Hilarious Netflix Crime Comedy Series So Funny You’ll Want To Get Arrested
Police procedurals tend to be fairly self-serious as far as genre television goes, dominated by enduring staple shows like the Law and Order franchise and dramatic shows like Blue Bloods. However, Brooklyn Nine-Nine takes the structure of a police procedural and turns it into a workplace sitcom. While it still features police officers solving crimes, it’s a comedy at heart, simply using the police procedural formula for its setting and premise.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine Grew Into A Hit
Brooklyn Nine-Nine follows the day-to-day business of New York’s 99 precinct focusing on the crimes the officers of that precinct solve as well as the office dynamics at the precinct. The show begins with the introduction of a new captain, Raymond Holt, a stoic, intellectual captain at odds with the precinct’s best but most immature detective, Jake Peralta. In the early seasons, it’s the personality conflict between the reserved Captain Holt and the childish Detective Peralta that the show centers on, but the further the show progresses, the more it becomes a true ensemble exploring the various relationships between characters.
A True Ensemble
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a show that benefits from becoming more and more of an ensemble comedy as it goes with interpersonal relationship drama, growing friendships, and inside jokes elevating the show. Whether it’s the budding romance between jokester Jake Peralta and high-strung Amy Santiago or the odd lifelong friendship between the incompetent aged Hitchcock and Scully, there’s always interesting character dynamics at play. While the characters being police officers is often relevant to the plot, its best episodes, like the annual Halloween Heist episodes, have little to do with its premise, putting the characters and their relationships at the forefront.
The Amazing Cast
One of the biggest selling points of Brooklyn Nine-Nine is its incredible cast. The central cast includes Andy Samberg, Stephanie Beatriz, Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero, Joe Lo Truglio, Chelsea Peretti, and Andre Braugher. In addition to that stellar main cast, there are many phenomenal recurring actors throughout the series, such as Jason Mantzoukas, Craig Robinson, Kyra Sedgwick, and Marc Evan Jackson.
All-Star Creators
The show was created by Michael Schur and Dan Goor, who worked together on another beloved sitcom, Parks and Recreations. For sitcom fans, the creators are just as big of a draw as the cast, with Schur also working on The Office and The Good Place, while Goor was heavily involved in underrated gems Grand Crew and Killing It. Brooklyn Nine-Nine originally aired on September 17, 2013, and had a stellar eight-season run, even surviving cancellation after its fight season.
Award-Winning Series
Brooklyn Nine-Nine was a critical darling throughout its eight-season run. It won numerous Golden Globe and Critics Choice Awards and received, and Andre Braugher was nominated for an Emmy four times for his depiction of Captain Raymond Holt. The show also won the 2018 GLADD Media awards and was consistently praised for its portrayal of interesting and thoughtful representation of LGBTQ+ characters like Raymond Holt, his husband Kevin, and the bisexual detective Rosa Diaz.
Ended On A High Note
Despite its connection to policing causing some controversy in its later seasons and Fox’s cancellation after the fifth season, Brooklyn Nine-Nine endures as a beloved workplace comedy. It has one of the greatest ensemble casts ever assembled, great comedic writing, and a surprising amount of heart and empathy. Brooklyn Nine-Nine is available to stream on Netflix.
