Jake, Holt, and Co. say so long to the “human form of the 100 emoji” in an especially heartfelt episode.
It feels a little jerky to say this now, but Gina has never quite worked for me as a character. She operated at a disadvantage as the only civilian on a show full of cops, and her brutal honesty sometimes veered on mean-spirited, especially when Amy was involved. That being said, Gina was very, very funny in small doses, even rivaling Holt as Nine-Nine‘s chief gif-giver. She’ll be remembered for her supreme confidence and ability to be surprisingly astute about her colleagues, both of which were on display in “Four Movements.” Equal parts spectacle and substance, this was the right way to say goodbye to Gina Linetti.
The first movement, which found Holt and Gina playing chess and exchanging trash talk, was the most grounded and also worked the best for me. Holt has always believed that Gina brings something valuable to the table, and this exchange of services, so to speak, was both funny and jived with his overall view of her. I’ve always felt like Gina and Holt stealthily had the most in common; on the surface, they’re polar opposites, but they’re also both blunt realists, albeit Gina under that layer of crazy confidence.
Their back and forth here was smooth and believable, and like I said, grounded. For instance, Holt asking about healthcare plans was something I immediately thought of but assumed they wouldn’t bother to address. TV characters quit jobs with impunity, but that kind of real-life consequence is hardly ever acknowledged.
If Holt and Gina’s goodbye was mostly substance, Jake and Gina’s was appropriately fun froth. More than any other character, Gina has a specific side that comes out depending on who she’s with, and for Jake, it’s definitely her goofy, anything goes mentality, something that makes a lot of sense when you remember they were childhood friends. It also worked nicely that last week’s episode felt like the beginning of the end, which let Gina and Jake have a nice heartfelt moment there and a bit more fun in this one.
Their storyline was a series of hilariously over-the-top sight gags and jokes, from their rich people outfits to weird half-laughter and excessive “Daddy”s. I love that they got Mario Lopez to do this, just for the reveal that both Gina and Jake had huge crushes on A.C. Slater (and bi Jake is officially canon now, right?). Gina’s speech about only needing her friends was sweet, but I also suspected that she wanted to turn a celebrity away from her party which, of course, she confirmed.
Her story with Rosa and Amy – technically the second movement – was ultimately nice, but also an indicator that, like I said above, Gina’s comically mean treatment of Amy stuck out on what’s otherwise a warm, feel-good show. I’ll also admit that people making fun of others for their passion or enthusiasm is a sore spot for me. We need more passion in this world, not less! At any rate, I’m glad they ended in such a good place, with Gina encouraging Amy to embrace the very thing she’s mocked her for. Plus, that group hug was a wonderful reminder that these three very different women ultimately have each other’s backs.
Breaking the episode into movements was a smart way to honor each of Gina’s relationships with a specificity that would’ve been impossible with an episode-long group goodbye, though they did come together for the last act. Leaving behind a giant gold statue was perhaps the most Gina move ever, and the perfect bookend to her last episode as a series regular. She’ll be back for one more this season, at which time Terry will hopefully thank her for “the best moment of all.”
What did you think of Gina Linetti’s swan song? Hit the comments, and let me know!
Just a Girl, Standing in Front of a TV... 