‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ Season 4, Episodes 11 & 12 Recap: Manhunt Mania

Several escaped criminals are loose on ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ on Fox. It’s up for the crew to track them down while they enlist some unlikely assistance.

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In a special New Year’s Day one-hour episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, we’re treated to an epic manhunt across New York. As the gang has the means to apprehend a number of convicts, we’re treated to two special guest appearances. One is a former NFL player who may end up being of no help at all. The other is a familiar face but with a criminal past. Can Jake Peralta trust him?

In the eleventh and twelfth episodes of the fourth season, “The Fugitive Pt. 1 &2,” things are getting pretty serious between Jake and Amy. Is it that point in their relationship where they start living together? But to decide who moves in with whom, they use the manhunt as a wager. Who can capture the most criminals? The winner keeps their apartment. Meanwhile the rest of the gang uses their resources to track down the final convict.

A Daring Escape

A white van carrying a number of prisoners inexplicably careens off the road and lands on its side. One of the few pedestrians at the scene is Super Bowl winner Marshawn Lynch. Unfortunately he was too wrapped up in his take-out meal, distressed they forgot his pico de gallo. At the Nine-Nine, Capt. Holt (Andre Braugher) alerts the crew about nine escaped convicts on the loose. He announces a manhunt, and Jake (Andy Samberg) is more than excited. He even launches into his Tommy Lee Jones impression from the film The Fugitive. “I didn’t kill my wife!”

Jake and Amy’s relationship is heating up to the point where they stay over each other’s place more often than not. However the rest of the crew suggests they finally move in together. With nine fugitives out on the streets, Amy (Melissa Fumero) and Jake make a wager. The one to capture the most criminals gets to keep their apartment while the other one moves in. This might be an incentive for Amy to win considering Jake’s unsavory track record when it comes to home upkeep.

Taking Sides

Terry (Terry Crews) is determined for Jake to win. If he were to lose, Jake would become the next victim of a man forced to make sacrifices for his woman. It’s too late for Terry as he has little room to keep up his hobby, acrylic painting in overalls and no shirt. Amy is teamed up with Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio). Despite being Jake’s best buddy, Boyle wants Amy to win. Considering she lives two blocks away from him, this means Boyle will have more opportunities to hang with Jake. Of course Boyle likes to imagine his friendship with him is out of a romantic comedy about two gal pals.

Amy and Boyle are off to an early lead. They captured three convicts while Jake and Terry only got one. Given the severity of the situation, the Nine-Nine has access to endless resources. Amy and Boyle have night vision goggles. Jake and Terry score Big Bertha, a tactical bus from Homeland Security. Soon enough, it’s Jake and Terry with 4 and Amy and Boyle with three. Soon enough the game is tied.

Unhelpful Witnesses

Holt informs Rosa (Stephanie Beatriz) that one of the witnesses was Marshawn Lynch. Rosa is instantly excited while Holt has no idea who he is. “We’re not getting anything out of him. He’s always getting fined for refusing to talk to the press. He’s kind of one of my heroes,” a slightly aroused Rosa remarks. Unfortunately, she was right as Lynch only rambles on about his love for Mexican food and his theories on Santa Claus. A now annoyed Rosa is left with him to record the rest of his nonsensical statement.

Another witness was an older woman from a foreign country but she’s of no use without speaking any English. Luckily they catch a break as they determined that a drawing she had made was of a manhole cover, meaning the last of the convicts went underground. As both sets make their way through the sewer, they both encounter the convict at the same time. Amy and Jake rush through the Miranda rights to determine a winner but Jake gives up.

Realizing his true love for Amy, Jake lets her take the win and agrees to move in with her. “You’re happiness is worth way more than winning some stupid bet,” Jake says and is instantly greeted with a passionate kiss. Their moment to shine is cut short, though. The person they captured was not a convict but the actual bus driver. The last convict previously blackmailed the driver to intentionally crash and help them escape or else he’d harm his family.

An Unlikely Team

The convict, George Jeselnik (Charles Baker), is highly dangerous with a rap sheet a mile long. As a child he was in and out of foster homes. However, Jake happens to notice a familiar name who shared a foster home with George long ago. Doug Judy (Craig Robinson), a.k.a. “The Pontiac Bandit.” A former nemesis of Jake’s, Doug and him became allies last season out on a cruise.

While Jake and Doug are psyched to partner up (even coming up with their own theme song on the fly), Holt is livid when he learns Doug would be granted immunity. Thus wiping out his 600 outstanding charges, Holt only agrees if Doug can bring his foster brother to justice.

After it was reported that George posed as the van driver and escaped the hospital after being treated, Jake and Doug determine that George is after a bejeweled egg worth millions. Holt is still reluctant with any leads are coming from Doug’s “criminal friends.” Holt is even angrier after Doug is given a badge and an unloaded gun. In order to prevent a mishap, Holt inserts himself onto the case, now focusing on an art exhibition where the egg and George will be.

Holt still doubts his decision to include Doug, believing he’s only working with them to help out his brother. Instead, Doug is more than happy to help capture him. Unfortunately the egg was a ruse and a tip Doug received turned out to be true. The egg was not the target but instead all of the cars from the guests were stolen. One of the victims happened to be “Gertie,” Holt’s beloved vehicle.

Closing In

Still suspecting Doug of helping his brother, Holt ultimately goes undercover as a foreign millionaire looking to buy back his car as Doug takes them to an illegal chop shop. Holt finally spots George working on a car outside and when they confront him, he sets a fiery trap. Holt’s suspicions are proved correct when George hops into a convertible driven by Doug and they make their escape.

Disappointed over the manipulation, Jake now has to arrest Doug as well. They’re able to track them down to a residence as Jake had Doug’s phone location inputted into a “Find My Friend” app. Doug and George corner them in the house with guns drawn. Fearing they could die any moment, Doug saves the day as he had given George his unloaded gun and then knocks him out.

Must Read: 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' Season 4, Episode 10 Recap: Christmas Calamity

Soon after Doug is granted full immunity and Holt offers an apology for doubting the reformed criminal. As a thank you, Doug gifts Holt the same make and model as Gertie. He assures Holt it wasn’t stolen and bought it for cheap at a used car lot. The one caveat is that the car would be christened “Sex-o-rella,” which surprisingly impresses Holt. However, Doug admits to Jake he has to fall back on what he does best: stealing cars. Despite their bromance, Jake vows to take Doug down if he catches him in the act.

Stray Observations

• “I hope you like sharing a bed with a thousand pillows,” Amy says as she’s determined to win the bet to see who moves where. “Well I hope you like sharing my one great towel,” Jake counters.
• “I can’t believe Leonardo lived in this. Michelangelo I guess, he’s kind of a sloppy dude,” Jake says to Terry as they navigate through the sewer. Ever so child-like, Jake seems to think the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were real. “Leonardo was just so fastidious.”
• We get a rare glimpse into Rosa’s “dark past.” After maneuvering up a hospital wall, a stunned Terry asks how she does it. Turns out Rosa was an exceptional gymnast, all smiles which counteract with her now tough demeanor.
• That’s Charles Baker who plays the final fugitive. You may know him best as Skinny Pete from Breaking Bad.
• A b-story in the second half of the hour involved Boyle upset that everyone else is in text chains while he’s left out. The rest were tired of Boyle’s tendency to “over-text.” They end up inviting him back but this plotline just seemed unnecessary and inconsistent with the first half of the episode. That is until the very end where a text by Boyle leads to Gina stopping in the middle of the street. She’s hit by a bus and we’re left with an ominous “to be continued” teaser. Gina dead? Say it ain’t so!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on Fox.