Balancing (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
| "Balancing" | |
|---|---|
| Brooklyn Nine-Nine episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 8 Episode 4 |
| Directed by | Daniella Eisman |
| Written by | Evan Susser & Van Robichaux |
| Produced by |
|
| Cinematography by | Rick Page |
| Editing by | Jason Gill |
| Production code | 804 |
| Original air date | August 19, 2021 |
| Running time | 21 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Balancing" is the 4th episode of the eighth season of the American television police sitcom series Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and the 147th overall episode of the series. The episode was written by Evan Susser and Van Robichaux and directed by Daniella Eisman. It aired on August 19, 2021 on NBC, airing back-to-back with the previous episode, "Blue Flu".
The show revolves around the fictitious 99th precinct of the
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 1.48 million household viewers and gained a 0.3 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, with critics expressing criticism at its "formulaic" and "uninspired" main story.
Plot
Jake (Andy Samberg) investigates a murder committed by Johnny Franzia, a serial killer he has been trying to pursue for 10 years and is deemed his "white whale". However, Holt (Andre Braugher) removes him from the case, citing that he and Amy (Melissa Fumero) may want more time taking care of Mac. Both convince Holt to retain their hours, saying they can take care of Mac and still properly work.
Their plans quickly go awry when there is a lice outbreak at Mac's daycare and without babysitters available, they are forced to have Mac at home and at work. Jake and Amy also contract lice. Jake's
Meanwhile, after failing to progress in couples' therapy with Kevin (Marc Evan Jackson), Holt moves in with Rosa (Stephanie Beatriz). However, Rosa is annoyed when Holt only talks about Kevin and she takes him out to drink. Holt stops talking about Kevin but they find that while drunk, Holt sent an obscene picture to Kevin. They infiltrate Kevin's house to delete the message but Cheddar's barking exposes them as Kevin arrives early, but they manage to escape with an excuse that Kevin buys.[1] Later, Rosa says that Kevin's reaction seemed sad, indicating that he misses Holt. Holt decides to talk with him by sending him the picture again and Kevin responds back with a scatter plot (his way of flirting), indicating that their relationship is stabilizing.
Production
Development
In August 2021, it was announced that the fourth episode of the season would be titled "Balancing" and that Evan Susser and Van Robichaux would serve as writers while Daniella Eisman would direct.[2]
Reception
Viewers
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 1.48 million household viewers and gained a 0.3 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. This means that 0.3 percent of all households with televisions watched the episode.[3] This was a 27% decrease over the previous episode, which was watched by 2.01 million viewers and a 0.4 ratings share.[3] With these ratings, Brooklyn Nine-Nine was the highest rated show on NBC for the night, fourth on its timeslot and sixth for the night, behind a B Positive rerun, a The Neighborhood rerun, Holey Moley, Beat Shazam, and Big Brother.
Critical reviews
"Balancing" received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics. Vikram Murthi of The A.V. Club gave the episode a "B−" rating, writing, "Unfortunately, the second episode this week features a tired premise around work/life balance and 'having it all' that's been done better many times before. Jake and Amy struggle to parent their son, Mac, while maintaining the pressures of their respective careers."[4]
Brian Tallerico of Vulture gave the episode a 3 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "An episode that highlights one of the many arguments for defunding the police is followed by a goofier, more personal episode about how Jake and Amy will balance police work with raising Mac. It's broader in tone than the most recent episodes, leaning into physical humor like hair nets full of maple syrup and dick pics, but it does center the relationship between Jake and Amy in a way that’s satisfying."[5]
Nick Harley of Den of Geek wrote, "Similarly to last week, the night's second episode leaves a bit to be desired. 'Balancing' is a classic new parents sitcom episode filtered through the BK99 lens. This is the exact kind of story that I was not looking forward to when it was revealed that Jake and Amy would be parents. While the show was incredibly inventive telling pregnancy stories, so far, the parenting stories have been cliché."[6]
References
- ^ Holt refers to Zengi (1085–1146) from Volume 3 of A History of the Crusades by Steven Runciman, see "s08e04 - Balancing Transcript". tvshowtranscripts.ourboard.org.
- ^ "(#804) "BALANCING"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
- ^ Showbuzz Daily. Archivedfrom the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
- ^ Murthi, Vikram (August 19, 2021). "Brooklyn Nine-Nine splits the difference with a novel premise and a tired one". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
- ^ Tallerico, Brian (August 19, 2021). "Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 8 Episode 4 Recap: Deuces Are Wild". Vulture. Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
- ^ Harley, Nick (August 19, 2021). "Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 8 Takes On The "Blue Flu"". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
External links
- "Balancing" at IMDb
