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Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a funny police sitcom that followed the lives of the detectives and their captain in the fictional 99th precinct of Brooklyn, New York. Led by the stoic yet at times unexpectedly funny, Captain Raymond Holt (the late but brilliant Andre Braugher) and the goofy but talented Detective Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg), the show has been praised for its witty humor, diverse cast, and bold approach to serious issues. It’s been a fan favorite since its first episode and was even saved from being canceled because of the overwhelming protest of fans on social media (even Guillermo del Toro tweeted about it!). For that, fans have been thankful to NBC for giving the show a second chance and to wrap it up on its terms (take that, Fox!)  

Why Brooklyn Nine-Nine Isn’t Your Average Police Procedural TV Show  

There are different reasons why Brooklyn Nine-Nine stands out among its contemporaries:  

Brooklyn Nine-Nine Isn’t Just for Laughs 

The show isn’t just for laughs, it’s not afraid to discuss important and serious issues, including racial discrimination, gender inequality, sexual harassment, and even police brutality, particularly in the light of the George Floyd protests.  

The Diverse Cast

Aside from Captain Holt and Detective Peralta, the show’s cast also included Detectives Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero), Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz), Sergeant Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews), Joe Lo Truglio (Charles Boyle), Michael Hitchcock (Dirk Blocker), and Norm Scully (Joel McKinnon Miller). Gina Linetti (Chelsea Peretti), as Holt’s assistant completed the casting.  

Beatriz was initially concerned she wouldn’t be cast after Fumero, as both are Latina. She recalled thinking, “There’s no way that they’re going to keep both of us.” Fortunately, the show’s producers were more focused on the actresses’ abilities instead of their background, which gave us the entertaining dynamic between Santiago and Diaz.  

Aside from being racially inclusive, the show also stood out for portraying LGBTQ+ characters.  

The Cold Opens

Brooklyn Nine-Nine has funny and memorable cold opens, and if you ask any fan to pick a favorite, they’ll have a hard time trying to pick one. However, most would agree that the iconic “I Want It That Way” cold open is included in their top 5.  

Check out this cold open below—this 60-second clip would probably convince you to binge-watch the show!  

Other notable cold opens include:  

• Season 3, Episode 10: Santiago Gets Holt a Present  

Captain Holt told his detectives that he had a no-gift policy, but this did not deter Santiago from trying to give him one. She thought she was smart by leaving the gift on Holt’s desk with the words “Open Me.” Turns out, you can’t just leave an anonymous box on a police captain’s desk without him suspecting it’s a bomb.  

• Season 6, Episode 2: Hotshots Hitchcock and Scully  

While Hitchcock and Scully are usually seen as the lazy, paper-pushing detectives of the precinct, this episode gives us a flashback to their glory days. In 1986, they were the precinct’s top dogs, and when Peralta and Boyle spot their old photo, all they can say is, “Meow!”  

Binge-worthy Plotlines

With engaging story arcs and superb character development, especially that of Jake Peralta, who started the show as a man-child and ended it as a (spoiler alert!) responsible husband and father, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a show you can binge-watch and rewatch without getting bored.  

The Opening Song

I dare you not to hum the opening song every time you see some references to the show.