TV Recap: Brooklyn Nine-Nine - "Pontiac Bandit"

Andre Braugher
Welcome to a weekly recap of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which is one of the funniest and freshest new comedies currently airing on TV. Follow us every Thursday as we break down the episode into all of the important beats from the plot to character moments that are worth giving another shout-out. With an all-star comedy cast, this recap series will hopefully give you the information you need as well as reason to watch Fox on Tuesdays.

Left to right: Stephanie Beatriz and Andy Samberg
Crime of the Week: Peralta (Andy Samberg) and Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz) are working together to capture the Pontiac Bandit with the help of Doug Judy (Craig Robinson)


Peralta Problem: He must solve the crime with the help of Diaz while maintaining her trust in order to not do 1,000 push-ups.


Subplot of the Week: Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio) returns to work after being shot only for everyone to find him repulsive and forces them to hide in the basement.

Craig Robinson
Best Joke: After discovering that Doug Judy is the actual Pontiac Bandit, Peralta and Diaz get the elaborate back story to how he escaped their clutches after befriending them and visiting his mother one last time.

Left to right: Robinson and Beatriz
Culprit: Doug Judy was the Pontiac Bandit all along and cleverly roused the cops into befriending him to the point that they were convinced of his innocence. To date, he is the only Brooklyn Nine-Nine culprit to escape.

Joe Lo Truglio
Resolution: Peralta apologizes to Diaz for not listening to her and causing Doug Judy to escape. Holt (Andre Braugher) convinces his staff to respect Boyle more, as he did something noble for the precinct. He also decides to give off two puppies that his dogs have to Boyle as a sort of thank you gift for his hard work. Peralta does 2,000 push-ups after getting too cocky, or comes close after doing them for most of the night.

Left to right: Chelsea Peretti and Truglio
Verdict: It is great to have Brooklyn Nine-Nine back and in top form. I love how despite satirizing procedurals, it also manages to write stories strong enough to have their own merit. The conclusion with Doug Judy may have been a tad predictable in hindsight, but Craig Robinson is just a delightful guest star that he makes the moments work in distracting you from the leads. Holt continues to be an enduring force of comical disproportion, this time with two puppies almost glued to his side as comical effect. I also love the dynamic of the cast, which mostly focused on Peralta and Diaz in ways that added depth to their history and made me root for them. At the core, the episodes may have sometimes obvious plots, but the jokes and endearment of the characters is strong enough to overlook these issues.


Rating: 4.5 out of 5

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