February sweeps got off to a strong start this week with a handful of great episodes of television and some equally great sports moments. Sunday kicked off with the Seattle Seahwaks huge Super Bowl victory over the Denver Broncos, and it continued with strong post-Super Bowl episodes of New Girl and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Monday’s Castle was an excellent exploration of Kate Beckett’s character growth and moved Castle and Beckett’s wedding plans along in some major ways. Tuesday’s New Girl used both Nick and Jess’s exes to bring Nick to a confession almost two years in the making, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine introduced us to Captain Holt’s husband, wine drink, and the wrong way to eat crab. Wednesday gave us an episode of Nashville featuring some excellent music (from Deacon and Will), genuinely sweet romance (from Avery and Juliette), and a crazy cliffhanger (from Teddy and Lamar). Finally, the Winter Olympics began on Thursday, and there have already been plenty of great moments to watch and discuss already—from the new team figure skating competition to the pomp and circumstance of the opening ceremonies.
Both New Girl and Brooklyn Nine-Nine had two chances to impress viewers this week, and I think both shows made the most of those opportunities. In fact, I have to especially commend Brooklyn Nine-Nine for using these two chances to so clearly show its voice, which is remarkably well-developed for a freshman comedy.
“The Party,” Tuesday’s episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, was full of the show’s awkward charm and genuine humor throughout, but it was the episode’s ending that was my favorite TV moment of the week. I was surprisingly moved by the reveal that Captain Holt’s husband didn’t want to warm up to the Nine-Nine team because of the prejudice that had been directed at Holt during his time with the NYPD. In giving such a peripheral player real, human motivations for his behavior, this show once again proved that it has more of a handle on its characters than some sitcoms that have been on TV for ages. And the episode’s final scene, with the team joining together to give their captain and his husband a romantic dinner was something so warm and unashamedly kind that it felt like an ending to Parks and Recreation (and I mean that as the highest compliment), while still using each character in just the right way to maintain this show’s unique tone.
I couldn’t find a video of the end of “The Party,” but here’s another highlight of the episode—and my favorite line—”Stop eating crab wrong!”
What was the best thing you saw on TV this week?
Nerdy Girl Notes 
It’s a great choice and probably the best episode of Brooklyn Nine Nine of the season thus far. It worked on all cylinders and I can’t say enough how much I am enjoying Andre Braugher in this role. That final scene of Castle was a pretty close, but ultimately for me the show that stuck with me this week was Downton Abbey. After a slow start to season 4, the last two weeks have really delivered emotional heft and punch. None more than a very simple scene with three characters who reminisce and discover that the melancholy and pain they carry is a testament to the joy they’ve known. It was a perfect scene. So for me, that was the best thing I saw on TV this week. Now can you please go catch up on Downton Abbey so I can stop doing cloak and dagger with my comments about it. 😉
I also thought that episode was one of the best, if not the best, of the season so far for Brooklyn Nine-Nine. I also loved “The Bet,” but I think this one was a better use of the whole ensemble.
I really need to watch Downton Abbey ASAP—hopefully this summer! I already bought the first two seasons on DVD, so I’ve been meaning to watch it for a long time. Now I just have to actually sit down and do it!
That was a great scene of Downton. I think it marked a turning point for the season. Each one of them had been holding back in someway, and from that scene on all of them have been back to actually having a storyline that isnt just them brooding.