The Relationships: B99-Stylz

[Vikitty]

So now that the finale has blown the possibility wide open, what are your thoughts on a possibly Jamy relationship?

It's not so simple -- after all, she has a boyfriend. And I love that he acknowledged that and didn't even ask her for an answer. He was matter-of-fact about it and I was really impressed with Samberg's delivery in that scene. It was sweet but uncomfortable, because that's exactly what it's like when you point-blank tell your crush 'I like you.'

I think Peralta is too childish for Amy, personally, but that's what makes them so sweet. Maybe six months undercover and away from her will help him grow up. Not too much, because he's Jake, but enough to realise what it means to make sacrifices because that's so important in a relationship.

[Danny Franks]

I'm absolutely on-board this 'ship, I have to say. First of all, I think Andy Samberg and Melissa Fumero have really nice chemistry, even if it's not particularly sexually loaded (though I think there's definitely potential for that). They absolutely convince as good friends who genuinely like each other, despite their differences and the irritations they put up with.

Unlike so many shows, we've not been privy to the birth of their partnership. We've not seen a meet-cute moment between the uptight, career oriented girl and the clownish manchild, and we've not seen them go through the usual song and dance of, 'ugh, I hate him so much / god, she's such a stick-in-the-mud'. We may see flashbacks of moments like that, one day, which would be fun.

But instead, I think we've seen the depth of their friendship unfold, through little moments that show just how well they know one another. Jake knowing Amy is a great brusher, and knowing that her OCD won't permit her to leave one lapel untucked. Amy knowing what Jake's grandmother calls him and about his favourite movies.

There have been so many great moments between them, but my favourite is probably the scene in Thanksgiving where Jake questions Amy on the length of her toast, and deems is "Santiago style" without any mockery or meanness at all. I feel like that scene, in most shows (and perhaps as written in this one) would have been more about the laidback, goofy guy making fun of the uptight girl, but here, it really wasn't.

Jake does need to grow up and figure out how to have a mature relationship, but I think the key here is that he seems to know he does. He's not blissfully unaware of his childish ways. And I think we've seen enough of Amy's dating history that I could safely say she's not doing so well at the mature relationship thing either.

The scene in the finale really worked for me, because it was so matter-of-fact. There was no artificial drama or angst, just Jake saying, 'I like you, but I don't expect anything in return'. Which is already more mature than I think I'd expect him to be. And Samberg really nailed the awkwardness and sheepishness of a moment like that, as well.

[DoraNi]

I am also on board this ship!  It took a little over half of the season for me to get on board, but once I fell, I fell hard. 

I especially agree with this point that Danny Franks made:

 

Jake does need to grow up and figure out how to have a mature relationship, but I think the key here is that he seems to know he does.

That's so important to my enjoyment of both his character and the potential Jake/Amy ship, and it's also made for what I thought were some interesting storylines at the end of the season.

I agree that the friendship between these two seems very genuine and sweet.  I think they complement each other well.  We saw Jake give his nice little speech about how their job sucks less when he gets to do it with her; I imagine Amy feels the same way, going by the moments when we get to see her amusement/smiles at Jake's antics (provided they don't go too far, of course).

It will be very interesting to see how they pick up this storyline in season 2.

Edited March 31, 2014 by DoraNi

[Irelandais]

Just wanted to add that I'm totally into this ship. I liked Amy from the beginning and Jake has become a likeable fun character.I think they balance each other nicely. I also have faith in the writers especially after The Bet episode. The symbolic tossing of the ring was great. They really found a way to show how the relationship developed in that episode.

I love how they know each others quirks and don't try to make the other feel bad for who they are. The chemistry is obvious and I would love to see some romantic style chemistry some time in the future.

I am nervous how they will handle next season considering the big reveal from Jake.

[NoWillToResist]

Love these two. Love them. Yet I wouldn't even mind if they just kept them as friends (as long as there's no pining).

I really appreciate that TPTB have built a solid foundation of friendship, respect and fun between them. Samberg is (surprisingly, IMO) convincing as the guy crushing on Amy. And words cannot express how glad I am that Amy isn't some dour, put-on, straight-laced, disapproving mother figure to Jake's  man-child persona. Sure, she's a gold-star personality, type A dork over-achiever, but she can have fun, she can step outside her comfort zone and she's just so fucking ENDEARING that I want to smoosh her cheeks. :)

It's kind of rare for a show (in my experience, anyway) to show that two people can tease and have fun with each other. Reminds me of Leslie/Ben on PandR (that's a compliment, BTW).

[Expat]

I'm totally on board for these 2. I didn't want to be, but I can't help it. They're just too cute. Once I realized that this wasn't the typical 'man-child annoying the uptight bitch' thing, I was hooked. I gotta commend the writers for creating fleshed out characters and not going with the usual sitcom 'types' when creating their characters.

[jhlipton]

Sooooooooo...   when they do get together, what's the name of their sex tape?

[Vikitty]

"I can't believe we're doing this, this is so weird." Bahahaha.

I'm coping with the hiatus the same way I'm dealing with the BBC Miranda hiatus (which is a year and a half now, sob) -- writing copious amounts of Jake x Amy fanfiction.

[Mars477]

I provisionally approve of this.  I'm really glad that, after the pilot, they took a step back and took the time to flesh out both characters first before delving into "They might be into each other", and I really like that they're good friends first and foremost.  Don't shit the bed, show, you've got a good thing going on.

[Toaster Strudel]

I prefer unresolved tension.  I am afraid it's going to get sucky like Parks and Rec if they succumb.

[Rinaldo]

I guess I disagree. Perpetual unresolution artificially prolonged irritates me. And I don't find anything sucky about what Parks and Rec did. A relationship between two such different people (if that happens) would have drama, and comedy, of its own.

[Kip Hackman]

Yeah, I don't get the Parks and Rec comparison. I don't think Parks got worse when Leslie & Ben got together, mostly because the show has never been about Leslie & Ben (unlike, say, The Office).

 

I'm on board the Jake/Amy ship, as long as it doesn't take over the show.

[Danny Franks]

I never made it past the third episode of Parks & Rec, so can't comment on anything about that show. But, to me, Jake and Amy are like JD and Elliot from Scrubs. Similar personalities, if both a little less extreme, and a similar grounding in their relationship through being colleagues first.

 

But a key difference for me is that we came into the show with Jake/Amy already established as a friendship, albeit on that slowly revealed itself through the course of the season. JD/Elliot was designed to be primarily romantic from the start, and had the characters leap into an ill-judged relationship less than halfway into the first season. That resulted in breaking up and then dating other people, then breaking up then dating other people again. It got tiresome, and by season 4, they were firmly in friend territory and stayed there for a long time.

 

So, two different approaches, and I'd rather this show took a third way, and strung out the UST for a little while longer, before just letting a relationship develop and thrive naturally, without roadblocks and delaying tactics and contrived obstacles. This show isn't about Jake and Amy, so they don't need to have their relationship constantly be the centre of all things.

[FurryFury]

I think you should try watching season 2 of Parks and Rec, skipping the first one, because if you like B99 there's a very big chance you'll like it as well. Season one was just awful, I'd never continue watching if I wasn't assured it gets better (and boy, it did!)

 

Speaking about Jake/Amy, I also didn't jump on that ship right away, but after binge-watching the whole season, I'm very much OK with it, even if I can't say it's anywhere near my all time OTPs. I really liked Jake's speech to her in the end. It felt so down-to-earth, so refreshingly real and sincere - such a sharp contrast with the typical over-the-top romantic comedy declarations of love! (although those too can be nice if done well)

 

I'd prefer for the will-they-or-won't-they to continue for a few seasons, because Jake's obviously not ready for a serious romance, imo, and if they hook up so early into the show there's a big chance of break-up melodrama, and I can't stand this. OTOH, the show's ratings aren't anywhere near good, so there's a big chance there won't be those few seasons I'm talking about...

[Inquisitionist]

I think you should try watching season 2 of Parks and Rec, skipping the first one, because if you like B99 there's a very big chance you'll like it as well. Season one was just awful, I'd never continue watching if I wasn't assured it gets better (and boy, it did!)

 

Ditto and Amen!  I initially gave up on P&R after the dismal first season, but fortunately, a friend told me how much better the second season was, and I picked it up again about 1/3 of the way in.  S2 and S3 are probably my favorites.  I highly recommend ignoring the first season (only 6 episodes: I think of it as their spring training) and jumping in at S2, which starts with a quick recap of the characters and their relationships.

[Iamsweetdee]

Wish they had allowed Jake and Amy to just be friends for a while longer. But then again, i don't need romance on sitcoms. Don't care for Parks either. 

[NoWillToResist]

 

I never made it past the third episode of Parks & Rec, so can't comment on anything about that show. But, to me, Jake and Amy are like JD and Elliot from Scrubs.

 

Oh Christ, I came to hate JD/Elliot because of the on-again/off-again bullshit. I only stuck with the show out of love for the other characters.

 

Leslie and Ben from P&R, IMO, are a great example of a love story done well on a sitcom, so I have hope that if they take Jake and Amy down the romance path, I won't hate it. Leslie and Ben are still themselves, their relationship doesn't take centre stage, and their stories aren't always intertwined. That's how I think it should be on an ensemble show.

[Danny Franks]

Oh Christ, I came to hate JD/Elliot because of the on-again/off-again bullshit. I only stuck with the show out of love for the other characters.

 

 

Yeah, I lost patience with JD/Elliot right around the time they had that great moment where JD confesses he wants to be the guy eating pizza with Elliot at the end of a tough day, watching whatever rubbish is on TV. And Elliot dumps her boyfriend and turns up at JD's apartment, with a pizza and asks "what're we watching?" So far, so good. But then JD's immediate reaction is to think "oh my god! I don't want her!" It was just so stupid, and such a bullshit way of dealing with them as a couple that I was happy to see them both moving on, with what seemed like permanence.

 

But it's more that I think Jake/Amy share a lot of characteristics with JD/Elliot, and could hopefully be done in a much less annoying, frustrating, 'on again, off again' fashion. So far, these writers have been pretty smart about letting the characters direct the writing, so hopefully that will continue.

[NoWillToResist]

 

Yeah, I lost patience with JD/Elliot right around the time they had that great moment where JD confesses he wants to be the guy eating pizza with Elliot at the end of a tough day, watching whatever rubbish is on TV. And Elliot dumps her boyfriend and turns up at JD's apartment, with a pizza and asks "what're we watching?" So far, so good. But then JD's immediate reaction is to think "oh my god! I don't want her!"

 

Ah yes, that was the straw that broke this camel's back. I couldn't remember the specifics, just that I was a nuclear ball of outrage over whatever had happened. Any guy who had pulled that shit on me would not have been given another chance. Hell, I don't think I would have spoken to him again.

 

But I agree that B99's writers have handled Jake and Amy well. It gives me hope that they won't piss me off with the usual bullshit games.

[amensisterfriend]

Which of the show's intra-squad dynamics are your very favorite (e.g. Jake/Boyle, Rosa/Gina, Holt/everyone?!)  Which friendships would you like to see better developed? Is there anyone you'd like (or hate!) to see paired romantically? Whose family relationships and outside friendships would you most like to know more about? This is the place to chat about all that and any other remotely relationship-related topic that leaps to mind!  

[Vikitty]

I have to say, I like how slowly they're building up the Jamy relationship. Aside from the premiere and the scene where Jake finds out that Amy liked him, they really haven't put any focus on it at all. So much so that I'm wondering if there's going to be some plot development closer to the end of the season, much as it was last year.

[Inquisitionist]

I think Jake would want the thread title spelled "B99-Styles."  :-)

[Rinaldo]

Or even "-Stylz."

[Inquisitionist]

Yeah, I wasn't sure how the youngsters are spelling that.  ;-)

[jhlipton]

I think you should try watching season 2 of Parks and Rec, skipping the first one, because if you like B99 there's a very big chance you'll like it as well. Season one was just awful, I'd never continue watching if I wasn't assured it gets better (and boy, it did!)

 

There are a couple of characters I don't think I'd care to watch, and I don't think Amy Pohler is all that funny, but I might try it again.

Of course, I was told that Babylon 5's second season was great, too and couldn't stand that!

[FurryFury]

I couldn't stand Babylon 5 as well, but this is the lead female character's fault, I just hated her for some reason. Also, not a fan of rubber aliens.

 

Leslie Knope gets much, much better and funnier and likable later in seasons 2 and 3. Basically, everyone else gets much more likable. I can't believe now that I used to hate Andy.

[jhlipton]

Leslie Knope gets much, much better and funnier and likable later in seasons 2 and 3. Basically, everyone else gets much more likable. I can't believe now that I used to hate Andy.

 

I tried a couple of episodes (visitors from Venezuela and April mand Andy's "wedding") and didn't make it all the way through either.  Just not my thing.

[Inquisitionist]

I tried a couple of episodes (visitors from Venezuela and April mand Andy's "wedding") and didn't make it all the way through either.  Just not my thing.

 

Two words:  Hunting Trip.  If that one doesn't make you laugh, nothing will.