Brooklyn 99 is a TV sitcom that just completed its 7th season and is scheduled for an 8th season next year. Set in the 99th police precinct in Brooklyn, the show tracks the antics and escapades of the easy going, jocular Detective Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg), who often comes into conflict with his ultra-serious boss, Captain Raymond Holt (Andre Braugher). Also in the precinct include Charles Boyle (Joe lo Truglio), Jake’s self-proclaimed best friend, the tough and mysterious Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz), the incredibly smart and organized Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero), family man and lieutenant Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews), civilian administrator Gina Linetti (Chelsea Peretti) who has bigger plans for herself, and the lazy best friends Norm Scully (Joel McKinnon Miller) and Michael Hitchcock (Dirk Blocker).
This is one of my all time favorite TV shows. It is an extremely entertaining comedy take on the classic cop show. There are excellent gags, both running and one-off that keep the show charming. The acting is great and the characters are extremely lovable. The show also does an excellent job of calling attention to serious real world issues without inappropriately addressing them or veering too much into drama territory.
Body Positivity 1/5
This is an area where the show could seriously stand to improve. All of the female characters are more or less the same body type, which does not accurately reflect women. Hitchcock and Scully are often made the butt of jokes for their eating and weight, not necessarily by other characters but just in the show as a whole. There is also an episode where Terry, a character known for his extreme strength and huge amount of muscle becomes much fatter due to stress eating, which is made to be a joke. However, the show does show Amy being able to work even very pregnant, which adds a bit to the positives.
Disability Representation 1/5
This category is also extremely lacking for Brooklyn 99. There are no disabled main characters. The only way that disability is pseudo-addressed is in the form of mental health. However, this topic is not explored very in-depth, and a recurring character that has what appears to be paranoia and/or PTSD is often there as a “crazy” character, without seriously addressing mental health.
Non-stereotypical Gender Representation 4.5/5
Brooklyn 99 does an excellent job in this category. None of the characters fit completely into stereotypes for their gender. One of the best examples of this is Terry Jeffords. He is a proud dad of two twin girls, and talks about it at work. None of the characters make fun of him for it, it is just part of who he is. He is also extremely fit. He demonstrates that being a family man and being strong are not mutually exclusive. Additionally, the female characters are all smart, strong, and equally if not more capable than their male counterparts. For example, Rosa is known for being tough and secretive about her life, but a very reliable detective.
Racial Diversity 4.75/5
Although Brooklyn 99 does many things right by way of representation, this may be the best category. Within the precinct, the highest positions, the captain and the lieutenant, are held by black men. However, the show still acknowledges the real issues of race that are omnipresent in America and does not choose to portray a perfect fantasy land. For example, the racial discrimination that Captain Holt faced in his past as a police officer and faces as he applies to be commissioner of the NYPD are both addressed. The show also has multiple Hispanic characters (Amy and Rosa) that have fully fleshed out stories. None of the characters in racial minorities are portrayed in stereotypical ways. However, this show could do more by way of Asian representation.
LGBTQ+ Representation 4.5/5
Brooklyn 99 also accels in LGBTQ+ representation. Captain Holt is an out and proud gay man in an interracial marriage, yet conforms to almost no stereotypes of gay men. In fact, he is about the exact opposite as he is an extremely serious, barely emotive person. Another big moment in the show was when Rosa was coming out to her family as bisexual. The show tackled serious issues of acceptance and family in a very real and respectful way. However, the show lacks any trans or non-binary representation, which is something I would love to see in the next season!
Overall rating: 3.1/5
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