I don't think I need to say that Brooklyn Nine-Nine's fifth season was something special. It's a refreshing boost of energy for the series, the point at which the show runners seem to have finally put all of their effort into making B99 as good as possible. For what was initially assumed to be the last season, it's about time.
Coming after the drama-heavy fourth season, Season 5 of B99 course-corrected pretty much right away. While there were still dramatic storylines this season (Jake and Rosa in prison, Seamus Murphy), the tone generally went back to the more lighthearted and manic vibe of Season 3. I especially liked the episode where Kevin's life was endangered thanks to Murphy since it allowed the otherwise incompatible Jake and Kevin to interact. With the prison stuff resolved, Season 5's biggest focus was on Holt running for commissioner. I'm always a big fan of campaign storylines, so this was a lot of fun, and it was compelling to see Holt try to make commissioner given how much of a disadvantage he was in. Meanwhile, Amy and Jake planning their wedding leads to a lot of really sweet episodes, as does Rosa's fantastic character arc about coming out as bisexual. At the time, there still weren't too many shows that dealt with bisexuality in an honest and respectful manner, so Rosa's storyline this season was actually really important. As a whole, I think this is the first season where none of its character arcs and storylines managed to irk me, which is already a small indication of how much of an improvement it is.
But then we get into the comedy, which is far and above any other season in the series. The writers really brought out their A-game here because Brooklyn Nine-Nine's fifth season might be one of the funniest sitcom seasons ever made. There are so many iconic episodes and scenes from this season specifically, with even the cold opens becoming pretty much legendary (that Backstreet Boys scene is particularly worth noting). I still don't think the series is quite as willing to experiment yet. We still have all the seasonal staples like the Halloween heist, Pontiac Bandit, action movie homage, and an episode that takes place over a long span of time, but these were probably the strongest iterations of these premises to date. The only gripes that I really have with Season 5 of B99 is that it does have my personal least favorite episode to date (Return To Skyfire), but the fact that it comes right before two of the show's best episodes just shows how much of a minority it is compared to the rest of the season.
With far more high points than any other season, Season 5's most memorable episodes truly stuck out this time around:
HalloVeen: Easily the best Halloween heist in the series (and probably the best episode too), HalloVeen adds in even more characters than the last one resulting in a ton of hilarious and manic heist moments, but what puts it over the rest is the ending. It's the only Halloween heist to not have a concrete winner, because it's all an elaborate ploy for Jake to propose to Amy. It's a twist that caught me off guard, and might just be one of the most memorable and perfect proposals in a TV show.
Ninety-Nine: Most shows try to make their 100th episode special, but it's only fitting that Brooklyn Nine-Nine would do the same with its 99th episode. Ninety-Nine is a massive episode. The characters get to visit Nakatomi Plaza, culminating in a huge cross-country trip. The episode is stuffed with callbacks to the rest of the series, but it's also not afraid to look to the future, setting up storylines like Holt running for commissioner, Rosa coming out as bi, and the Seamus Murphy issue. It's everything a good 100th episode should be.
Game Night: Not to say that the show's real 100th episode isn't pretty big either. Game Night is another one of my favorite B99 episodes because of how maturely it deals with Rosa coming out to her parents. Similarly to Moo Moo (though not nearly as dark), Game Night isn't afraid to get real and ends on a bit of a bittersweet note. However, the titular game night is still a lot of fun, and the episode as a whole is a testament to how strong Jake and Rosa's friendship has gotten.
The Box: The Box feels like a summation of B99 as a whole, yet it only features three characters and takes place in a single location: the interrogation room. It's an entire episode based on Jake and Holt's dynamic as they try to get a charismatic criminal to confess. It's funny, well-acted, and compelling, and the moment said criminal finally confesses manages to be both hilarious and satisfying.
Jake And Amy: After two pretty shaky finales, Jake And Amy is probably the most low-key ending to a season until this point. While there is still a cliffhanger about who became commissioner, it's far more personal and compelling. Jake and Amy's wedding is pretty cliche (another "wedding goes wrong" episode), but it's still incredibly sweet and fitting to see them get married in the precinct. I even like Rosa's new girlfriend in this episode, it's a shame she doesn't appear after this one.
Overall, Season 5 is easily Brooklyn Nine-Nine's best season to date. The storylines are compelling without getting too dark, the humor is consistently top-notch, and it feels like the series has finally become its best self. Now, let's see if NBC manages to keep up the momentum.
5/5 Stars
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