Overall thoughts on "99"?
Bradley Adams: "99" was a very strong episode. It very impressively managed to delve into the heart of the show and its characters while maintaining that high standard of comedy we've become accustomed to, certainly in the past year and a half. Once again, this was a joy to watch, and worthy of Brooklyn's milestone 99th episode.
Antonia Le: I thought it was a really great episode. It balanced comedy and the heart extremely well, and I know that I’m definitely going to watch it again sometime soon.
Marko Pekic: This was a really funny episode. They took their time and gave each characters space to show off and I loved how the whole cast was together in like 90% of the scenes.
Samantha Benjamin: It was a fantastic episode as always. Each character got their moment to shine and as always, the show balances the comedy and drama really well.
Justyna Kubica: I loved it. I always enjoy the episodes when the whole gang is together and this reminded me of "Beach House" which only made it better for me. It was funny, but with quite a few heartwarming moments, so I'd be happy to re-watch it soon.
Jamie Coudeville: I really enjoyed the episode. It had some nice twists and turns. Every character got to shine, but I wish we'd gotten some Gina. It felt a bit weird not having her there for such a milestone episode.
Saloni Gajjar: I thought it was a great mix of humor and heart. However, I’m bummed they didn’t even mention Gina!
What were your favourite callbacks from the episode?
Bradley: Whether or not this counts as a callback or whether it's just a recurring joke is debatable, but I'm using it anyway: Jake's love of Die Hard coming to full fanboy as he gets to visit Nakatomi Plaza. His belief that a floor under construction is "even more beautiful than I imagined" was superb, and his general love of something that, to the others, is pretty mundane, was laugh-a-second.
Antonia: I really enjoyed how they went back to the beginning with the old Captain McGintley. It really put into perspective how far every character has come, and how far the show has come in general.
Marko: The Seamus Murphy callback. It served up to a perfect scene between the team.
Samantha: Seamus Murphy. Simply because I'm used to comedies dropping a plot as soon as the episode finishes, so it's nice to see the continuity.
Justyna: I'm glad to see the continuity in the plot, especially the part where everyone finally finds out about the deal Captain Holt had to make. Also, Jake's love for Die Hard is always so funny to watch and since I'm also a fan of these movies, it's a great reference overall. And that's just the beginning. There's also Amy's planning skills, very memorable interactions between Rosa and Boyle, and one of my favorite things about the show - Jake and Holt's growing relationship. When you look back at season one, you can see all the amazing character developments this show has done. Could only wish for many more episodes of this series.
Jamie: I'm terrible at recognizing callbacks (my memory sucks) but I liked seeing Rosa and Boyle interact because it really reminded me how far their relationship has come.
Saloni: There weren’t many “callbacks” in the traditional sense but I loved how they took it back to the beginning by including the previous Captain in the storyline. It was a smart way to show that in just a few years, our 99 gang has bonded so closely.
How did you feel about Rosa's reveal?
Bradley: That was handled very well. It happened in a very typical Rosa way, her bluntly coming clean then not wanting to talk about it or anything personal again, and I appreciated that. I'd seen beforehand that this happened, so it didn't shock me in that way, but I think regardless that you can see that this season has built to this with her, between her reconnection to her family after prison and breaking up with Pimento. This was coming, and it wasn't surprising to see it happen here.
Marko: I liked it. I would've enjoyed bit more if there was more build up to it. Still, I enjoy it when a coming out story comes naturally without it being overdramatic, cause it shouldn't be. It is just a natural development. Stephanie Beatriz looked so vulnerable and strong at the same time. Also, Boyle was the perfect choice of partner.
Samantha: It's something that I've been waiting for since the early days of the show, so I really liked it. When most shows have a character who is going to be revealed as LGBT, we get the pre-episode interviews so the show can bask in the glory a few minutes longer, it's the main storyline of the episode and just a really big fuss. It was an OK approach when LGBT characters were first introduced to television, but we're past that now and I like how the reveal was a sentence with no song and dance, just Boyle being his usual excited self.
Justyna: I really liked it. Not only it meant a lot to the viewers and the actress, but I also see it as such a natural development for Rosa. I'm glad the reveal didn't end up being too emotional or dramatic, just an honest conversation between friends, because it felt exactly right for Rosa. It's who she is. Loyal, strong, skilled and vulnerable when it matters. Also, it's kind of perfect that Charles is the first one to find out. Their relationship has grown so much over the years.
Jamie: I'm so happy about this, you have no idea. I know this is something many people have wanted for a long time. I'm so glad that this show is doing this because I know that they'll do it justice like they've done with many other aspects over the years. I've always loved how they portrayed Captain Holt and his relationship with Kevin, so I know Rosa's storyline is in good hands. Just the fact that Rosa actually said the words "I'm bi." is huge. Because a lot of the time the word "bi" never gets mentioned. So very glad to have some bisexuality representation.
Saloni: I’m excited to see where Rosa’s story goes from here. It did feel a little bit sudden because it didn’t have a build up but that’s fine. I’m glad Boyle was the first to know because when the show began, these two had such a different relationship and now they’re such great friends. Also, I think Aubrey Plaza will have solid chemistry with Stephanie Beatriz so, somehow, I hope they cast her even if it’s just for a couple of episodes.What do you make of the growth that the characters have made since we first met them in the pilot?
Bradley: They've come so far. Jake's point about how Holt has, over the course of four-plus years, inspired him to become a better man - an umbrella view that takes into consideration both his detective work and his relationship with Amy, presumably - was particularly notable. The connection the entire squad has with Holt is admirable and heart-warming; he is steadfast in his commitment to protecting them, but they're loyal enough to try and help him out irrespective of how the Seamus Murphy problem might blow back on them. It's often subtle and masked by the laughs, but Brooklyn is truly excellent at developing its characters.
Antonia: I love seeing all the growth that has happened. Holt and Jake’s relationship has come so far and has developed in such a beautiful way, and I love how Boyle has developed from being the Nice Guy™ to being an actual nice guy and a really great friend to Rosa. Those are just notable examples, but I really love all the development we’ve been shown thus far.
Marko: They've come a long way and while they still have their awkward quirks they are closer than ever. A true family.
Samantha: They've all come a long way since the pilot but I mostly notice it in Jake and Amy. He isn't as annoying as he was when the show first started, and she's relaxed a little in her approach.
Justyna: Every single character on the show got a chance to shine and develop over the years and I feel like it's something that rarely happens. While they all make mistakes and have their flaws, it never seems like we're going back with their story. Instead, Jake and Holt's relationship is still amazing and growing. And Rosa, Amy, Charles, Terry, even Hitchcock and Scully, they've all come such a long way, from good to awesome. Just makes me wish Gina was back and we could see all the dynamics mixed together.
Jamie: Everyone's really grown a lot these past years. I really feel like Jake and Amy push each other to be the best they can be. All of these characters really learn from each other.
Saloni: On the surface, these characters and their quirks are same as when we met them in the pilot but overall, they’ve all grown and adapted so much. I think Holt obviously had the biggest impact on the team as a whole and in turn, they had a huge impact on him, too.
How much did you enjoy meeting more of Boyle's cousins?
Bradley: Boyle's cousins are always fun, and this was no exception. Although perhaps funnier than the cousins themselves - including one named Becca - was the squad having to wear their clothes and almost perfectly matching them. An incredible moment.
Antonia: Boyle’s cousins always bring their own interesting brand of weirdness, and this episode was no different. Meeting some more of the Boyle’s was fun, though I’m not all too sure I can tell the difference between all the many Boyle cousins.Marko: I loved it. And Becca being a man felt so weird. We need more Boyle cousins to stop by and change the NYPD uniform colors into beige.
Samantha: It was wonderful and completely what I expected. When Rosa and Boyle were having the conversation in the corridor and the other Boyle kept answering? Hilarious.
Justyna: Fun and weird. So pretty much the regular meeting with Boyle family. I always enjoy hearing all the crazy stories from Charles' life and it makes sense to have Boyle cousins in every state, ready to help. They're a strange, yet pretty wonderful bunch.
Jamie: I feel like there might be an endless supply of Boyle cousins. I would love for that to be a running gag throughout the show. Personally, I don't care that much about them but I am curious how many more actors they can find with the "Boyle" look.
Saloni: Boyle’s cousins were expectedly funny but since we met them for such a short period of time, they didn’t have a lasting impact on me.
Pick your two favourite moments from the episode.
Bradley: The one moment that made me laugh more than any other was probably Jake's question about how long it would take to fix the RV that was still on fire. The other was Holt and the cheese puffs, both seemingly enjoying eating them and admitting that he didn't realise the RV would explode by depositing them in the engine. Those, aside from the Rosa reveal.
Antonia: Oh god, just two? I’ve already waxed poetic over the Rosa reveal, so I guess I’ll say that Jake’s “take my picture” sequence and Amy’s full Santiago, boss bitch mode scene were my two favorites.
Marko: Rosa's coming out and the reveal that Holt was behind all their misfortune.
Samantha: Rosa's coming out was the reveal I've most been looking forward to these last few weeks, and Amy snapping straight back into hyper organized mode after trying to chill and relax. It's the type of 180 that would usually give whiplash, but with Amy's character and in particular the way Melissa goes about the character? It works perfectly.Justyna: This one's tough. There's the obvious choice of the great scenes with Rosa and Charles, but I think my favorite is actually the reveal about Holt. Not only everyone's a part of the scene, Jake figures out the truth, we get quite a few clever flashbacks, but also Captain admits what he did for Jake and Rosa and their reactions are perfect. Dad/Captain always warms my heart. The way Jake tries to make Holt's dream come true and everyone promises to help with whatever comes next is just another proof of just how great this family is. Also, Amy's speech right after the reveal and Jake's "Die Hard" tour were wonderful as well.
Jamie: I would have to go with Rosa coming out to Boyle and Amy saving the day while everyone looks on terrified (expect for Jake who looks immensly proud)
Saloni: The first would be Holt confessing to the gang about his deal with Seamus Murphy, which is how Jake and Rose are out of jail. I loved everyone’s reaction, it was so emotional. The second would be the reveal of how genius Holt was in every step of sabotaging their journey back to Brooklyn.
How do you think "99", all told, will affect the season as a whole moving forward?
Bradley: I'd suspect that the two loose threads thrown up by "99", Rosa's coming out and Holt admitting the truth about Seamus Murphy, will run throughout a large portion of the remaining episodes this season. It would be surprising if Rosa's admittance wasn't addressed more fully in the next couple of episodes, but Murphy will probably remain a thread longer. Holt will almost definitely become commissioner by season's end, too.
Antonia: Well, we already know from press releases and promo pictures that we’ll be meeting Rosa’s parents and that she’ll be coming out to them, and that Seamus Murphy is coming back in a big way. “99” provided us such great setup for those events, and I can’t see what happens. With what happened in “99”, I’m expecting a powerful squad-up moment as they all unite against Seamus Murphy, and I’m excited to see everyone else’s reactions to Rosa coming out, if Boyle’s reaction sets any sort of example.
Marko: The focal point of the episode turned out to be the Murphy reveal. And I think Jake may over react to it and start to obsessing over it. Should lead up to some hilarious episodes.
Samantha: It'll be interesting to see how the squad deals with Murphy, how Holt's promotion works out and of course how Rosa's storyline moves forward. We already know that she'll be attempting to tell her parents, but will her girlfriend actually be introduced?
Justyna: I'm sure we'll get back to the deal with Murphy and the consequences of that choice. It seems to be one of the main plots of the season, maybe even the preparation for big finale. There's also Rosa's storyline which is already set to continue in the next episode. I can't wait to see where it goes and only wish for the best for this fantastic character. And finally, Captain's new job might actually mean the biggest shift for the show. Would that be the change for series finale? The new Captain and Commissioner Holt? I hate to see this comedy come to an end anytime soon, but it would make sense for this moving on to bigger and better things be setup for the conclusion. Even if that's (hopefully) years from now.Jamie: I think Captain Holt's possible new job will definitely be a big storyline for the remainder of the season. Wouldn't be surprised if it was used in a cliffhanger of the finale. And of course Seamus Murphy will be a problem soon as well.
Saloni: Obviously, this episode will make a difference now that the 99 crew know about Murphy. I expect some twists and turns in that direction because they’ll try to find a solution but knowing their history, it won’t end so easily.
Where does this rank overall in terms of Brooklyn Nine-Nine episodes?
Bradley: Recency bias would suggest it might be the best, but that could be too harsh on previous episodes, especially "Moo Moo", that were utterly terrific. It's definitely amongst the upper echelons, that's for certain.
Antonia: “99” will probably stand out among one of Brooklyn’s best episodes for me. I’m not sure it has dethroned “The Bet” as my favorite episode, but it’s definitely up there.
Marko: Hard to tell but would say Top 15 for sure. It worked on so many levels with so many hilarious moments and character development.
Samantha: "Moo Moo" is the greatest episode the show has made so far, followed by "HalloVeen" and "99" slots comfortably into 3rd place.
Justyna: Definitely somewhere in the top, but I'm terrible with rankings, so it would take me ages to figure out the list of my favorite episodes. I'm just so glad to see this show get its 99th and 100th episode. I remember how much I wanted B99 to get its second season after season one turned out to be a wonderful surprise for me. So glad to be watching. Definitely my favorite comedy currently on TV.
Jamie: I think it was a really solid episode. Not their best, in my opinion, but definitely at the top.
Saloni: I think this is definitely one of my favorite episodes but “HalloVeen,” the season 3 finale, Moo Moo” and some more still top the charts for me.
