'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' Season 7 Episode 8: Jake’s friendship with Doug tested again because of his cop instincts
This article contains spoilers for season 7 episode 8: 'The Takeback'
After taking away one of the entertaining recurring characters on the show, aka Captain Madeline Wunch, 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' Season 7 is trying to make up for that devastating, yet triumphant loss for new reinstated Captain Raymond Holt by bringing back another brilliant recurring character - the Pontiac Bandit. Over the years, Craig Robinson's iconic portrayal of the crimelord slash detective Jake Peralta's dear frenemy has usually involved elaborate heists, like a sly little trickster waiting to hoodwink Jake at the first chance possible. This time, however, Doug Judy returns to commit no crimes at all, and still somehow manages to tick Jake off. How? By not inviting him to his wedding. But as Jake weasels his way in, the storyline sparks of a hilarious tale of testing their bond as it navigates bachelor parties and Jake's inherent cop instincts to remind us why the friendship is so wholesome in the first place.
The episode kicks off with Rosa Diaz giving Jake a piece of information that she claims won't let him finish the beloved bagel he is halfway through eating, and sure enough, the news is huge. A perp that's been brought in for multiple break-ins catches Rosa's attention for a piece of paper found in his car. Turns out it's the invite for Doug and Kate's wedding - something that breaks Jake's heart because he obviously didn't get one. So he does the inevitable and seeks out Doug - who has found peace in pottery and making customized gifts out of clay. Doug tells Jake the obvious - he can't have a full-blown NYPD cop at his wedding filled with former and still active crooks for guests, and thus begins Jake's mission to stay undercover at his close friend's wedding all because he is that great of a friend.
But this gesture comes with its own fair share of struggles as Jake, Doug, three other friends of Doug, and his sister arrive at Miami to celebrate his bachelor party. The trio of friends accompanying Doug are all felons, as expected, and Doug's sister Trudy Judy can't contain her shock upon seeing Jake attending the party too and ends up calling him a narc in front of all of them. With Doug's three friends immediately getting suspicious of Jake, who's faking to be a certain Sean that none of them has heard of before, things don't really look good for the fumbling, goofy detective who tries his hardest to fit in, but is at the end of the day a cop with integrity at his core. Luckily for him, Trudy Judy understands how much this means to Doug and lies to the felon-friends about an inside joke which forces her to call Jake a narc - thus allowing him to win over their trust. And this proves to be both a boon and a curse for Jake.
Once comfortably assured that Jake isn't a narc, the felon friends brag about how they stole a bunch of diamonds from some rich Russians lodged at the same hotel, and replaced them with fake ones, thus triggering Jake's cop instinct. He can't pull off the act any longer and admits that he is, in fact, Doug's infamous NYPD cop friend who is now forced to arrest them for this confession. They immediately confiscate Jake's phone and tie him up - thus bringing up yet another hurdle in Jake and Doug's friendship. Doug tries to convince him they can carry out a reverse heist and then all can be forgiven because Jake's goal in life is to stop crime. After much hesitation, a lot of bragging about his expertise for heists, Jake caves in and they are actually able to pull it all off effortlessly, but Jake was meant to be a cop all along, and there are some instincts one can't really Burry. So in the end, much to Doug and Trudy Judy's chagrin, he calls in the SWAT team and gets the three felon friends arrested.
It's a classic case of Jake vs. the Pontiac Bandit's schemes, only that every time, as Doug Judy tricks Jake and departs escaping arrest, Jake is somehow filled with more admiration for him. It sort of strengthens their friendship. This time sadly, Jake has managed to piss off both Doug and Trudy Judy real bad - to the point where they don't even allow him to fly back home on their private jet. But as the friendship braves so much and ends up with a giant strain, Jake's instincts survive the battle of emotions and proves once again why he was meant to be a cop all along.
'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' Season 7 airs on Thursdays at 8:30 pm only on NBC.