DISCLAIMER: This recap of Brooklyn Nine-Nine episode “Dillman” contains more spoilers than the number of times Boyle has showered Jake with compliments. That’s what bros do for each other, folks. You’ve been warned. Proceed with caution.
Welcome back, Nine-Niners! Brooklyn Nine-Nine returns with a “whodunit” episode – Jakey stylez! A prank to end all pranks went awry in the bullpen, so Jake took it upon himself to solve the case. Holt invited his old NYPD pal Dillman to partake in the mystery solving. Of course, Jake went the competitive route, since he was also vying for a spot on Holt’s task force. In the end, Boyle surreptitiously swooped in and pulled the rug out from under the competing duo. He solved the case in a manner that would make Agatha Christie fall prostrate before him. Thus, Boyle solidified himself as Holt’s top choice for the aforementioned task force. And deserve it he does.
Alright, ready to delve into “Dillman?” Let’s get to it.
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Now, we open with Jake (Andy Samberg) asking Holt (Andre Braugher) for a shot at joining his task force. Jake even presents our favorite Dadptain with a resume, complete with Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio) spitting rhymes in the background. Jakey stylez! Suddenly, the crew is distracted by an explosive glitter bomb. Scully (Joel McKinnon Miller) is covered almost entirely in red glitter. He cites that he found a package on Jake’s desk and was curious in regards to its contents. And so begins the mystery…the drama…the Case of the Elusive Package (title of your sex tape)!
Next, our gang finds a note nearby with the word “babe” on it, so all eyes turn to Amy (Melissa Fumero). But, she denies her involvement. Terry (Terry Crews) really needs to go home to his daughters, so the sooner they can solve this case the better. Holt calls forth one of his old friends – a former NYPD detective who’s now working for the SFPD. A man named Dillman (J.K. Simmons) takes center stage. Immediately, he acknowledges intricate details that went undetected by a room full of seasoned detectives. Holt is tickled pink that he gets to observe this genius mind at work.
Then, Jake pulls Boyle aside and announces his plan to compete against Dillman. He’ll solve the prank first and thus win that coveted spot on Holt’s task force. Huzzah! Later, Jake finds Terry’s suspenders inside the latter’s desk draw. There’s a spot of red glitter on them. Our precinct bad boy pins Terry as the culprit, but Dillman retorts that the glitter is from a science project Terry did with his daughters. Dillman=1, Jake=0.
Later, Dillman interrogates Rosa (Stephanie Beatriz). Of course, Rosa is stoic as a statue, but Dillman elicits dialogue out of her. She asserts that she was watching a soap opera during the time of the prank. After a while of going back and forth, Dillman gives Rosa the all-clear. Amid the interrogation, Holt blurts out that he offered the task force position to Boyle, which upsets Jake. Boyle tracks Jake down and reveals that he wants the latter to take the job. However, Jake urges Boyle to accept said job. Like a good friend should!
Next, Jake approaches a new angle to the situation – he reveals that Dillman was the true culprit and presents a bevy of evidence supporting it. Dillman denies ever doing it, and flips the tables on Jake. Holt now believes that Jake is responsible for the glitter bomb prank and suspends him. While outside, Jake urges Amy to distract everyone while he figures out who really pulled the prank. Suspension be damned!
Now, Jake returns to the bullpen armed with new information. As it turns out, Dillman was fired from the SFPD. At the moment, the former detective works at the Yarn Barn, and he’s late for his shift! Plot twist! Dillman turned to Holt because he was hoping to be let back on the force, but lying isn’t going to get him anywhere near his goal. Dillman=0, Jake=1.
But, that’s not all, folks. Both Jake and Dillman are incorrect regarding the prank culprit. Boyle swoops in for the kill, revealing a slew of intricately detailed evidence that should earn him a spot on the task force. Bravo! He reveals that the perpetrator is actually one of their own. The perp is a detective who was trying to sabotage an ongoing investigation by tarnishing the evidence on Jake’s desk. Thus, he would be framing Jake for sullying said evidence. We see the aforementioned detective being carted off in handcuffs. Good going, Boyle! Jake once again encourages Boyle to join the task force, and the latter acquiesces.
Later, Holt reveals how disappointed he is in Dillman. After Dillman leaves, Jake asks who was the best detective Holt has ever worked with. Undoubtedly, he was expecting Holt to blurt out his own name or Boyle’s, at the least. But, in typical Holt fashion, he mentions someone we’ve never heard of before. Leave it to Holt to keep everything obscure.
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Simmons was a great addition to the Nine-Nine team! My hope is we’ll see Dillman again at some point though, given his exit, that seems highly unlikely. Boyle getting his time in the limelight was so gratifying. Oftentimes he hides in Jake’s shadow, and we forget that he’s also a damn good detective. Go Boyle! The “whodunit” tone works really well for a show like Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and I hope we get more episodes like this one. Very reminiscent of that Community episode from Season 2 – “Cooperative Calligraphy” – wherein Annie loses her pen and she interrogates everyone until a confession is evoked.
Do you think we’ll get to see Boyle in action on the task force? Will we get to see Jake’s and Amy’s parents again now that Amy is pregnant? Where is the Doug Judy wedding bash that we all so deserve? Join me next week 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.
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