Brooklyn 99 - S7 and S8 Reviews

 

 S7 1 Manhunter – What a great start to the season! Holt is now a uniformed officer again as Madeleine is now the commissioner and he didn’t spend much time as an officer when he was younger. Jake and Boyle are involved in a big ‘manhunter’ case but Holt is not happy about his demotion and wants to be a part of it, causing some friction between him and his 'son'. The line about Cheddar losing respect for him was too funny and I love Boyle’s ‘boyhunter’ song and Jake’s reaction to it. We also get to meet a new character in the form of Debbie, Holt’s new partner (played by the super funny Vanessa Bayer) and she and Holt had some truly great scenes together. Meanwhile, Amy thinks she’s pregnant! I love how supportive Rosa is throughout the whole episode as she immediately gets Amy a pregnancy test and helps her when she’s stressed about it. Terry talking about his daughters calling him a ‘giant triangle’ and the Sleuth sisters dabbing led to some fantastic moments too. I love that Debbie’s foot app ended up playing a key role in the episode and it was great that they all came to save Holt and Debbie and that Jake mentioned that Debbie’s app helped them. The scene with Holt and Jake (and Debbie) at the end was in equal parts heartwarming and funny and the final scene with Peraltiago was beyond adorable. It turns out that Amy wasn’t pregnant but it made them realise that they actually really want a baby and so they decide to start trying. <3 <3 The heart eyes and pure, true love in the scene was perfect and I love that Jake was instantly so supportive and asked how Amy was feeling and was super sweet, attentive and caring. <3 <3 Their kiss and forehead touch was magical too. <3 9.75/10

2 Captain Kim- Another episode, another new character! This time, we were introduced to the seemingly practically perfect Captain Kim, the new captain of the 99. The cold open (which also served as a callback to the pilot) with Holt and the pigeon was so funny and while it’s a shame how things worked out with Kim and the squad in this ep, it was still a very entertaining episode and even if you don't agree with what Jake and Holt did (especially as Kim really was as great as she seemed) you can see why Jake had his suspicions that things weren’t as they seemed as Kim seemed almost too good to be true and he does have trust issues, stemming from his difficult childhood and everything that they’ve been through at the 99 with Wuntch, John Kelly and Gordon, especially as some of the people he trusted and looked up to turned out to be villains, eg Melanie Hawkins/Jimmy Brogan. It was brilliant to get another house party episode and all the scenes with Boyle being ‘cool’/’badass’ Chuck Boyle with Rosa’s jacket were hysterical, as it’s always funny when the Jake and Charles dynamic swaps and changes. Holt’s lines about carrots and the true purpose of sneakers being to sneak around were ‘amazingly funny’ and I love H and S’s reactions to the chairs or as Scully called it, ‘the love of his life’. I also really like that when Holt says to Jake ‘Now I understand why you’re into her’(about Amy), Jake responds with ‘Now, you understand!?’, as I think it shows that he’s always thought that Amy’s the most amazing person ever and doesn’t understand how anyone could feel differently. <3 Terry’s plot about trusting the guy from the catering company who’d just come out of prison was pretty funny too (the ‘What have you been up to? Prison. Yeah, shouldn’t have asked’ bit always makes me laugh.) I also loved hearing Peraltiago say ‘babe’ and ‘I love you’.  8.5/10

3 Pimemento- This ep saw the return of Pimento and it was truly great to see (His toilet paper tattoo was surprisingly timely for the beginning of COVID too.) He seems to be suffering from short term memory loss (like Dory in ‘Finding Dory’, although Jake is adamant that it’s like in the movie ‘Memento’) and thinks that someone’s trying to kill him. The lines about Dory were super funny and I loved Boyle’s line, ‘That’s what Dory says’ and when they call her the little fish. Jake and Boyle work with Pimento to make sure he’s ok, which is a little awkward as Jake’s been spending a lot less time with Charles and hasn't told him that he and Amy are trying. He’s doing this for Amy as Boyle can be a ‘little much’, which is an understatement and a half even if the sofa scene with Boyle shouting ‘tell me everything’ was a big mood. Jake decides to tell Pimento about them trying to conceive as he thinks he’ll just forget and it’s super sweet to see Jake’s eyes light up at the thought of having a kid and having someone to talk to about it. Boyle doesn’t take it well that Pimento knew something that he didn’t, especially something as exciting and important. They make up in a really sweet way on the ledge, though. Jake’s ‘Harry Potter’ references about trying to conceive were awesome too, especially as he got them into ‘HP’ for Amy. <3 Meanwhile, the rest of the squad are at a seminar that even Amy didn’t want to attend and quite unusually for the squad, they ended up turning on each other and fighting, which almost never happens. The ‘flope’ joke and ‘mouth noises’ bit always make me laugh though and I love that Rosa memorised the seminar to make Amy happy as they really are a team and a family. 8.25/10

4 The Jimmy Jabs games II – This ep saw the return of the Jimmy Jabs from season two and it was such a great way to revisit the games. It’s so cute to see how excited Jake and Amy are about having kids as they’ve got a new family car and everything. <3 When Terry comments on how much mature Jake is now, it makes Jake panic that he’s becoming too ‘responsible’ and so he makes a bet with Hitchcock and organises another Jimmy Jabs games to prove that he’s still fun and irresponsible. Debbie’s back in this ep too and has some great moments with Boyle, or the Greatest Showman as he’s known in this ep as he and Debbie have some things in common. Debbie has some very relatable lines such as when she talks about the high stakes world of having friends and not being able to use either hand very well. There’s a massive twist with Debbie at the end though as after overcoming her fears and gaining more confidence by singing for everyone, she ends up stealing drugs from the precinct so everything is definitely not what it seems. Holt and Rosa also get super competitive during the games and have lots of great moments, but there are also some incredibly heartfelt moments between the two of them as when Holt finds out that Jocelyn recently broke up with Rosa, breaking Rosa’s heart, he’s instantly kind and supportive and reminds her that she’s not alone by listening to her heavy metal music with her and being there for her. <3 Meanwhile, poor Jake keeps getting more injured in each activity (a bit reminiscent of AC/DC perhaps) and when Amy asks him why he made the bet, the real reason is so much sweeter and more heartwarming than anyone could have expected (although we all know how adorable and sweet he is by this point.) The reason he made the bet was that if he won, he’d have more time to help with their future baby if they conceived, which was so adorable and sweet. The way they held hands and the fact that Amy supported him and that he did the last challenge for her proves once and for that Jake will be the most amazing Dad and that (in my opinion) no other het couple can ever compare to them or match their love, commitment and support. I also love the parallels with the S2 JJ games and cute Peraltiago elevator scenes, as Jake let Amy win in S2 and this time, she let and helped him win.  <3   9.5/10

5 Debbie – As the title suggests, Debbie is a key part of this episode. When it’s revealed that she took the weapons and drugs from evidence, Jake and Rosa pretend to be dirty to try and find out what’s happening and keep an eye on Debbie, as Jake thinks she’s genuinely a good person but Rosa’s suspicious. Jake’s been on both sides of things, as there’s been times when he’s been the trusting one and the suspicious one but I don’t think it’s inconsistent as sometimes we don’t know who to trust and he wants to see the best in people and didn’t think Debbie would do something like that but he also has trust issues so even if he tries to believe and trust people sometimes, it’s not always easy. Also, the times that he didn’t trust someone didn’t always work out like he thought they would (eg H and S in 6 x 2 and Captain Kim) so he might be trying to trust people more. There were some great lines in this ep, such as the references to Debbie’s fur coat, Mr Bean and Miss Piggy and I really love that Jake and Amy send each other sweet texts and that when Rosa and Jake were pretending to not like the rest of the squad, Jake couldn’t bring himself to say anything bad about Amy and complimented her instead, it was really beautiful. Debbie actually ends up beating up and tying up Rosa and Jake (who she has a crush on, which you can’t really blame her for.) Then, when Debbie’s mother finds out what’s happening and refuses to help Debbie, Rosa starts feeling some sympathy towards Debbie and promises that she’ll help her as she wished her parents would have helped and supported her when she made mistakes. The references to Debbie being jealous of her brother reminded me a bit of Amy and David too, tbh. Meanwhile, Amy, Holt and Boyle are reading Debbie’s diaries to try and find out more and there were some great moments in this plot with Amy and Holt competing over speed reading and laughing together like in Gintars. Boyle’s reactions were great too and I love Holt's line, ‘these eyes will be reading your tombstone’. 9/10

6 Trying – As most people who know me may know, I consider this episode to be one of the greatest eps in TV history and one of the best and most moving episodes of TV that I’ve ever seen. In many ways, it’s super sad and heart-breaking (especially when they get another negative test at the end) but there’s also something so incredibly sweet, beautiful and inspiring about it too, as well as being a super funny ep that doesn’t shy away from trying to depict the pain and sad reality of infertility. The main plot follows Jake and Amy trying to conceive for six months and having no luck. It’s very clever how it’s framed as at the start of the ep, they’re excited and hopeful but as the months go on and it still doesn’t happen, their disappointment, heartbreak and loss of hope is evident. However, I love that even when they’re feeling disheartened, frustrated and joyless, it never causes conflict or issues in their relationship as they remain just as in love and supportive and happy together as always, if not more so, during their fertility struggles.<3 The way that Jake’s always there to comfort her by telling her he loves her, hyping her up and asking how she’s feeling and giving her his full attention is probably why my standards for relationships are so high, I just love their love so much. The way they tie all the plots together is really cool as the beginning and end of the ep feature divorce parties and while Peraltiago are struggling to conceive, Holt’s doing his regular beat, Hitchcock’s in a kind of ‘Cinderella’ story of trying to find the woman he met in the cold open and Rosa and Boyle have guinea pigs who are constantly reproducing, to contrast with Peraltiago being unable to get pregnant. Then, Hitchcock meets Anna, his mystery tooth woman and they get married when it’s revealed that she’s pregnant (which understandably feels very unfair to Peraltiago as Anna and Hitchcock weren’t even trying.) At the wedding, Peraltiago decide that as neither Jake’s spontaneous role play way or Amy’s super regimented, organised methods were successful, they might as well try the Hitchcock way and get really drunk and make bad decisions. They’re so cute at the wedding together when they high five and make out in public. After the night ends up not working out for Peraltiago as they can’t find a place to go because of all the guinea pigs and creepy baby dolls (the last things they probably wanted to see then), it’s revealed that Anna is actually pregnant with her brother in law’s baby. It was cool that Holt used his time on the beat (which he considered ‘tedious’, which is bad as opposed to ‘monotonous’ which is good, according to Holt) to learn some Russian so that he could talk to people to on his beat. This is also how he found out that Hitchcock wasn’t the father of Anna’s unborn baby. The next day, Amy tells Jake that she’s ‘done’ with the whole thing but I think it’s more that she doesn’t want them to be heartbroken or disappointed anymore rather than not wanting a baby anymore. The scenes with Terry talking to Charles and Rosa about the guinea pigs are pretty great as well but one of the best and most romantic and beautiful scenes of all time happens when Jake talks to Amy at the end and tells her that they’re already a family with or without kids. This scene never fails to move me and completely melt my heart and I don’t know how anyone could watch that scene and not be moved and inspired by the power of Jake’s amazing love for Amy. There’s something so incredibly touching about the way he instantly reassures her and tells her it’s not her fault when she’s upset and the way he says her name and delivers the speech as he truly means what he’s saying as he’ll always love her with all of his incredibly big, loving heart and as long as they’re together, everything will be ok and they can get through anything as even the saddest, hardest things are bearable when they face them together (he even gave her a piece of cake with a heart on it, it’s not possible for him to be more in love with her. <3 <3). I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more supportive, heartfelt yet heartbreaking, genuinely sweet and romantic moment on TV and it’s the sweetest and most selfless act of unconditional romantic love that I’ve ever seen and definitely the most beautiful thing that I’ve ever heard. 10/10

7 Ding Dong – After the six month time jump in ‘Trying’ made it stand out a bit, this ep maybe feels more like the ‘Brooklyn 99’ that most fans know. A big bombshell is dropped early on in this ep, though as it turns out that Wuntch has passed away. Holt’s initial reactions were pretty funny and it was incredible to watch Andre Braugher throwing bagels at everyone while shouting ‘bagel!’ After our hearts all broke for Peraltiago in ‘Trying’ and we were all so moved by their love, support and commitment to each other and the message that they would be fine and so in love and supportive of each other whether or not they conceived, it’s mentioned in this ep that Amy’s taking hormone treatments to help with trying to conceive. This means that she’s more emotional than usual and is sweating lots and experiencing mood changes (not unlike like her drunkenness scale.) All the scenes with Amy and Rosa trying to help Holt with Wuntch’s eulogy were so good and the lines about ‘Cheddar’s doggy toothpaste’ and ‘refried beans’ always crack me up. The balloon arches were a nice callback to Rosa’s wedding in S4 and I liked the dynamic between the three of them and Holt and Wuntch’s nephew Adam discussing Wuntch and comparing stories and insults was great too. This plot was so full of twists and turns and I liked that despite his apparent hatred of Madeleine, Holt made a surprisingly heartfelt speech about what she meant to him and the role they played in each other’s lives. Meanwhile, Jake has tickets to the new ‘Kwazy cupcakes’ movie and Terry and Boyle take things to extremes when they fight over the tickets and the chance to take their kids to the movie. This plot had lots of great moments and lines, such as ‘title of mine sextape’ and ‘that’s not how tickets work’ but it makes me sad when Terry and Charles tell Jake that he doesn’t understand because he’s not a Dad and it kind of breaks my heart to hear them say that after all the pain and disappointment that Peraltiago have been through. I just feel so bad for him in that moment as he was super sweet and didn’t want to upset Terry or Charles and he really wants to be a parent as Peraltiago have been trying for a kid for months with no luck. The ending is super beautiful and heartwarming though as it’s revealed that Amy’s heightened emotions and mood changes weren’t because of the hormone treatments as it turns out that she’s pregnant. 😊 😊 <3 <3 The scene when she tells Jake and they hug is such an incredibly sweet and perfect scene and I love everything about it as the fact that he immediately asks if she’s ok shows how thoughtful he is and the way he reacts to the positive test is so touching and adorable, he’s just so thrilled and I couldn’t be happier for them. <3 <3 <3 It’s such an incredible moment and watching their journey and struggle makes it all the more special to watch them get the positive test and happiness that they so deserve, as they’re such deserving parents and they’re so delighted and in love and will definitely be the best parents. <3 10/10

8 The Takeback – It’s time for another Doug Judy ep and it’s such a good one. It turns out that DJ’s getting married and Jake’s hurt that he wasn’t invited to the wedding so ends up going to Doug’s bachelor party and becomes involved in trying to do a reverse heist with Doug’s friends in the hotel. It was great to see Doug’s sister, Trudy Judy, again and I loved all the scenes on the plane and with Jake as Matt Daniel and when Jake and Doug sang together. It was so cute when they mentioned Jake’s adorable proposal to Amy as well. <3 Meanwhile, Amy, Charles and H and S are looking into getting a new vending machine and all the different ideas they suggested, such as Boyle’s fish balls idea and H and S’s pizza oven were so funny, as were Amy’s reactions. Holt’s back as the captain again and the line about the Cheddar figurine was a nice nod to the podium prank cold open and I love all the bagel references in this season. There were some great parts in the plot with Holt, Rosa and Terry too as the bit about selfies was funny and I liked the ‘swinging’ line and the running joke of Rosa not wanting to be involved when it wasn’t going well and wanting to be involved when it worked out. After Doug and Judy seem to get mad at Jake for arresting Doug’s friends, it’s revealed that it was all part of a plan and that Doug actually wanted Jake to be his best man. <3 The scene when he asks Jake to be his best man (or bm as Boyle would say) was so great and heartwarming. 9/10

9 Dillman – This featured a cool callback to Holt’s line in the S6 crime scene episode by introducing us to Dillman, one of the best detectives that Holt’s ever worked with. Jake’s hoping to get a spot on Holt’s new taskforce and when a prank backfires in the precinct and shoots glitter all over his desk, he hopes to solve the case of who put the glitter bomb there and prove that he deserves to be on the taskforce. However, Holt brings Dillman (who was mentioned in 'The crime scene') in to work the case and he’s just as logical and serious as Holt. There were some great moments in this ep, such as Holt and Terry talking about  ‘Uptown Funk’, Rosa talking about ‘Drake’s Hollow’ with Dillman and her reaction to her buzzfeed result in the flashback. (Jake’s reaction to Rosa talking about her mother and the soap opera was sweet too.) Boyle’s lines about Niko ‘trying to make him jealous’ by making friends at school and Jake’s reactions are super funny too and I love that even though Jake’s initially disappointed about Boyle getting the taskforce position instead of him, he’s still super proud of Charles and happy for him and is so supportive and encouraging (which really goes to show what a truly wonderful friend he is and how thoughtful and kind he is as the taskforce meant a lot to Jake and he deserves a win as he’s been through a lot lately and in the show as a whole so the fact that he went all out to support Boyle really proves that he’s decent and selfless and truly is ‘a prince of a man’ as Boyle would say.) I always like the bit when Boyle talks about being a cleaner at college and calls himself a cleaning lady as where lesser shows would use that as an excuse to make sexist jokes that laugh at the idea of men being cleaners, this show made a point of saying that there should be more equality for terms such as cleaning lady as domestic tasks/cleaning shouldn’t be widely associated with only one gender. The bit about the ‘double back’ and the ‘thank you for gasping at my gasp’ line make me laugh too and I love the bit about the Yarn Barn and calling a whodunnit a ‘who has done this?’ and the scene when Jake and Amy tell each other that they’ll always support each other and be on each other’s side is so cute and underrated too. 9/10

10 Admiral Peralta – This ep’s so amazing. The cold open with Peraltiago announcing that they’re going to be parents was so adorable and lovely as you could tell how delighted and excited they were to tell everyone. However, it also kind of made me sad that they didn’t get a bigger reaction as it was something that they’d wanted for so long and they were so excited to tell everyone so I really think that they deserved a much bigger reaction. That being said, I thought it was very clever, meta and funny how they made a joke about how TV shows (including this one) typically hide real life pregnancies when an actor gets pregnant but their pregnancy isn’t written into the show. Holt and Terry had a kind of ‘Whiplash’ plot in this ep(which makes sense as JK Simmons was in 7 x 9) and the ‘garbage man’/’muffin man’ bit always cracks me up. Jake’s Dad returned in this ep too and while he’s got a long way to go to be considered a good Dad, he’s certainly had a lot of growth since he was first on the show and it’s really admirable how this show develops the side and recurring characters as well as the leads. After talking with his Dad and realising that none of the Peralta men have good relationships with their Dads, Jake invites his Dad’s Dad, Walter to the sex reveal party for baby Peraltiago (I love the show so much for calling it a sex reveal and not a gender reveal as it wasn’t about presuming what their kid will be like or be interested in based on whether they’re born female or male as it was just about finding out the biological sex, which I love.) The bit about the ‘curse’ of bad Peralta Dads might partly explain some of Jake’s concerns about having kids in Casecation and it was so sweet that Jake wanted his family to be closer for his future child and that he wanted his Dad and Granddad to get along now that he has a family of his own. He handled it all in such a sweet, mature way and the Bruce Willis cry hard parenting book was too funny. I love that he’s reading parenting books and is already so invested in being a Dad and wants to always be there for his future kid. Even when they find out they’re having a boy, which might have made Jake worry as his Dad talked about the ‘curse’ of Peralta men being negligent fathers to sons, Jake remained optimistic and determined to do the right thing and the best thing for Amy and their unborn baby. The phone call with Amy was so cute too and I can’t believe that Roger and Walter are related to Jake as Jake’s pure, loving and kind-hearted, which couldn’t really be said for them. Even though Roger and Walter don’t part on good terms (after Roger cuts his thumb off again), it’s a testament to how wholesome, supportive and pure of heart Jake is that they were actually almost starting to get along and bond in this ep. Boyle was a mood throughout the whole episode too. The scene when Roger tells Jake that he’ll be a great Dad is such a lovely moment as I love that he recognises that his son didn’t inherit any of his selfishness and that Jake will truly be an incredible Dad and break the curse and cycle for good with his devotion to his family. It was also so sweet that Jake told Roger he’d be a good Grandpa, as it took a lot of maturity and strength to hold Roger accountable while also still being really nice and forgiving after everything he put Jake and Karen through. Meanwhile, Amy’s angry at H and S for not taking down the name of a witness in an important case but it’s revealed that they actually didn’t make a note of it as they were undocumented- H and S being surprisingly caring and woke is always great to see. The scene when Amy’s pretending to punish them and Rosa’s telling them to have fun on their ‘suspension’ is just too funny. The framed ultrasound and wedding pics in J and A’s flat were so cute and I love the last scene when Jake gets another cake to tell Amy that they’re having a boy, it’s such a lovely, heartwarming scene, it’s so adorable how happy and excited they are. <3 10/10

11 Valloweaster – It’s time for another heist, but this time it’s three heists over six months! It starts at Halloween (a flashback to the previous Halloween when Jake and Amy were trying) and all the scenes with talking about Jake and Holt being the 92 dream team and the flashbacks to domestic Peraltiago watching movies together was everything. I loved that Cheddar returned for the heist and it was cute that Jake said he didn’t want there to be any betrayals and when he complimented Amy’s pumpkin costume. They then stop the heist when Cheddar swallows the gems they’re trying to obtain (which led to some great moments) and then came back to restart the heist on Valentine’s day. It was cute when Amy reminded Boyle that she’s married to Jake and therefore has a very special relationship with him when Boyle said that he and Jake had the only unbreakable bond in the precinct. The running jokes of the gems being swallowed, Rosa being paired with Scully and Boyle’s hands moving whenever Amy moved her arms because of the handcuffs were so good. Bill almost returned for this ep and has apparently had quite a rough time of it. The heist then restarts two months later, in April and while this is still one of my fave heists, I really wish they hadn’t done the fake therapist bit where it turns out that Amy hired an actress to pretend to give Jake therapy sessions so that she (and Rosa) could listen in on the sessions to get heist info. I get that everyone’s famously ooc and can forgive anything on heist days and that anything goes but I think they took it way too far, even for a heist, as Jake did not deserve that, especially because of his trust issues, which made the whole thing feel way too much like a violation and just so wrong especially as it wasn't just something that happened on heist days and could actually make it difficult for him to ever completely trust therapists in the future. The scene when Rosa was revealed to have won not just the Easter heist but the Halloween and Valentine’s day heists was so incredible and iconic though and I love so much about this ep. It was great to get confirmation that Rosa still has Arlo and I loved the scene with her coronation at the bar as it was adorable when Jake looked at Amy with heart eyes and defended her when Holt disrespected her, it was so cute and reminded me of when Amy defended him in Honeymoon. <3 9.25/10

12 Ransom – It was great to get lots of sweet Holt and Kevin content in this ep and all the scenes with their fluffy boy, Cheddar, were too cute. <3 <3 This time, their poor fluffy boy’s been kidnapped/dognapped and they enlist Jake’s help to get him back. The scene when Holt talked about the kidnapper’s watch being slow is so funny and every scene with Jake and his Dads was gold and I loved all the scenes with Jake and Kevin switching places and talking about birdwatching and saying ‘indeed, indeed, indeed’ instead of ‘cool, cool, cool’ so much. The running joke of Jake saying ‘Wario cheats’ is great too. I love that Jake made a sacrifice to save Cheddar and that Holt went to save Jake, it was so heartwarming, as seeing Jake in danger was stressful and sad, even if it still ended up being funny with Jake talking about how painful the fake beard was, which reminded me of Safe house. Holt and Kevin’s reactions to seeing Cheddar again were really wholesome too. Meanwhile, I love that Rosa was so supportive of Amy when she went with her to buy a stroller, it was so awesome. Amy’s ‘who’s that mama?’ song was so brill and it was super sweet to see a glowing, pregnant Amy with a baby bump (especially as Melissa was pregnant in real life) Unfortunately, Amy’s annoying, boring ex T*ddy was at the same store as the Sleuth sisters to try and win a stroller because his wife is pregnant. The scenes with them were funny but I just dislike his character soo much. I think it’s really clever how the show used T*ddy to criticise and explore the ‘nice guy’ trope in an exaggerated way and depict how tropes such as running to stop the wedding, not taking no for an answer and trying to sabotage someone else’s relationship aren’t cute or romantic at all. I was so upset when T*ddy ended up winning the stroller that should have been the Peraltiago baby’s stroller and was super mad when he still tried to propose to Amy (like, literally, this dude needs to be stopped, what is his problem? He’s married with a kid on the way and Amy is very happily married and pregnant with Jake’s baby!) I kinda hope she ends up getting a restraining order so that he stops bothering her and leaves her and Jake alone. I loved the Amy and Rosa scenes so much as it was so sweet that Rosa was worried that Amy wouldn’t like the stroller she’d already got for her because she was looking at others and Amy reassured her that she’d like any stroller that came from Rosa, it was really touching. The Terry and Charles plot was fun too as Charles wanting to call the company ‘bone bros’ and saying that all that that name makes him think of is friendship and broth is so funny, as is the line about Boyle wearing a thong and the part when all the jars of ‘bone broth’ explode. 9.25/10

13 Lights out – Such a beautiful episode and season finale. <3 <3 It’s Amy’s last day of work before maternity leave but when there’s a blackout across the city and Holt and Terry are stuck in an elevator, it’s up to Amy (as the highest ranking officer after Holt and Terry) to take charge and run the precinct. It was so cute to hear Jake call her ‘my pregnant wife’ after all their struggles to conceive and his pride and awe of Amy taking charge and being a queen and a leader is always lovely to see as was the moment when he helped her up in the cold open. <3 <3 In general, Jake’s his usual caring, attentive, supportive self throughout this whole ep as even when he and Boyle were out on a case, he did everything he could to try and get back to Amy to be there for her and to see their son’s birth. I love that he definitely made it a priority to get back for the birth but made sure that he helped everyone who needed it and did all he could to help everyone. I also love that the pregnancy book was on his desk and that he immediately knew that Amy on was page 53 with her labour as it was awesome that he was just so excited about it rather than being grossed out or not knowing or caring what stage she was at as they are well and truly in it together and just the best team. Charles was super funny about calling himself ‘Uncle Chee Chee’ and the bit when he couldn’t believe that Peanut butter was a lieutenant was so funny. Holt talking about the elevators was so good too and I love how supportive Rosa was when Amy was in labour, as she timed her contractions and made sure she was ok. It was also nice that despite the rivalry with the fire department, they mostly put it aside as the firefighters helped deliver Amy and Jake’s baby boy and Holt and Terry’s ‘push it’ dance was so wonderful and very fitting for a birth scene. The parallel between Amy screaming as she was giving birth and Jake screaming while riding Peanut butter was iconic. It was so lovely to see how happy and excited Jake and Amy were to see each other when he made it back in time to see their son’s birth. <3 The last scene with Peraltiago snuggling and holding their adorable baby boy(who’s named Mac after John McClane) is so perfect and wholesome as they way the look at each other and their son with glowing, love-filled heart eyes is the sweetest thing and I love that they’re so in love and so proud of each other and talk about how they’ll support their son no matter what and it’s so beautiful that they both hold him. I love that Amy calls their son perfect and it’s cool that Jake talked about how he was ok with not seeing Holt and Terry’s dance as he’s just so happy to be holding his son but still wanted it to see the video of the dance as this proved that while he still has his fun, goofy side he also has nothing but compassion and love for his newborn son. 10/10

S8 1 The Good Ones – Quite a serious, heavy start to the new and sadly last season of the show. It was cool that the show acknowledged COVID with Jake and Boyle’s COVID five and felt quite in character for them. (Although it said that this bit took place in June 2020 which is before Amy gave birth so a bit unsure about the timeline.)  One of the big twists and changes to the dynamic comes when Rosa reveals that she’s quitting the force to become a PI because of BLM and the murder of George Floyd, which I really respect her for. It’s revealed that she’s going to become a PI for victims of police brutality. We then have a time jump to show Amy coming back to work after maternity leave and it was nice to see everyone together again. After not hanging out for months, Rosa and Jake work together to help get justice for Ms Fulton, a black woman who was horrifically assaulted by racist cops. It makes sense that Jake would miss working with Rosa as she’s one of his closest friends and it was great to see them together again even if a lot of their scenes were super sad. Ms Fulton was understandably less than thrilled to be talking to a cop about what happened and his well-intentioned attempts to put her mind at ease don’t go over too well. Rosa and Jake have a serious discussion about her reasons for quitting the force and I love her so much for doing what she knew was right for her and supporting people who have been treated terribly by the police. My heart almost broke at the thought of Rosa and Jake no longer being friends though and while Jake made some very well-intentioned mistakes with how he initially went about things, we know how incredibly caring and decent he is and the fact that he helped Rosa get the footage by distracting the truly terrible police union chief, Frank O’Sullivan, proves that he genuinely cares and is such a great person who wants to do the right thing and wants to make the world a better place. Jake felt a bit like a representation of the show as a whole here by being as wonderful, lovely and progressive as they come but rethinking some things about policework and the NYPD. I understand why they did it but it seems a shame that Jake's one of the only leads to be criticised in that way and talk about being part of the problem as he's not worse than the other main characters and is in fact just about the loveliest person ever and such an exceptional friend but I really love that he helped Rosa, as it proves that he’s an amazing friend and that their friendship is still strong as Rosa said that they were family (just like with Amy and Holt having a strong friendship still.) Meanwhile, Terry taught Charles a valuable, important lesson about how to be a genuinely supportive ally to people of colour to show him that being purely performative doesn’t really help anyone. While being genuinely woke is great, it was important and necessary for Terry to call Boyle out for going about it in a performative way rather than a totally genuine, empathetic way(although with how the Rosa and Jake plot went, it’s frustrating that Boyle didn’t seem to fully learn his lesson or totally get it) loved the Amy and Holt plot (as well as the references to the sex book Terry kept denying was his back in S6) as it makes sense that maintaining a close bond with Holt would be very important for Amy and the cult line was so funny. It was heart-breaking but touching when Holt revealed to Amy the real reason why he’d been acting differently around her as he told her the super sad news that he and Kevin had split up, breaking everyone’s hearts. ☹ It was however, very moving that he felt that he could talk to Amy about it and reassured her that they were as close as ever, if not closer, as he hadn’t officially told anyone else. 7.5/10

2 The Lakehouse – Such an incredible ep! After learning about Holt and Kevin separating, the squad go with Holt to their lakehouse (although it’s not actually a house by a lake, it’s named after a scholar called Lake) but Jake’s got a plan to reunite his Dads as he invited Kevin up to the house, hoping that they’d reconcile. It doesn’t look like things are that great between our Dads to begin with, unfortunately, but Terry joins in with Jake’s scheme or stratagem and Holt and Kevin seem to bond when Kevin gets stung by bees and is temporarily blinded as Holt describes the Corncrake, the bird they were always hoping to see together and they seem to be really connecting. Meanwhile, new mama Amy is trying everything to get little Mac to sleep but Boyle keeps butting in and trying to offer to help. Although, even if he was just trying to help, it was actually pretty uncalled for and quite rude and hurtful for him to say that Mac was ‘getting the care he needs’ when Amy handed Mac to Charles and he instantly got Mac to sleep, as Amy’s a fantastic mama and loves her son so much and was doing all she could. It was so cute to hear them say Mac’s name so many times and I loved the little bits of Peraltiago interacting with him together and the scenes with Jake holding Mac and taking him inside and when he was so happy to see Mac in a good mood, which was so adorable, that whole scene was so sweet. Rosa being high on edibles was everything too, that was so iconic and it was nice that she and Scully bonded. It was also so awesome that they mentioned that she was taking them for anxiety as while she's not the character that people might have expected to have anxiety, it's great that it was mentioned in a way that acknowledges it without making it a big deal, especially as having a character that's as badass, tough and strong as Rosa talking about anxiety may really help viewers who struggle with it. I liked it when Jake compared the birds to ducks and referenced Sonic the hedgehog. Poor little Mac ended up getting locked in a room by Charles and Amy was understandably VERY annoyed with him about it. Boyle trying to hide the fact that Mac was locked in the room from Amy was funny and it was cool to see such a badass move from Ames as she broke the door down to get to her little one. The last scene with Boyle and Amy was nice though. There seems to be hope for Holt and Kevin getting back together as well as it turns out that Kevin knew that Holt hadn’t made the right bird call but went to him anyway as he wanted to see him and be with him. <3 Holt’s line about ‘trash birds’ made me laugh and I liked the foreshadowing with Kevin talking about Holt mixing up birds before. 10/10

3 Blue Flu- A lot happened in this episode. I lost it when Holt called ‘Aquaman’ ‘Aquatic man’ and I liked the running joke about the prongs and the big ‘whoop’ and it was great to have some repeated, running jokes from the season such as trying to find out what Holt’s tattoo is. All the references mad me so curious... Jake and Boyle had some great moments too, with the Dianne Weist reference and Jake demonstrating what a great best friend he is and how well he knows Charles. I also love that he encouraged Boyle to open up and explore his fears, that was so awesome, healthy and great, they really have one of the healthiest friendships between two men that I’ve ever seen on TV. It was quite a sad plot with the night boys though as Boyle was worried that he might have cancer (he turned out to be fine, though and his line about mono being the ‘cousin’ disease was pretty funny.) The fact that Boyle, Holt and Jake all ended up eating the ‘ass’ cheese was funny and sad and I liked how Boyle’s speech ended up inspiring Holt (well, kind of) and he ended up thinking about everything differently and looking into reform and the idea of defunding the police, which is so great. The plot with other precincts sending their Hitchcock and Scully types worked well, especially as Scully’s been missing Hitchcock since he retired. The references to the back scratch circle and the detectives from the other precincts pretending to walk their beats and track their steps but actually using the massage chairs was pretty funny. Terry talking about ‘toughness’ was quite relatable regardless of reputation, size or situation as well. 8.75/10

4 Balancing – Such an amazing, top tier episode! There was so much domestic Peraltiago and baby Mac content, which was adorable! (Although I don’t think that they’d ever actually forget their son as they love him so much and with the daycare bit, they thought the other was with him. Also, when we saw little Mac at the end, he seemed quite a bit bigger than the baby in the stroller earlier but still so precious and sweet. <3 ) I felt bad for Jake and Amy though as it seems like everything was against them and everything that could go wrong did go wrong, as they got lice from Mac’s daycare and there was no one to watch Mac so they had to bring him into work and Jake worked while looking after him. The fact that they were an incredible team who consistently listened to and supported each other while Jake prioritised their son and Amy's work over his own dream proves how amazing they are together and that they can get through anything together as they’re the best team and if they can get through that week, they can make it through whatever life throws their way as they had a lot to deal with in this ep. I love that it didn’t cause them to turn on each other or resent each other and they didn’t want to stop the other from working as they value what matters to the other and didn’t see it as less important. I felt bad for them when Amy seemed a bit bummed out in the last scene too, especially as they had such a hard time conceiving so it makes me extra sad that they’ve got different challenges now and that it didn't really seem to show many if any positives or advantages of having kids, which is pretty upsetting as they were so excited to become parents :(. However, the last scene was also super sweet and proves once and for all that they’re the healthiest het couple on TV as Amy didn’t want to talk about her big win at work too much as Jake had to miss out on catching his arch enemy, Franzia(last mentioned in S5) and Jake didn’t want to talk about how great it was to see Mac stand up for the first time as he knew she wouldn't have wanted to miss it (although it isn't quite the same as Amy will get to see Mac pull himself up and maybe other milestones but Jake won't get another chance with Franzia.) This all just proves that they’re soulmates and proves how kind, caring and compassionate and supportive they are. I also love that Jake always thinks that Amy looks great and that he said that they did do it all (parenting and work) together, it was so sweet. Amy’s reaction to Jake giving up the chance to catch Franzia was so lovely as it was such a big declaration of love and commitment to Amy and Mac that he gave up something that he’d wanted for years. Jake’s reaction to Mac standing up was beyond beautiful and adorable too, it was so precious and perfect. Mac’s the cutest and has just the BEST and most loving parents ever. <3 <3 I also liked that when Amy went to do her reform presentation (which she crushed as we all knew she would), Terry poured water over her opponent’s trousers, as he was an awful ‘hud’ who was going to pitch something that was basically racial profiling and pouring water on him was a nice callback to Terry’s childhood competing days and the fact that Terry’s been profiled himself made this moment very powerful. Meanwhile, Holt’s moved in with Rosa as couples’ therapy with Kevin isn’t going well. The scenes with Rosa growing more frustrated with Holt talking about Kevin nonstop and the revelation that Cheddar’s learning French were so awesome and fab and it was hilarious when it was revealed that Holt sent Kevin a ‘digital phallus portrait’ or ‘dick pic’ when he was drunk! Rosa and Holt then go to try and get to Kevin’s computer before he sees it but based on Kevin’s reaction to seeing them and his reply to the ‘phallus portrait’, they are very much still interested in getting back together, which is great news for everyone. 10/10

5 PB and J- It's the final Doug Judy episode so it’s going to be an emotional one. I liked that while the entire episode was dedicated to the Jake and Doug Judy plot, which isn’t usually the case with DJ eps, all the other leads got a moment in the ep and played a part in the story. I loved seeing Trudy Judy too, she’s so iconic and the Dog Judy bit was kinda funny, tbh. I liked the tigers and toucans motif for Jake and Judy or PB and J as they called themselves and it was awesome to get a Taylor Swift reference and there were just so many twists and turns and surprises. I loved Rosa’s take on the ‘Rosa’ song which involved turning it into a  ‘Judy’ song and it was nice to see Boyle finally meeting DJ, (although I expected him to be jealous more than he was) and the friendship game was good. Poor Jake seemed to be in danger at one point but I liked that despite all the twists and misdirection, Jake and Judy truly love and trust each other and would do anything for each other as they enjoy spending time together and it was interesting that the focus on the ‘journey not the destination’ was a recurring message throughout. It was a very touching ending as despite trying to catch him for years (technically since even before the first series), Jake actually ended up helping Doug escape jail and become a free man so that Doug and his wife could have a nice life. The last conversation between PB and J and their final hug was very moving, as you can feel how much they value their friendship with the other and how much they care about each other as Jakey looked quite emosh during their last hug. <3 <3 8.75/10

6 The Set up – Even though this wasn’t an especially sad or emotional ep, it still kinda broke my heart and left me feeling down and, much like parts of episode 1, it's a pretty tough watch for Jake stans. Jake wants to get involved in a big FBI case and compares it to ‘Speed’ and gets super invested in the case, none of which is too out of character for him as he’s done similar things before. However, the tone and framing is very different here as Jake ends up arresting the wrong person and is punished and criticised for his actions (which isn't too new either as he's used to being criticised and has even been wrongfully suspended but this was done in a serious way and (to my knowledge) it's the first time he's ever arrested the wrong person.) Jake then starts to wonder if he was set up and they all know that awful Frank O’Sullivan wants to sabotage Amy’s police reform program and is generally just the absolute worst-  he even made Holt so angry that he ended up in a ‘huff’ because of how terrible O’Sullivan is and ‘huffy’ Holt was truly something else. Amy then goes out for drinks with O’Sullivan to get him to reveal if he set Jake up but when Amy gets super drunk, she and Rosa switch clothes and places for a bit until both of the Sleuth sisters are completely hammered. The drunk Sleuth sisters scenes were so incredible, they were amazing and I loved the phone call with Holt and Amy’s British accent, it was awesome. It’s then revealed that Jake wasn’t set up and that it’s actually O’Sullivan’s fault that all the candy that Terry and Boyle were selling to Scully ended up disappearing (the scenes with Terry, Boyle and Scully singing and arguing over the candy and sweets were all so good too.) I loved Jake saying that he and Amy are a team and the Sleuth sisters drunkenly cycling was iconic, as was Rosa in a nun’s outfit. Jake is very severely told off by Holt and is punished with a suspension. O’Sullivan tried to offer Jake the chance to avoid a punishment but Jake proved how decent and great he is by accepting his mistake, apologising and facing the consequences and punishment. I hate O’Sullivan soo much and really hope he gets a comeuppance/punishment of some kind but I love the show for the great message about how important it is that all cops are held accountable and own up to their mistakes and face consequences, it was so important. It made me super sad that this happened with Jake though as he’s had so much development over the seasons and we know that he’s so decent, loyal, caring and progressive and it doesn’t feel like something he’d do so late on in the show especially after his time in prison changed his outlook and made it harder to arrest people in case they were innocent. I was also concerned that he might be painted as a ‘bad guy’ so late on in the run or as 'worse' than the other leads as I don't like that none of the awful cops got punished but the fact that Jake was so willing to admit when he was wrong and didn’t try to defend himself or let the corrupt system work in his favour was very admirable and mature. The little phone call with Ames at home with the baby stuff was so cute too. 7.5/10

7 Game of Boyles – Such an amazing ep! Boyle, Terry and Jake are heading out to the Boyle family farm for the funeral of Papi Boyle. However, in a ‘Knives out’ style twist, Jake suspects that the late patriarch was actually murdered although Terry initially thinks he’s bored from being suspended (the Harriet the spy line was pretty funny). All the scenes with Boyle cousins were too funny and I love all the scenes with the Boyle cousins and the ‘HJ’ line made me cry with laughter, as did the bit with the cups of tea and the rocking chairs in the interrogation scene. (Jake and Terry’s reactions were brill too.) After doing some DNA tests to find out more about the cause of Papi’s death, it’s revealed that Charles isn’t biologically related to the other Boyles, as his biological father isn’t the man everyone thought he was and wasn’t a part of the Boyle family. I loved how supportive Jake and Terry were, as Jake telling Charles that being a Boyle is what’s in your heart and telling him that he believed in him when he tried to prove that he was the ‘one true Boyle’ was so touching and lovely and such a brilliant message as you just know that blood/DNA isn’t important and that Jake wouldn’t have to be biologically related to a kid for him to love them whole-heartedly and be like a Dad to them. It was clever how it all came together as well as even though Papi wasn’t murdered, there were subtle hints that Jake picked up on that revealed that Boyle’s cousin, Sam, had tried to exclude Charles from the funeral and the rest of the family. Meanwhile, Holt’s still living with Rosa as he and Kevin are getting competitive about couple’s counselling. I loved all the Nancy Meyers references so much, they made my heart so happy. Even though we obviously all want Holt and Kevin to be together and don’t want them to be with anyone else, all the scenes with the online dating profile were hilarious and it was a clever twist that Holt was only pretending to go on a date with Todd, as well as being a very funny scene. We also got one of the most romantic moments ever, as Kevin and Holt literally had a romcom moment of running to each other and kissing in the rain, which truly was just the best thing and was so romantic, heartfelt and beautiful, especially as we’ve never seen them kiss onscreen before and they’re typically so formal and serious. 10/10

8 Renewal – Such a beautiful, brilliant episode! Holt and Kevin have officially reconciled and are having a vow renewal ceremony (the bit about the salad forks and napkins was too funny.) Holt also reveals his plans to retire in order to prioritise his relationship with Kevin. Amy is not told about this until much later in the episode though and I really, really love that Jake never wanted to lie to her as it’s such a good sign and proves how healthy their relationship is. Amy does end up finding out and is in a state of shock, so much so that Terry picks her up and carries her like a doll (it was good to see some Amy and Terry content as it feels like we’ve not had as many storylines with them.) Meanwhile, Jake and Holt work one last case together to prove that O’Sullivan’s fudging the numbers on the reform program. (I loved the bit about Amy loving numbers and Holt flirting with O’Sullivan’s mother and Jake’s reaction was too funny.) Holt then asks for Jake’s advice on what to do as he doesn’t really want to retire but doesn’t want to prioritise work over his marriage either. It was really touching that he asked Jake for advice as it shows how much their dynamic has progressed and how far they’ve come. Jake’s reply was simple yet so perfect and beautiful too as he gave such a lovely speech about how much he loves Amy and how just being with her and looking at her makes him feel ok about everything as his incredible love for her is too powerful for this world and can get him through anything. It was super sweet that they referenced this lovely moment at the end of the ep when Jake held Amy’s hand and smiled with his signature heart eyes to tell her that everything would be ok because they have each other. <3 <3. I also love that Holt referenced Jake’s heartfelt speech in his vows and I loved the whole vows scene as it was great to see them with their fluffy boy and I loved that Kevin called the squad their family. Rosa and Cheddar had some hilarious moments too and I loved the stare down bit so much. Terry talking about Billy Joel and being called a superfan was so funny too. After the vow renewal, it’s revealed that both Holt isn’t retiring after all and that he and Amy are getting promoted in the reform department. Jake’s reaction to Amy getting offered a promotion to become a chief was everything, it was so perfect, he was so genuinely happy, proud and excited for her. I love her dork dance so much too and I don’t think any other TV/sitcom men love their partner as deeply and selflessly as Jake loves Amy, omg. 10/10

9 The Last day part 1- It’s time for one last (SUPER meta) heist and two part finale! I loved how meta it really was. The cold open gave me HalloVeen vibes with Holt and Peraltiago getting excited about the heist and I loved it. Terry’s ‘Terry loves waking up’ alarm was awesome too. Speaking of Terry, it turns out that he’s got an interview to become the new captain of the 99. While I always thought that it’d be Amy who’d take on this role after Holt, it makes sense for her character to be in a more admin type role and Terry will definitely be a great captain. It turns out that the other reason for the heist is so that Jake can say goodbye as he’s leaving the force to a be a stay at home Dad. It made me a bit sad to think of Jake not being at the 99 anymore as I want him to have everything that he dreams of and I don’t like to think about him giving up so much as he would NEVER be like his Dad, no matter what and he’s always wanted to be a detective and in the past he’s been bored when he’s not had work and it sucks that stay at home parents often feel isolated and extremely unappreciated and disrespected and lose their identity and so much confidence (although maybe this all ties into this season’s message about him being uncomfortable with being a cop after ACAB and BLM and discovering that he can have a life and identity outside of work and well and truly break the 'bad Dad' cycle without having to even worry about it for a minute as no matter what awful things he's been through, he feels that having Amy and Mac in his life is enough for him and he's happy as long as he has them.) It truly was the most beautiful, selfless, lovely and incredible gesture ever and I love him so much for sacrificing so many of his own wants and dreams for his family, as Mac and Amy mean the world to him. It’s so moving and sweet that he does it because of his love for his family and I really don't know many others who'd give up a job that they love that much and associate themselves so much with and the fact that he did it for purely selfless reasons and out of his love for Mac and desire to support Amy definitely makes him the best husband and Dad in the world, as he didn’t even have any resentment for Amy or the others for getting to have careers or do it to get a thank you or anything in return. I bet anyone who implied he was anything other than a brilliant Dad in the Lakehouse ep feels quite differently now. His speech to Amy was beyond moving and heartfelt and their kiss was truly magical, they really are the healthiest and most beautiful couple, no other het couple can ever compare in my opinion. The heist’s full of twists and turns and I loved getting to see Peraltiago team up for a heist, I always hoped that they would. The magnet suits bit was so funny, as were Holt’s magnet puns. Jake calling Amy lovely melted my heart (although every scene with them does tbh) and I loved getting to see Cheddar again, as well as reliving loads of iconic, beloved moments and meeting recurring characters again, such as Queen G herself-Gina, Caleb, Bill and Pimento. They even took a trip to Wuntch’s grave and recreated ‘I want it that way’. The Sleuth sister content was amazing too and I loved seeing badass Rosa. Amy talking about the dog she adopted despite her allergies was great too. I also can't believe that we actually got to see Holt's tattoo, that was a cool surprise. However, in the final scene, Boyle seems heartbroken to learn that Jake’s leaving the force. 9.99/10 

10 The Last day part 2 – There were some great moments between Jake and Charles in this final part of the finale, I loved the reference back to fancy brudgrom with Jake getting the photo of them in the magazine, it was such a thoughtful, lovely thing to do for Boyle, he really deserves the love and praise he’s had from Boyle over the years and more. All the thoughtful gifts from Jake were super moving too, as I love that in part 1 he referenced the tie he’d got for Holt to commemorate how he started wearing them when Holt arrived and the games night present for Rosa was so beautiful and touching, my heart's so happy at the thought of them continuing the tradition of weekly family game night. It’s sweet that he got Scully a gift too and Jake’s present to Amy was so perfect as the binder necklace with family tabs for the three of them was the most thoughtful and romantic gift that he could have possibly got, I don’t why other men even try when I don’t think many others could be half as understanding, caring, supportive, loving and sweet as Jake (and Andy) and I don’t know if many other sitcom men could even come close. Speaking of Andy, we even got a brief appearance from his real life wife, the incredibly talented and iconic, Joanna Newsom, and what a queen she is. Andy deserves all the awards for pretending not to be completely head over heels for her. We also got a scene with Mlepclaynos (although he referred to himself as Jerry) and sadly T*ddy returned too. Even though I never believed for a second that it was really happening, just the thought of Amy being back with T*ddy made me feel physically sick, I can’t stand him, especially as poor Jake didn’t even get to meet Bruce Willis after mentioning him earlier  In general, I do kind of wish that everyone had got their perfect goodbye and that Jake had had a win or a big, satisfying moment in the finale or in the show in general or that they hadn't done the coma trick, as he truly deserved a win after everything that he's been through since the show began (as well as his sad childhood and big sacrifices and being betrayed in the finale) and he's proved time and time again that he's the sweetest and most caring and understanding, loyal and loving husband and friend that we've ever seen on TV and doesn't always get as much love back as he shows and gives to everyone and so I didn't like the coma trick bit, especially as it happened in the finale. Also, as Jake didn't even end up getting the goodbye Amy had planned but still had the cruel trick done to him and still had to give up so much when the other parents didn't have to sacrifice, it just feels really unfair to him, especially because of the little scene of Boyle and his new partner at the end. In fact, while I love Peraltiago with my whole heart and like Amy a lot and don't doubt that she loves Jake, it seems like he's the only one who makes sacrifices and loses out in the relationship and is there for her more, while she's arguably the only one in the relationship who gets to feel that competent, confident and capable and so deeply loved and supported, even though she's done some pretty questionable things to him in the heists and has physically hurt him several times. After some more twists and turns, it turns out that Terry got the job and is officially the new captain! His Kool-Aid man moment was great too. Then, everyone ends up back at the precinct where it turns out that Hitchcock won the heist as he hadn’t been in Brazil at all. Jake’s meta comments about his feelings on that were certainly quite relatable. It was nice to get a moment of Hitchcock and Scully hugging though and the donkey Scully bit was so funny. It was great to get a nod to Gina’s cement prank too and I liked the final Sleuth sisters moment as it was an important message with Rosa’s arc that ‘ending up’ with someone is not the only fitting or fulfilling end to a character arc and that it’s not essential for everyone (I know she talked about wanting to be in a relationship earlier in the show and maybe she’ll meet someone someday but it was good to show that not every ‘happy ending’ has to involve a romantic relationship. I wouldn't have minded at all if they'd given us the ultimate power couple, Dianetti, though.) Jake and Holt had one final, very touching moment together and I loved the robot captain reference and the ‘Sex tape’ or ‘sex movie’ joke from Holt and the references to the pilot with Holt saying that Jake has truly grown up and that he’d be proud to have a son like Jake, it was very sweet. The way that Jake looked at Amy when he said it wasn’t a hard decision to leave was the ultimate romantic, beautiful moment as he’s not just giving up any job, he’s giving up and sacrificing his lifelong dream job where he met his true family, friends and the love of his life, and he’s doing it because Amy and Mac mean more to him than work, demonstrating how extremely selfless and loving he is (not that we ever doubted that about him.) I also love that Jake truly is like Holt’s son and that no matter what happened with Jake’s biological Dad, his Dadptain was always a true father to him and was there for him. I really, really loved Jake's speech to the rest of the squad and I loved that everyone wanted to throw everyone a big goodbye/surprise party as I had mixed feelings about how the competitive, over the top/betrayal aspect of the heist would work with the incredibly heartfelt, moving parts of the finale but it mostly worked surprisingly well, as the show has just so much heart anyway. The elevator scene was very moving too (I love that Dan Goor appeared in the finale as a janitor too) and the last scene wasn’t a big, emotional moment as we’d had one with the elevator and goodbye speeches but it was awesome to get the confirmation that everyone will stay in each other’s lives. Nine Nine! 9.9/10