and our introduction to Gina’s dancing is iconic. The Jake/Holt selfie is cool and shows how they’re becoming closer despite seeming to be opposites. 7/10  

4   ME Time- This ep just proves that even the weaker ‘Brooklyn’ eps are still pretty great, as we get to see a lot of character development for Jake in just one ep as he tries to step back and let Charles take charge and apologises and learns by the end and makes it right by working and letting the others celebrate and relax, proving that he’s a much better person than the other characters or viewers initially expected. It’s interesting to see Terry’s art skills in this ep too and Amy bowing is always funny. 6.5/10  

5 The Vulture – This ep has one of the funniest s1 cold opens and introduced one of the (intentionally) least likeable characters in the form of the Vulture, who steals cases, sexually harasses the squad, takes credit for cases he didn’t solve and is generally the embodiment of toxic masculinity/misogyny. It’s really cool to see the 99 being a team in this ep and working together as I like that they all worked together on the case, with Rosa working out it was a corkscrew, Boyle getting the screw from the rubbish and Amy working out it was a magnetic screw and I like that the bus scene with Jake and Amy shows how comfortable they are with each other and how much they care about each other despite their teasing. Jake holding the baby was sweet and funny too and he really matures in this ep by taking full responsibility to stop the others getting reprimanded and giving the Vulture credit even though he’s the worst-7.5/10.  

 6 Halloween-The first of many heists! It’s so cool that Jake and Holt have quite a healthy respect for each other now as Jake was impressed by Holt’s medal and Jake impressed Holt by winning the heist. I like that everyone chipped in to help him too as it shows that they’re all really good friends and maybe hints at Amy having a crush on him? 😊. It’s also kinda nice that Charles wanted Amy to enjoy Halloween even if it didn’t work out. It’s in this ep that we first hear the ‘title of your sextape’ joke and learn about Rosa doing ballet as a teen. 7/10  

7 48 Hours –. Around this point, there was quite a change or turning point in the show, I feel, as there are good parts in this ep. For instance, it was good that Gina told Boyle not to lie to Rosa about the pie and it’s cool that we got to see how much Charles loves food. Holt’s so funny in this ep with the ‘cap’ain crunch’ line and when he says his hair is a mess. Jake and Amy have some good scenes too and it’s really nice that he tried to make her laugh and cheer her up when she was sad about her date and I LOVE that he got her date back, as well as making it up to the squad and apologising, it was so sweet and proves that he’s truly a kind, decent guy. For instance, I never quite understood the donkey noise/catcall bit, but given that the show(like Jake) is inherently feminist, it was probably a way for Jake to criticise and show disdain for catcallers and show that he doesn’t respect catcallers at all/-6.5/10 😊   

8 Old School- This ep feels like quite a turning point for the show as it’s hitting it stride from about this point on and is one of the strongest eps in the first half of series 1. The plot with Rosa, Terry and Charles is cool as while it makes sense for her to be violent/aggressive, it adds more depth and complexity to her character when she talks about being nervous, as well as being a funny plot and exploring the Charles-Rosa dynamic further. It was cute that Jake was thinking about Amy even when he was so drunk. 😊 I love that Amy defended Jake and told Holt the truth and I really love that Jake defended Holt as despite not knowing Holt that well and looking up to Brogan, the second Brogan was homophobic and disrespectful to Holt, Jake could not stand for it or let him think it was ok and I LOVE Jake for that. It’s a MASSIVE turning point for his character and for the show. The fact that Jake didn’t argue about his punishment shows that he genuinely did it for the right reasons and is caring and decent.-9/10.  

9 Sal’s Pizza – I love the Amy/Rosa plot in this ep as it touches on Amy’s ambitions and shows why she pushes herself so hard and shows how strong their friendship is and that they’ll always support and be there for each other. It was sweet to see the firefighter (almost) bonding with Jake despite the bitter rivalry and it was cool to see food blogger Boyle in his element tasting the pizzas. I like how it gave some insight into Jake’s childhood and how his Dad repeatedly let him down, which explains so much about his attitude to authority and why he views Holt as a father figure. Also, Gina’s mic drop will never not be iconic 8.5/10      

10 Thanksgiving – This ep is so great as watching Amy be awkward around Holt is hilarious but also sweet as you’re rooting for her and feel pleased for her when Holt compliments her speech as she just wants him to notice her. The plot about Terry getting so hungry was relatable, as was Amy’s insecurities about her culinary skills when they threw the meal away.It’s funny that Rosa was so happy when everything went wrong and it was cool when Holt got into character for a case. Holt’s ‘found family’ speech to Jake was so sweet and I love how Jake took it to heart and recognised the 99 as his family <3 The fact that he dressed up for Amy was so lovely too and the fact that he made her smile when she was worried about her toast shows how much she means to him and they’re just so cute. 😊 - 9.5/10   

 11 Christmas – This ep’s so good as it’s heartwarming to see Jake and Holt bonding in the safe house, as it’s clear that despite his jokes, Jake would do anything for the squad and truly cares about Holt’s safety. It’s also nice that Gina wanted to help Amy with the Christmas card and went to get Terry when Holt was in danger, as it shows that despite her mean front, she genuinely cares about the squad. While it was funny, it also added depth to Terry’s character by demonstrating that as a new Dad, he’s worried about the dangers of the job. It was so awesome that Boyle saved Rosa’s life and that Jake and Holt did a pop and lock move. 😊 Jake’s little smile at Amy when she finally got the pic she’d been waiting for her was sweet too. 9/10😊   

12 Pontiac Bandit – The first ep with the legendary Doug Judy/Pontiac bandit doesn’t disappoint.😊 It’s cool to see how much Rosa and Jake trust each other and how well they know each other from the academy. The fact that Jake actually does the 1000 push-ups to make it up to her shows that he’s trustworthy and a great friend. It’s so cute and funny to see Holt with the adorable puppies in this ep too and it shows how loyal Amy is to him by putting herself at risk of an allergic reaction to make him happy. It’s so heartwarming to see everyone welcome Boyle in the cold open and to see how happy he is to get the puppies after the squad hides from him and his food choices and exercises as Holt takes his injury so seriously and respects him for it-8/10. 

13 The Bet – Such a key ep for Jake and Amy 😊 It makes sense for the plot but I’m not a big fan of Charles in this ep as he comes in between Terry and his wife, Sharon, in an argument and says that he will be with Rosa one day. However, it was so funny when he was on stage with Sgt Peanut butter the horse(the icon) and when he told Holt about pretending to get a text and I like that he pointed out that the fact that Jake went to so much effort for the fake proposal and elaborate date proves that he really likes Amy. The rooftop scene is gold and their chemistry is so insane, it’s through the ‘roof’. It’s so good that even the criminals they’re arresting ship them and it’s so cute when Jake decides to stay on the fun stakeout where they can both have fun instead of embarrassing her. It’s amazing to watch them bond and genuinely enjoy spending time together and her smile when he announced them arriving at the bar was so cute. It’s also cool to see how well they work together and you know he means it when he says it’s on the good date list. <3- 7.75/10    

14 The Ebony Falcon- It was cool to get some insight into Terry’s home life and watch him being a sweet Dad to the cutest baby girls. It was funny when Jake and Terry did a chest bump and Jake fell over and it was so lovely that Jake cared so much about Terry and keeping him safe so that his daughters would always have their Dad and the way he reacted to their drawing was so wholesome, it was so sweet <3.I liked the Amy/Rosa/Gina plot too, as it was interesting to see Gina be vulnerable and it was sweet to see how much Amy and Rosa(and Holt) cared about her and wanted her to feel safe and it was nice that she wanted to thank them in her own way. There were lots of iconic lines in this ep too, with Amy calling Gina a goblin when she was right there in the room and Rosa’s iconic, ‘What kind of woman doesn’t have an axe?’ line.  8/10 

15 Operation: broken feather – This ep really gave us so much, including Rosa attacking a computer, Jake’s breakfast burrito, Boyle’s melted fringe and some classic, truly iconic dumpster diving tunes. This ep also includes some of the best ever pre-Peraltiago scenes, in my opinion. The ‘iago’ joke was amazing and it was nice that Jake wanted to show Amy how much fun working at the 99 is and I like how it made him realise that he’d miss her as when he’s with her, even the worst parts of their job aren’t too bad. <3 The photo of them was so perfect and I love the speech he gives her about how talented she is and the fact that he wrote her a recommendation letter shows that he’ll always be respectful and supportive of her choices and wants her to be happy no matter what as he cares about her selflessly. <3 <3 10/10   

16 The Party- This ep is so good and smart and it’s awesome that on Holt’s b-day, we get to meet his husband, Kevin, who’s so perfect for him <3. There are so many classic scenes, with Amy trying to find out everything she can about Holt, Boyle meeting Vivian and bonding with her over food and Jake desperately trying to find an article. While there are loads of funny scenes, such as Gina talking to the psychologists and Jake, Amy and Terry hiding in Holt and Kevin’s bathroom with their adorable dog, Cheddar, it’s also a touching, poignant ep and not just because of how cute it is that Jake tried to cover Amy’s face to stop her allergies from acting up. The tone changes when it’s revealed that Kevin doesn’t like cops because of the discrimination Holt faced in the past <3 It’s so incredibly kind that Jake brings the squad together to give Holt and Kevin a nice birthday dinner as that kind of support, thoughtfulness and acceptance was something that Holt had unfairly been denied before coming to the 99. 10/10   

17 Full Boyle – An underrated ep that’s fun and thought-provoking. The part where Holt talks about the challenges he faced and how he wouldn’t want anyone else to go through it is moving and Gina’s dancing is always iconic. The Super Dan plot’s funny too and it’s nice that Jake was so supportive of Charles and was genuinely happy for him and never wanted to take it away from him or ruin his good mood, as it shows how caring Jake is. Jake has some adorable, underrated scenes with Amy too and the fact that he organised a nice proposal for Boyle and Vivian is super sweet too and shows that he’d do anything for his friends.- 9/10    

18 The Apartment- As Holt (or Dad, as Jake calls him in the cold open) says, when he’s tough on the squad in this ep,it’s so nice to see how much Terry cares about them and how willing he is to defend them. Charles and Rosa are starting to bond too and it’s so wonderful that he’s no longer repeatedly asking her out or trying to win her over as now they can have a respectful friendship which is so awesome. Jake and Gina have lots of good scenes here too, with Gina proving herself to be more together than people assume. After resisting out of pride, Jake makes it right with Gina and works out a living situation where she can make a profit, proving that how thoughtful he is. While it was a shame to see Amy get stressed about what her flaw was, it was so great that she and Jake helped each other and gave each other meaningful advice and support, making her realise that she cares too much about what Holt thinks of her. -8/10 

19 Tactical Village – This ep has a hysterical cold open and some great Jake and Amy content. Not to mention that Gina and Holt playing Kwazy Kupcakes was so iconic. 😊 I liked that despite her violent side, Rosa cares about her friendship with Boyle but doesn’t have feelings for him. It was cute that Jake was jealous when Amy was with Teddy, proving that he likes her. I like the fact that he was never possessive over her though and shared his prize and victory when he got the record. It demonstrates how genuinely good he is as well that despite wanting to ask Amy out, he was kind and respectful when she went out with Teddy. 8.5/10   

20 Fancy brudgrom- This ep was fun too, it was cool that Holt gave Rosa good advice and demonstrated that she could be a leader. I also liked how Amy, Gina and Terry supported each other on the diet and the different reactions from Terry and Gina when they found Amy eating burgers cracks me up. It was nice that it was about supporting Terry and about him supporting Sharon, rather than about losing weight or looking a certain way. The Jake and Charles plot was sweet, as I love that Jake was supportive of all of Boyle’s strange choices and never judged him. Even if issues arose later, Jake meant well by trying to get Boyle and Vivian to talk and it was good to see how Amy helped Jake make the right decision and how he was the most supportive bm ever to Boyle. It was also nice to get a little cameo from Beth Dover in this ep (the real life wife of Joe Lo Truglio, who plays Charles in the show.) 8/10 

   21 Unsolvable- Another strong ep, what an incredible detective Jake is! I like that Boyle and Vivian are actually communicating and trying to work it out. It was so sad to see how down Jake was about Amy dating Teddy but I appreciate that he tried to work to take his mind off it rather than trying to sabotage their relationship or pressuring Amy to date him and it’s nice that he can talk to Terry about Amy. It was sweet that Rosa and Gina showed Boyle the bathroom and it’s heartwarming to see how much Rosa cares about him and how much it meant to her when he saved her. I also love that Boyle never expected anything from Rosa in return for that and that even when she expresses concern for him, he never tries to get with her or anything.  8/10     

22 Charges and specs- An amazing season finale! It was sweet that Jake didn’t want to mock or laugh at Boyle when he was heartbroken and instead encouraged everyone to be kind. It was so nice to see that the squad genuinely wanted to be there for Charles and it’s such a clever twist at the end as it teases the idea of Boyle and Rosa hooking up but it makes sense that Gina and Boyle would, as she mentioned Boyle having casual rebound sex many times. The Jake/Amy/Holt scenes are amazing, I love that Amy trusts and supports Jake and it shows how much she’s changed from the pilot that she can say when she disagrees with Holt. Jake and Amy dancing together was so beautiful and adorable and even the little moments with them such as the selfie and Jake calling her a mermaid were all so cute. The scene when Jake’s revealed to be going undercover showed how much they all care about each other and it’s so sweet and wholesome that Jake told Amy that he liked her in an honest, heartfelt way and was respectful of the fact that she was with someone.10/10

S2   1 Undercover – A strong start to the new season! It’s so great to have Jake back as it was cute when he said he missed everyone and that Holt said he was missed as the flashbacks to what happened when he was away were all phenomenal. I really appreciated that Jake wanted to make Amy feel comfortable and at ease and that he’s respectful when he learns she’s still with Teddy and while he admits his true feelings at the end, he’s considerate and thoughtful and doesn’t make it all about what he wants or try to pressure her in any way. Boyle was so funny about being jealous of Derek as Boyle’s love for Jake is starting to shine through. I loved it when Terry was doing drills with Rosa and Amy as well, they were all so hilarious! 8/10

 2 Chocolate Milk – The Jake and Terry scenes are so good in this ep 😊 It’s so sweet that Jake took care of Terry as it showed how caring he is as he continued to care for and support him even when Terry said he didn’t think of him as much more than a co-worker. Jake’s ‘Do you know what a present is?’ line always cracks me up too, as does the part when he says carrot cake is his least favourite kind of cake. It’s also brilliant to see to see the beginning of the iconic Holt-Wuntch rivalry and I love that Jake was so uncomfortable with the suspect objectifying women and didn’t respect for him for it at all and watching Amy stand up to Holt and receive the A she’s always wanted from him was very satisfying. The Rosa and Boyle scenes are awesome too, with Rosa being such a loyal, supportive friend and even dressing up to go to the party with him. 9/10

 3 The Jimmy Jab Games – The introduction of the Jimmy Jabs! This ep is so good 😊 It was nice to see that Jake would treat Rosa’s friend, Katie, so well if they dated and would be a true gent and I liked that despite her initial reluctance, Rosa supported Jake and helped him deal with his crush on Amy and the ‘spread my legs/wings’ interaction with Boyle and Jake cracks me up so much. The plot with Charles and Hitchcock was funny and it was hilarious when Boyle blurted out that he was handsome. Jake and Amy were totally vibing in this ep too and had such amazing chemistry, I love the ‘Are you saying I knocked you up’ scenes with the fake baby bump. It was so cute to see that despite them joking around and their competitive natures, Jake gave her genuinely good advice and let her win the games to cheer her up, it was so sweet.  9/10

 4 Halloween II- It’s time for the second heist and even if Holt winning isn’t a surprise, it’s still highly entertaining and while it’s really cool to see how far in advance they plan for the heists now and how everyone played a part in Holt’s victory, there’s something kind of sweet and fitting that Boyle didn’t want to betray Jake. Gina has some great moments with her dance troupe as well and watching her dance with Terry is awesome. 7.75/10

 5 The Mole – This ep explored Jake’s relationships with everyone in a cool way as from the cold open, he was trying to prove how well he knew everyone, which adds to how shocked and confused he is to find out about Charles and Gina’s affair and the fact that Boyle lied to him. However, it was good to see that he didn’t resent him for this and by the end, tells him that he’s a good friend for keeping the secret. We also get some good scenes with Rosa and Terry at the club and when she convinces him that his daughters will be fine and that he’s a good Dad as well as some adorable scenes of Jake with Cheddar and his reaction to Holt’s reveal in the video and being slapped by Holt. It was nice to see Amy and Gina bonding too as Gina maybe respects Amy (and Charles) more than she lets on. The scenes with Jake and Holt talking about a potential mole in the precinct and guest pyjamas was so good too and the bit about Wuntch nodding at the guy who was actually the mole as she already knew he was a germaphobe was pretty clever too, as it seemed like a one-off joke but came back later. 8/10

6 Jake and Sophia – This ep has such a funny cold open with Holt’s classic ‘hot damn’ that shocked everyone and while I don’t want Jake to be with anyone but Amy, it’s interesting to see how his new relationship with Sophia, the defence lawyer, will develop, especially as they seem to be attracted to each other and have more in common than their rivalry might initially suggest. Now that Gina and Boyle have stopped sleeping together, it’s interesting to see how different their dynamic is, especially now that their parents are getting closer after ending up at the hotel that Gina and Boyle were fighting over... Amy and Rosa had some good scenes with Holt, as Amy being unimpressed by the label maker and Holt refusing to get involved until they ‘made him’ turn his chair was all super funny but it was nice that they supported her and wanted her to have a shot at union rep as they knew she’d be great at it. I kinda hope that Scully still gets his sub though. 7/10.

7 Lockdown – It’s thanksgiving again and Jake’s in charge while Terry and Holt are away and they have some hilarious moments together, such as Holt bouncing on a ball to get to the printer and reading Jake’s texts but not having emojis on his phone. It’s safe to say that all these scenes made me laugh so hard.Boyle calling himself ‘Tinkerbell’ and doing the single ladies dance led to some great moments and while Jake learned a lesson about how you don’t have to say what people want to hear, it was cool that he would have been happy for Amy to take over and would have respected her orders if she had. The cold open was so funny too and I love Jake’s line about a ‘personal uncle’ and the contrast of the kind, respectful email with his stinky butt address. It’s cool that we also got some cute little Jake and Amy moments 😊, which I’m always happy to see and I love Jake for rightly calling out ‘man up’ as a sexist phrase.  8/10

8 USPIS – This ep focused more on Amy’s smoking habit, proving that her relationship with Teddy is causing her significant stress, especially as she feels that she can’t tell him about her smoking.Even if it didn’t really work out, it was nice that the squad tried to help her quit in their own ways by relating it back to how they dealt with addictions. Boyle had some classic lines in this ep such as saying Jake was the best man who’d ever lived and talking about putting your ‘privates’ in vinegar. Even if Jack Danger from the postal service wasn’t what Jake expected from the cool name, it shows a lot of growth and maturity on Jake’s part that he respected Rosa and didn’t try to defend himself or get angry at  her as he immediately admitted when he was wrong and made it up to her and apologised, proving he’s a good, decent person. In fact, I think that this ep was a bit too harsh on Jake if anything by only framing him as being in the wrong as Danger was very disrespectful and caused problems for Jake and the case, so it felt a bit unfair to Jake.7.5/10

9 The Road Trip – One of my all-time fave eps of this season and possibly of the whole show. The Holt and Charles plot is so hilarious and Boyle’s reaction to Holt making scrambled eggs makes me cry with laughter. However, I also love that Holt wanted to make Kevin happy on their anniversary and took Boyle’s ideas about food telling a meaningful story to heart. The plot with Rosa taking the cold medicine and being hyper and giddy shows how talented Stephanie is by showing a completely different side to Rosa, I mean she even smiled. 😊 The Jake and Amy plot definitely doesn’t disappoint either, as I love that Jake wanted to make Amy happy by inviting Teddy so that they could double date, it was so cute that he wanted her to have a nice time. 😊 Amy being awkward is comedy gold but it was also so satisfying to watch her end a relationship that wasn’t working for her, especially as it’s revealed that she likes Jake.😊 Jake adorably couldn’t be happier that she likes him but I appreciated that he doesn’t just forget about Sophia but still supports Amy in her break-up as a true friend without any selfish, ulterior motives, I mean, can you name a better sitcom man than Jake? <3 10/10 

10 The Pontiac Bandit returns- Another Doug Judy ep, this time at Christmas, what’s not to like? Amy is on fire in this ep as she’s desperately trying to give Holt a Christmas gift despite his no ‘strict no gift policy’. There are loads of hilarious moments in this plot, such as Holt refusing to ‘peruse’ Amy’s ‘Ray to Z’ book, Terry’s sarcasm and Amy’s ‘nog nog’ joke but it also shows how skilled she is and is a nice step forward for Amy and Holt working together and going from a mentor-mentee dynamic to partners. It’s also nice to see how Boyle and Gina are becoming closer and were taken aback by her mother’s reaction to the gift as it seems that they might try some reverse ‘Parent Trap’ antics to break their parents up. The Rosa/Doug Judy/Jake plot was great too, as we’ve seen the build up throughout this season of how important the giggle pig case is to Rosa so the fact that Jake let DJ go, so that Rosa’s taskforce could have a win even though he’s been trying to catch him for years was an incredibly kind and thoughtful gesture on his part and clearly meant so much to Rosa as she was properly grinning this time. 😊 9.5/10

11 Stakeout – This ep explored Jake and Boyle’s friendship in a really interesting way, as despite Boyle’s undying love for Jake, they grew annoyed and frustrated with each other when they were stuck together on a long stakeout. It was a shame to see them fighting but it was resolved well and proved that they’re more family than friends and will always have each other’s backs no matter what as I love how much they support each other. Rosa got a new love interest this ep, in the form of Holt’s handsome nephew, Marcus. The scene when she comes down to breakfast with him, Holt and Kevin (and Cheddar) was hilariously awkward and wonderful but it was nice to see Holt and Rosa awkwardly becoming close and caring about each other despite the apparent lack of emotion they display. It was interesting to watch Gina and Amy swapping roles a bit this ep, with Gina trying to be sweeter and kinder and Amy standing up for herself. It led to good comedic scenes but it was cool how they saw themselves in Terry’s book for his twins and realised things about themselves and I liked little unexpected things in this ep such as Kevin, who’s as serious as Holt, offering to put a bacon smile on their breakfast as it was quite wholesome and surprising, given their serious and dignified demeanour. The cold open's great too as it's so awesome to see three members of our fave squad(Rosa, Jake and Holt) getting medals and Holt's contrasting and surprisingly excitable reactions to Wuntch giving him the medal are so funny.-8.5/10

12 Beach House -Another one of the best eps of S2 and of the show! This ep, like all of them, has such a heartwarming premise as the squad are heading to a weekend getaway and Jake invites Holt, as he wants to make sure that Holt gets a chance to have fun and finally feel accepted and part of a team and experience a work vacation, which is so kind and thoughtful of Jake and shows that as early as S2, Holt is already beloved by the squad despite having different interests to them. Watching Amy’s personality change as she got more drunk led to some fantastic moments too and while Gina thought it’d be entertaining to watch her get drunk as she changed so much with each drink, she proved that she genuinely cares about her when it comes down to it. Vacation Terry was a lot of fun too and it was nice that Boyle helped Rosa in her relationship with Marcus as it showed how much this relationship meant to her and the last scene with everyone having fun together and everyone being included was so fantastic. Holt’s line ‘it’s not good to have a TV in the bedroom’ is really good too (maybe he no longer has the TV they had in their room in ‘The Party’ or maybe it was only in their room for a short time.) 10/10

13 Payback- There were some nice callbacks to episode two in this one, with Jake still not knowing what a vasectomy is and Terry talking about having more kids and I liked the running joke of Terry easily picking Jake up and having him in his arms from S1, ep 14 and S2, ep 5. It was so sweet how Jake instantly offered to pay Terry back when he found out that Sharon was pregnant and the fact that he tried hard to keep it a secret, emptied his bank account, sold his car (which means the world to him) and offered to do jobs for everyone proves just how loyal and dedicated he is to his friends, as well as giving us some super iconic moments with Jake washing Boyle’s dogs and ringing Gina’s grandma. It was also so funny when Boyle told Jake he could be his godfather, despite being older than Jake. It was great to see Holt and Amy working as partners too, as Gina saying Holt was ‘pumped’ about working with Ames, Amy saying ‘punk’ and Holt rhyming and using his old partner’s full name everytime made for some great moments. It was nice that even when Amy was worried that she’d made him ill with ‘meat from the street’, it showed that things like that could actually bring them closer. 8/10

14 The Defence Rests –Not a personal fave, but still a good one. In this ep, Gina was angry at Boyle for not helping her break their parents up when it's revealed that their parents are getting engaged. It was quite a sweet twist when Gina revealed that her desire to split them up came from wanting to protect her mother and prevent her from getting hurt rather than not wanting to be associated with Boyle and I liked seeing Amy in her element with her ‘new binder smell’. While I don’t ship them as Amy’s the only one for him, it was nice to see that Jake really cared about Sophia and wanted to fight for their relationship and you do feel for him when she breaks up with him, but as Terry said, it was good that he still did his job well while trying to make it work with Sophia and does a good job of portraying just how deeply Jake loves as he loves with all of his heart. The scene with Geoffrey(Sophia's boss) shouting objection with cocaine on his collar was pretty humorous and it was also funny to see a more petty, immature side of Holt when he changed the name on Wuntch’s email. 8/10

15 Windbreaker City -It sucks to see Jake being heartbroken about his break-up with Sophia, (although it would be so great to see Jake and Amy get together now that they’re both single…) I really appreciate that while you wouldn’t expect the 99 to like Sophia, she’s never painted as a villain or as cold or unfeeling and while it hurts Jake, her decision to end the relationship and focus on her career isn’t portrayed as heartless or selfish, which is really good. I also liked that they didn’t go for a rebound plot or trash talk Sophia but instead helped Jake cathart as he respects Sophia’s decision to end things. Amy and Rosa had some good scenes too and I liked that while Amy becomes more assertive in this ep, she remains a good friend to Rosa and lets her have the day off. It’s also cool that Rosa and Marcus seem to be getting serious. Holt and Gina’s plot was good too, as Gina had some incredibly iconic lines and the fact that she's been getting back into education is an interesting thing to explore with her character and while Holt was initially put out at the thought of being similar to Gina, I like that he realised his mistake and apologised and recognised that she has more to offer than some might expect and that there are different types of leaders. The part where the squad became ‘hos’ and talked about being ‘boss ass penguins’ was really funny too. 8/10

16 The Wednesday Incident – I liked the little reference to Jake’s crush on Amy in this ep as Boyle starts to say her name when talking about how Jake’s ‘type’ is Latina women, so hopefully they’ll be together soon. It was quite interesting to find out what was the cause of Holt’s bad mood and Terry’s dance moves with the statue were cool. It was cool that Charles proved himself as a good detective when Amy and Rosa doubted the elderly bank robber was guilty. It’s nice to see how much Kevin values honesty and respect in their marriage and was concerned for Holt on hearing he was in danger and I like how Kevin has his own relationships with the individual members of the squad and even bonds with Gina. I felt pretty bad for Jake with how everyone was trying to blame him for Holt's bad mood but it was touching how happy Jake and Gina were when Kevin gave them Holt’s rock paintings and Jake impressing Gina with his Holt impression was amazing and I like Gina’s quote about being an ‘originator’ of ‘omg’. 8/10 

17 Boyle-Linetti Wedding – After a few really good eps, this one is so incredible and wonderful. The day has finally arrived and Gina’s mother is marrying Boyle’s Dad. I appreciate that they made Gina close with her mother instead of making them be horrible to each other and it was nice that Gina really cared about giving her mum a great wedding and making her happy. It was sweet that despite seeming to be disgusted by the Boyles, Gina was happy for her mother to marry Boyle’s Dad and inadvertently inspired Rosa to take a leap in her relationship and tell Marcus she loves him. Terry’s gym wedding speech was too funny and it was touching when he cried at the words he’d written himself. Holt writing a speech gave us some excellent comedy as his oatmeal speech was heartfelt and on brand for him. I loved that he directed his actual speech to Kevin and spoke from the heart <3 It was awesome that Jake helped Amy take down a perp she’d been chasing for ages and that Amy was so supportive of Jake being hung up on Jenny and their fake proposal is truly one of the best moments of television history. I guess the bit about ‘deceiving’ women was either a callback to Gina’s quote in S1 or totally sarcastic, as one of the many amazing things about Jake that makes him such a (sadly) all too rare and precious sitcom man is the fact that he would never trick, lie or manipulate women to be with them or take advantage of them. The fact that Jake and Amy had so many cute scenes and almost danced together was amazing and while I wish they had slow danced together, the way they looked at each other in the last scene proves that they’re in love and that what they feel for each other is real and reciprocated. <3 10/10

18 Captain Peralta – This was a pretty important ep as not only did Scully, Jake and Charles head to Canada but Jake’s two Captain Dads met and we got to meet Jake’s biological Dad, Roger, who’d given him so much grief and repeatedly abandoned and hurt him and his mum.☹ It shows how loyal Charles is to Jake that he didn’t want his Dad to let him down again and it’s proof of Jake’s kind nature that he sees the best in people (like his actor, Andy) and wants to give his Dad a chance as he looks up to him and even helps him by working a case when he lets him down again as Roger unfortunately takes advantage of his son’s kind nature and good heart. It’s satisfying to watch Jake call Roger out for being a bad Dad and not being there for him after all the hurt he’s caused him and it’s especially moving when Holt tells him he’s proud of him as by this point, he totally sees Holt as his true father figure and as the Dad who is actually there for him. Speaking of Holt, I liked how excited Amy was about the puzzle he gave them and it was a cool twist that after thinking she and Terry would get it first, it was actually Gina and Rosa who worked out that Holt didn’t know the answer and it was Gina who got to see her ‘spiritual twin’ Beyonce in concert. 8/10

19 Sabotage – This felt like a slightly more serious and sombre ep, even if Charles realised there’s more to Hitchcock and Scully than meets the eye. For instance, we saw a different side to the usually egotistical, almost narcissistic Gina as when Holt called her dancing a hobby, she was devastated and vowed to never dance again or do anything even resembling dancing, cementing how important Holt’s opinion and dance is to her as she views dance as part of her identity. It was nice to see her get her confidence back when he encouraged her at the end though. Poor Jake’s really having a rough time these past few eps, as he’s convinced someone’s been sabotaging him and tries to work with Rosa and Amy on the case and after arguing with them, it turns out that he was right as Sophia’s boss, Geoffrey, who he arrested, ties him up and holds him hostage and is just a terrible person to him generally. I liked that Amy did want to ‘look at urine’ with Jake and believed him but didn’t like tests being questioned and it was so good when Amy and Rosa saved him and arrested Geoffrey after everything he’d put Jake through and gave more insight into his trust issues, stemming from his Dad abandoning him. 8/10

20 AC/DC- Another thoroughly enjoyable ep! After getting injured, Terry tells Jake to stop working the case but Jake can’t stop himself and keeps working on it no matter how injured he gets.It’s understandable why Terry wants him to stop but you can’t help but admire Jake’s determination and dedication to justice and how he wouldn’t know how to be lazy or even take time off. Even if you understand where Terry’s coming from, you still feel bad for Jake when Terry gets frustrated with him, although I liked that it was coming from a place of Terry genuinely caring about Jake and wanting him to be safe rather than Jake not listening or ignoring orders. It explains a lot about why Jake never stops working when he reveals that he once went on a vacation during a case and some people got shot while he was away. It’s so sad that he blames himself and it’s a very well-acted scene. ☹ It was amazing to see how excited Amy was about being invited to Holt’s dinner party and I liked that even though she was worried about being late and trying to be chill, she still ended up having a fun night with Gina. Holt and Rosa hating small talk was ‘amazingly funny’, as was his shocked but ultimately supportive response to her pregnancy scare. 8.5/10

21 Det.Dave Majors- Another Jake and Amy ep! 😊 It was so sweet when he confided in Rosa and told her that he liked Amy and wanted to ask her out and it was awesome that she supported him. I was heartbroken when Dave, who Jake and Amy idolised, said he was going to ask Amy out but I love that Jake made a point of saying that he can’t tell other guys not to ask her out and that he wants her to be happy even though he was sad about Amy going out with Dave. It was super sad when Amy said she didn’t want to date cops anymore and when Jake saw her double tuck her hair behind her ears on the date, which is what she does when she likes someone. However, this made it all the more wonderful when she did the double tuck after talking to Jake at the end, proving how much she likes him. <3 Boyle was funny in this ep and cold open with Rosa’s pink shirt as it makes me laugh when he talks about being ‘Mr Grapes’ and says he’s better looking than Terry. It was quite interesting that Amy was the one to turn down Dave, who’s seen as this amazing guy and I liked that Jake never said that he ‘deserved’ to be with Amy for being such a great guy and for everything he’s been through this season and that Dave wasn’t a jerk as that might have been too obvious to make him a bad person just because he’s confident and isn’t right for Amy. Also,the fact that she played a trick on Jake at the end, like he did with her, shows that, like Jake, she was also trying to work up the nerve to tell him her true feelings.<3 9.5/10

22 The Chopper – I really loved the cold open with Gina’s phone in this ep, it’s one of my faves. This ep’s got some iconic moments, as the Wuntch-Holt rivalry is always amazing and Jake’s excitement about Holt’s nicknames when he gets invested in the case and the chopper is infectious. Amy being awkward is always a win and she has some great moments when she’s unsure about what to do with the kids but it was cool that Gina was able to connect and relate to them as it says a lot about her character and how she makes connections with people even when others can’t. The part about the kids learning about crime scenes was pretty funny too. 8.25/10

23 Johnny and Dora -The last ep of the season and it did not disappoint. The fact that Holt left the 99 to let the rest of the squad stay shows how much he cares for them and it was moving when Gina joined him, as well as being a funny moment with Scully. It was sweet that Charles wanted Rosa to have a nice birthday and to prove how well he knows her, especially when it was revealed that the party he’d been planning for her was a meal for just Rosa and Marcus and not a big party that she wouldn’t enjoy. This meant that she could genuinely enjoy her birthday, perhaps for the first time. The Jake and Amy scenes in this ep were so incredible too as I love that he respected her rule about not dating cops and that they don’t want to ruin their friendship or professional work dynamic by acting on their feelings. However, when they go undercover as an engaged couple, you can tell when they go from pretending to saying what they love about each other <3 Even if their first (two!) kisses were (partly) to keep their cover, the way they checked in with the other to make sure they’re ok <3 and the tender yet passionate kiss they shared at the end of the ep shows how deeply they care for each other and that they’ve never felt that way about anyone before or even come close and don’t think they’ll ever feel that way about anyone else. 10/10