Brooklyn Nine-Nine Review: The Pontiac Bandit Part 3

This was another fairly solid, if predictable, installment of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. It says a lot about this show that I can go in knowing the trajectory of an episode ahead of time (if it features the Pontiac Bandit then he will charm Jake and escape by the end of the hour) and still be as entertained as I was here. The whole thing happening on a cruise ship added a fun dimension, and Craig Robinson’s comedic prowess never hurts either (that whole scene in the lounge was fantastic).

However, what really set this episode apart from other Pontiac Bandit installments was that it led to a big Jake and Amy moment: their first “I love you”. They set it up nicely throughout the episode, with Judy giving Jake relationship advice, advice that he luckily took to heart at the end of the episode (I always get my romantic advice from smooth-talking criminals). That whole scene was perfectly in-character, with Amy taking the first step, Jake getting nervous and saying something dumb, but barely giving Amy a chance to look bummed out before realizing he was ready to say it back. They’ve done a great job with that relationship so far this season, making them a couple while maintaining their very different personalities and realistically showing the challenges that arise because of that.

The B and C stories worked better for me in this episode than most, mostly because Holt’s gave us more insight into his out-of-work life, which is always welcome, and Rosa and Boyle’s had an unexpected twist at the end just when I’d written it off as funny but predictable.

I loved seeing Holt as a big brother, and it was great that he pulled back from his own fake drama as soon as he knew how much his sister needed him (that scene was a hilarious gem, even with its somber ending). Holt’s outrage at being labeled as “fun” was great, and the fort bit at the end was really sweet. I’m not sure if Holt’s sister will be sticking around, but she was definitely a fun addition to this episode and fit in well with the crazy characters of the Nine-Nine.

Rosa and Boyle duking it out for the rent-controlled apartment was funny, especially with their wildly different persuasion methods. Like I said, I kind of wrote this one off halfway through, so I was surprised that the landlord ended up being the murderer. Boyle and Rosa picking their fight up again also gave that storyline a fun ending, especially with Boyle nearly forgetting his police duties in his apartment quest.