DISCLAIMER: This recap of the Brooklyn Nine-Nine episode “The Jimmy Jab Games II” contains more spoilers than the number of musical theater songs Boyle knows by heart. Our favorite precinct bad boy can belt it out with the best of them. You’ve been warned. Proceed with caution.
Welcome back, Nine-Niners! Brooklyn Nine-Nine returns with the second edition of The Jimmy Jab Games. Boyle acted as Master of Ceremonies while Jake, Amy, Rosa, Hitchcock, Scully, Holt, and Debbie competed against each other. As per usual, the episode was rife with witty one-liners and heartfelt moments. Rosa revealed Jocelyn dumped her, so Holt supported his friend by jamming out to metal with her for catharsis purposes. Hey, metal is definitely therapeutic, and I’ve had my fair share of metal sessions to unleash pent up frustration. Jake won The Jimmy Jab Games with the help of Amy. Peraltiago for the win!
Alright, ready to delve into “The Jimmy Jab Games II?” Let’s get to it.
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Now, we open with Amy (Melissa Fumero) ushering Jake (Andy Samberg) into Terry’s (Terry Crews) office. Terry is acting captain for the interim. Jake is under the impression that they’re going to have a steamy love session at work. How risque! The only problem is that Terry is currently in his office. Mood killer, am I right?
Anyway, Terry and Amy are leaving for a voluntary conference. This means Jake and co. will be left to their own devices. Which also means…Jimmy Jab Games time! Terry is aware of Jake’s plan and wholeheartedly approves of it. In fact, he asks Jake to record the games to help boost morale at other precincts. Jake is taken aback at his relegation from lovable bad boy to equally lovable responsible boy.
Later, Jake assembles the rest of the crew to pick a Master of Ceremonies. Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio) volunteers as tribute. His life thus far has been leading up to this defining moment. Boyle is opting for a The Greatest Showman approach. Good call! This leaves Jake, Holt (Andre Braugher), Rosa (Stephanie Beatriz), Hitchcock (Dirk Blocker), Scully (Joel McKinnon Miller), and Debbie (Vanessa Bayer) as the participants. Hitchcock decides to wager a bet with Jake – if the latter wins, then Hitchcock will do his paperwork for a year. Should Hitchcock win, then Jake has to hand over the new SUV he purchased with Amy. Amy is none too happy to hear of this wager and decides to ditch the conference in lieu of competing herself. Oh, and the winner also gets a paid day off to use at their disposal. Let the games begin!
Now, after Scully sings a lovely, operatic rendition of the Jimmy Jab Games theme song, the competition commences. The first challenge? Each competitor must toss old lunch meat at a window from ten feet away. Debbie decides to opt out of this one and is thereby disqualified. Boyle encourages her to find something she loves to do and do it, despite her fears. She loves singing, so Boyle assigns her the task of singing at the Closing Ceremonies. Next, participants must play a game of hide and seek while the precinct police dog sniffs them out. Holt and Rosa are engaged in a battle of wits and words. Amy and Jake discover that Hitchcock is playing dirty – he’s using Scully’s medications to “roid up.” He’s becoming unstoppable!
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Then, we see Scully is disqualified in that round. Boyle reveals the next challenge involves the competitors donning heavy bomb suits and racing toward the elevator before it closes. Amy decides to sacrifice herself by ensuring Jake is on that elevator. Yes, she “Armageddon-ed” him. That’s easily my favorite line of the episode.
Later, Holt tries to elicit the real reason Rosa is gunning for that day off, especially after she just took a vacation. He surmises that she’s proposing to Jocelyn. That’s when Rosa reveals that Jocelyn dumped her, and she needs a day to grieve. Holt offers his support, like the good Dadptain he is. Now, the next round will find our crew untangling a bevy of extension cords. Each participant must hook an extension cord up to the lamp in front of them and pull themselves toward it on a dolly. Then, they must turn on said lamp. Voila! However, Rosa and Holt decide to leave the competition and grab some drinks while listening to heavy metal. Holt’s a good pal. This leaves Jake and Hitchcock for the final round. This one’s for the whole kit and caboodle!
Now, the final round begins. Jake is doubly injured because the ceiling keeps falling on him, so the odds are stacked. Hitchcock is still powered up on Scully’s medications. We see the pair scarfing down hot dogs, uncovering items in clogged sinks, performing the Heimlich maneuver to extract an olive from a dummy. Lastly, they must pass through a door to gain access to the coveted ceremonial chair. Jake is losing steam due to his numerous ceiling injuries, but he presses on. Amy bolsters her husband’s adrenaline by stabbing him in the leg with an EpiPen. Jake surges forward and reigns victorious. He won! And it was all thanks to Amy’s reckless choice! I love that she’s learning to loosen up while Jake is becoming more responsible. They bring out the best in each other. Peraltiago for life.
Meanwhile, Rosa and Holt are jamming out to metal music. Holt despises it, but he continues listening for Rosa’s sake. This moment melted my ice cold, frigid heart. Back at the precinct, Debbie belts out the closing number for The Jimmy Jab Games. Perhaps you should stick to your day job there, Debs. Later, after a pep talk from Boyle encouraging her to pursue her goals, we see Debbie robbing the evidence room. She skillfully averts the camera from her crime and equally skillfully breaks in to snatch the goods. Methinks Debbie has been putting on an act – she’s really a criminal mastermind. Plot twist!
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Now, this whole Debbie debacle has the cogs and gears whirring in my brain. Is she a mole of some kind? Why is she stealing items from the evidence room? To what end? So many questions, so little time! The next episode is titled “Debbie,” so perhaps the floodgates will open. On another note: when will the Powers That Be give my Rosa a stable relationship? She deserves it, y’all. Until next week, join me as I recap Brooklyn Nine-Nine, here on Geek Girl Authority.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine airs Thursdays at 8:30pm 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.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
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