Brooklyn Nine-Nine - The Mattress - Review

“The Mattress” was the first episode since the opening run this season that focused on Jake and Amy’s relationship. So for all you Jamy fans…or Santialta fans?...or…whatever you’re called, let’s get into this. Jake brings in a perp with a couple vials of a new drug called Taxi (because it’s yellow and takes you where you need to be). This is very exciting news for Amy, as she’s been trying to get a lead on suppliers. The couple take the case to Holt and ask to work together to find and arrest the perp’s dealer. Although the Captain doesn’t usually let romantically involved detectives go out in the field together, he’s willing to make an exception for two of his best detectives. They catch the dealer after a chase that ends on a dumpster mattress, which happens to be awfully similar to the one Amy has begged Jake to replace. Jake realizes that perhaps he should step up his mattress game a bit. Everything’s going well in the relationship AND the case! Take that, doubters! This couple/partnership was such a good idea! Except-- wait. Jake doesn’t buy a new mattress, because even though they’re fun and bouncy, they’re too expensive for him to justify buying, when he’s fine with the one he’s got. And then Amy and Jake get into a loud fight about mattresses, and Amy not telling her mom they’re dating, and Orangina vs. orange soda, and tip off the supplier they’re staking out in the hotel.

Jake goes to Holt to admit that their relationship totally got in the way of their work. Holt gives him some advice from the early days of his relationship with Kevin. Both men were resistant to buying a car to more easily traverse the distance between Kevin’s job upstate and the city, because they were afraid of showing how much they really cared. Eventually Kevin bought a car (Gertie), and Holt was grateful and wished he did it sooner. Jake invites Amy to stake-out the supplier’s old apartment, and surprises her by announcing he’s going to buy a new mattress. She appreciates the gesture and reciprocates, saying she’ll tell her mom about her and Jake. Jake goes to order the mattress online while they wait in the car -- right when the pair spot the supplier and take off running.

It was nice to see Jake and Amy’s relationship move into a new level -- one where they realize they need to acknowledge the importance of the other in their lives, and adjust accordingly. For Jake this means buying a new mattress, even though his standards are so low he’d most likely be fine with his forever. (Though really, his “sacrifice” here is really more of a medical/hygienic necessity). Amy realizes that she has to tell her mom that she’s dating Jake, even though that means that she’ll have to field dozens of questions about it each week. If it’s important enough to her, she’s going to have to deal with some mom-questions. The two both had decent reasons for their behavior, and were holding back in different ways out of fear of commitment, and fear of hassle. Neither one seemed completely blameless, and they made up very effectively and maturely. And JAKE was the one to be the bigger person and admit his mistake -- a move I never would have anticipated from Season 1 Jake. (Yay character growth!)

Boyle, happy-go-lucky Boyle, comes into the precinct in quite a huff, due some parking frustrations. I’m sure most of us can empathize with the incredible rage build-up that can develop from parking madness. He arrives at work to find that some complete idiot parked across Holt’s space, and halfway into his! He goes to Holt to complain, but realizes right before he launches into his tirade that the owner of the perky little red convertible is, in fact, Holt. Boyle naturally decides to stay silent about the while issue, until it becomes a bigger problem when he scrapes the front of Gertie (the convertible) while backing out of his forcibly-reduced space. Holt is furious and demands payment for the damage -- and it will be costly as raspberry sherbet car paint will have to be specially mixed. Luckily Gina steps in to teach Holt a lesson. She places a ($14!) cupcake on his seat, then after Holt crushes it, she explains that she can put her stuff wherever she wants because it’s important to her. She then goes on to equate the cupcake incident to the car one, where the cupcake is Gertie, Holt’s butt is Charles’ car, the chair is the parking space, etc, etc, etc. Holt gets it.

It is fun to see Holt get irrational about things, as he’s usually very logical and not particularly emotionally motivated in his actions. After his talk with Jake late in the episode, it’s clear that he equates Gertie with the first major commitment to his relationship with Kevin, and therefore treats her like she’s more than a car.

While Boyle tries to deal with Holt, Rosa deals with her Little Brother, Sam, (from Big Brothers, Big Sisters). He’s a sweet kid who sells chocolate bars to raise money for his basketball team, likes it when Rosa calls him dumb…and who happens to shoplift phones and get caught. Rosa is NOT pleased when Sarge gently breaks it to her that her Brother got caught, and she rushes over to tell the kid that she’ll make sure he rots in juvie. In an effort to encourage her to lighten up as a mentor, Sarge invites Rosa’s old ballet “coach,” Miss Miriam, to come by. (Because ballet instructors are notoriously chill…come on, Sarge.) Naturally her teacher immediately insults Rosa and then tests out Rosa’s skills (adequate), and Sarge realizes that his plan’s not working out as he hoped it would. In the end, though, Rosa lets Sam off with a warning, because while Miss Miriam did make her good at ballet, she also made her childhood miserable. Once again Rosa shows herself to be a total softie. …Or, well, not as hard as she may appear as first glance.

As per usual, the episode started off with another hilarious cold open, where Hitchcock ended up drinking his goldfish before the squad could bet on the outcome.  There's no point in me describing the scene in a less funny way just to relive it, but even a bite-size opener like this one had me cracking up -- it's the comedy version of an amuse-bouche, and it's totally delicious.

Line(s) of the week go to this one-two from Amy and Jake:
“We are still dating, it’s all above board. HR gets daily updates, and are BCC’d on all our emails to each other.”
“ That’s why HR Jim keeps high-fiving me…”


What did you think of the episode? Do you think that Jake and Amy make good work partners and romantic partners, or do you think it’s better for the couple to work separately? Does love make people park irrationally, or does Holt just not know how to drive a sporty little convertible? Why are cupcakes selling for $14? Would Rosa be a good Big Sister, or just too intimidating? And which do you prefer, Orangina or orange soda? (My vote’s for Orangina, all the way). Let us know what you think below!

About the Author - Kimberly

Kimberly is a big TV nerd - willing to talk any show, any time. Her tastes are various and sundry, but she’s got a soft spot for comedy. She currently writes the SpoilerTV reviews for Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Recent Reviews (All Reviews)