S02.E09: The Road Trip

[formerlyfreedom]

In an attempt to add a touch of romance to their work trip, Jake invites his girlfriend, Sophia, as well as Amy's boyfriend, Teddy, to join them at a B&B. Meanwhile, Rosa adamantly refuses to admit to Terry and Gina that she is sick, and Charles is eager to help Holt with his anniversary breakfast.

 

 

[NoWillToResist]

I am inordinately excited about this episode, based on that description. :D

[Beezella]

Well I'm bummed. Verizon Fios cable in the Boston area has blacked out Fox due to a price dispute, so no Brooklyn 99 for me. I can't figure out a workaround.

[Galileo908]

"Terry loves kreplach."

 

"Everything I do spectacular. It's a curse."

 

That Bed & Breakfast was creepy as hell. I'm okay with puppets, but not when they're hiding in the closet like that. Watching the dolls. That are watching you.

 

So yeah a "Rosa is sick" episode was gonna be awesome. I wanted to see more of her jacked up on cold meds, although I loved hearing what she says in her sleep.

 

This is two for two weeks with Boyle comparing something to having unprotected sex.

[Rinaldo]

Rosa's C- (or was it B-) plot about being sick veered too far into cartoony exaggeration (Gina at her most objectionable), and Jake's "Nooooo" into commercial seemed to portend the worst for the A-story, but in fact that one worked out well, with the refreshingly grown-up approach that has characterized the Jake-Amy business. Sophia was first put off but was ultimately reasonable.

 

Boyle's story I will treasure forever for one line: "Now I know how Salieri felt."

[bethy]

So much to love in this episode.

 

Jake and Boyle as longshoremen. "There's tobacco in there, too. Vaughn chews it, but it makes Jake super dizzy."

 

Boyle teaching Holt how to cook. "It's a Vermont cabot. Now describe what you taste."  "Cheese."  "Aaaaand?"  "Cheese."

 

Jake inviting Teddy on the trip for Amy and its spectacularly horrible results. "You poured blue soda all over my life!"

 

Sick Rosa. "Are you a vampire? My horoscope said to wear a cowl neck today, and I laughed!"

 

Jake's face when Amy admitted she liked him. 

 

I really liked it!

[Driad]

 

Well I'm bummed. Verizon Fios cable in the Boston area has blacked out Fox due to a price dispute, so no Brooklyn 99 for me. I can't figure out a workaround.

 

Antenna?  Friend with better reception?  Fox puts eps on line after about a week.  Good luck!

 

[Blakeston]

The plotlines were full of potential, but I just didn't find it very funny. There were a number of gags that just didn't work for me at all, which is very rare for this show.

[Brandi Maxxxx]

I haven't been finding this show very funny lately. I think "The Mole" was the last episode I laughed out loud at. This season's best material has come from the Holt/Wuntch conflict, I hope we see more of it soon.

 

Nitpick: Holt doesn't care about food but we know he reads Boyle's pizza ranking email blast (it's the only one that measures mouth-feel).

[Inquisitionist]

Boyle's story I will treasure forever for one line: "Now I know how Salieri felt."

 

Line of the night.  My husband and I totally cracked up.

[jah1986]

I thought it was pretty good. I still like the way they're handling Jake and Amy. Jake's face when he found out Amy liked him was cute. I'm glad everyone is still behaving like grown-ups. Now I hope we don't have to endure Amy hopelessly pining after Jake.

 

The Salieri comment was awesome.

 

Love sick Rosa, "I wanna rip your head off grandma", that was funny.

 

Every week can't knock it out of the park but I still think this is the funniest show on TV right now.

[ZootSuitWyatt]

"This is why I wanted to write it down! Could I maybe have two hours alone with my laptop to write out a draft?" I am Amy.

[JTMacc99]

I haven't been finding this show very funny lately. I think "The Mole" was the last episode I laughed out loud at. This season's best material has come from the Holt/Wuntch conflict, I hope we see more of it soon.

 

I HATE that I kind of agree with you. 

 

I think the last couple of episodes must have strayed too far into stupid.  I didn't like that Amy couldn't stop from blurting it out. I didn't like Rosa acting silly. And I really don't like how they have Captain Holt straying into a cartoonish version of himself. Throwing the eggs into the pan? The speech about eating a beige nutritional food product? Freaking stupid.

 

Holt is awesome. He can have no interest in foodie stuff without sounding ridiculous. He can think Boyle's lesson is tedious without being an ass. 

 

I really hope this is just me being cranky after a long weekend and the work week looming, but I don't think it is. I had similar thoughts last week about how they are dicking around with Holt.

Edited December 1, 2014 by JTMacc99

[dusang]

Nitpick: Holt doesn't care about food but we know he reads Boyle's pizza ranking email blast (it's the only one that measures mouth-feel).

 

That could be that Holt was "investigating" his own squad to get to know them and what they do.  He seems like a thorough person.

[MaryMitch]

I missed the episode that introduced the Eva Longoria character. I wasn't expecting much, but she (the character) was kinda awesome, and she (Eva) did a great job. Not a typical character you'd see on a sitcom.

[peeayebee]

And I really don't like how they have Captain Holt straying into a cartoonish version of himself. Throwing the eggs into the pan? 

He didn't really throw the eggs into the pan; he dumped them unceremoniously. 

 

I still like Holt and think AB plays him fantastically, but it does seem like the writers are leaning a bit too hard on his quirks.

 

There were several line readings by AB that cracked me up. I don't know what it is about how he does it, but it's perfect. There was also that long stare at Boyle when Holt first told him he wanted to talk to him in private. I loved Boyle's cooking lessons. Loved his final Salieri line. 

 

Oh, and I also loved the flashback when Boyle snuck up behind Holt at the ATM. "Guess WHO!" His scream when Holt pointed his gun at him was hysterical.

 

Holt letting Jake and Charles be dock workers for 10 minutes was pretty great.

 

Every time Jake reacted in horror to the dolls I laughed. 

 

"Teddy! Think fast! Drink menu!"

 

"Jericho! Jericho! Jericho!"

 

Rosa: "My immune system is too weak to fight off my smile muscles."

[Bort]

Rosa's C- (or was it B-) plot about being sick veered too far into cartoony exaggeration (Gina at her most objectionable)

I was a little put off by the Rosa storyline once they went to the non-drowsy cold medicine well. I have never seen that stuff affect anybody like that. It'll still knock ME right the hell out.

I was ok with Gina, though, her recoiling from Rosa and putting her sleeves and shirt collar over her face? I relate. Especially since I spent all last week being sick because some dillhole came to work and infected me.

[JTMacc99]

He didn't really throw the eggs into the pan; he dumped them unceremoniously. 

True. But I guess my point is that there would be so many other ways I would have preferred Holt to play out that scene.  It was such a hostile move. I would have expected Holt to stare at Boyle, question why the eggs needed to put into the pan the way Boyle explained, maybe even offer a counter reason why he thought they could be just dumped in unceremoniously. Holt's baseline is cold hard logic, and it is awesome when he either uses it to shoot down stupidity or uses it to support his own more emotional responses. It's maybe even more awesome when he occasionally breaks free of it entirely like when he celebrated his correct guess about why Amy was late.

 

The whole egg thing just doesn't feel right for me. It was Holt's idea. I would expect him to put in the effort or to simply not do it.  Being a dick about it just seems wrong. That was a Diaz move, not a Hold move.

[TwistedandBored]

Everyone just brought their A game in this episode! I love all the different plots going on. I never knew Melissa Fumero can do awkward funny that well. Well done!

 

“He said he was really looking forward to a romantic evening, and I panicked and yelled ‘LOL’”

“TEDDY IN DA HOUSE!" I love this one mainly because of the expressions on Sophia and Jake's face

[amensisterfriend]

I think the last couple of episodes must have strayed too far into stupid.

 

This show is really starting to remind me more and more of Parks and Rec: I love nearly all of the characters and their relationships, and I think they do the moments of warmth, sweetness and poignancy incredibly well. But the actual humor for much of this season is, like Parks and Rec, too dopey for my taste. Not that last season was all clever wit---there was certainly a ton of juvenile, silly stuff then as well---but I agree with those who feel the humor of past few episodes feels too over the top and stupid.  

[Danny Franks]

The cold open was great. Jake and Boyle bummed that they wouldn't get to be longshoremen, then Holt giving them ten minutes to enjoy it. And then Boyle ruined it with his accent and with his... him.

 

Loved Amy's rising panic as soon as Jake said he had a surprise for her. One, this is Jake we're talking about, and two, Amy really is the girl who drafts breakup speeches and Thanksgiving speeches and prepares everything she does meticulously. Can you imagine how badly she would handle knowing she was going to get a surprise? I completely buy that she'd fall apart like this when her private life is thrown for a loop. Also, breaking up is hard, when you still care about the other person.

 

And regarding Jake and Amy, I still can't believe how mature the writers are being about this. It's almost as if they've experienced mutual attraction and dating with another person! The idea that two people can express their interest in one another openly, even if the timing isn't right, that these two like each other, and might actually date. Incredible. It may very well sound high school, but it's more adult than the usual, angst-filled, 'Oh my god! I suddenly realise I'm madly in love with him/her, but they're with someone else!' crap. The stakes are so much lower than most TV romances, and it's refreshing.

 

Also, they're a pair of adorable dorks who are great as friends, with or without the romance. Sophia grew on me a bit in this episode too, for being such a good sport and doing all she could to help Amy out.

 

Loved that brief look of loathing on Amy's face when Teddy said he had, "the thrills for the pils". Melissa Fumero is so much fun in this role. And I liked the yearning she showed for Jake at the end. Nice and understated, and surely not going to take over the show any time soon.

 

"Now describe what you taste."

",,, Cheese,"

 

Yeah, I'm with Holt. Food is food. Sometimes it's not nice, but most of the time it is. And if it's nice you'll have it again. Forget all this gastronomic analysis and emotional connection stuff. People who make cooking the most intellectual or challenging thing in the world just get on my nerves. I know how to cook scrambled eggs, I don't need to philosophise over them. I actually got really irritated with Boyle, here.

 

Oh, and in case anyone was wondering, a Croque Monsieur is basically a ham and cheese toastie, or grilled sandwich. Which goes to show, it doesn't have to be complicated to be good.

 

Gina was a dick. Surprise, surprise. But I've known people who act that dickish when someone has a cold, covering their faces and panicking that they might get sick too. So if she has to exist, I'm happy for her to exhibit behaviours I already find repugnant. Seeing Diaz high as a kite was fun, but I wish they'd come up with a better way than cough medicine. How about her accidentally ingesting Giggle Pig? That would make more sense, given that she's in charge of the task force.

[thuganomics85]

I don't know; I'm still enjoying the hell out of the season.  Not every joke works, but I'm still laughing way more then I do on any other show.  Sure, it does go into over-the-top territory at times, which doesn't always work for me, but I think the acting and character development makes it work for me.

 

Like the Rosa stuff.  Yeah, having her go crazy on cold medicine certainly isn't original, but it was great seeing Stephanie Beatriz get to move past her normal stoic stuff, and I thought she shined in it.  Loved how she was even being nice to HItchcock of all people.  It was just a fun C-plot for her.  And, it was fun seeing Terry and even Gina helping her out.  All three were used well.  Have no complaints.

 

It was good seeing more Holt/Boyle, which is one of the relationship's that I wish we saw more of (also would like to see more Boyle/Amy), but I did think that had the most problems.  I do think there were times they crossed the line at making Holt not being funny, but just a jerk to Boyle.  Then again, as much as I love watching him, I imagine someone like Boyle could be very grating in real-life.  But, I'm glad Holt came around at the end, and I thought Andre Braugher and Joe Lo Truglio shined together.  I hope they take another crack at it.

 

The roadtrip was as crazy as expected.  Glad that Ted finally returned, even though it seems he might already be done with.  I do like that they dropped hints that the Ted/Amy relationship was having problems, so her wanting to end it wasn't too surprising.  And, it's so Amy that she would have planned ahead about how to do it, so Jake inviting him really messed her up (she was only halfway done with the outline!)  And, I did like that Jake really did seem to want to help her and Ted, and wasn't aware of what was going on. Now, I do hope they aren't just going to do a retread the story, and have Amy be available, but Jake keeps sticking with Sophia, but I'll see where this goes.  I do think Jake/Sophia won't last for long.  After-all, she was the one that selected that "doll" room, so that clearly is a sign that she has some issues! 

 

Obviously, opinions will vary, but I'm loving this season.  "Lockdown" was the only real misfire for me.  And, with comedy, I expect there to be some off episodes.  Even the much loved latter half of this show's first season had it's issues (including my least favorite episode yet, "The Apartment.")  As long as I keep laughing and as long as I like the majority of these characters, then this show is good in my book.

Edited December 1, 2014 by thuganomics85

[bethy]

 

Also, they're a pair of adorable dorks who are great as friends, with or without the romance. Sophia grew on me a bit in this episode too, for being such a good sport and doing all she could to help Amy out.

 

 

Agreed. I haven't seen Eva Longoria in much, but I'm really enjoying her in this role.  She's much funnier than I expected.

 

I also thought Melissa Fumero did such a nice job looking upset that Sophia had been hurt.  I thought that scene at dinner was well done all the way around.

Edited December 1, 2014 by bethy

[Uncle Benzene]

Like the Rosa stuff.  Yeah, having her go crazy on cold medicine certainly isn't original, but it was great seeing Stephanie Beatriz get to move past her normal stoic stuff, and I thought she shined in it.  Loved how she was even being nice to HItchcock of all people.  It was just a fun C-plot for her.  And, it was fun seeing Terry and even Gina helping her out.  All three were used well.  Have no complaints.

 

I found Hopped Up On DayQuil Rosa to be incredibly sexy, despite the show's obvious (and reasonable) attempts to sickify her face. I suspect that, for me, the wackiness she was finally allowed to display on her face greatly outweighed the sickliness. While I understand and appreciate the fact that the character is meant to be stoic and prickly and blessed with a beautiful Resting Bitch Face, and I'm fine with that, I also think Stephanie's about a thousand times hotter when she's being silly and... you know... smiles and stuff. They need to let Rosa do a lot more of that, in my opinion. Andre is more than enough "straight man" for this show, and he's brilliant at it. Less wackifying of Holt and more wackifying of Rosa please.

[biakbiak]

After-all, she was the one that selected that "doll" room, so that clearly is a sign that she has some issues!

 

But on hearing about it, Jake also thought it was an awesome idea it was only seeing it that freaked them both out.

 

a Croque Monsieur is basically a ham and cheese toastie, or grilled sandwich.

With a bechamel sauce.

Edited December 1, 2014 by biakbiak

[JohnnyGilda]

 

Loved Amy's rising panic as soon as Jake said he had a surprise for her. One, this is Jake we're talking about, and two, Amy really is the girl who drafts breakup speeches and Thanksgiving speeches and prepares everything she does meticulously. Can you imagine how badly she would handle knowing she was going to get a surprise? I completely buy that she'd fall apart like this when her private life is thrown for a loop.

 

Since for me the best surprises are something like an extra cookie in the bag — definitely not an unexpected guest, date or party — I completely bought Amy's panic-to-freakout and was glad to see Jake and Sophia really invested in easing her pain.  I'll admit to missing "Gabrielle Solis" and her ilk, so I'm glad this show is giving Eva Longoria a fun, yet grounded, character to play.  The dolls and puppets got me every time.

 

I also thought Holt was being a little dickish about the eggs, it felt a bit off.  At least the otherwise nice teamup of Braugher and LoTruglio was saved by the Salieri.

Edited December 1, 2014 by JohnnyGilda

[April Bloodgate]

This season's best material has come from the Holt/Wuntch conflict, I hope we see more of it soon.

 

And I thought Sedgwick was terribly unfunny in that role and hated all of the scenes she was in. Different strokes...

[HyeChaps]

Why, oh why, did Amy tell Teddy about Jake's confessions of like?

[VCRTracking]

That was probably my favorite cold open this season. "Twink Tucker!" I like how Rosa hopped up on cold medicine is what Stephanie Beatriz actually sounds like! Kind of how Harry Potter on "liquid luck" is how Daniel Radcliffe really acts.

[ZoqFotPik]

 

The speech about eating a beige nutritional food product? Freaking stupid.

Well, it's a real thing. The guy behind it was on Colbert a few months back. 

[babyPhat279]

I'm actually rooting more for Jake and Sophia than Jake and Amy. I hope the writers don't just come up with some stupid reason for them to break up.

[NutmegsDad]

Mixed bag. Holt seemed not like.... Holt. Unless this gives me a reason to bingewatch Season 1, I thought Holt wasn't such an anti-foodie. It's as if he was possessed by the Demon Sheldon Cooper. The Salinas punchline was well worth it. Nice ref!

 

From TWOP, this show was reference to be of the lineage of Barney Miller. In the same vein, Hopped Up On DayQuil Rosa ranks right up there with Yemana and "Mooshie mooshie." We had to rewind because we were missing dialogue.

 

Ah, writers, Amy and Jake are endgame. I get it. You have 5+ more seasons. Hopefully you'll have more twists and slow boils (and maybe a breakup) as the show evolves.

[Kip Hackman]

You have 5+ more seasons.

 

That seems extremely optimistic.

[Brandi Maxxxx]

Ah, writers, Amy and Jake are endgame. I get it. You have 5+ more seasons. Hopefully you'll have more twists and slow boils (and maybe a breakup) as the show evolves.

Parks and Rec usually kept their "will they or won't they?" storylines mercifully short, so I expect B99's will be handled similarly. We'll probably see a Peralta-Santiago wedding by the end of next season.

[arc]

Well, it's a real thing. The guy behind it was on Colbert a few months back. 

I was thinking about Soylent as soon as Holt said that! And I assume they wrote that line as an implied reference, but I remain disappointed Boyle didn't mention it in response, even if in disapproval.

[Danny Franks]

I think it's pretty key for them to not draw out Jake/Amy for years, because that is when romance storylines start to take over a show. The writers spend so much energy thinking up new, ever more convoluted ways to keep them apart that they neglect most other areas of the show.

 

They'd be wiser treating Jake/Amy as though it's a secondary 'ship, one which is allowed to develop naturally because the show isn't built around it not quite happening. Let them figure things out and date, and get serious, and never let the show just be about their relationship. That way, the show can always be about the ensemble, with Jake still the first amongst equals as he has been so far in the show's run.

[theatremouse]

OK, this episode completely confused me. I might be going crazy. When I started watching I was absolutely certain it was a rerun and that I'd seen this before. The stuff with Rosa being sick was SO familiar. Every moment at the beginning, I was sure I'd seen. The thing in Holt's office with Boyle, I really thought I'd seen before. But then, the whole road trip plotline...brand new. Plus, I knew it had to be newish because Eva Longoria's character hasn't been around that long. Was there an extended preview or something I might've seen that I just don't remember? It's really bothering me.

Edited December 3, 2014 by theatremouse

[DXD526]

I hope Eva Longoria sticks around. I know I'm in the minority, but I really like Sophia and Jake together. 

 

Amy is always awesome, but she was on fiyah this week! So many great facial expressions and reactions that can't even be described. Melissa Fumero has so rounded out that character, the great lines written for her are a bonus. If she's not at least nominated for an Emmy, the system is rigged!

[NoWillToResist]

I wasn't a huge fan of the Rosa storyline but it had one big surprise: I got an honest to God big laugh out of something GINA said. When Terry said that they had to go behind Rosa's back and Gina said "of course we do. All the germs are coming out of the other side"? Ok, that shit cracked me up.

 

Really liked Sophia in this episode. She was cool, and nice and fun. Almost too good to be true though. How will they justify breaking up her and Jake? (I'm assuming they can't last) Will she get a promotion which takes her out of town?

 

I don't understand why Holt didn't just ask Boyle to make his and Kevin's anniversary brunch. I was really surprised to see that they did all this stuff on work time. What the hell, Holt?

[Catherinewriter]

Denay, I agree about Kyra Sedgewick. She was fine (not the character, but the acting) in The Closer, but here I found her just off and a steal of other characters' screen time.

What is the blue drink?

"Pour the eggs S-l-o-w-l-y into the skillet." Yes, it was a little stupid, but Boyle's response was terrific.

[M1977G]

 

Then again, as much as I love watching him, I imagine someone like Boyle could be very grating in real-life.

Most definitely!  This is part of the magic of Charles Boyle--and for me, Boyle is a huge part of the wonderfulness that is Brooklyn 99:  he is so quirky and dorky and weird that he must be annoying as hell at times, and yet he remains truly funny and lovable.  I think Boyle and Santiago are two of the most endearing characters on TV, and part of what I find so endearing about the show is that the characters really do know and care about each other, goofy quirks and all.  Case in point: Charles was definitely over the top with Holt, but he is so emotionally connected to food and so eager to connect with Holt that he just can't help himself.  And despite Holt's initial resistance and churlishness, he did learn from Charles in the end, and not just about food, but about expressing love for his partner.  

 

I agree with others that Holt behaved somewhat strangely and poorly, and that his total "disinterest" in food contradicts past episodes, like when the 99 arranged Holt and Kevin's last anniversary dinner and Holt told Amy he'd always wanted to eat at the restaurant he picked.  I also think that such disinterest in food goes against his and Kevin's party menu and generally bourgeois tastes.  I disagree, though, that all of his truculent behavior with Boyle was out of character.  Holt is not a character who likes to admit to any shortcoming or weakness, so his discomfort with wanting to do something and worrying that he would fail, and having Boyle see that, made sense to me.  On top of this, Boyle was asking Holt to share his emotional self, and that is definitely not his style.  People can be a little jerk-ish when they're feeling vulnerable.  I really liked that Holt told Boyle about reading his food blog, and why.  He had intended to scoff at Boyle's blog, to affirm for himself that Boyle was being nothing but ridiculous.  But, he learned something important about showing his love, and not just to Kevin.  Holt certainly is not incapable of showing his love or affection to Kevin, but as we have seen, he's not the most demonstrative or expressive guy on the block. But, after reading Charles's blog, he ends up sharing a very sweet and personal account with Boyle after all, plus he makes him a great sandwich.

 

I adore all things Amy Santiago, and she was in all her awkward yet sweet glory this episode.  Sophia was great--Jake is lucky to be dating such a cool and together lady, but I wonder if she's going to dump him after realizing that he's not as together as she is and/or because she's just not into wondering where she falls in relation to his feelings for Amy.  She might just decide she deserves better, and I wouldn't disagree.  They might be able to move forward, but that whole dinner had to have been seriously deflating for her and for their chemistry.  That dinner was a monstrous bust, but I also thought it was hilarious all around.  Sophia slapping Jake to pull out all the stops, Amy's everything, and Jake's wide-eyed and painfully honest response to the cheery waitress who asks if they're having fun and happy to be there makes me LOL just to think of it:  "We are not."  

 

The other thing that continues to make me LOL even now:  Rosa shattering the glass to break out of the storage room and Gina's terrified response.  Way to problem solve, Rosa.  And I loved that it was followed by Gina giving over the care package she made for Rosa and Rosa's struggle to resist smiling.  I just love the love on this show!

[mansonlamps]

I love this show so much, but I hated the Rosa story. She came off like an unaware idiot which is not how I see this character. I loved the rest of the episode.

Edited December 8, 2014 by mansonlamps