Brooklyn Nine-Nine season 2, episode 13, “Payback,” revolved around one key element: the ability for Jake Peralta to keep a secret. That didn’t work.
Overall, “Payback” was about solidifying some relationships that have been touched on, but not explored in the past season and a half. It’s interesting, because on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, all the dynamics among the detectives in the precinct work. Even Hitchcock and Scully, while they don’t really have a purpose, fit into the fold. (Do you disagree with us on that point? Let us know in the comments!)
That being said, tonight tackled two topics people don’t like talking about: money and food poisoning.
Jake Peralta owes Sargent Terry Jeffords a few thousand dollars. Instead of repaying him without question, Jake switches into detective mode and concludes that Terry and his wife Sharon are pregnant for a second time. Terry bribes him: if he can keep the pregnancy a secret for four weeks, he will consider making Jake the godfather.
After paying back Terry the money, the rest of the precinct comes to Jake looking for the money he owes them.
Instead of forking over cash, he returns a few favors:
If that wasn’t enough, Jake then accidentally hits “Reply All” on an email to Terry about potential baby names, thus spilling the secret to everyone merely hours after finding out. He quickly heads down to the gym where Terry is ignoring his phone, feverishly working out. In an attempt to distract him further, Jake asks for help working out. What follows is a montage of ex-pro NFL football player Terry Crews next to Andy Samberg – it’s kind of a funny image.
Meanwhile, remember the arson case that Holt solved decades ago, but Amy found an error that caused the case to be reopened? They’re partnered up this week to try and find the real perp – which takes Holt minutes to find. That, however, is just a minor detail in their storyline though. As they stakeout the last known location of the 80-something-year-old “punk,” Amy suggests they get some street meat to bond.
Minutes later, that street meat turns on Holt and they walk, nay, speed walk – nay, run! – to the car and back to the precinct for Holt’s sake. Amy, of course, feels terrible about making him sick and potentially blowing the chance for any future partnerships. The next day though, Holt reassures Amy that they will be able to look back at this one day and laugh.
Despite Jake spilling the beans about Terry’s new baby, in the end, he does still ask Jake to be the godfather and obviously Detective Peralta is over the moon and readily accepts. Now if only he could read a book about parenting, you know, just in case the need arises.