Brooklyn Nine-Nine Review: The Good Ones (Season 8 Episode 1)

The time has come for Brooklyn Nine-Nine to start saying its goodbyes.

If Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 8 Episode 1, “The Good Ones,” is any indication, this will not be a straightforward farewell for the senior sitcom series. For the 99th precinct, this isn’t just a goodbye, it’s a call for action against the very institute this workplace comedy inhabits.

So, with little choice here, the premiere dives into heavier topics of police brutality and racial injustice. It ultimately struggles to meaningfully unravel the “good cop” persona, but this episode still finds solace in its reliable characters.

BROOKLYN NINE-NINE — “The Good Ones” Episode 802 — Pictured in this screen grab: (l-r) Andy Samberg as Jake Peralta, Joe Lo Truglio as Charles Boyle — (Photo by: NBC)

“It’s a hard line to walk” could be the title of Jake’s next sex tape. Instead, it’s the story of this episode.

“The Good Ones,” covers important issues, but they are incorporated into the typical format with clunky precision. The flow of this episode is disjointed, jumping days ahead at a time to cover ground and overwhelming us with storylines.

It’s heavy on the juxtaposition and light on the laughs, a combination you’re never want to see from a comedy — but especially this comedy.

The big swings make sense for the direction of this seasonal arc and really, the arc this cop-show has been hinting at for years. Corruption within the police force is not news for Jake, but it’s frustrating to see the Nine-Nine operate as if it is.

It’s that oblivious behavior present in the b-plot stories that throw the squad off their game.

Terry and Charles come off as unnecessary fluffing for an already dense episode structure. Terry teaching his “woke” co-worker to support movements without showboating is a smart storyline but with Terry removed from the larger discussion, the interaction feels as inauthentic as Charles’ behavior.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine decides it has to maneuver between heavier subject matter and laughter in ways that, after seven seasons of solid punchlines, suggests we’ve reached a breaking point.

For the first time in a long time, this premise is struggling and that can be hard to watch.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine has a difficult task ahead as it tries to juggle the pandemic and police brutality through a humorous lens. For years the comedy has relied on the funnier antics of the NYPD to elevate its story and these days, mention of law enforcement doesn’t exactly strike a positive feeling.

So, with all your material under scrutiny, what exactly can you do?

It’s a question the Nine-Nine is still looking to answer for themselves, and that’s okay. What matters is this series has something worth saying by the end of this season. What matters is that we get to laugh along the way.

The first half of this episode is weak, layering on racial issues and playing a rather intense game of pandemic ad-libs. However, the second half learns to slow down and let the characters do the talking, not the show’s agenda.

It’s in the silent beats between that this concept comes together and the real Brooklyn Nine-Nine starts to shine through.

Amy and Holt’s storyline comes out of left field in the best of ways as Holt reaches the emotional realization that Amy is the only person who knows him well enough to see he’s struggling.

#Ramy’s tearful exchange exposes one of the strongest relationships at the core of this show and showcases Andre Braugher’s incredibly powerful hold on his line delivery.

This beautiful exchange also reveals what we’ve feared for seasons now — Kevin and Holt’s marriage is crumbling! We need our precinct dads to be okay and more importantly, we need Cheddar to be okay.

This momentum carries the episode to a powerful conclusion that puts Jake and Rosa’s opposing situations into meaningful perspective and leaves us on a promising note.

Using the typical Rosa and Jake case shenanigans to unravel a flimsy argument about “the good ones” of the police force is brimming with potential on-brand for this sharp-witted show.

Jake’s verbal unease during the final scene is an unsettling development for the die-hard cop. And Rosa’s decision to leave the force isn’t just right for shock-value, it may be this season’s chance to make good on the promise to tackle issues it has skirted for so long.

In the final beats of this premiere, we are reassured the show we love is still here and still capable of thriving under an umbrella of dense subject matter.

By finding ways to laugh at the expense of Jake’s Wario obsession as his entire world crumbles, Brooklyn Nine-Nine gives us hope this show will stick the landing.

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What did you think of the season premiere of Brooklyn Nine-Nine? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Brooklyn Nine-Nine airs Thursdays at 8/9c on NBC.

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