Television is a medium of entertainment that consistently works hard to push its respective genres forward, but it’s series like Brooklyn Nine-Nine that illustrate just how far sitcoms have come. In the past decade, it’s been impressive to see niche subject matter and unconventional premises become acceptable on television and allow network comedies to get experimental in very fulfilling ways. Brooklyn Nine-Nine started as a FOX sitcom that’s gone on to finish its eight-season run on NBC.
On its surface level, it seems like a standard workplace comedy, but its focus on a police precinct and procedure has allowed Brooklyn Nine-Nine to tackle some very progressive storylines. Brooklyn Nine-Nine has an acclaimed cast that’s made up of many of the top names in comedy, but not every performance in the sitcom is a winner.
10 Nailed It: Dirk Blocker & Joel McKinnon Miller Bring Heart To Hitchcock & Scully
Hitchcock and Scully are present in Brooklyn Nine-Nine right from the sitcom's start, but it takes several seasons for them to properly become a part of the series' main cast. This promotion is largely due to Dirk Blocker and Joel McKinnon Miller's effortless work as this duo of bumbling police officers.
Hitchcock and Scully would have slowly disappeared with less competent performers in the roles, but it's a true testament to the actors' work that they've turned these oafs into vital presences within the 99th precinct. Their flashback origin story remains a highlight of the sitcom's later seasons.
9 Fell Short: Vanessa Bayer's Debbie Fogle Is Grating From The Start
Andy Samberg's history with Saturday Night Live allows for many familiar faces from the sketch comedy series to appear. One of the more substantial examples of this is Vanessa Bayer's run as Debbie Fogle. Debbie enters the 99th precinct in Season 7, but turns out to have major problems with the law that are played for laughs.
Debbie is supposed to be an oddball that never fully meshes, but Bayer taps into this energy a little too well. She’s an expert at uncomfortable energy, but she makes Debbie feel annoying and has the audience counting the minutes until she's gone.
8 Nailed It: Jason Mantzoukas Is The Perfect Wild Card As Adrian Pimento
There are occasions in sitcoms where a character runs their course, but continues to appear because of the sheer magnetism of the actor in the role. This is the case for many of the comedic roles that Jason Mantzoukas plays, but Adrian Pimento truly knows how to get the most out of Mantzoukas' unhinged energy.
Pimento frequently returns and is briefly a romantic interest for Rosa. The character may never feel necessary, but Mantzoukas' performance guarantees that Pimento's actions are always enjoyable. He's become one of the best supporting characters and it's possible to have pictured him joining the cast.
7 Fell Short: Ken Marino's Jason "C.J." Stentley Is Too Much Of A Nice Guy
Ken Marino is another legendary comic performer who comes from sketch comedy, but is a regular guest star on some of the funniest comedies of the past few decades. Marino is therefore perfect casting for Brooklyn Nine-Nine, but he suffers due to his character's unpleasant nature.
Jason "C.J." Stentley is supposed to only be temporary, but Marino goes too far with the sniveling leader. Stentley becomes a character that everyone pities and is ready to exit, which isn't exactly a compelling character. Bill Hader does much better work in a similar capacity.
6 Nailed It: Joe Lo Truglio Completely Disappears Into Charles Boyle
There are occasions where actors are so perfect in certain roles that the audience can resent the performer because they resent their characters so much. Charles Boyle is one of the sitcom's most submissive characters and he's become progressively exaggerated to annoy people even further with his unconfident behavior.
However, Joe Lo Truglio perfectly taps into Boyle's awkward energy and the role connects so much because of what he brings to it. The fact that Boyle annoys so many people is proof of how good Truglio's performance is here. It's some of the most subtle work in the series.
5 Fell Short: Chelsea Peretti's Gina Linetti Schtick Wears Thin
Gina Linetti is one of the more unfortunate character casualties in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Gina was created specifically for Chelsea Peretti, so she can handle the role. However, Gina just becomes one of the flimsier characters. She’s a rare case where one of the original cast members leaves, but it actually improves things.
Most of the issues with Gina come down to the writing and the series never figuring out what should be done with the character rather than it being Peretti's fault, but it's still unfortunate how she ends up leaving with a whimper that doesn't redeem the character.
4 Nailed It: Stephanie Beatriz Turns Into A Completely Different Person With Rosa Diaz
Rosa Diaz is one of the biggest and brashest characters in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Her tough demeanor can almost make Rosa feel like a stereotype at times, but Stephanie Beatriz's excellence in this part becomes clearer after it's understood how different she is from her sitcom counterpart.
It's almost eerie to watch Beatriz in interviews and see the very different energy that she embodies. Rosa is a fantastic character who's developed in layered ways. Beatriz makes sure that she always gives her character the proper depth, but this work becomes even more impressive in the context of Beatriz's personality.
3 Fell Short: Dean Winter's Keith "The Vulture" Pembrooke Is Too Easy To Hate
Brooklyn Nine-Nine has no shortage of bureaucratic antagonists, but Keith "The Vulture" Pembrooke is one of the more obnoxious examples. The Vulture is consumed with prestige and he feels like what a less humble version of Jake Peralta would feel like.
Dean Winter doesn't struggle to portray The Vulture's obnoxious and egotistical tendencies. Unfortunately, this routine is repeated by the character, ad nauseam. This is another occasion where it's more the offensive nature of the character than their actor, but Winter's work keeps The Vulture as a one-note nuisance as opposed to a character that slowly gains depth.
2 Nailed It: Andre Braugher Is A Comedic Revelation As Raymond Holt
It's almost impossible to discuss the sitcom's breakthrough characters and performances without addressing Andre Braugher's iconic work as Raymond Holt. Holt is so to the point that his deadpan, no-nonsense nature could quickly grow thin, but in Braugher's hands it becomes the gift that keeps on giving.
Braugher's lines and mannerisms often generate the biggest laughs, which is even more impressive since they can sometimes be the most muted interactions. It's extremely rare that an actor can so perfectly embody a character and continually add more to them, but that's exactly the case with Holt.
1 Fell Short: Craig Robinson's One-Note Act Limits Doug Judy
Doug Judy is one of the most popular recurring characters in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which obviously speaks to a large level of people that enjoy him. There's typically at least one episode a season that's devoted to Judy's criminal antics, but each appearance only conjures diminishing returns.
Craig Robinson first popped in The Office and he's worked to find the right comedic vehicle. Doug Judy intentionally plays into Robinson's muted nature, but it's ultimately not enough to fuel a character. Some people love Doug Judy's minimalist nature, but it's an incredibly thin character who's been given more attention than he deserves.