BROOKLYN NINE-NINE

📺 Introduction

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is an American police television sitcom that premiered on Fox on September 17, 2013. Created by Dan Goor and Michael Schur, the series revolves around Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg), an immature but talented NYPD detective in Brooklyn's 99th Precinct, who comes into immediate conflict with his new commanding officer, the serious and stern Captain Raymond Holt (Andre Braugher). The ensemble and supporting cast feature Stephanie Beatriz as Rosa Diaz, Terry Crews as Terrence "Terry" Jeffords, Melissa Fumero as Amy Santiago, Joe Lo Truglio as Charles Boyle, Chelsea Peretti as Regina "Gina" Linetti, Dirk Blocker as Michael Hitchcock and Joel McKinnon Miller as Norman "Norm" Scully.

Produced in Los Angeles as a single-camera comedy, Fox originally ordered thirteen episodes for its first season, eventually expanding it to 22 episodes. Since its debut, the series has received critical acclaim, with the cast, especially Samberg and Braugher, being singled out for praise. It has won two Creative Arts Emmy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards: one for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy and one for Andy Samberg for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy. Andre Braugher has also been nominated for three consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards.

🚔 Synopsis

Set in the fictional 99th Precinct of the New York City Police Department in Brooklyn, Brooklyn Nine-Nine follows a team of detectives headed by newly appointed Captain Raymond Holt (Andre Braugher). Among the detectives is Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg), who frequently tops the squad in collars despite his relaxed, carefree attitude, much to the annoyance of his more by-the-book colleague, Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero). Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio) is a reliable but quirky detective whose emotions can sometimes go wild, as opposed to the stoic and mysterious Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz). The final two detectives, Michael Hitchcock (Dirk Blocker) and Norman "Norm" Scully (Joel McKinnon Miller), are older and often incompetent, although not without their usefulness. The detectives report to Sergeant Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews), a devoted family man who is initially afraid to go back to active police work for fear that he might die in the line of duty and thus leave his children without a father. Rounding out the precinct is sarcastic civilian administrator Gina Linetti (Chelsea Peretti), who seems to value everything like dancing and her social life over work, and does anything to avoid her job.

🎬 Development and production

On May 8, 2013, Fox placed a thirteen-episode order for the single-camera ensemble comedy. On October 18, 2013, the series was picked up for a full season of 22 episodes, and was later chosen to air with New Girl in a special one-hour comedy event as the Super Bowl XLVIII lead-out programs.

The exterior view of the fictional 99th Precinct building, complete with numerous NYPD vehicles parked in front of it, is the actual 78th Precinct building at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Bergen Street, one block south of the Barclays Center and one block east of the Bergen Street station on the New York City Subway's 2, ​3, ​4, and 5 routes.

New York Skyline

🙂 Reception

Rotten Tomatoes gave season 1 a score of 88% based on 49 reviews. The consensus is: Led by the surprisingly effective pairing of Andy Samberg and Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a charming, intelligently written take on the cop show format. For Season 2, it received a score of 100% based on 11 reviews. That season's consensus is: Brooklyn Nine-Nine's winning cast, appealing characters and wacky gags make it good comfort food. Metacritic gives the first season of the show a weighted average rating of 70/100 based on 33 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

The Huffington Post posted a list of 9 Reasons You Need To Start Watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine, while Paste magazine celebrated The 10 Best Moments from Brooklyn Nine-Nine's First Season in 2014.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine has received praise for its forthright portrayal of LGBT people and the serious issues that affect them, whilst retaining its sense of humour. Portraying Captain Ray Holt, a lead character, as an openly gay, no-nonsense Black man in a same-sex interracial marriage is unprecedented in police sitcoms. The coming-out as bisexual by detective Rosa Diaz in episode "99", the 99th episode of the series, is considered an important representation of a sexual orientation that has often been disposable and misconstrued in other television programmes.

🎤 Popular culture and tie-ins

During the 2013 Comedy Central Roast of James Franco, Bill Hader wore a white wig and pretended to be The President of Hollywood. Hader joked to Andy Samberg, Looking forward to your new show, Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Funny cops. You're always pushing the envelope, Andy. What's going to happen when you run out of funny crimes like graffiti and pickpockets? Can't wait to see episode 10 when Brooklyn 99 has to deal with a rape. 'Oh, I dropped the rape kit. Sporgie Dorg!' Hader would later go on to appear on the show's third-season premiere, as Captain Seth Dozerman.

Chelsea Peretti, who plays Gina, told an interviewer, I remember as a writer when actors would come in to Parks and Rec they were like, 'Oh my god this is the nicest set.' And I think similarly people feel the same with Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

In September 2014, The A.V. Club featured an interview with property master Chris Call, who talked about his hectic job; for example: On a show like Brooklyn Nine-Nine, everything is a gag — and a lot of them are sight gags — so there's a lot of different props that come up. If I was doing a show like Parenthood, it would be your standard everyday things that people have, like a cup of coffee or their dinner. Comedy — I've discovered especially — is filled with props. And on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, it seems to be even more so. It's such an ever-changing beast — comedy — because jokes change all the time.

On January 3, 2015, Universal Partnerships & Licensing partnered with RED Games to launch a real-life version of the addictive puzzle game Kwazy Cupcakes! based on the very same app from Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The app is available on iOS and Android mobile devices.