The episode was seen by an estimated 4.53 million household viewers and gained a 2.2/5 ratings share among adults aged 18–49, according to Nielsen Media Research.
In its original American broadcast, "Lockdown" was seen by an estimated 4.53 million household viewers and gained a 2.2/5 ratings share among adults aged 18–49, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Throughout the entire episode, there's just constant shallow characterization — which is extremely uncharacteristic at this point in the series —that takes Brooklyn Nine-Nine to a dark place, quality-wise.
Jake Peralta is a good character, and I've sung his praises in most (if not all) of these reviews, but when the show makes him the sole focus and only relies him, with everyone else as nothing more than his sounding boards, the downshift in quality is palpable.
In doing so, 'Lockdown' manages to put another spin on Andy Samberg's typically broad performance, making his eternally upbeat attitude seem manic and even desperate.
It still boasted plenty of good laugh lines, but I would have loved to see more advantage taken of the wild cast of characters stuck in there, who were more or less reduced to an angry mob despite getting some really awesome team nicknames.
With that many characters stuck in one location, there were some amusing moments in the margins (my favorite was Boyle doing the 'Single Ladies' dance with the hookers), but on a whole, this one didn't work.
"[6] Andy Crump of Paste gave the episode a 6.8 and wrote, "'Lockdown' has a strong set-up and great jokes at its fingertips, but it doesn't have much direction, either.
That leads to a whole lot of nothing, instead of growth among the show’s primary and secondary cast members; if anybody really learns anything here, it's Jake, put in charge over Amy for reasons that the script treats as perfunctory.