9th Day of (TV) Christmas: Brooklyn Nine-Nine
We're writing about two episodes, because we couldn't agree and in the spirit of the season we're splurging on both. First up, Little C and "Captain Latvia"!
I picked Captain Latvia because the cold open includes Terry getting trapped in the break room by a giant inflatable tree and also a lot of jokes about Latvian orphans. Also this is the episode where the Nine Nine have a sing off with the MTA employees. nothing says Christmas like competitive caroling and being attacked by the decor!
Seriously this episode really highlights how intensively competitive Captain Holt is, and I. Am. Here. For. It. He convinces the squad to bring a drunk from the lockup to help them beat the MTA and pushes everyone else to break the rules. I never love Ray Holt more than when he's being sneaky and manipulative.
In the other plot of the episode, Charles and Jake are on a quest to find the perfect present for Charles's new adopted son Nicholaj. The end up in some of the most wacky hi-jinks including Charles beating a man with a baton while screaming terms of endearment in Latvian.
But for all the funny and snarky moments in this episode, it's the ending that makes it my favorite. The squad are pouting because they lost to the MTA again. Scully refuses to pout because winning isn't the point of Christmas. When they mock him (as the always do) he goes caroling by himself. When he reaches Charles's house the rest of the squad catches up and they all carol off-key together.
CT here, taking over to talk about MY favorite Brooklyn 99 Christmas episode, "The Pontiac Bandit Returns". Because the bromance between Jake and Doug Judy is absolutely my jam in every way.
Doug Judy is my favorite returning character on Brooklyn 99. They've done such a fantastic job of setting him up as Jake's BFF/nemesis. Craig Robinson is hilarious in everything he does, and this is no exception. Judy's obviously a real criminal and deserves to be in prison. But he's just so infectiously charming and earnest that it's impossible to like him.
The setup of Jake having to keep an eye on Judy every second (while working a case where Judy is acting as an informant) is perfect for expanding their relationship into something ever-closer to friendship. Jake tries so freaking hard to hate Doug Judy, to want him beaten forever, but he just can't help how much they have in common. But the true art to this episode is the Charlie Brown with the football setup that we all fall for. No matter how much you want to believe that Doug Judy is genuinely working with the police and Jake is going to finally get his man, we all know that Judy is going to escape. It's just a matter of how. And man is it fun to watch it all happen.
Now all of this is separate from the holiday portion of the episode, which is probably why Little C prefers the Captain Latvia episode. So to support it we get two really fantastic b-stories: Charles and Gina doing their best to split up their dating parents, and Amy accidentally coming across a serious mistake in one of the Captain's old cases while trying to find him the perfect Christmas present. This show has always handled its ensembles well. The pacing between the three storylines is near pitch-perfect.
Happy watching!
CT & Little C
I picked Captain Latvia because the cold open includes Terry getting trapped in the break room by a giant inflatable tree and also a lot of jokes about Latvian orphans. Also this is the episode where the Nine Nine have a sing off with the MTA employees. nothing says Christmas like competitive caroling and being attacked by the decor!
 |
| source IMDB |
Seriously this episode really highlights how intensively competitive Captain Holt is, and I. Am. Here. For. It. He convinces the squad to bring a drunk from the lockup to help them beat the MTA and pushes everyone else to break the rules. I never love Ray Holt more than when he's being sneaky and manipulative.
In the other plot of the episode, Charles and Jake are on a quest to find the perfect present for Charles's new adopted son Nicholaj. The end up in some of the most wacky hi-jinks including Charles beating a man with a baton while screaming terms of endearment in Latvian.
But for all the funny and snarky moments in this episode, it's the ending that makes it my favorite. The squad are pouting because they lost to the MTA again. Scully refuses to pout because winning isn't the point of Christmas. When they mock him (as the always do) he goes caroling by himself. When he reaches Charles's house the rest of the squad catches up and they all carol off-key together.
 |
| source IMDB |
CT here, taking over to talk about MY favorite Brooklyn 99 Christmas episode, "The Pontiac Bandit Returns". Because the bromance between Jake and Doug Judy is absolutely my jam in every way.
Doug Judy is my favorite returning character on Brooklyn 99. They've done such a fantastic job of setting him up as Jake's BFF/nemesis. Craig Robinson is hilarious in everything he does, and this is no exception. Judy's obviously a real criminal and deserves to be in prison. But he's just so infectiously charming and earnest that it's impossible to like him.
 |
| Love you, Pontiac Bandit! |
The setup of Jake having to keep an eye on Judy every second (while working a case where Judy is acting as an informant) is perfect for expanding their relationship into something ever-closer to friendship. Jake tries so freaking hard to hate Doug Judy, to want him beaten forever, but he just can't help how much they have in common. But the true art to this episode is the Charlie Brown with the football setup that we all fall for. No matter how much you want to believe that Doug Judy is genuinely working with the police and Jake is going to finally get his man, we all know that Judy is going to escape. It's just a matter of how. And man is it fun to watch it all happen.
Now all of this is separate from the holiday portion of the episode, which is probably why Little C prefers the Captain Latvia episode. So to support it we get two really fantastic b-stories: Charles and Gina doing their best to split up their dating parents, and Amy accidentally coming across a serious mistake in one of the Captain's old cases while trying to find him the perfect Christmas present. This show has always handled its ensembles well. The pacing between the three storylines is near pitch-perfect.
Happy watching!
CT & Little C
Comments
Post a Comment