Jake Sets a ‘Parent Trap’ for Holt & Kevin on ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ (RECAP)
Spoiler Alert
[WARNING: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 8 Episode 2, “The Lake House.”]
The unthinkable happened in the season premiere of Brooklyn Nine-Nine: We learned that Holt (Andre Braugher) and Kevin (Marc Evan Jackson) have separated.
If you were heartbroken by that twist, you’re not the only one. Jake (Andy Samberg) won’t stand for it, either. Against the squad’s advice, he sets a “parent trap” for the duo, intending to make them see they’re still perfect for each other. Of course, because it’s Jake, things don’t quite go as planned. Meanwhile, Amy (Melissa Fumero) struggles to accept parenting advice from Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio).
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Jake’s plan is to gather the group and go to Holt’s lake house. He swears he has nothing up his sleeve (which isn’t true), and everyone heads out for the weekend. (Hilariously, there’s no lake at the lake house — in true Holt fashion, the place is named after a composer).
Then, once they’re there, Jake puts his plan into motion. Turns out, he messed with Holt and Kevin’s calendars to get them at the house at the same time… which, of course, neither of the former spouses are pleased about. They agree to go about their business cordially, but it’s awkward. And it’s awkward when Jake manages to get them both to stain their clothing, so they have to change into outfits the other finds attractive (for Kevin, this is Holt in bike shorts; for Holt, this is Kevin in a mock turtleneck).
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But while there isn’t much of a spark, all hope is not lost. Jake convinces Kevin (and Terry (Terry Crews), who’s tentatively on Jake’s side but doesn’t want to look like he’s on Jake’s side, convinces Holt) that he’s seen a rare bird in the woods. This is, of course, a setup for a romantic picnic. The clueless spouses head out in search of the fluttery creature, and end up calling back and forth to each other in its mating cry. They wind up at the picnic site, and… they’re swarmed by bees. And Kevin is allergic.
With his eyes swollen shut, Kevin allows Holt to guide him back to the cabin. Then, in a joyous twist of fate, they see the bird Jake was only pretending was there; since Kevin can’t see, Holt has to describe the avian to his love (because it’s Kevin and Holt, this description occurs in numerical Pantones), and it sure seems like they’ll get back together. Jake is triumphant. But later, a dejected Holt tells the squad Kevin has left.
While all of this is happening, Amy laments that she can’t get Mac to sleep. Boyle offers his help, and eventually he wears Amy down enough that she accepts — and then Boyle accidentally locks a sleeping Mac in his room. Oops! (Rosa (Stephanie Beatriz), who is no longer a police officer, looks on with amusement after consuming several edibles). Amy knocks down the door and rescues Mac, but she eventually admits the reason Mac hadn’t been sleeping was because she didn’t leave him alone enough, so she’s learned a lesson from the mishap.
As the episode ends, Jake comes to a startling realization about Holt and Kevin, all thanks to listening to the bird’s call on an app. He bursts into Holt’s room and tells him the truth: The call he made in the woods wasn’t correct, but Kevin followed it anyway — because he wanted to be led to his husband. The only reason he left the cabin, then was because he didn’t know how Holt felt. That’s enough for Holt, and they reconcile; he later tells Jake they’ll start couples therapy the following week.
Rosa, on the other hand, has a less cheery time. Under the influence, she made friends with Scully (because he had potato chips!). Later, when she’s sober, she finds herself in a car with Scully and a virtual Hitchcock, heading to a potato chip factory. “Oh, God,” she says. “Amy was right. Drugs are bad!” Poor Rosa.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Thursdays, 8/7c, NBC
