Brooklyn Nine-Nine is an American sitcom that first aired in 2013. Since then, it has gained a huge fan-following, throughout the world. Everything from the characterization to the acting has caught the eye of followers, and rightfully so. The show has gone on to be considered as one of the best sitcoms ever made. But Brooklyn Nine-Nine is not just any mere sitcom. It deals with issues that plague the modern society, in a witty manner and with ease.
The show creators who also created other shows like The Office, Parks and Recreation, and The Good Place, have always made sure that their shows do not stick to just gag jokes, and clichés, and have worked in creating new ways to entertain people.
The show humanizes the characters by each of them having at least one character flaw, and them dealing with it, in their own capacities, rather than just making a single character the face of the show, and making that character a “perfect model”.
The show deals with problems like:
Racism
The show has been very vocal about racism, and have shown their take on it in multiple episodes. The captain of the 99th precinct, Captain Holt often reminisces about the struggles he had to face in the police department in the 1980s for being an African American.
The same goes with Sergeant (and later Lieutenant) Terry Jeffords, where in one episode he is stopped by another police officer at night because of the colour of his skin. The entire episode revolves around whether Terry decides to sue the officer or not. This episode in particular highlights the issues that the African American community face in the US. But this is just one of the many episodes where the issue is highlighted.
Sexuality
The show also helps bring a positive change in the perspective of its audience towards the LGBTQ+ community. The Captain Raymond Holt is the first openly gay Captain of the NYPD. This made his life in the department all the more difficult as he was an openly gay, African-American officer in a very much prejudiced Police department. This is what makes his success story, and how he rose up the ranks all the more interesting.
Apart from Captain Holt, the audience also gets to find out that Detective Rosa Diaz is bisexual in Season 5. The episode where Captain Holt and Rosa Diaz talk about their sexuality has some memorable moments as well.
Masculinity
The show also raises the question of what could be considered masculine or macho. All the characters have some flaw that defines their character. The character Jake Peralta has parental issues, Charles Boyle is shown as vulnerable and insecure of his friendship with Jake, Lieutenant Terry is a protective father, and these are just few of the examples. The show breaks the idea of a stereotypical, macho character, who has to confine to norms set by the society. It shows that humans are essentially flawed, and that is what makes them more human.
What sets B99 apart is that it breaks the myth that there can’t be a joke without offending people. Brooklyn Nine-Nine shows how to create a show that is inclusive, has well-built characters, and still create a good time for people without offending a particular community.
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