NOTE: Full spoilers for this episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine are present in this review.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine offered an episode of emotional highs and lows this week, giving the show the most energy it’s had in a while. This doesn’t necessarily equate to one of Season Two’s highlight episodes, but “Defense Rests” was a funny episode all the same, particularly with the second season’s great guest stars along for the ride.
After being away for a little while, Kyra Sedgewick’s Deputy Commissioner Wuntch made a return, much to Holt’s chagrin, though the episode sets up a very interesting conflict between these two. Wuntch has been offered police chief status in Boston, but her promotion hinges on Holt giving her a positive recommendation. This immediately leaves Holt torn, since he’ll need to swallow his pride to get rid of Wuntch, and if he indulges in revenge by sabotaging her career, she won’t go away.
After seeking counsel from Diaz, who was firmly in the background this episode, but nonetheless told a hilarious story about her dark side in second grade, Holt ultimately decides to give Wuntch a positive testimonial. Of course, it all turns out to be for nothing, since Wuntch just ends up turning down the job. This might seem disappointing, but given that Wuntch outright made up a precinct traitor to get under Holt’s skin in “The Mole” earlier this season, it doesn’t seem so far-fetched. Then again, a good moment was still had, when Holt decides to retaliate by stealing Wuntch’s phone, and then tweaking her autocorrect so that the phone changes ‘Wuntch’ to ‘Butt’. Juvenile? Sure, especially for Holt, but still very funny.
The bulk of the episode however revolves around Peralta hearing from Sophia, reprised by Eva Longoria again, that she wants to take a break from their relationship. Naturally, Peralta pulls a Peralta, and decides to crash an attorneys’ party so that he can befriend Sophia’s boss, and take some of the pressure off of Sophia so that she’s not so stressed about dating him, dragging a begrudging Jeffords along too. This goes about as well as planned, but again, does lead to plenty of funny moments with Peralta and Sophia’s boss, played hysterically by guest star, Chris Parnell, of Archer and 30 Rock fame.
Peralta ends up striking a chord with Sophia’s boss when he proposes a series of increasingly ludicrous bets, which include trying to remove one glass from a champagne tower, guessing how tall Jeffords is in cheese sticks, and more. It all culminates in a hilarious scene where Peralta accidentally walks in on Sophia’s boss doing cocaine, forcing Peralta to arrest him in front of everyone while the guy is high out of his mind.
As much as the hijinix were going full throttle, some sadness was had afterward, since Sophia decides to break up with Peralta for good, due to his immaturity, after she is forced to represent her boss as his attorney, following the mess at the party. It was probably bound to happen at some point, but it’s very sad nonetheless. Worse still is that, now that Peralta and Santiago are both single, the show will probably start revisiting that relationship prospect soon. Oh joy…
Speaking of Santiago, now revealed to be a notary and licensed conflict resolution expert (because of course she is), she nosed into the latest instance of Gina and Boyle butting heads over their parents, with Boyle’s father wanting to propose to Gina’s mother. Gina initially seemed petty and needlessly confrontational, but it was undeniably sweet when she ends up confiding in the two that she is simply scared for her mother, since the romance between her and Boyle’s parents has moved very fast, and she doesn’t want her mother to get hurt.
Fortunately, Gina still got some big laughs after this confession, interrogating Boyle’s father in the holding room. Boyle simply shrugging at his father outright admitting that he cares more about Gina’s mother than he does his own son was amusing in a pathetic sort of way, but it was no doubt a tactical maneuver to get Gina’s blessing. The threat by Gina that if Boyle’s father breaks her mother’s heart, she’ll cut off Boyle’s testicles was definitely hilarious though, especially when Boyle and Santiago nonetheless cheer after hearing that.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine got a little less sophisticated and a little more juvenile this week, but that’s ok, since it was still a good time. “Defense Rests” had some happy moments, some sad moments, and some very weird moments, but it did a good job of moving the series forward, even if some results are bound to be received better than others.