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The Jimmy Jab Games
The Jimmy Jab Games
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"The Jimmy Jab Games"
Brooklyn Nine-Nine episode
Episode no.Season 2
Episode 3
Directed byRebecca Asher
Written byLakshmi Sundaram
Cinematography byGiovani Lampassi
Editing bySandra Montiel
Production code203
Original air dateOctober 12, 2014 (2014-10-12)
Running time22 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
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"The Jimmy Jab Games" is the third episode of the second season of the American television police sitcom series Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The topic of the episode is the fictional game of the same name. It is the 25th overall episode of the series and is written by Lakshmi Sundaram and directed by Rebecca Asher. It aired on Fox in the United States on October 12, 2014.

The show revolves around the fictitious 99th precinct of the New York Police Department in Brooklyn and the officers and detectives that work in the precinct. Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) is an immature yet very talented detective in the precinct with an astounding record of crimes solved, putting him in a competition with fellow detective Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero). The precinct's status changes when the Captain is retiring and a new commanding officer, Cpt. Raymond Holt (Andre Braugher) is appointed as the newest Captain. This creates a conflict between Jake and Holt over their respective methods in the field. In the episode, Holt and Terry go off to a meeting at One Police Plaza. Meanwhile, the gang decides to assemble their annual "Jimmy Jab Games," with Jake wanting the number of Rosa's friend if he wins. In addition, Boyle and Gina discover that Hitchcock possesses a tape that reveals their relationship. The pair sets out to take it from him.

The episode was seen by an estimated 4.51 million household viewers and gained a 2.2/6 ratings share among adults aged 18–49, according to Nielsen Media Research. The episode received mostly positive reviews from critics, who praised the episode's similitude to Office Olympics from The Office and Andy Samberg's performance.

Plot

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Holt and Terry (Terry Crews) are assigned to a meeting at 1 Police Plaza. The precinct is left on their own for a few hours before they are assigned to defend the President of Serbia's motorcade. The gang then decides to do the "Jimmy Jab Games". The competition's name comes from Jake's mispronunciation of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Armen Jimmy Jab), who Jake also believed was the "King of Iraq" rather than President of Iran. Jake makes a bet with Rosa (Stephanie Beatriz): if he wins, he gets Rosa's friend's phone number (which she had refused to give to him earlier); if he loses, he will pay $200 to Rosa and never ask for any more phone numbers.

In the first game, the participants must eat expired Chinese food. Boyle is the first one eliminated, while Scully (Joel McKinnon Miller), the winner, leaves due to food poisoning. The second game, a foot race in anti-bomb suits, ends with Hitchcock (Dirk Blocker) eliminated. The next task involves Jake, Rosa, and Amy going undercover before anyone recognizes them. Amy seems to have lost, but Rosa fails to convince a single person, so she is eliminated. However, Rosa asks Jake if he'd like to cancel the bet, as it's clear he's still in love with Amy. Jake rebuffs this. The final task involves them running through the precinct to complete various activities. Jake gets stuck in the final activity, giving Amy the victory. Her victory is interrupted by Holt's and Terry's return, with Holt ordering them to stop. Jake later reveals to Rosa that he purposely let Amy win. Rosa then decides to give him her friend's number, hoping to help him move on from Amy.

While away from the office, Holt faces off with his nemesis, Deputy Chief Wuntch (Kyra Sedgwick). He wants $1200 for new kits that can help combat a new, more potent form of ecstasy. Wuntch tricks Holt into asking for and accepting a high budget. The budget includes a drug task force that will end up in a loss if the operation goes awry. However, Terry convinces Holt that the task force can succeed and to put Rosa in charge of it. Meanwhile, Gina (Chelsea Peretti) orders Boyle to snare a tape that reveals their relationship from an oblivious, but ultimately vindictive Hitchcock. After fighting with Hitchcock, Boyle gets the tape and destroys it.

Reception

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Viewers

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In its original American broadcast, "The Jimmy Jab Games" was seen by an estimated 4.51 million household viewers and gained a 2.2/6 ratings share among adults aged 18–49, according to Nielsen Media Research.[1] This was a 36% increase in viewership from the previous episode, which was watched by 3.31 million viewers with a 1.6/4 in the 18-49 demographics.[2] This means that 2.2 percent of all households with televisions watched the episode, while 6 percent of all households watching television at that time watched it. With these ratings, Brooklyn Nine-Nine was the third most watched show on FOX for the night, beating Mulaney and Family Guy but behind The Simpsons, fifth on its timeslot and fifth for the night, behind Once Upon a Time, The Simpsons, The OT, and NBC Sunday Night Football.

Critical reviews

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"The Jimmy Jab Games" received mostly positive reviews from critics. LaToya Ferguson of The A.V. Club gave the episode an "A−" grade and wrote, "'The Jimmy Jab Games' isn't a revolutionary episode of television. But it is consistently funny, and sometimes it's important to remember that 'funny' is the true end goal of sitcoms. (It has something to do with what the 'com' in sitcom means, I think.) Even with the Peralta/Amy situation in full effect, it never actually slows down the episode as much as it draws attention to the show's possible flaw. It does allow for more Peralta/Diaz interaction, which has always been welcome, especially in a post 'Pontiac Bandit' world."[3]

Jackson McHenry of Entertainment Weekly wrote, "'The Jimmy Jab Games' manages to grow out of The Office's shadow by letting its characters be self-aware in a way that the employee’s of Dunder-Mifflin never were. Jim and Pam were both afraid to tell anyone about their feelings, but Jake and Amy discuss theirs openly, with their friends and each other. By the end of this episode, Jake knows what he wants, but he also knows what is the more grown-up thing to do. Brooklyn Nine-Nine's less about realizing what's right there in front of you, and more about learning that no matter how much you want them, some things are out of your control."[4] Allie Pape from Vulture gave the show a 3 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "Some of my favorite B99 episodes so far have been the ones without any crimes involved ('The Party,' 'Tactical Village'), just letting the cast play with each other. This is how you get Peralta lighting a bagel on fire as Scully, attired in a Viking hat and carrying a hockey stick, sings opera. Every episode of this show could consist of new Jimmy Jab events, and I probably wouldn’t get bored."[5]

Alan Sepinwall of HitFix wrote, "'Jimmy Jab Games' is a pretty straight lift of the plot of 'Office Olympics' from The Office season 2, but I’m okay with that for a few reason. First, Mike Schur wrote 'Office Olympics,' so if he wants his writers here to import the nine-year-old idea into the Brooklyn Nine-Nine universe, more power to him. Second, this episode expanded on the idea by incorporating more of what we know about the ensemble and their gifts (like Scully's opera singing) and by acknowledging all the weird toys a bored detective squad would have to play with."[6] Andy Crump of Paste gave the episode a 7.1 and wrote, "Fortunately, 'The Jimmy Jab Games' finds plenty of opportunity to make up for its cathartic lapses with hijinks. It is amazing that anybody manages to get anything done in the 99th, but that's nothing new to us; slightly less familiar is the notion of stakes, at least not the sort of stakes that require the prank wars, and this general lackadaisical approach to work might need to come to an end. Brooklyn Nine-Nine isn't a dramatic cop show, of course, so it's allowed a bit of leeway as far as it concerns reality, but we're back on track with the through line about Holt's attempts to whip his crew, and his legacy, into shape. Too bad that won't involve Sedgwick from here on out, but it’s heartening to see the show commit to its arc all around."[7]

References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
The Jimmy Jab Games are a fictional tradition of competitive events depicted in the American television sitcom , where detectives and officers of the New York Police Department's 99th Precinct engage in a series of absurd physical and skill-based challenges during extended periods of downtime to combat boredom. Originating as an informal precinct ritual, the games test participants' endurance, creativity, and quick thinking through rounds such as consuming month-old takeout food, hurling meat at a break room window to shatter glass, untangling cords in an , and crafting impromptu undercover personas to interact unrecognized with colleagues. The ultimate prize for the winner is the coveted "Winchester 3000" chair—praised for its minimal staining, strong lumbar support, and intact wheels—along with a day off from duty and bragging rights among the squad. First introduced in the third episode of the show's second , titled "The Jimmy Jab Games," which aired on October 12, 2014, the event is portrayed as the precinct's seventh iteration, highlighting its established history within the series' universe. In this episode, the games unfold while the team is on standby for duty, intertwining with subplots involving precinct captain 's rivalry with Deputy Chief Madeline Wuntch, detective Charles Boyle's efforts to retrieve an incriminating videotape from colleague Norman Hitchcock, and tensions in detective Rosa Diaz's suspicions about Jake Peralta's lingering feelings for . The episode received positive reception for its humor and character dynamics, earning an 8.1/10 rating from over 4,000 user reviews on . A , "The Jimmy Jab Games II," appeared in the fourth of season seven, broadcast on February 20, 2020, reviving the competition with renewed intensity among the under new precinct leadership. This installment emphasizes escalating rivalries and creative gameplay, maintaining the tradition's role as a lighthearted diversion amid the show's blend of elements and . The games have become a fan-favorite motif, symbolizing the precinct's camaraderie and quirky , and have inspired official merchandise such as T-shirts featuring references.

Overview

Concept

The Jimmy Jab Games are a fictional series of improvised competitions organized by the detectives and staff of the 99th Precinct in the television series , typically held during periods of downtime to combat boredom while on standby for major events. These games serve primarily as a source of entertainment and team-building among the precinct members, fostering camaraderie through playful rivalries that often intensify into high-stakes contests. In general format, the Jimmy Jab Games consist of multi-round elimination challenges that blend physical feats, mental puzzles, and absurd tasks, all overseen by a designated referee to maintain order amid the chaos. The event's name originated from Detective Jake Peralta's mispronunciation of "," the then-President of Iran, during a moment of idle conversation in , when the precinct was awaiting potential protests during his New York visit. This recurring tradition highlights the precinct's quirky culture of turning mundane waits into memorable diversions across multiple seasons. Over time, the prizes for winning the Jimmy Jab Games have evolved to reflect changing precinct priorities; early iterations featured the coveted Winchester 3000 office chair, prized for its lumbar support and relative cleanliness, while later events offered a paid vacation day as the ultimate reward.

Origin

The Jimmy Jab Games first appeared in the third episode of the second season of the television series , titled "The Jimmy Jab Games," which aired on October 12, 2014. The event unfolds during a slow day at the 99th precinct, where the detectives are placed on standby for duty protecting the visiting Serbian president, while Raymond Holt and Terry Jeffords are absent, attending a meeting with Deputy Chief Wuntch to request funding for efforts against a new street drug. This downtime provides the narrative backdrop for the games' introduction, highlighting the precinct's informal dynamics in the absence of strict leadership. Detective Jake Peralta initiates the Jimmy Jab Games as a series of improvised competitions to alleviate boredom and foster team spirit among the squad. The name derives from Peralta's humorous mispronunciation of the surname of former Iranian President —rendered as "Jimmy Jab"—stemming from an earlier precinct anecdote about the leader's 2008 visit to New York. Held directly in the precinct's bullpen, the initial iteration involves core participants including Peralta, Detective , Detective , Detective Charles Boyle, civilian administrator Gina Linetti, and Detectives and Norm Scully, turning the workspace into an arena for playful rivalries. From the outset, the games underscore the precinct's camaraderie through escalating personal stakes, such as Peralta wagering a phone number from one of Diaz's friends to motivate his performance and prove his emotional detachment from Santiago. This setup integrates with broader episode subplots of personal revelation, particularly as Peralta intentionally forfeits a key challenge to Santiago, later confiding in Diaz about his unresolved romantic feelings for her, which marks an early milestone in their character arcs. The event's lighthearted structure thus establishes the Jimmy Jab Games as a recurring symbol of the 99th's bonded, irreverent culture.

Season 2 Episode

"The Jimmy Jab Games" served as the third episode of the second season of the television series , originally airing on October 12, 2014. Written by Lakshmi Sundaram, with additional contributions from and Matt O'Brien, and directed by Rebecca Asher, the episode runs for 21 minutes. It introduces the precinct's tradition of the Jimmy Jab Games, a series of competitive events designed to alleviate boredom during downtime. The main storyline unfolds as the Nine-Nine squad organizes the Jimmy Jab Games while Captain Holt attends a high-stakes meeting with his rival, Deputy Chief Madeline Wuntch, leaving the precinct on standby for a visiting . Jake Peralta, eager to move on from his recent breakup with , strikes a bet with the fiercely competitive : if Jake outperforms in the games, Rosa will provide him with the phone number of her friend Katie; otherwise, Jake must handle Rosa's paperwork for a month. However, Jake deliberately sabotages his own efforts in the final challenge, allowing to secure victory and subtly confessing his unresolved feelings for her, which underscores his emotional vulnerability amid the team's playful rivalries. This arc also highlights Rosa's no-nonsense competitiveness and the precinct's tight-knit dynamics, as the group rallies around the events with humorous antics, culminating in 's triumph and a tentative romantic overtone between her and Jake. In a parallel subplot, Boyle and Gina Linetti frantically attempt to recover a compromising tape from Norm Scully—actually held by Hitchcock—capturing an intimate moment from their secret casual relationship, leading to a series of absurd precinct escapades including and hasty negotiations. Meanwhile, Holt navigates professional tension with Wuntch, ultimately earning approval for a new drug that Rosa is positioned to lead, reinforcing themes of perseverance and support. The episode drew 4.51 million viewers in U.S. households and achieved a 2.2 rating in the 18-49 demographic.

Season 7 Episode

"The Jimmy Jab Games II" is the fourth episode of the seventh season of the American sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine, originally broadcast on NBC on February 20, 2020. Directed by Neil Campbell and written by Vanessa Ramos, from a story by Dewayne Perkins and Van Robichaux, the episode revives the precinct's tradition of the Jimmy Jab Games as a sequel to the second-season event, shifting focus to themes of maturity and family pressures among the characters. It earned an IMDb user rating of 7.8 out of 10 from over 2,900 votes. The episode was viewed by an estimated 1.85 million U.S. households and received a 0.6 rating in the 18–49 demographic. In the main storyline, Jake Peralta organizes the Jimmy Jab Games to delay confronting adult responsibilities, such as home repairs in anticipation of starting a with . Charles Boyle serves as the enthusiastic host, styling the event around the musical with elaborate announcements and performances. Jake places a high-stakes bet with Hitchcock, wagering his car against a year of Hitchcock completing his paperwork, heightening the competition's intensity. Hitchcock attempts to cheat by exploiting Scully's medication during a challenge, but the squad's participation underscores Jake's internal conflict between youthful antics and impending parenthood. Subplots highlight interpersonal dynamics, including Amy's strategic involvement to protect their car, culminating in her sacrificing points by administering an EpiPen to Jake during an allergic reaction in the final , enabling him to advance. Captain Raymond Holt and engage in a fierce insult-based round, where Holt later reveals by supporting Rosa through her recent breakup, listening to with her. Meanwhile, Boyle mentors the insecure civilian administrator Fogel, boosting her confidence to participate, though her newfound boldness leads to her stealing medication from the evidence room after the games conclude. The episode explores Jake's tensions with family life through his reluctance to embrace routine duties, contrasted by Holt and Rosa's more grounded participation, which fosters subtle growth in vulnerability. Jake ultimately wins the competition, securing the vacation day and paperwork assistance, which he redirects toward quality family time with following the allergic mishap. Debbie's unauthorized access to the evidence room introduces a lingering consequence, setting up conflict for subsequent episodes.

Games and Challenges

Structure and Rules

The Jimmy Jab Games are organized informally within the 99th Precinct of the during periods of low activity, such as delays in official duties, allowing detectives and support staff to participate without disrupting operations. This setup originated in 2008. In the second season's iteration, the games are held while senior officers like Captain Holt and Sergeant Jeffords are absent, ensuring the event remains contained to the precinct environment. In the seventh season, the games proceed with Captain Holt participating as a contestant under Jake Peralta's temporary leadership. A designated oversees the proceedings, with Gina Linetti serving in the second season's iteration to enforce rules and announce rounds, while Boyle takes the in the seventh season, incorporating theatrical elements to heighten engagement. The games follow a progressive elimination format across multiple rounds, where participants—primarily core precinct squad members including detectives like Jake Peralta, Amy Santiago, and Rosa Diaz, alongside uniformed officers such as Hitchcock and Scully—compete until a single winner emerges. Losers are eliminated round by round based on performance in challenges, with no formal scoring system employed; instead, the referee maintains fairness by declaring disqualifications for fouls or failures, though specific mechanisms are not outlined. Referees handle any arising conflicts and add flair, such as dramatic announcements or rule twists for entertainment, ensuring the event's lighthearted yet competitive tone. Stakes in the Jimmy Jab Games combine personal wagers among participants, such as bets involving vehicles, contact information, or monetary sums, with official prizes like a premium or a paid day off work. These incentives motivate involvement but remain informal, reflecting the games' recreational purpose rather than competitive rigor. Adaptations to the games occur based on available precinct resources, incorporating items from the evidence room, office equipment, or everyday supplies to fit the improvised nature of the event, allowing flexibility across iterations without a fixed template.

Notable Rounds

The Jimmy Jab Games in the second season episode featured a series of improvised challenges utilizing precinct resources to test participants' endurance and ingenuity. The Mouthathon required competitors to consume expired Chinese , emphasizing gross-out elements through the consumption of month-old . This was followed by the Bulky Bulky Run Run, where participants donned cumbersome suits and raced through the building, highlighting physical agility under restrictive gear. The Keep Your Cover round involved maintaining an undercover persona while interacting with officers, incorporating strategic to avoid detection. The event culminated in a final that combined navigation hurdles with timed completion. In the seventh season installment, the games escalated in creativity while retaining the use of everyday office items for absurdity. The Meat-Throwing Challenge tasked players with hurling expired cold cuts to adhere to a precinct window, blending precision throwing with the challenge of sticky, perishable materials. demanded evading a trained in a hiding scenario, focusing on stealth and evasion tactics within confined spaces. The involved cramming multiple participants, again in bomb suits, into an elevator to reach a designated floor, testing spatial awareness and teamwork under pressure. Wire Entanglement required untangling a knotted lamp cord and plugging it in without assistance, serving as a puzzle-based dexterity test. As in the prior iteration, an formed the finale, adapting precinct layouts for a multi-stage physical gauntlet. Across both episodes, the rounds exemplified a mix of gross-out challenges like food consumption, physical races in bulky attire, strategic hiding maneuvers, and puzzle-solving with cords or props, all improvised from available precinct materials to foster spontaneous competition. Variations between the events included a shift in prizes from a coveted in the second season to a vacation day off in the seventh, alongside an evolution toward greater absurdity, such as incorporating live animals and tighter spatial constraints.

Reception and Legacy

Critical Response

The "Jimmy Jab Games" episode from Season 2 received positive reviews for its comedic execution, with praising the humor as reminiscent of the absurd office competitions in , particularly through the precinct's escalating challenges that highlighted the ensemble's playful dynamics. similarly commended the episode's character chemistry, noting how the absurdity of the games allowed for self-aware interactions among the cast, elevating the workplace comedy beyond mere imitation. Critics of the Season 7 sequel, "The Jimmy Jab Games II," appreciated its nostalgic revival of the original concept as a lighthearted return to ensemble antics amid the series' evolving narrative, though some noted critiques on pacing due to the need to balance multiple subplots within the competitive format. The episode holds an average user score of 7.8 out of 10, with reviewers highlighting emotional depth in Jake Peralta's as he navigates newfound responsibility while clinging to his impulsive side. Across both episodes, the games were lauded as an effective vehicle for ensemble comedy, emphasizing physical humor and the cast's improv talents, such as Andy Samberg's energetic physicality in challenges and Fumero's competitive portrayals that amplified the precinct's camaraderie. The Season 7 installment was praised for incorporating fresh twists into the established formula of the original, viewed as a fun, low-stakes highlight that reinforced the series' strengths in group dynamics. In comparative terms, the episodes contributed to season viewership boosts—the Season 2 outing drew 4.51 million viewers—and were praised for encapsulating the precinct's spirited , making the concept a standout in capturing the show's core appeal.

Fan Impact

The Jimmy Jab Games have fostered significant fan engagement through viral online content, particularly on , where official compilations like "Best of the Jimmy Jab Games" amassed over 1.2 million views since its upload in 2020, highlighting the segment's enduring appeal among viewers seeking highlights from the series. These clips often capture the chaotic humor of the precinct's competitive challenges, drawing repeated watches and shares that underscore the games' role in sustaining the show's interactive . Official merchandise tied to the Jimmy Jab Games, such as T-shirts featuring motifs from the events, has been available through the Store since the original episode aired in 2014, allowing fans to express their affinity for the precinct's traditions in everyday wear. Priced at around $26.95 and made from pre-shrunk , these items represent one of the few show-specific products celebrating the games' whimsical competitions. In fan culture, the Jimmy Jab Games have inspired widespread memes and GIFs, often depicting absurd office rivalries reminiscent of real-world antics, with collections on platforms like amplifying their shareability. This grassroots creativity extends to recreations, including fan-made games and costumes at events. The games' popularity has bolstered Brooklyn Nine-Nine's status following its 2018 cancellation by , as fan outcry—fueled by beloved elements like the Jimmy Jabs—prompted to revive the series amid viral campaigns. Fan polls, such as those on , frequently rank the Jimmy Jab episodes among the show's top comedic highlights, affirming their contribution to the series' lasting legacy. extensions include fan-organized watch parties featuring homemade versions of the games, perpetuating the tradition beyond the screen.

References

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