Rosa and Jake may be back to the precinct, but their problems have only just begun!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine episode 5×03, “Kicks”, on FOX had all of us anticipating Jake (Andy Samberg) and Rosa’s (Stephanie Beatriz) first adventures back at the precinct. Unfortunately, the two have been placed on desk duty for the time being. Jake has a hard time accepting it, especially after Hitchcock (Dirk Blocker) and Scully (Joel McKinnon Miller) told him they would be a group of three now. Even getting Charles (Joe Lo Truglio) to give him some details on cases isn’t helping. As a last resort, Jake goes to see Captain Holt (Andre Braugher) to request an evaluation. At least this way he can work a case, even if it is under supervision. But working just shows Jake that maybe he isn’t quite ready to be back on active duty quite yet.

RELATED | BROOKLYN NINE-NINE ROUNDTABLE 5X02 “THE BIG HOUSE, PT. 2”

Rosa also had some issues of her own to deal with this week. She didn’t have a problem with desk duty, but she did have a problem with Adrian (Jason Mantzoukas). Rosa became convinced he was cheating and headed to Terry (Terry Crews) and Amy (Melissa Fumero) for advice. They encouraged her to stake him out and see if there was any validation to the claims before confronting Adrian. Turns out he was just trying to do something nice for her by learning Spanish so he could impress her father. But Rosa felt it was still time for them to break up. Now the only question we have is what it’s going to mean for Adrian.

So let’s start by meeting our roundtable of the week!

Tori (@danniebear87) – Just a random, weird, and creative chick!

Christina (@OddlyUnromantic) – Massive obsessive fan of movies, TV, music, and YouTube.

Aurora (@AurorasBlog) – Marathon runner and equity actress, currently running 882 miles for the 882 daily victims of assault for Project882!

Denny (@df_t7) – I’m multi-fandom and Brooklyn Nine-Nine is my new obsession! I also do crafts, read and watch shows.

Marilyn (@Marilyn72568293) – Cosmetologist and lover of fun! Enjoy watching the best shows I can find!

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1. Do you think it’s necessary for Jake and Rosa to have been put on desk duty?

Tori (@danniebear87): I think it is. It gives them an opportunity to slowly work their way back into action after everything that happened the last time and after leaving prison. It’s also a cooling down point, as Jake showed us later in the show. It’s not a good idea just to jump back in.

Christina (@OddlyUnromantic): I can see why they would get desk duty. They were in jail for a few months and need to readjust to being back in civilian and work life.

Aurora (@AurorasBlog): I don’t think people should be punished for something they didn’t do. Jake and Rosa have already been punished for a crime they didn’t commit. Now they’re being re-punished with desk duty? When do they get their life back? It feels like one thing after another. On the other hand, often when someone goes through something traumatic, they can’t help but change, and readjusting can be really hard. That hard fact of life and humanity doesn’t change just because they’re strong, or lovable people. At the end of the day, they’re still people. What’s best and safest for everyone is potentially desk time for Jake and Rosa. So, I don’t know what’s necessary, but Captain Holt is making the best decisions he can in a tough situation.

Denny (@df_t7): They spent several months in prison. It was a traumatic experience. So, yes, it is necessary for them to recover before going back to the field.

Marilyn (@Marilyn72568293): That’s hard because I want to say yes and no. I understand why they had to be and why the policy is like that. But, I also think they are both more than capable of hitting the streets again.

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2. When Rosa told Terry and Amy of her suspicions regarding Adrian cheating, why didn’t they act very surprised at the possibility?

Tori: Probably because nothing really surprises them about Adrian. He’s kinda random. Or after everything that happened and Rosa being in prison, they could have thought it was a possibility.

Christina: Amy and Terry didn’t act very surprised because Pimento is freaking crazy! He’s insane and unpredictable. Also, I just don’t think Amy and Terry knew how to react to Rosa opening up to them. She’s always so guarded and with this she’s very vulnerable and open.

Aurora: I wonder if they have such a hard time getting a read on Adrian that they’re not really 100% sure what he’ll do (ever).

Denny: I don’t think they weren’t surprised. But, if that were the case, Adrian and Rosa were apart for several months. I was sure Pimento was not cheating, so I can’t give an elaborate answer for this one.

Marilyn: I really questioned this. We all know he’s crazy, but I didn’t think he was a cheater. At least Terry and Amy were both supportive in their own ways.

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3. What do you think Captain Holt was writing about Jake in his notepad? 

Tori: I think Holt was just writing to freak Jake out because he can.

Christina: Probably how Jake is an immature adult and all the things Jake observes that Holt doesn’t.

Aurora: Captain Holt has a great memory and intuition, and he’s perfectly capable of seeing how Jake is doing without taking notes. So, part of me wonders if he’s writing grocery lists and things like that to play a game of sorts. Maybe putting a little pressure on Jake. But, Captain Holt takes his job very seriously, even if they like to have a little fun sometimes. I believe he cares for Jake very deeply and truly is concerned with his well-being. So maybe he’s writing about tiny things he notices, if Jake has any new verbal or physical ticks. Or if his train of thought seems to work differently than before, stuff like that.

Denny: He didn’t need to write notes. So I think he was just messing with Jake, testing him. Like with his squat. What was that? It was really very funny!

Marilyn: I doubt he was writing anything. He loves giving Jake a hard time and this was the perfect opportunity.

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4. Jake seemed to work better when Holt wasn’t around. Is this because he felt less pressure? Or something else?

Tori: I feel it’s because of the pressure. Jake has always wanted to please Holt. He may be afraid he will let him down especially with the review he has to go through.

Christina: As Jake has said numerous times throughout the series, he has abandonment issues from his father. He sees Holt as a father figure. Whenever Holt is watching over him, Jake is nervous about doing a good job and pleasing Holt. Like maybe he would have done with his father, had his father been around.

Aurora: Do we really think he worked better with Holt not around? After all, when Holt wasn’t around Jake let the perpetrator go, which was pretty bad! With Holt around, through the power of squatting, Jake found the security camera that led him to the pup tent. I’d argue that Captain Holt and Jake have a really special relationship, and Jake potentially works a little better with Holt. Especially in this transitional period after Jake’s release from prison.

Denny: I think so! He was in an evaluation so it’s a big pressure.

Marilyn: Jake definitely seemed more at ease. He loves Holt like a father but he also worries about impressing him and making him proud.

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5. Did it surprise you to see Jake admit how much being in prison affected him mentally?

Tori: Yes, I was surprised. Jake is a strong, goofy guy. To see him be serious, was kinda weird, but refreshing at the same time. It’s nice to see a softer side of Jake.

Christina: Yeah, I was a little surprised to hear Jake admit how prison affected him mentally. But at the same time, maybe it’s not so much of a surprise. Jake is the complete opposite of Rosa. Rosa is tough as nails. Yes, she has a case of the feels every now and then but that’s not often like Jake.

Aurora: In the sense that I still forget that Brooklyn Nine-Nine is such an exceptionally well-written show that stays gorgeously grounded in reality. But it didn’t surprise me that Jake would admit that. Boyle and Holt are two of his closest confidantes. At this point, they’ve become his family. So, of course he’s safe to share it with them! Plus it wasn’t some huge saccharine moment and giant conversation. He kept it light with smiles and light laughter. So, he was still very “Jake” to me. He’s always changing and growing, and yet never losing the core of what makes him Jake. That’s how life works, I suppose. Life will always have bad things happen, no matter how much of a good person you are, or how good you try to be, or how nice your life is. You cannot avoid the bad in this life.

Denny: Well, the admit part was a little surprising, but it shows us how much Jake has grown up. How much Jake is suffering and how it affects his job. This is a very sad and beautiful scene! I cried so much!

Marilyn: I think it surprised me more that Jake was so mentally affected. He went through something traumatic, but this show makes it easy to forget.

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6. How did you feel about Rosa and Adrian breaking up? Is it something you saw coming, or was it a surprise?

Tori: I’m torn. A part of me is surprised, especially since he was found innocent and they make a great couple. Another part of me is not. Rosa is very independent and hardcore. Being in a relationship seemed kinda weird to me, but I was happy for her.

Christina: I was so surprised! I’m such a fan of Rosa and Pimento’s relationship. Their relationship is hilarious. Every time Pimento was in an episode I got all excited. He’s insane and just oddly right for Rosa. Who knew she was such a freak with the sex stuff?! Being with Pimento showed a different side to Rosa that I loved seeing.

Aurora: I never 100% understood their relationship. What Rosa was experiencing was important. If you feel relief at the idea of not being with someone, it’s probably best to not be with them. So, I commend her for making a tough call and trusting her gut. This seemed like the right decision to her at this point in her life, so I commend her for trusting her gut, and taking actions she felt she needed to take. (Supportive high-five!)

Denny: I reacted with “No, Rosa!”. Pimento is amazing!  Yes, he’s insane, but he’s great! After Amy said “I think you know what to do”, I figured it would happen.

Marilyn: This was kind of upsetting. I really liked the two of them together. They are both a little on the crazy side and their moments together were always hilarious.

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7. Were you surpised that Jake asked for a couple more weeks on desk duty? Or did you expect him to jump right back into things after Holt told him he passed his evaluation?

Tori: Yes I am. I thought he would want to jump back in even though he almost ruined the case. It was a good decision though. This way Jake is getting the rest he needs so he can be the Jake Peralta we know and love.

Christina: I was surprised that Jake chose to stay at his desk after Holt cleared him. But as Holt said, Jake is maturing.

Aurora: Nothing Jake does surprises me anymore, in a really good way! But he has all this amazing depth that I feel like we see more and more of throughout the seasons. Jake is so layered and lovely and capable of anything including incredible growth, change, and self-reflection. One thing that always remains steady is his full heart. He loves being a police officer in the field, and I think he’ll stay one! He won’t be on the desk forever. But trauma changes people. Sometimes you need some extra time to process things, and it’s healthy and responsible that Jake is doing and showing that. I’m really proud of and inspired by him.

Denny: Not at all! Jake has already shown that he knows he isn’t ready. So it would be strange if he didn’t want more time.

Marilyn: I really thought Jake would jump back into things as soon as Holt told him he passed the evaluation. But I also understood why he wanted to stay on desk duty. He truly is growing up.

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Final Verdict: Not only are we left wondering what will happen with Adrian now, but we are missing Gina more and more every episode too!

We know the jail episodes had to play out, and we applaud the writers for doing the story quickly and efficiently. It has to be hard trying to jam information into a half hour show. We’re seriously impressed by them every week! The writers genuinely know how to keep surprising the audience, even after four years! That’s pretty impressive. This has never been your typical cop procedural. It’s never been a typical comedy either.

There were a few things in this episode we wished had gone differently. While we’re really glad Jake is growing as a person, we aren’t being shown much between him and Amy. We want their relationship to grow right along with Jake. It seems we get a line here or there, but we definitely need more! Another note of absence would have to be Gina’s. We knew we were going to miss her, but we never expected we would miss her this much! There have been so many missed opportunities to make fun of the squad!

While Jake has requested a few more weeks of desk duty, we’re not so sure that’s going to last. He’s a cop through and through and he is going to need the adrenaline rush that comes from chasing the bad guys. We are also kind of weirdly interested in what the hell is going to happen with Adrian now! Then there’s the matter of when Gina is going to come back. Hurry up and have that baby, Gina! We need you and your sarcastic wit back!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine returns next Tuesday, October 17th at 9:30/8:30c on FOX