FOX Tuesdays @ 8:30pm ET
"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" is a new single-camera ensemble comedy about what happens when a talented, but carefree, detective and his diverse group of colleagues get a new captain with a lot to prove. Detective Jake Peralta is gifted enough that he's never had to work too hard or follow the rules too closely. Perhaps because he has the best arrest record among his colleagues, he's been enabled – if not indulged – throughout his entire career. That is, until the precinct gets a new commanding officer, Captain Ray Holt. Captain Holt believes in rules and regulations, two concepts that have long been overlooked by the detectives in the 99th precinct.
Never have I witnessed a more dichotomous hour of television than FOX's back-to-back new comedies "Dads" and "Brooklyn Nine-Nine". While "Dads" was an offensive mess (read our review here), "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" will probably be remembered as one of the best new shows of the fall. Yes, we're only two days into the season, but "Nine-Nine" is so strong that I would bet on it remaining one of the highlights of Fall 2013.
While there is a already a glut of police procedurals on television, as well as many workplace comedies, a police/workplace comedy is a unique hybrid. Created by Dan Goor and Michael Schur, who also brought us the equally delightful workplace comedy "Parks And Recreation", and starring Andy Samberg ("SNL") and Andre Braugher ("Homicide: Life On The Street"), "Nine-Nine" is a zippy, fast-paced, and clever new show that successfully blends hilarious office dynamics with a little cop action.
The emphasis is definitely on characters over cases here (a focus some other cop shows could afford to have), and the crew manning the Nine-Nine is an eclectic bunch. Samberg is Jake, the office screwball -- who also happens to be their best detective. Having Jake actually be successful at his job is a nice twist on the class clown trope. Braugher is Holt, the new precinct captain who attempts to reign in Jake and his wild ways. The stern, no-nonsense boss seems like a tired cliché...until you realize that Holt is actually gay -- a trait that elevates his character without defining it. The rest of the office is rounded out by a stellar supporting cast: Terry Crews is a formerly fierce cop who lost his nerve after having children; Melissa Fumero is an eager-to-please detective who is fiercely competitive with Jake; Joe Lo Truglio is a clumsy, awkward doofus who pines after Stephanie Beatriz's tough-as-nails cop; and Chelsea Peretti is the gossipy, meddling secretary. None of these are characters we haven't seen before, but they're all brought to life with such effortlessness that they feel fresh and exciting. Watching the cast interact with such ease is the best part of the pilot -- they have fantastic chemistry with each other, and it really feels like these people have been working together for years.
It's fascinating to see eccentric workplace humor juxtaposed with grisly murders. The crimes themselves are never played for laughs; it's the ways in which the characters handle the life-or-death situations that make them funny. It's a tricky balance that the pilot nails, and hopefully the writers will continue to straddle that line successfully -- so far it's what makes the show unique.
Did you catch the premiere of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine"? If so, what did you think? Tweet us @StageBuddy to give us your opinion!
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1UzmW77F30[/youtube]
