EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeee!

I KNEW this was gonna be a good one. Because antics combined with the Dodgers is always a good time.

Before I get too into the flailing (because I will), I want to start out by pointing out that Flynn and Provenza taking Buzz out on his first patrol, and fighting over which one of them was going to take him, and imparting all of their policing wisdom on him was freaking adorable all around and just bringing allllllll of the bro feels. I especially like the idea that Provenza didn't act as if he wanted to do it at first, then Andy stepped in and said he would, and then Provenza got all offended. So typical (in a good way).

I feel a little bad because I literally did not care what was happening with Rusty and the whole Alice case.

The entire episode was hilarious (outside of the Rusty parts, which I think added to the feeling that those scenes didn't really fit in). I was laughing the whole hour. So many good little moments. The bride's sister especially had me cackling.

“Tranquilizer darts?”
“For the suspects or Lieutenant Provenza? HA! Don’t answer that.” OMGGGG

“You wanna tell me why Reserve Officer Watson gets the Batmobile and we're still driving a car from the 90s?” Y E S I love any and all comments about the Crown Vics that they’re still driving (though Sharon and Mike/Julio have Chargers now, at least).

That tableau at the end with everyone at Sharon's condo watching the game on TV... I HAVE SO MANY SQUAD FEELS OMG, and a six pack of Leinenkugel Summer Shandy on the coffee table (and Sharon drinking one), lmfaooo I can’t believe they went there. I laughed hard when I noticed that.

And then...

I missed the first three minutes or so when the episode was first on, because I was in the kitchen trying to make popcorn, but the friend I watch with was freaking out, and I finally made her tell me why... So I didn't see it until the second airing but OMFGGGG SHARON FIDDLING WITH ANDY'S TIE. THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED AND THIS EP WAS LIKE SHIP OVERLOAD AND I'M SO....

no, really, let's break it down from that scene:
Sharon sooooo excited for Buzz with the cake and the making everyone act like it’s no big deal when he walked in and she got to make an occasion out of it
Andy in uniform (and apparently he and Provenza just don’t have patrol uniforms anymore, only dress uniforms? unless the only purpose for that was literally just so he’d be wearing a tie omg) yes please
(no literally like as soon as this ship even hinted at canon I told my friends that I needed to see them flirting while in uniform [why, I don’t know, just because] and it half happened and I’m just...this is important)
the two of them stepping away to have a convo while everyone is distracted with cake
Sharon making hearteyes alllll over the place, including over how Andy offered to take Buzz on patrol
Andy saying how proud he is of Nicole, cueing even more hearteyes, and promising that he’d “never dream” of teasing Buzz (which is ridiculously untrue enough to be cute)
Sharon noting that Andy might not be able to sleep because “everyone” might be thanking him for the amazing Dodger tickets, I meannnn...
Sharon truly flirting, like FINALLY, and poking Andy in the chest and then going right into messing with his tie, but then his tie tack interfered yet she wouldn’t be deterred, so it went straight from hot to a lil’ awkward to SUPER ADORABLE
Andy’s expression at that point looking like Clayton Kershaw just showed up to personally hand him the keys to a new Porsche
Literally all of this happening in the Murder Room with everyone else like two feet away
And undoubtedly both of them are still like, “NOPE, we’re totally not dating,” but I’m willing to forgive it because we actually SAW SOMETHING for a change and they are so cute together jfc

No, really, this episode turned me into a squealing 13-year-old. The following conversation actually occurred in my apartment:

My friend: Dude, you’re missing it! It’s everything you wanted. She played with his tie.
Me: WHAT.
Friend: Oh yeah.
Me: *flails* Wait, was he was in uniform? Or a suit?
Friend: UNIFORM
Me: *inhuman screeching noise* Oh my god, OH MY GOD. *smacking the floor* I CAN’T BELIEVE I MISSED IT!

BEYOND THAT, we got the whole situation with the Dodger game, with Andy getting tickets from Nicole apparently, and then offering to take the entire division and Rusty. Way to go! But then he gets straight up CALLED OUT by Provenza:

"Yeah, and if you could ask the Captain out on your own without dragging everyone with you..."*

Which Andy doesn’t deny! I’m a little confused, because hasn’t it been established that they’ve done alll sorts of stuff together outside of work already? But I’m willing to roll with it because it involves squad feels and because OMG she is clearly *so into* him but they’ve both been shown to be so oblivious that I can buy it. Also because of the synopsis for next week’s episode.

But the most important part of the situation (to me, anyway, because, when combined with the total flirt session covered above, it represents the buy-in I’ve been waiting for) is that Sharon is ADAMANT about going to the game. How many times during the episode did she say something along the lines of, “We are going to a Dodgers game tonight. We are going, we’re gonna get this murder solved, WE ARE GOING TO A BASEBALL GAME, DODGER DOGS AND FIREWORKS, IT’S GONNA BE FUN.” And at least on two of those occasions she finds an excuse to touch Andy while she’s saying it, like HELLO. SO GOOD. She is officially on board.

Like, a big helping of ‘ship combined with baseball. These are a few of my most favorite things. Speaking of, MY OTP HAS MATCHING DODGERS HATS OKAY, it’s fine, I’m TOTALLY FINE.

*I love that Provenza has gone from “Have you LOST YOUR MIND?!” to just being resigned to the fact that his partner has a big ol’ crush on their boss and has moved onto just wishing that Andy would ask her out already and get it over with.