Ticking Clocks

According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 1.69 million household viewers and gained a 0.5/2 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. This means that 0.5 percent of all households with televisions watched the episode, while 2 percent of all households watching television at that time watched it.[1] This was a slight decrease over the previous episode, which was watched by 1.78 million viewers and a 0.5/3 ratings share.[2] With these ratings, Brooklyn Nine-Nine was the third highest rated show on NBC for the night behind Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Superstore, fifth on its timeslot and eleventh for the night, behind Gotham, The Orville, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Superstore, S.W.A.T., Life in Pieces, Mom, the 2019 NFL Draft, Young Sheldon, and The Big Bang Theory.

With DVR factored in, the episode was watched by 2.58 million viewers.[3]

"Ticking Clocks" received positive reviews from critics. LaToya Ferguson of The A.V. Club gave the episode a "B−" rating, writing, "'Ticking Clocks' is a lofty episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, but it isn't a great episode. Under other circumstances, it would probably be a weaker episode. This is an episode that really shows how time lapses make things both more interesting and, more importantly, snappier. The episode certainly tries to keep up the pace, whether it’s Amy’s rush to get to work, Rosa’s rush to make up with Jocelyn, Hitchcock and Scully’s rush to properly time their food, or the rush of saving the server (which of course is stretched out for plot purposes, to “the last possible minute”), but it's very difficult to do so with the real-time aspect covering every inch of it. But in terms of the gimmick and its execution, Brooklyn Nine-Nine succeeds. For a first-time attempt at this sort of approach (like a TV pilot), 'Ticking Clocks' is an ambitious episode that maintains its humor in the face of its obstacles. Hopefully the kinks are worked out by next time."[4]

Alan Sepinwall of Rolling Stone wrote, "There's always a danger that if Brooklyn deviates from the formula too often, that will begin to feel like a formula itself. But most of this year's experiments have felt different enough from one another, as well as from more routine outings like 'The Honeypot.' And if people get upset about too many of them, Goor may have to make like Jake right before each commercial break and cry out, 'Mamma Maglione!'"[5] Nick Harley of Den of Geek gave it a 4 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "Still, these stylistic divergences are interesting enough to sacrifice a few gags, especially when they are presented with new camera techniques and solid character work like Rosa’s acknowledgement of her love for Jocelyn. The series may not be able to surprise us much with the cases on a week to week basis, but it certainly still can by stretching out with format experiences and new emotional beats."[6]