"Maximum Security" is the 21st episode of Season Three of the Brooklyn Nine-Nine television series. It is originally aired on April 5, 2016 to 2.71 million viewers. Viewers give it 8 out of 10 on IMDb.
Episode Synopsis
In an attempt to get information on a criminal operation, Amy Santiago has to go undercover at a women’s prison and befriend one of the prisoners. Meanwhile back at the precinct, Raymond Holt and the squad fake the death of Adrian Pimento and throw a fake funeral for him in an attempt to catch a hit man.
Continuing from the last episode, the squad has decided to bring Jimmy "the Butcher" Figgis down after Pimento went into hiding. They only know two key factors; there's a hitman in the FBI with a scar on his right hand, and that Figgis has a sister, Maura, who is in a maximum security prison in Texas. They need someone to go undercover and befriend Maura, and while Amy volunteers, the group chooses Rosa since she's tougher.
Back in Holt's office, Holt discusses a way to lead the hitman to them. They'll fake an investigation to find "Pimento's" body, and hold a "funeral" for the deceased. Using Gina's suggestion, they use Hitchcock as a body double for Pimento, forge the coroners signature, and notarize it, making it look like a real investigation.
Meanwhile, Rosa is going over her undercover alias with Jake and Boyle. She will be "Isabel Cortez" a pregnant inmate who is being transferred, while Jake and Boyle will pose as the prisons OBGYN doctors to brief with her when possible. They go down to Texas and let Rosa into the prison, but when she gets inside, a convict she arrested long ago recognizes her immediately. With her cover blown, Jake turns to Amy and asks her to become "Isabel Cortez".
Amy/"Isabel" enters prison, and soon makes a name for herself as a supplier for objects from the outside (burner phones, drugs, porn etc.). This catches the attention of Maura, who threatens "Isabel". if she doesn't stop. When "Isabel" steps up to her, Jake pulls her into the doctor's room and warns her that she might be in danger and tells her to take it slow. Amy does keep a bit of a slow pace around Maura, but Jake keeps pulling her back into the doctors' office with ridiculous excuses.
Back in Brooklyn, the rest of the squad initiate the fake funeral for Pimento. Gina and Holt greet the mourners with high-fives (it was originally handshakes, but they needed to find the person with a scar on their palm), but things go slow. They do find a suspect wearing black gloves and corner him but find out he's only a pickpocketer. With the funeral almost over, Rosa gives a eulogy saying that there's nothing that can bring back Pimento. Terry reminds her however that they will not stop until Figgis is arrested and then Pimento will come back.
Back in the prison, Amy intentionally pushes Maura out of the frustrating orders, and she and Jake argue about his orders. Jake admits that he isn't strong enough to be here and watch Amy undercover surrounded by violent inmates, and wanted her safe. It's decided that Jake will take himself off the case, and the couple stages a beat up in front of the inmates. As Jake heads back to Brooklyn, Boyle watches the camera feeds and sees Maura invite "Isabel" into her team.
Television Shows
- Holt mentions The Bachelor when making small talk
- Charles' first undercover alias is the twin of Jake, like the Property Brothers
- Jake mentions hoe crazy Amy gets while watching Jeopardy
Movies
- Charles fed Amy the line that she was passed around the system from Girl Interrupted
- Charles and Jake tell Amy it's not all the High School Musicals
- Jake compares a 20-lb weight to Thor's Hammer
Actors
- Gina gets Holt to refer to their target as Scar-Jo, which is the nickname of Scarlett Johansson
- Maura's back tattoo shows her killing a guy that looks like Tom Hanks
Musicians
- Holt talks about the classical composer Gustav Mahler being one in your face bad boy
- Terry says that Rosa must think Adele is a loser
Sports Figures
- Holt mentions Andre Agassi
Books
- Maura calls Amy The Baby-Sitters Club
- Jake Peralta
- Jake Peralta
- Amy Santiago
- Jake Peralta
{{|Dialogue |J=Jake Peralta |C=Charles Boyle |C|I'll take extra good care of her, Jake. |J|Just let her do her thing. But this is Texas, so also make sure she doesn't somehow get the death penalty.}}
- Terry Jeffords
- Rosa Diaz
- Raymond Holt
Cast
| Actor | Character | |
|---|---|---|
| Andy Samberg | ... | Jake Peralta |
| ... | Dr. Brent Kennedy | |
| Stephanie Beatriz | ... | Rosa Diaz |
| ... | Isabel Cortez | |
| Terry Crews | ... | Terry Jeffords |
| Melissa Fumero | ... | Amy Santiago |
| ... | Isabel Cortez | |
| Joe Lo Truglio | ... | Charles Boyle |
| ... | Dr. Isaac Schwartz | |
| Chelsea Peretti | ... | Gina Linetti |
| Andre Braugher | ... | Captain Ray Holt |
| Dirk Blocker | ... | Michael Hitchcock |
| Joel McKinnon Miller | ... | Norm Scully |
| Aida Turturro | ... | Maura Figgis |
| Carrie Armstrong | ... | Roena Luesto |
| Nicole J. Butler | ... | Sylvia Dunnes |
| Charmel Catrell | ... | Martie |
| Josh Feinman | ... | Mystery Guest |
| Paul Mabon | ... | Officer Lou |
| Tricia McAlpin | ... | Maggie |
| Ken Narasaki | ... | Li Ongoing |
Cool Cool Cool Things
Trivia
- Amy goes to an adult puzzle camp every summer
- Genevieve's mom is in a coma
- * Amy's a straight up psycho while watching Jeopardy
- Charles wishes they talked about Jake's sex life more
- Holt can turn on small talk when it's necessary
- Jake didn't know that women watch porn
- Amy has made it through 20 years without scratching her butt in public
- Rosa can make herself cry on demand
- Jake once saw Rosa eat a whole apple with a knife just like in the movies 3 years prior
- Scully had his wallet stolen by the pick pocketer
- Jake said Amy's baby's blood type is OG
- Rosa thinks talking about your feelings is for losers
- Holt quite liked high fives by the end of the funeral
Running Gags Mentioned
- Charles Boyle's Femininity
- Charles Obsessing Over Jake and Amy’s Relationship
- Gina's Crush On Terry
- High Fives
Featured Relationships
Connections to Other Episodes
- The man who put a hit out on Adrian Pimento is Jimmy Figgis, whose mob Adrian Pimento infiltrated while undercover for 12 years as Paul Sneed. Adrian explains this in his first appearance in the earlier episode, Adrian Pimento. They learned about the hit put out on him in Paranoia when a hitman tried to kill him during his bachelor party.
Behind The Scenes
- Amy Santiago goes undercover in this episode as a pregnant woman Isabel Cortez. Melissa Fumero was pregnant with her first child during filming which is why this story line was written in. It's also why Amy wasn't shown from the waist down for much of the episode until her prison scenes.
| Filming Location | City, State | Details | Scenes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NYPD 78th Precinct | Brooklyn, New York | Building exterior | Establishing shots meant to represent the 99th Precinct |
| South 5th Street | Next to river, beneath Williamsburg Bridge | Ensemble walking down the street in the Title Sequence | |
| CBS Studio Center | Studio City, California | Stage 12 | Scenes that take place in the 99th Precinct |
| Sybil Brand Prison | Los Angeles, California | Exterior, Jail Cells, halls, gym, mess hall | Rosa going into prison, Amy's time in prison, Jake & Charles undercover in prison |