TV #44 of 2016:
Brooklyn Nine-Nine, season 3
My wife was still catching up on this show, so I’ve been rewatching it while she does. And now we’re both ready for the new episodes – including that New Girl crossover – starting soon!
My reaction to the season this time is that it continues to bring the funny (in addition to the diverse cast, the positive gender ideologies, and the great character work). I also liked how Holt and Gina were off on their own for the beginning of the season, which reminded me of some of the stronger arcs on The Office (US). Of course, the show did eventually return to its status quo, which is my main worry about the supposed cliffhanger in the finale. Jake going deep undercover at the end of season 1 was undone immediately at the start of season 2, and it’s hard to imagine the ending of season 3 won’t be similarly unraveled as soon as we pick back up. But oh well. This is a really great show; I just wish the writers trusted it more without having to inject this sort of artificial drama.
Original review, posted 4/21/16:
One of the reasons I like to both consume and review TV shows in season-length portions is that that’s by and large how they are planned out, with the whole year’s character and plot arcs determined by the writers over the break. That’s not always so important for a sitcom as it is for a dramatic series, but Brooklyn Nine-Nine continues to raise the bar of its genre. Looking back on this year, I was surprised to realize how much had happened. Of course we had the excellent Pimento and Figgis storylines at the tail end, but let’s not forget that we started season three with Holt out as captain and him and Gina stationed away from the Nine-Nine. Not to mention Jake and Amy’s relationship, which feels so lived-in and natural at this point, only got started when they kissed in the season 2 finale! The jokes have always been there, and the humor has only deepened as we’ve gotten to know these characters better. But this season truly reached new heights with how much plot it managed to cover for a workplace procedural.
★★★★☆
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