Summary
“The Golden Child” provides a showcase episode for Amy, and has plenty to say about sibling rivalry, dealing with the in-laws, and how to be a better partner.
“The Golden Child” was essentially a half-hour riff on Amy Santiago’s (Melissa Fumero) famously competitive and a**l personality, once again pushing Jake (Andy Samberg) into a position where his relentless sarcasm could prop up a focus on other characters and more important topics without becoming overbearing. The episode was split between this and an elaborate undercover sting orchestrated by Charles (Joe Lo Truglio) and involving both Terry (Terry Crews) and Captain Holt (Andre Braugher), but “The Golden Child” belonged to Amy, was better for it.
Of course, to poke fun at Amy’s overachieving you require someone who makes her look and feel inadequate, which in this case was her brother, David, a flawlessly intelligent and successful high-flying detective whom Amy’s mother endlessly praises. At a family dinner which poked fun at sibling rivalry and the difficulty of dealing with the in-laws, among other things, Amy tried to upstage her brother (with the adorably stupid help of Jake) but only ended up making him look even better.
That was until he was arrested in the middle of the restaurant for possession of cocaine. The immediate fallout from this – with Amy over-the-moon and Jake wondering if she’s secretly some kind of psychopath – was classic Brooklyn Nine-Nine, as was the later reveal that he was framed. A reluctant Amy, convinced by Jake and his ever-magnetised moral compass to bail David out and help him crack the case, naturally had to let go of her resentment and realise what was more important than being “The Golden Child”.
As always, Brooklyn Nine-Nine delivered not just a hysterical half-hour but also some thoughtful commentary on relationships – romantic and familial – and doing the right thing even if it isn’t the most appealing choice. Even though “The Golden Child” was very much a showcase for Amy, Jake remains the most overlooked and undervalued character on a show that is smarter and more human than most sitcoms could ever dream of being.
