Adrian Pimento

The detective who returned after 12 years undercover.

Adrian Pimento is a detective who returns in the seventeenth episode of the third season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, titled "Adrian Pimento." Played by Jason Mantzoukas, he arrives after spending 12 years undercover working for high-ranking mobster Jimmy "The Butcher" Figgis. Due to the extreme measures taken during his time with Figgis, Pimento suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. In this episode, he works with Jake on a robbery case and initially leaves the precinct because he feels the squad does not trust him, only to be convinced by Jake to return so they can finish their case.

Quick Facts

Series: Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Director: Maggie Carey
Writer: Luke Del Tredici
Photographer: Giovani Lampassi
Editor: Cortney Carrillo
Air date: 23 February 2016
Length: 22 minutes

Lore & Background

Pimento's narrative in this episode centers on his return to the 99th precinct following a decade-long stint as an informant for Jimmy "The Butcher" Figgis. His behavior immediately raises suspicions, leading Jake Peralta to question if he is still working with Figgis, despite Rosa Diaz having feelings for him. The plot reveals that Pimento had simply retrieved his memorabilia and left because he felt unready and angry about the lack of trust from the precinct. A key turning point occurs when Jake convinces him to return, allowing them to conclude their robbery case together. Additionally, a parallel storyline involves Gina Linetti directing a video about the precinct's daily life. After her initial style is disapproved by Captain Holt, she utilizes his audio recordings to create a second version that he approves of.

Reader's Guide

To understand Pimento's impact in this episode, note that he is written by Luke Del Tredici and directed by Maggie Carey. The episode aired on Fox in the United States on February 23, 2016. Viewership data shows it was seen by an estimated 2.13 million household viewers with a 0.9/3 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. Critics praised Mantzoukas's performance; Genevieve Valentine of The A.V. Club gave it a "B+" and noted the episode takes the "Dark Brooding Cop Show" down a peg. Allie Pape from Vulture rated it 4 out of 5 stars, suggesting Mantzoukas's mania plays better against Rosa's laconic vibe than against Andy Samberg's energy. Alan Sepinwall of HitFix called it one of the season's more frantically-paced episodes, while Andy Crump of Paste gave it an 8.6 rating, highlighting the fun dabbling in anti-comedy.

Did You Know?

The break room was renamed in honor of Mean Marge (Kate Flannery) to resolve a trash dispute caused by Charles Boyle.
Gina Linetti created her approved precinct video by using Captain Holt's audio recordings after her first attempt was dismissed.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode achieved a 0.9/3 ratings share among adults aged 18–49.