Jake and Amy go undercover to catch Brooklyn's most notorious identity thief, and the case brings them closer together. Meanwhile, the entire precinct is caught off-guard when one of their own says goodbye to the Nine-Nine.
From the very beginning of the series, Jake and Amy have been set up as a will-they?/won't-they? couple. It's typical of comedies nowadays set around a workplace environment or a group of friends to include such a romantic subplot with its lead character. That's simply a part of the genre right now. The best of these stories are able to thrive because the two characters being romantically paired together also work separately as characters. When the show began, there was no nuance to Amy. She was just Jake's quirky partner at work who he somewhat liked. Because the show established her as her own voice that was something much more than that initial archetype, it's easy to go along with the way Brooklyn Nine-Nine wants to tell the story of Jake and Amy together.The second season has made significant progress on advancing the two of them as a couple. And yet, it was done in a way that made the concept and narrative feel fresh - which is a big deal considering how many shows are out there that feature a similar story. The show had to establish Jake and Amy as friends. They are polar opposites who enjoy playfully teasing each other. All of that had to work before the show could honestly move them forward to something much more than that. They became friends who had each other's backs on the job. They respected each other's desire to date other people. And yet, those other people never really did stick around all that long. It was long enough for it to be made clear in the minds of Jake, Amy and the audience that something more in their personal lives may just be with each other. They do have a mutual admiration for each other on the job. They are both great cops - even though they have drastically different styles. But it was also a huge deal that both of them expressed their interest in the other romantically. They weren't able to act on those feelings initially. But it was refreshing to have those words shared between the two.
Things did get more complicated later in the year as both were single but were too nervous to bring up those feelings again. They didn't want things to get weird and awkward at work just because of their personal feelings. Both Jake and Amy are so dedicated to the job. They don't want anything to jeopardize the work that they do in the community. A relationship with a co-worker is a genuine concern for both characters. That argument does feel real. It's not a simple ploy to keep them separated. It's not meant as a device to toy with the audience's emotions until the finale. Yes, the season is still structured that things come to a head between Jake and Amy in "Johnny and Dora" - the second season finale. But the careful work the entire season did on their relationship was meaningful and paid off wonderfully in this episode.
Jake and Amy want to respect her new "no dating co-workers" policy. And yet, they both still feel the need to make their feelings known. Jake did want to ask Amy out on a date. That revelation makes their dynamic awkward and interferes with their professional relationship. That's the exact thing Amy was trying to avoid in the first place. The two spend the totality of this episode trying to keep things professional despite every possible twist and turn forcing them together for the sake of the job. It's no coincidence that Amy chooses to use a newly engaged couple as their cover identities for this operation. It was a spur of the moment decision that was brought about because of the conflicted feelings in their personal lives. Both want to keep things professional. But they also show very little resistance in actually playing out these personas as Johnny and Dora. Those identities help make the case a success. They are able to explain away all of their snooping around simply by kissing. It's a surprise to both of them. They both try to make things go back to normal and say that the kisses don't mean anything. And yet, they very clearly do.
However, the case isn't ultimately what brings Jake and Amy together. It's their very conflicted feelings to the news that Captain Holt is leaving the precinct for a desk job over in Public Relations. The two of them have thrived as detectives under his leadership. Yes, he is strict, aloof and a robot most of the time but they have formed strong bonds of friendship. The fact that those bonds could so easily be tossed aside by this promotion just doesn't sit well with either of them. Amy is left screaming "What the hell?!?!" multiple times. Jake is the only person who can comfort her. He knows exactly where to look as she's spiraling with these emotions. He doesn't know how to deal with them either. Holt was the surrogate father he always wanted to have. But in that moment, it seems less complicated to be with each other. There's no reason why they need to kiss. They do so out of a personal and emotional connection. That kiss is so much more important than the previous ones because it's intimate. It's what both of them want to do.
There's no telling what the future will bring after the kiss. Neither Jake nor Amy has time to process all of those feelings before Charles bursts into the room with the news that the new captain is arriving. They have to go welcome the new person in charge of the precinct. They have to put their professional faces on in order to deal with this massive change. There's no telling what the new captain will bring to the Nine-Nine. It's deliberately built as a cliffhanger. The elevator door opens, the precinct has minor reactions and the camera then cuts to the credits. The new captain's presence will bring a new energy to the show at the start of the next season. Will that energy be one that will allow all the detectives to flourish? Or will it simply be one that makes them desperately want Holt to return? It will allow the show a chance to stunt cast the new captain. It could be someone who would come in for five or six episodes at the start of the year. His or her presence could provide a nice creative shakeup for the show. Yes, Holt and Gina (who decides to leave with him) will still likely be seen. But this direction also provides many wonderful and exciting opportunities for the show. These characters have evolved so much since the first episodes of the series. And now, they are presented with an opportunity to grow even further.
Some more thoughts:
- "Johnny and Dora" was written by Luke Del Tredici and directed by Dean Holland.
- The precinct has also had a profound effect on Holt. He doesn't want to leave. He'll recruit Terry and Gina to do get dirt on Wuntch. And yet, he'll still sacrifice himself if it means the rest of the precinct gets to stay the same. That's a valiant sacrifice and one that makes his emotional goodbye even more profound in the end as he declares these past 21 and a half months the best years of his life.
- It also happens to be Rosa's birthday and Charles is once again poorly keeping a surprise party. This season has also done a great job at truly fleshing out Rosa and Charles as friends. He knows her so well that it's frustrating to think that he thinks Rosa likes these kinds of parties. In the end though, he is right because the party is just Marcus and an empty bar. That's the best possible gift he could give and she is thankful for that.
- Wuntch patting Holt down to see if he's wearing a wire was painfully yet hilariously awkward. Everyone should have the same reaction as Terry. And yet, it's also great to see that Gina has popcorn for this show.
- The comedic highlight of the finale was definitely Terry and Gina covertly trying to retrieve Wuntch's letter from the file room. Terry had to literally carry the file cabinet out of the room while Gina wondered which birds sound like Rihanna.
- Also great was Jake having to wear an oversized jacket Don Johnson-style.
- Holt to Terry and Gina: "I don't want to make a big deal out of it. So, please limit your reactions to one second."
- Like most Gilmore Girls fans, Rosa is upset by the way the show ended because she "just wants to see Lorelei happy." Also, it's only a tad surprising that Rosa is a fan of Gilmore Girls.
