TL;DR –  A fun episode with a returning great guest star but a lacklustre b-plot

Score – 4 out of 5 stars

Review –

Like most half-an-hour comedy shows Brooklyn Nine-Nine usually has an A and a B plot that different character appears in and maybe come together in the end. However, sometimes one of the plot points just works so much better than the other that it can’t help but overshine it. Well, this might be the problem we have today.

So to set the scene, Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) and Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) decided last week that they were not going to hold off having a baby and that they would start trying right away. Well, things are progressing but everything gets turned on its head when Pimemento (Jason Mantzoukas) burst into the precinct stating that someone is trying to kill him, but then he can’t remember more than 24 hours ago and that 24 hours is from 5 months in the past. Now we will be looking at the episode as a whole so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.   

One of the big defining features of Brooklyn Nine-Nine has been the relationship between Jake and Amy. They have grown from combative frenemies to close friends, to potential lovers, to awkward conversations with their other partners over honey-based foods, to lovers, to betrothal, and now married. Most shows fall apart when the two leads finally get together with some shows going to increasingly ludicrous ways to keep them apart. However, for B99, they have done the opposite and gone from strength to strength. So last week in Captain Kim when they both agree to have a baby right away, it was all about taking that further step. This week we see the outcome of that and the inevitable issues in and around Charles (Joe Lo Truglio), who cannot keep a secret nor keep it cool if his life depended on it. The ark between Charles and Jake throughout the episode was really touching. However, it did feel a little frustrating that with Amy off on the B-plot about workplace conflict that really didn’t go anywhere that there was a missed opportunity there.

Throughout B99’s run, there have been a number of standout guest stars that are always a joy when they pop up and Pimemento is definably one of those. I’m not sure he works as a long-form addition to the show, but as a random ball of chaos, they can through in every now and again he is perfect. Jason is such a delight here as his whole world collapses around him and then resets and happens all over again. This, of course, gets more and more crazier as we go down a Finding Dory rabbit hole. On the flip side with the B-Plot, well, unfortunately, it just felt a bit like filler, with the only surprising moment being finding out who Kelly was, and then finding out we still don’t know who Kelly was.  

In the end, do we recommend Pimemento? Yes, yes we would. I think it shows the strength of B99 that even when it is not firing on all cylinders, it is still really enjoyable. Hell, I’d recommend it for the closing gag about Memento alone.        

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Twitter Here, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

Have you seen Brooklyn Nine-Nine yet ?, let us know what you thought in the comments below, feel free to share this review on any of the social medias and you can follow us Here. Check out all our past reviews and articles Here, and have a happy day.   

Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Directed by – Michael McDonald
Written by – Justin Noble
Created by – Dan Goor & Michael Schur 
Production/Distribution Companies – Fremulon, Dr. Goor Productions, 3 Arts Entertainment, Universal Television, NBCUniversal & SBS.
Starring in Season Seven – Andy Samberg, Stephanie Beatriz, Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero, Joe Lo Truglio, Dirk Blocker, Joel McKinnon Miller & Andre Braugher with Jason Mantzoukas, Jim Rash & Paul Welsh