The Ebony Falcon

"The Ebony Falcon" is the 14th episode of Season One in the Brooklyn Nine-Nine television series. It originally aired on January 21, 2014 to 4.55 million viewers. Viewers give it 7.5 out of 10 on IMDb.

Episode Synopsis

Jake Peralta needs Terry Jeffords to take part in an undercover operation, but gets concerned after seeing him with his twins, Cagney and Lacey. Amy Santiago and Rosa Diaz are assigned to investigate a break in at Gina Linetti's apartment.

Cold Opening
Plot
Cultural References
Quotes

**Scully's "Kelly":Wife or Dog? Cold Open**

The squad plays "Wife or Dog" with Scully, because they can't tell if Scully's talking about his wife or his dog when he refers to "Kelly."

Gina asks Holt to call the FBI to investigate a burglary of her apartment. He asks why she wouldn't just want the Nine Nine to do it, and she calls them buffoons. Cut to Hitchcock inserting a thumbtack into Scully's heel, who says he can't feel it because he has nerve damage.

Peralta and Boyle ask Jeffords if he's ready to get back in the field, and he tells them to meet him at his house later; his wife won't be home so he's on daddy duty.

Santiago and Diaz are in Gina's apartment and questioning her about why she has so much stuff. Holt reads off the list she's compiled of all the stuff that was stolen from her.

Boyle and Peralta visit Jeffords' house. After seeing how he cares for his girls, Peralta says that he's worried about Terry and they need to get him off the case. Charles suggests that Jake just talk to Terry about being worried about him, but Jake thinks that it'll just make him panic.

Diaz reports that the crime lab didn't find anything and Santiago says that most b&e's end like this -- with no leads. Gina asks them for their badge numbers so that she can file an official civilian report with the captain, and the two officers laugh because they think she's joking. Holt calls them into his office and asks them why he got a report from Gina about this, and Santiago calls Gina a goblin while Rosa says that they followed procedure.

In the gym where they're doing their undercover work, Jake tries to advise Terry to stay away from the target, Brandon Jacoby. Jake loses sight of the target and Terry while dealing with a client. Terry had just been outside with Jacoby and reports that he thinks that Jacoby is starting to respect him. When Jacoby notes that they've been working out at another gym but he's never heard of a "Trent" before, Peralta jumps the gun and arrests Jacoby, blowing his cover.

Gina hires a private investigator, Leo Sporm, to solve her case. Holt calls Leo Sporm the "Picasso of hucksters" and orders him to leave.

Terry is upset with Jake for blowing his cover because now he has to go into an interrogation without any evidence.

Charles reports that he put the calendar from the gym into the cloud, so they can still access it. Jake notes that Vladimir is probably the supplier. Charles wants to include Terry in the bust, but Jake thinks that he should stay at the precinct and continue to interrogate Jacoby, where he's safe. As Jake is leaving, Holt asks why Terry isn't going with him.

Holt tells Rosa and Amy that Gina hired a P.I. because she's scared.

At the gym during the sting operation, Terry shows up, despite not being invited, and forces Jake to spar with him. Jake has to admit that he was worried about Terry.

Amy apologizes to Gina for not catching her burglar. Rosa and Amy escort Gina home and install locks on her doors and windows, and set all her lights on a timer. Gina gives them stretchy leotards in thanks.

The next morning, Holt asks Jake about the bust. Terry had made the buy and taken out the suppliers successfully. Jake tells Terry that he isn't scared for him anymore and he hopes that he's on every case with him for the rest of his career. Terry gives Jake a card that his daughters had made for him to thank him for keeping him safe.

The episode title is a reference to The Maltese Falcon (1941 film)
Gina wanting a young Kevin Costner type to escort her to the precinct is a reference to his role in The Bodyguard.
Before Terry can go undercover with Jake and Charles, he mentions that he’ll have to read his daughters a bedtime story. The 1960s children’s book Go, Dog. Go!is his book of choice.
Included in the list of items missing from Gina’s apartment is a set of homemade nesting dolls with the likeness of actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
Also missing from Gina’s apartment is a music box that plays the 1980s hit song “She Works Hard for the Money” by Donna Summer.
Terry's twins are named after Cagney and Lacey a 1980s police procedural television series. The two main characters were female cops named Christine Cagney and Mary Beth Lacey.
Boyle compares Terry’s strong but gentle demeanor to comedian and TV personality, Ellen DeGeneres.

Gina previous won a lock of hair at an auction that belonged to actor Mario Lopez, most known for his role in Saved by the Bell.
A man at the gym accuses Jake of cyberbullying, which is actually the act of bullying someone through social media or text messaging.
According to Gina, the best comedy of all time is the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. The film, based on a popular novel, is a dark crime drama involving abuse and murder.
Gina requests a police officer resembling a young Kevin Costner escort her to work.
One of Gina's treasured items that were stolen from her apartment was a set of Joseph Gordon-Levitt Nesting Dolls.
- Actual Joseph Gordon Levitt nesting dolls that sold for $250 on Etsy

Rosa Diaz
What kind of woman doesn't have an ax?

Jake Peralta
Look, I thought he was a weirdo for having his year-long freak-out, but I get it now. He has children. What happens to them if he gets hurt? I'll have to take care of them.
Charles Boyle
Or his wife or his other family or his more mature friends, but interesting point.

Amy Santiago
With all due respect, sir, Gina has no feelings.

Jake Peralta
I was worried
Terry Jeffords
Worried about what?
Jake Peralta
About you getting hurt. I don't want your daughters growing up without a dad. I know what that's like and it sucks. And I don't want it to happen to them.

Jake Peralta
Hey sarge, just for the record, I hope you're on every case with me for the rest of my career. I'm not scared for you at all. Of you a lot.

Jake Peralta
Have a fun steroid deal, sergeant!
Terry Jeffords
You're a weird guy, Jake.

Cast

Actor		Character
Andy Samberg	...	Jake Peralta
Stephanie Beatriz	...	Rosa Diaz
Terry Crews	...	Terry Jeffords
	...	Trent Carter
	...	Vance Vandervaven
Melissa Fumero	...	Amy Santiago
Joe Lo Truglio	...	Charles Boyle
Joe Lo Truglio	...	Eddie
Chelsea Peretti	...	Gina Linetti
Andre Braugher	...	Raymond Holt
Dirk Blocker	...	Michael Hitchcock
Joel McKinnon Miller	...	Norm Scully
Eddie Pepitone	...	Leo Sporm (Private Investigator)
Matthew Willig	...	Brandon Jacoby
Joseph Aviel	...	Vladimir Rincic (Drug Supplier)
Rob Gilbert	...	Spencer (Old man at gym)

Trivia

Terry began the episode as The Ebony Falcon and finished as The Ebony Antelope
Gina has 8 full drawers of underwear because she's civilized
Jake likes the same cereal as Terry's twins
Terry's twins like to snuggle a stuffed giraffe named Mr. Snuggles while sleeping
Jake was the strongest kid at his camp 7 years in a row until Rebecca Lobelman showed up
Boyle spent 40 minutes making a water bottle pyramid at the gym
Peralta took three years of tap dancing
If Jake could be any kind of vacation, he'd be skiing,
- Terry would be a lake trip
Nobody knows Scully's wife's name
The only DNA evidence they found in Gina's apartment was a hair from Mario Lopez that she bought
Amy has a bread maker and Gina made a loaf of rye bread with it
They created the Bubbleweight class for Charles at the academy
- He is the undisputed champion of the class

Rosa owns the following weapons:
- guns
- knife
- nunchucks
- axe
- throwing stars
Gina had the following stolen from her apartment that are valued at $700 million:
- Grandmother's jewelry
- $160 in cash
- Magic eye print gown
- TV
- A large painting of a naked lady on a lion
- A set of homemade Joseph Gordon-Levitt nesting dolls
- A music box that plays She Works Hard For The Money
- A knock off designer clutch

Soundtrack

Freedom by Andre Gibbons

Freedom by Andrew Gibbons

Running Gags Mentioned

Featured Relationships

Connections to Other Episodes

Kelly is revealed to be the name of both Scully's dog and wife in Pimemento during an HR seminar.
Holt is nervous about putting Terry in the field since he just got back in the field, which happened in Christmas.
Gina's Apartment that is broken into later becomes Jake Peralta's when she buys his in The Apartment.
The princess castle that Charles helped Terry assemble in the earlier episode The Slump is in Terry's living room.
Gina being a fan of Mario Lopez comes up again when she and Jake get him to come to her going away party in Four Movements.

Videos

Behind The Scenes

Known Filming Locations
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	Brooklyn, New York	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
		Stage 10	Scenes that take place inside Gina's apartment Scenes that take place in Terry's House