Brooklyn Nine-Nine Review: PB&J (Season 8 Episode 5)
It wouldn’t be the final season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine without a visit from the Pontiac Bandit.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 8 Episode 5, “PB&J,” reunites Jake and Doug Judy for one last joy ride, and it’s arguably one of their best outings.
The usual pleasures of their high-energy friendship are on full display, from matching jumpsuits to deeply personal last meals.
However, this combination of sweet and savory lays into the saltiness of their rivalry, forcing Jake and Doug Judy to choose between their future and each other.
“PB&J” ups the stakes by inserting real life-changing consequences into this final chess match between Jake and his greatest adversary — or rather a “chess match with a dumbass” as Trudy puts it.
There’s a definitive outcome this time as Jake either loses his job or Judy goes to jail. This brilliantly forces one to decide the other’s fate, setting up for the strongest version of this power dynamic yet.
The Pontiac Bandit can easily outsmart Jake, but he’s never been so upfront about it. Watching these two play a complicated mind game Judy is clearly winning only spirals into greater madness.
The mind games are solid warfare as each player stubbornly refuses to give up the upper hand. Judy changing Jake’s contacts is an epic plot twist, but it’s not nearly as great as Jake continuously calling the squad, only to have Trudy Judy answer instead.
Also, the woman owns a dog named Dog Judy — can things get any better than that?
This episode gets to the root of their rivalry in ways the series has yet to explore in such a serious light.
It exploits Jake’s blindspots when it comes to Doug Judy and forces him to face real consequences for abusing his authority to aid a criminal.
Yet, the reveal that Jake knowingly gave Judy the tools to escape custody suggests he’s still willing to skirt the law to set things right with his friend. This once again sets Jake in an interesting grey area of operation as he begins to face the season’s heavier subject matter.
The slippery scenario Doug Judy has concocted forces these two besties to reconcile with their relationship in ways the finality of this season calls for, while still vibing with their pop-culture fever dream of a friendship.
“PB&J” has all the trapping of a farewell fit for one of TV’s most iconic duos.
These two ride-or-die homies really do attempt to have it all, going along with the friend part of their frenemy relationship for a record amount of time. That’s something rather special for fans of this dynamic.
Everyone’s just looking for that one person they can freestyle rap about sandals with, and Jake found his person in Doug Judy. That’s always worth celebrating.
Jake and Judy’s shared love for all things pop culture means we finally get Jake’s thoughts on Taylor Swift’s Folklore, which he’s “barely memorized all the lyrics to.” Sure Jake, sure.
Even when the Pontiac Bandit declares he’s escaping (again) and the shenanigans turn vindictive, these good times keep rolling with a scary specific friendship test and a “do I have an earring?” question from Judy that has The Office fans shaking.
Is this NBC poking fun at our inability to remember if Stanley has a mustache through a show alum? It feels oddly personal.
“PB&J” is all about the journey for this unlikely pair and less about the finality of their destination.
This is a farewell episode worthy of the Pontiac Bandit’s legacy and Craig Robinson’s reign over the workplace sitcom. It’s deceptive and clever like him, yet still plays to the harmless and playful nature of his friendship with Jake.
Jake and Doug Judy’s parting words to each other being “tigers and tucs” speaks to their effortless on-screen chemistry and the hold it has always had on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
What did you think of this episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Brooklyn Nine-Nine airs back-to-back episodes Thursdays at 8/9c on NBC.
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Alicia Gilstorf
Alicia is a Rotten Tomatoes Certified Critic and a Critics Choice Association member. She credits her passion for TV to workplace sitcoms, paranormal dramedies, and coming-of-age stories. In her free time, Alicia loves to curl up with a good book and lose herself in a cozy game. Keep a lookout for her coverage of Ghosts. You can also find her work on Eulalie Magazine and Cool Girl Critiques. Follow Alicia on social media: @aliciagilstorf
2 comments
I thought it was a shame they had Jake break his professional ethics – we’ve seen him bend them before but never fully break them.
I’d have preferred it if Judy has said he’d taken the pen out of Jake’s pocket when they hugged and Jake (badly) pretended to be surprised/annoyed – that would have felt more in his character, and we’d never have known definitively if he put it in his pocket on purpose.
Dog Judy was Doug Judy’s dog, which I kind of love more!
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