Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Midseason Finale

Hey everyone! I know this post is later than expected, but I figured I might as well include my thoughts on the midseason finale episodes of B99, as the show is going on hiatus. Also, I'm announcing that I'm going on indefinite hiatus as well. As Gina (who has finally returned!!!!) says, juggling things is hard, so you won't be seeing me for a while.

With that being said, let's get into what we've missed!


One of my favorite aspects of the show has always been the theme of family. The Nine-Nine may be unconventional bunch - Jake himself even describes them as the "super weird family with two black dads, and two Latina daughters, and two white sons, and Gina" - but they've always got each other's back. From Jake and Amy's upcoming nuptials (!!!!!) to Rosa struggling to come out to her loved ones to Gina's return to the squad's desire to protect Captain Holt from harm, the mutual love and respect everyone has for each other is admirable.

One of my favorite moments of that family is Jake and Amy's parents bonding with each other (as well as their kids) during Thanksgiving. Though Peraltiago pull out all the stops, culminating in the brilliant, quick and effective solution of alcohol to smooth away disagreements and tension, it takes Roger Peralta accidentally cutting off his finger in a competition of competitive tendencies to really bring them together. The fact that I can use that sentence to describe something that legitimately happened on the show is why you must watch B99, if you aren't already. Jake and Amy's future is shining bright, and I can't wait.

While Jake and Amy prepare for marriage, Gina must adjust to parenthood. Chelsea Peretti's iconic character returns in the midseason finale after both character and actor took a maternity leave for their newborn babies. Gina is originally uncertain if she wants to come back at all, even after her leave ends, but the secret love she harbors for her precinct ultimately solidifies her return. Gina's ability to simultaneously intimidate the crap out of people while getting them to love and care for her is all I want in life. And Gina's motherhood allows us to see a softer side of her, in which she's more willing to express emotions. (Only for a little bit at a time, though.)

The part that hit home the hardest to me, though, was Rosa having to come out to her family. Legend Stephanie Beatriz is bi herself, and as a fellow bi woman of color, it meant everything to me to see that representation for the first time. I'm so so happy B99 isn't afraid of just outright confirming Rosa is bi like other shows are, as if "bisexual" is a dirty curse word. Rosa's parents initially insisting that Rosa would outgrow her phase of loving women and only associating female relationships with platonic/familial love contrasted with the Nine-Nine's unconditional support really made me cry. My own parents found out about my sexuality before I was ready to tell them, and to this day, it's still something we actively avoid. I hope that B99's confidence in creating well-written, realistic LGBT characters will inspire other media in turn to do the same. (Also, let's keep it going and make Jake bi, writers!)

But we can't end a recap of what's been going on without mentioning the biggest conflict on the show: Holt's deal with Seamus Murphy in exchange for getting Jake and Rosa out of prison back in September. Seamus has finally returned to cash in the favor. With a potential promotion to commissioner at stake, however, Holt stands his ground with his refusal to comply with anything illegal. While the squad holds their breath in fear that Seamus will make Holt do something illegal, it's just....a seemingly innocuous block party permit. But of course, criminals stay criminals, and by bugging Seamus' ex-outcast of a son, Kyle, aka a general dudebro and failure a life, Holt finds out it's a cover for a heist. Seamus can't definitively trace the unsuccessful heist back to Holt, but Holt definitely needs to watch his back (and those of his loved ones). It's terrifying and painful to see Holt stuck between a rock and a hard place, and he'll need all the help he can get. After the painstaking lengths the Nine-Nine went through to get Holt on the list of potential commissioners, it would be a shame to see it all come crashing down.

At the end of the day, Brooklyn Nine Nine stays my comfort show, and even when drama reaches a boiling point, there's always a feeling that everything will be alright. Please continue to support the show in any way you can!!! It has to be renewed. It just has to.

See you all when I'm less busy and in a better mental space to pick back up on my recaps!