The Mole is the fifth episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine's second season.
Someone is leaking classified information from the Nine Nine to criminals. Internal Affairs sets up shop at the precinct to find out who and Holt is not happy about the situation, especially since Deputy Chief Wuntch is keen to find any reason to torpedo his career. Complicating matters is the fact that Jake's been taking files home without permission for a long time.
Terry and Rosa do what they can to help Holt by going on a sting operation at a local disco to find out who's behind the spread of Giggle Pignote
Also, a major secret is revealed.
Tropes present in this episode:
- Awesomeness by Analysis: Holt demonstrates some amazing deductive abilities in this episode.
- He deduces that Charles and Gina were sleeping together simply from Jake saying, "I learned some truly horrible things tonight. You were right and I was wrong."Jake: How could you possibly know that?
Holt: 'You were right and I was wrong.' You must have been shaken to your core to say that to me! Boyle is your most trusted friend, so he has to be involved. Your use of the word 'horrible' leads me to believe that the matter was sexual in nature, given your obvious immaturity...
Jake: Pfft! I've had sex!
Holt: Of course, you would be most upset if Boyle slept with someone you knew from your childhood. Thus, the solve: Gina and Charles.
Jake: That was amazing! - He also realizes that Wuntch and Miller are in cahoots because Wuntch didn't try to shake Miller's hand, indicating that she was already aware of the lieutenant's phobia of germs.
- He deduces that Charles and Gina were sleeping together simply from Jake saying, "I learned some truly horrible things tonight. You were right and I was wrong."
- Big "WHAT?!": when Gina decides to announce her shameful secret to the precinct, Terry (who "loves maintaining a professional work environment") reacts hilariously - but appropriately:Gina: Can I have everyone's attention, please? Charles Boyle and I had sex.
Terry: WHAT THE HELL!? - Comically Missing the Point: Terry is more concerned about how a drug dealing alumna of his daughters' preschool affects Cagney and Lacey's potential futures than the fact that the arrest can be leveraged to find out more about Giggle Pig distribution in the Nine Nine's district.
- Doesn't Like Being Touched: Miller avoids physical contact because he's afraid of germs. Instead of shaking Jake's hand, he uses a wooden ruler.
- Evil Twin: Discussed: when discussing Sgt. Jeffords as a potential mole, Jake brings up the trope that there's always a good twin and an evil twin. He appears to have decided that the evil Jeffords twin is Cagney, for some reason.
- Foreshadowing: Amy's complaining about Teddy's unusual underwear is not the last sign of dissatisfaction in their relationship that we'll hear from her.
- Internal Reveal: Everyone finds out that Charles and Gina have been sleeping together.
- It's Quiet… Too Quiet: Lampshaded by Holt when he realises Wuntch has shown up.Wuntch: Hello, Raymond.Holt: Madeline. I wondered why all the birds had stopped singing.
- Moment Killer: Jake and Amy go into Gina's apartment, thinking that they'd just be interrupting a dance session. Instead, they walk in on Gina and Charles in the throes of passion and no one is happy about it.
- Murder Is the Best Solution: After Amy and Jake discover Gina and Boyle in flagrante, Gina initially seems to believe that the only way to prevent anyone from discovering the hook-up is to murder Amy. She's willing to settle for blackmail, however:Boyle: Jake won't tell anyone if I ask him not to; I'll handle him. You take care of Amy.
Gina: But how to Make It Look Like an Accident...
Boyle: (incredulous) I'm not saying murder. Just talk to her like a normal person.
Gina: Even better! Get her to tell me all her little secrets and then if she tries anything, we can destroy her! - Noodle Incident: Whatever happened to cause Jake to believe that Cagney Jeffords is evil, he doesn't choose to share it with the audience.
- Pet the Dog: After treating Boyle with unconcealed disdain and expressing how repulsed she was by their hooking up at every possible opportunity, during her public declaration about their relationship Gina admits that she has no regrets and that she had fun when Boyle asks her.
- Product Placement: The show takes some time to show off the Volkswagen Jetta's features, including voice-activated dialling and seat warmers. It's actually quite well done, with the shilling being integrated into the plot.
- Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness: Holt launches into an eloquent speech (which calls back to Wuntch's remark that he should give up his job to write poetry) about his rivalry with Wuntch. It's complicated, but Scully gets it, in his own special way.Holt: Nothing's okay. Wuntch...circling me like a shark frenzied by chum. The task force turning into a career-threatening quagmire. An Internal Affairs investigation casting doubt on my integrity! And you ask if everything is okay? I am buffeted by the winds of my foe's enmity and cast about by the towering waves of cruel fate! Yet I! A captain! No longer able to command my vessel, my precinct, from my customary helm: my office! And you ask: 'Is everything okay?' I've worked the better part of my years on Earth overcoming every prejudice and fighting for the position I hold. And now I feel it being ripped from my grasp! And with it...the very essence of what defines me as a man!
Beat
Holt: And you ask: 'Is everything okay?'
(Beat)
Scully: Yeah. I hear ya. My dog has taken over my favorite chair. It's like: 'How did it all slip away?'
(Holt nods knowingly.) - The Reveal:
- There wasn't a mole at the Nine Nine. Lieutenant Miller was conducting an off-the-books investigation on the precinct for Deputy Chief Wuntch to get dirt on Captain Holt.
- Captain Holt's middle name is: Jacob! Peralta's mind is blown.
- Shout-Out:
- Jake compares Deputy Chief Wuntch to Cruella de Vil.Jake: Someone just came in to try and find her Dalmatian coat.
- Gina decides to get ahead of any potential scandal by being like Olivia Pope and pre-emptively announcing to the precinct that she and Charles were in a casual relationship.
- Jake compares Deputy Chief Wuntch to Cruella de Vil.
- Source Music: Terry and Rosa go undercover at "Electric Library", a disco where the patrons listen to music through headphones. The audience only gets to hear what the people are dancing to when Terry has his headphones on. When they're off, the only sound heard in the club is the squeaking of shoes on the dance floor.
- Terrified of Germs: Miller is a major germaphobe and avoids as much physical contact as possible. Seeing Hitchcock making a huge mess while eating nearly sends Miller running away.
- The Tape Knew You Would Say That: Parodied, as Wuntch and Miller watch Jake's 'incriminating' tape in a coffee shop:Jake: (on tape) Okay, I could get in a lot of trouble for this, but the big secret about Captain Holt is:
(Holt appears beside Jake on the tape)
Holt: That I have a flair for the dramatic! (Jake looks 'shocked') Look behind you, Madeleine.
[Stunned, Wuntch and Miller turn; there's nothing but a window and two girls talking outside]
Holt: Ahem.
(Wuntch and Miller turn back; Jake and Holt are standing in front of them)
Jake: We're actually in front of you. That's my fault; I thought the layout was gonna be different, didn't know how you guys were gonna be sitting. I took a chance. - Too Much Information: Once discovered, Boyle naturally cannot resist oversharing about his and Gina's relationship.Boyle: Gina and I are casual lovers.
Jake: Ugghh!
Amy: Ick!
Gina: Ewww!
Jake: How long has this been going on?!
Gina: We hooked up once last summer and then the nightmare started again about a month ago.
Boyle: (proudly) Ever since then it's been Orgasm City.
Jake: Ugghh!
Amy: Ick!
Gina: Ewww!
Boyle: (unconvincing) Ugh! Gross, right guys?
[...]
Boyle: Don't be mad, Jake! You still know me, I'm still Charles. I just have four extra sex moves. Five; forgot about 'boy on top'.
Jake: Ugghh!
Amy: Ick!
Gina: Ewww! - You Just Told Me: An inadvertent example — Holt is present when Wuntch and Lt. Miller meet, and notices that despite apparently meeting him for the first time Wuntch merely nods at Miller instead of offering him her hand. He later realizes that this is because Wuntch is already aware that Miller is a germaphobe who refuses to shake hands, and thus has a connection to him.
