"Sicko" is the seventeenth episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine's sixth season and aired back-to-back with "Suicide Squad" as a two-part season finale.
A serial killer is on the loose in Brooklyn and Jake is more than excited to take on the case. Holt, however, is under immense stress due to the fact that Commissioner Kelly has taken a personal interest in this case and is putting pressure on Jake, Charles, and Holt to take advantage of "Hot Clues", a tip app that he'd like to be more widely adopted.
Meanwhile, Terry is upset to learn that the Nine-Nine's budget isn't large enough to accommodate his higher salary once he gets promoted to lieutenant and that he'll have to take a post with the One-Two-Two on Staten Island. Amy and Rosa suggest that Terry convince "Broadway Brian" in the Nine-Nine's records room to quit and pursue his dream of starring in musical theater as a way to free up money in the budget. Terry soon regrets his decision when it turns out that Brian is actually an awful singer and even worse dancer.
Tropes for this episode include:
- Actually Pretty Funny: Peralta wanted to prank Holt in the cold opening by putting ink on the podium before a meeting. He was talked down to moving the podium a half inch. Holt not only immediately noticed, he LOVED it, and immediately called Kevin to tell him about the brilliant prank that was played on him.
- Back-Alley Doctor: The killer turns out to be collecting hearts for a mob boss who needs a transplant. Jake realizes this when Caleb points out a surgical instrument on one of the crime scene photos.
- Break His Heart to Save Him: Terry needs to do this to Brian, which also breaks Terry's heart because he'll have to leave the Nine Nine.
- Brick Joke: Holt still signs his texts, and this time, it gets him into trouble.
- Call-Back: Nobody wants Charles on the text chains.
- Celebrity Paradox: Jake compared Kelly’s app to what Batman and Lucius Fox did in The Dark Knight. Eric Roberts played Sal Maroni in the movie and Jimmy “The Butcher” Figgis in season 4.
- Comically Missing the Point: When Commissioner Kelly asks the Nine-Nine if they know what a "Stingray" is, Charles responds with "Of course we do, Tenderest meat in the ocean."
- Comically Small Bribe: Variant. Terry expects to have to plant a lot of suggestions that Brian needs to quit...but it works after one single session.
- Consulting a Convicted Killer: The entire plot of the episode with Caleb.
- Double-Meaning Title: Although the title talks about the killer cutting out hearts (and Caleb being a sicko who can help them with the investigation), the title also could also imply Kelly and his blatantly illegal and unconstitutional surveillance plan.
- Do Wrong, Right: Caleb gives Jake the info and admin permission to go on the Reddit thread about cannibals; he does warn Jake to go in incognito mode because the ads that appear otherwise will be cannibal-themed.
- Enemy Mine: The episode ends with Jake recruiting Wuntch, C.J., and the Vulture to help take down Kelly.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Played for Laughs. Caleb is disgusted on hearing a serial killer has been eating hearts. He says he sticks to the "normal stuff":
butts and thighs. - Hollywood Tone-Deaf: Brian has a dreadful singing voice despite aspiring to make a career in musical theater.
- Immediate Self-Contradiction: When Jake and Boyle meet up with Caleb in prison.Caleb: Come give me a hug. I'm not going to eat you. Also, don't hug me cause I will try to eat you.
- Moral Event Horizon: In-Universe example. Commissioner Kelly reveals that he's using a "Stingray," a portable cell tower that can pull the text messages, location history, voicemails, etc... off of any cellphone within range, and the essentially "laundering" the information through an app called "Hot Clues." This is not just illegal, but blatantly unconstitutional. This is what spurs the Nine-Nine into direct action against John Kelly.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Terry encourages Brian to quit his job and act out his dream of becoming a Broadway star...only to discover the man has a horrible singing voice and his dance moves are atrocious which means he won't make any audition call and just quit a good job for nothing.Terry: You said he could sing!Amy: I didn't say he could sing, he said he could sing!Terry: What have I done?!
- Pet the Dog: Caleb gives his congrats on hearing Jake married Amy. He also willingly offers whatever help he can.
- Reassigned to Antarctica: Terry is going to be reassigned to Staten Island, which the other characters dismissively consider barely to be in New York City. In Real Life, Staten Island is regarded as the NYPD's dumping ground for undesirable cops.
- Something Only They Would Say: "Baba-booey!"
- Spotting the Thread: Jake realized the Hot Clues app is fake when Kelley's assistant says "Baba Booey" same as the citizen who provided the tip on the killer.
- Take That!: One to one of the most infamous sites out there.Caleb: There was some weird guy on the forum recently.
Jake: The forum?
Caleb: Yeah, it's a chat room for people who like to talk about eating human beings but definitely won't act on it. Wink. Yeah, it's hosted on—
Everyone: Reddit.
Caleb: Obviously. - Screw the Rules, I Make Them!: Commissioner Kelly is revealed to be engaging in illegal surveillance and funneling the acquired evidence through the Hot Clues app in an attempt to wash it clean.
- Shout-Out:
- Sucks at Dancing: Brian is worse at dancing than he is at singing.
- Whole-Plot Reference: To Silence of the Lambs, with Caleb in the Hannibal Lecter role, complete with him being wheeled in strapped down and muzzled.
- Wrong Genre Savvy: Lampshaded; Caleb says just because he's a cannibal doesn't mean he can go all Hannibal Lecter. He does provide valuable information though on which Reddit site to visit.
