Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 7 Episode 3 Review: Pimento
Jillian Pugliese
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Adrian Pimento returns with a bang this week on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Or maybe that was a boom. Is that a bomb strapped to his chest? Nope, it's just his watch.
Jason Mantzoukas graces our screens once again with a storyline perfectly suited to his acting strengths.
He's completely out of his mind. Ever since I binged The Good Place and got to know Mantzoukas as Janet's boyfriend/son Derek, I've developed a new appreciation for his acting style.
Everyone on Brooklyn Nine-Nine has great comedic timing, but in Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 7 Episode 3, Mantzoukas was the star.
I didn't realize how much I missed his character. The issue with Pimento originally was his lack of chemistry with Rosa.
When they were trying to push that romance, it became hard to root for him to stay around. Thankfully, we've moved on from that, and now we can enjoy that insanity he brings without bringing drama to Rosa's life.
In this episode, Pimento's convinced someone's trying to kill him. I'll admit, I brushed it off originally.
The guy says a lot of crazy things, why would this one be true? But then again, this is Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The episodes are pretty formulaic.
By the end of every episode, we find out that what was said in the beginning was the right thing. We saw it last week with Captain Kim. She was exactly who she said she was.
It only makes sense that Pimento's original theory would be true. But I can't blame Jake and Charles for letting their guard down. It's hard to take him seriously.
Pimento: Where am I? What is that table?
Jake: Calm down, you're at the Nine-Nine and you know what a table is.
I never thought I would get sick of the phrase "just keep swimming". However, sometimes Brooklyn Nine-Nine isn't aware of how much is too much (similar to Charles Boyle).
I do like the Finding Dory references, especially with how they come full circle when they're out on the ledge. I just think less is more in this situation.
I like the rhyming of Memento and Pimento and felt those jokes landed better. We've all been in Jake's situation. As a TV Fanatic, I constantly make references my friends don't get.
Pimento has Memento disease! Your memory's resetting, like the guy from the movie Memento!
Jake
The twist with the doctor would've been a cliche in any other show, but it fits perfectly with this episode.
It's easy to get wrapped up in Pimento's bizarre stories that you forget there's an attempted murder plot going on here.
His doctor had been drugging him for quite some time, and yet the episode still carried a comedic tone.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is great at making you forget the reality of the situations they get stuck in.
I was never afraid of Jake and Pimento falling off the ledge. I was more invested in hearing how Pimento's parents both died in separate accidents falling off a lighthouse.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is such a great example of what it means to be in the golden age of television, and this episode only proved that further.
The B-plot wasn't as funny as the Pimento saga, but it was still thoroughly entertaining.
What's nice about having such a big ensemble cast is how much you can do in thirty minutes.
We learned a bit about all the characters through short arguments at a human resources seminar. Terry hates how loudly Rosa chews. Holt corrects Amy's grammar. Hitchock slept with Scully's wife in 1988. There's a lot to unpack.
We may be arguing, but we're all thinking the same thing. Terry talks about his children too much.
Holt
We even got to see Amy try to use new teen slang. It was very endearing.
Once again, Amy and Rosa's friendship shined in this episode when Rosa read the seminar handbook like Amy asked her to. Amy thought she would slack off, but Rosa said they're a team, so of course she'll pull her weight.
I really enjoy the friendships on this show. Each main character has a well-developed relationship with the others. That's pretty rare in a cast of this size.
For instance, Terry and Rosa may not be the best of friends, but they have their own individual dynamic that is showcased from time to time.
Terry: You are a good cop, with a great attitude!
Rosa: I don't like this.
What turned into a group therapy session instead of a seminar ended up being a great way to get all the main players together. We even learned Scully has a podcast! Go figure.
Luckily, we also got another storyline revolving around Charles and Jake's friendship. Jake's been hiding that he and Amy are trying to get pregnant from Charles, simply because he can get way too involved in their relationship.
But of course, he finds out anyway, and overreacts as he usually does.
Charles hasn't had much character development throughout the series, but he can get away with it. He's too lovable of a character to change, even if he could benefit from lessening his codependence with Jake.
Then again, it is a two-way street.
Stray Thoughts:
- I loved seeing Paul Welsh pop up as the "funny" HR representative. He was great in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and his talents translate well here.
- Rosa and Holt's fake fight in the seminar was essentially a contest of who can show the least emotion. I think Rosa won.
- They did a great job with the Harry Potter references. Jake and Amy are such nerds.
- Being a private investigator for Countess Luann sounds like the dream job. How'd Pimento get that?
What did you think of Pimento's return?
Do you think Terry talks too much about his kids?
Would you go to a Melissa Etheridge concert with Jake?
Don't forget that if you missed the episode you can watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine online here at TV Fanatic.
Jillian Pugliese is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.
