Jessie Toy Con (2011–2015) Online

TV episodes with subplots that are superior to the main story lines aren't really that uncommon. But rarely are they this good, that they'd be better off as the lead story.

Jessie decides to pass along a rare doll she got from her father to Zuri. "Military Mary" is presented as kind of a Barbie with a double life as a G.I. Jane. Zuri doesn't seem as impressed with it though, so she trades it in for another toy; a mechanical rabbit that poops chocolate nuggets. What she doesn't realize is that the toy has much more sentimental value to the nanny, and the trade eats away at her conscience. So she and Ravi try to get it back from the shyster who sold her the "poopy bunny-bot," but he refuses even when Jessie herself joins in.

As I mentioned, it's the B-Story that makes this episode as good as it is. Bertram has fallen head over heels for Salma Espinosa (played by Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Stephanie Beatriz), a Latino chef in some other rich family's apartment, but lacks the confidence to ask her out. When Luke and Emma set the two of them up it seems like they might hit it off. Both have a love of salsa, but the salsa that she's into is actually salsa dancing and now he realizes he's up a creek without a paddle. That's when the two eldest Ross kids decide to teach him to dance. One of the best scenes in the episode is when Luke teaches Bertram a few "basic" steps, which no novice no matter how much he or she weighs could possibly do. It's an old joke that was used on "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" with Alyson Stoner, and probably older than that, but it still works.

And if that's not good enough, there's the scenes from the dance itself. It's no secret that Kevin Chamberlin has directed some episodes, but while this isn't one of them, it's easy to suspect that it was written for him. When Bertram's lack of confidence gets the best of him Luke takes over and blows everybody else away. After Emma talks Bertram into getting back together with his potential girlfriend, she joins Luke and does the same. To look at the two of them dance together, you'd think they were lovers rather than brother and sister. The fact that List and Boyce are girlfriend and boyfriend in real life probably has a lot to do with this. Although considering the outcome, it's a shame that we won't see Bertram's love interest in any future episodes. On the other hand, at least Stephanie Beatriz still has some work on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.