DISCLAIMER: This Brooklyn Nine-Nine recap of “The Honeypot” contains more spoilers than the number of times Jake uses “title of your sex tape” as a viable comeback. It really is a versatile phrase. You’ve been warned. Proceed with caution.
Welcome back, Nine-Niners! Brooklyn Nine-Nine bestowed us with a Jake and Holt-centric episode. Our favorite odd couple delved deep into uncovering a potential spy, one courtesy of Commissioner John Kelly. Naturally, Operation Triple Dragon was a roaring success, especially since Holt started watching those “Thomas Cruise” movies on “Home Box Office.” Meanwhile, Amy aided the other detectives in decluttering their desks. It involved flaming arrows and discarded old baby shoes. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Brooklyn Nine-Nine episode without those things.
Alright, ready to delve into “The Honeypot?” Just be sure to steer clear of the barrel museum when with Holt. He’ll think you’re coming on to him. Barrels are the most sensual inanimate objects known to humankind.
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We open with Holt (Andre Braugher) interviewing for a new assistant. However, he’s finding it rather difficult to replace the human form of the 100% emoji, aka Gina Linetti. Jake (Andy Samberg) lends a helping hand by ushering in Gordon Lundt (Karan Soni), someone who’s as straitlaced and no-nonsense as Holt himself. Peralta for the win! After Gordon leaves, Holt reveals that the latter was flirting with him. Holt’s notion of flirting is quite different than the average human’s.
Meanwhile, Amy (Melissa Fumero) is summoned to her old stomping grounds to help our detectives organize their work spaces. We know how much Santiago enjoys organizing. She probably has an entire binder dedicated to organizational practices. We see Rosa (Stephanie Beatriz), Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio), Terry (Terry Crews), Hitchcock (Dirk Blocker) and Scully (Joel McKinnon Miller) discard their belongings at Amy’s behest. If something doesn’t give them joy, they must toss it out. Marie Kondo would be proud.
Next, Jake approaches Holt with a sneaking suspicion: he believes that Gordon was sent courtesy of Commissioner John Kelly to seduce our favorite captain. Kelly knows that Holt is rallying fellow police captains against him. Thus, he enlists Gordon to find out who said captains are. Holt is reticent to believe this to be true. That is, until Jake reveals a photo of Gordon with Kelly’s old precinct. Bingpot! Jake and Holt decide to do some investigating. Like, detective stuff, you guys. Holt invites Gordon to a barrel museum. He’ll distract Gordon while Jake hijacks the latter’s laptop and searches it for incriminating evidence. Sounds like a plan!
Then, we see Amy is still hard at work on the decluttering front. She notices that her friends are reluctant to part with their possessions, to break away from the past. Amy introduces a Norwegian organizational method wherein one chooses a singular belonging to keep. Everything else is cast aside. Well, they engulf their possessions in flames courtesy of a flaming arrow. Very Game of Thrones funeral-esque. Naturally, our detectives are more indecisive than before. How do you keep only one thing?
Later, Holt and Gordon arrive at the museum. Jake surreptitiously nicks Gordon’s laptop and begins encrypting it. He listens in on Holt’s conversation with Gordon. Holt successfully keeps Gordon distracted for three hours with facts about barrels. How tantalizingly sensuous!
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Next, we see our detectives gathered outside with garbage bags rife with discarded items. Rosa, who just so happens to carry a bow and arrows in her vehicle, as one does, shoots the objects with a flaming arrow. The organizing is complete. Safe travels, flaming trash objects. So say we all.
Meanwhile, Jake reveals that he found zilch on Gordon’s laptop. Nada. Nein. Nothing. Perhaps he’s not a spy after all. Gordon enters the room and confesses to being a spy for Commissioner Kelly. However, he’s unable to report his findings and ultimately betray Holt. Why? Because he fell madly in love with our captain at the barrel museum. Note to self: discuss barrels with my crush. The light bulb switches on in Jake’s head. He suggests they send Gordon in with a wire to one of his meetings with Kelly. Holt and Jake will remain incognito so they can safely listen to the interaction.
Later, Amy gazes proudly at her work – a plethora of clean desks laying before her. A job well done. However, she notices that Terry held on to a pair of expensive suspenders. He reveals that he couldn’t part ways with them because he purchased the accessory prior to taking the lieutenants exam. Terry failed to pass said exam, and thus never wore the suspenders. I don’t like it when Terry’s sad. It makes me sad.
Next, Jake and Holt are sequestered inside a creepy van while they listen to Gordon’s meetup with Kelly. However, the tables are turned when Gordon reveals himself to be a double spy. He lured Jake and Holt there with the express purpose of outing them for wiring a private meeting. They approach Kelly and Gordon. Kelly vows that Holt will be the laughing stock of the NYPD, and he should tender his resignation the following day. Holt swoops in with a save, though: he watched a Thomas Cruise movie in preparation for the meetup. He wired the exact table Kelly and Gordon are sitting at, as well as discreetly placed microphones and cameras all around them. Take that, Kelly! Now the NYPD will know that Kelly sent a spy into the nine-nine to take down Holt.
Then, Amy presents Terry with a brand new pair of suspenders after the latter discards his old ones. She urges Terry to retake the lieutenants exam, and never give up on his aspirations. Here’s hoping he passes with flying colors and dons the suspenders in victory.
Later, Jake and Holt arrive to an almost empty bullpen. Kelly reopened the first floor of the 99th precinct, which means our detectives can work in a traffic-free zone. Success! Holt asks Jake if he wants to have dinner as a “thank you.” However, Jake has other plans. We see him and Amy are at the barrel museum. Jake relays what he learned from Holt by way of factoids about the inanimate objects before them. Knowledge is Amy’s version of foreplay. Barrels are sexy, you know.
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Brooklyn Nine-Nine never fails to make me laugh out loud. It’s really a testament to the writing when a show that’s six seasons in can still feel fresh and innovative. The jokes always land, the story lines are interesting and the characters continue to organically evolve. I’m still keeping my fingers crossed for the announcement of a Peraltiago baby. One can dream…
Join me next week as I recap Brooklyn Nine-Nine, here on Geek Girl Authority.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine airs Thursdays at 9pm on your NBC affiliate.
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
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