Brooklyn Nine-Nine Review: Game of Boyles / Renewal (Season 8 Episodes 7 and 8)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 8 Episodes 7 and 8, “Game of Boyles,” and “Renewal,” are two separate but immensely satisfying mysteries.

These episodes have plenty of pop-culture references and series callbacks to solidify themselves as strong additions to this workplace comedy. However, it is the choice to structure them around Holt and Kevin’s relationship that makes these penultimate episodes the cool, cool, coolest.

That and one particularly great shoutout to the film that revamped the classic whodunnit with nothing more than a crazy southern accent and a closet of Chris Evans sweaters.

You just knew Jake Peralta couldn’t let this one go unnoticed…

Nothing foul could be afoot with “Game of Boyles” because the episode is a tribute to one of the greatest murder mysteries of our generation — Knives Out!

This isn’t the first time Brooklyn Nine-Nine has paid homage to great film obsessions like Die Hard and Whiplash. The dedication to reenacting very specific plot points from popular movies is what I’ve come to love most about this show.

The episode does not disappoint in this regard, devoting much of its plot to a missing will and a round-table-style interrogation that involves Jake going over the events of the previous evening with each family member. And because the nine-nine are nothing if not committed, most of the lines are pulled right from the film’s script.

And when the murder isn’t directly tied to the film in question, Jake makes sure to circle back around with iconic comments like, “I shouldn’t have done the Knives Out accent.”

The Boyle family is just absurd enough for this murder mystery to sell its twists and turns. So, it’s unfortunate that this episode can’t twist the knife in deeper and attempt to pack even more chaos into this winding donut-hole of an investigation.

That said, Charles and Jake aren’t the only sleuths on the scene for “Game of Boyles.” This episode also graces us with the presence of the Sleuth Sisters.

That alone should make it top-tier content, but oh no, Brooklyn Nine-Nine has to throw in Holt attempting to use a dating app for good measure. Who even cares if he did it to get back at the meddling sisters, every time Holt refers to his date as “Hot Todd,” I die a little inside from laughing too hard.

And that kiss! Talk about one of the show’s finest moments.

Holt standing in the rain to kiss Kevin passionately is the stuff of Ted Lasso‘s Rom-Communism dreams and a commendable moment for a show that has always leaned into the couple’s distaste for PDA.

Even better, “Renewal,” follows up Kevin and Holt’s grand declaration of love with a vow renewal and one very vengeful Cheddar. It’s the Precinct Dads special we’ve been waiting all season for.

There are some tedious detours thrown around to keep the momentum of the episode going and Rosa does threaten Cheddar a lot (girl should have known better).

There are also many wonderful callbacks to Captain Holt’s finest moments of the series when he yells “BONE” at Rosa and later seductively lures O’Sullivan’s mother into a diversion.

This is once again Holt’s episode to lose, that is if he knew how to do anything but win.

This episode’s struggle to juggle its arsenal of loveable long-running bits and the recent introduction of a police reform storyline isn’t nearly as successful as it could be.

That said, the mashup between these two sides of the nine-nine is ultimately victorious when the bombshell announcement that Holt is retiring is countered by Kevin’s own shocking reveal.

Despite everything the man has led us to believe over the years, he doesn’t hate Holt’s job. Forget Charles not being a Boyle, this is the real twist. 

Turns out, he hates losing the little things between them. It’s a sentiment that echoes this episode’s desire to showcase all the little inside-jokes shared between the squad over the years.

It’s difficult to believe we’re just two episodes away from bidding the 99th precinct farewell.

Episodes like these remind us of what we’ll miss most about this pop-culture-obsessed comedy and the ridiculous lens for which it chooses to see the world.

Most of all we’ll miss these characters. Holt and Kevin’s relationship drama is a brutal reminder of that, as is the cliffhanger suggesting Jake is willing to leave his dream job so Amy can have hers.

So we choose instead to go cry it off and look on the bright side of things; because we’re most definitely getting a Halloween Heist series finale. It seems Captain Holt isn’t the only one who wins…

Other Cool Cool Cool Moments:

• When Amy says “I love numbers” and Jake snaps back, “Numbers can’t be the father to your child, Amy!”
• Kevin confirming he’s not surprised Jake watches gay porn.
• Holt openly admitting to the precinct that he and Kevin are getting some regularly.
• Kevin looking Cheddar dead in the eye after he acted up and saying, “This is my day.”
• Holt refusing to remember the name of Jake’s child, so he refers to him as “little guy” and Jake never once notices.
• “Nancy Meyers never fails!”
• Amy’s dork dance and Jake’s admiration that they share a marital bed.
• Holt yelling “BONE” when Rosa suggests he give Cheddar a bone because this entire episode is iconic.

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

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The final episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine air Thursday, September 9th at 8/9c on NBC.

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