If you are a pop culture consumer with first world privileges which include decent bandwidth internet access like me and have not watched Brooklyn Nine-Nine then why even read this?

I mean go and watch it on Netflix/another streaming service NOW. We shall bond over it later. GO!

As Gina Linetti would say, ‘its the human form of the 💯 emoji’.

But there are numerous other reasons why it’s soooo great!

• It’s so inclusive! It’s a show based on a Police precinct which started airing in 2013 and there could have been so many ways for them to be regressive and get it all wrong. But they did not! Instead, individual characters are written with great care and empathy. And as the seasons progress and you get to understand their stories, it keeps becoming better.
• After watching the first few episodes, I wasn’t a huge fan of Jake Peralta. I mean a teenage me (read less aware me) would have been in awe of his coolness. But the grown-up me who has dealt with such cocky types in real life, I could not even get myself to like him much. But as I said earlier, things get better and he grows up while keeping his nerdy (not the typical nerd, but a very specific type which I’ll talk about later) charm alive.
• Captain Holt is the boss! (also my favorite character and current crush) Such a well written and well-acted character. I mean initially, he sounds a lot like one of those uncles/aunties you might know who keep on talking about how much they have struggled in life to get where they are. In real life in case of such uncles/aunties you start off with a sympathetic ear which soon turns into ‘when will this stop! I also want to talk about my struggles’ thoughts. Kudos to the self-aware writing, Captain Holt soon stops doing this. Because he realizes that he finally belongs to a place and people who accept and respect him! He even slowly adopts their ways and evolves into a real fun concoction of weird cool.
• Each and every character has peculiar quirks. For e.g. Jake’s ‘Die Hard’ fandom and obsession with creating new words (noice, smort), Amy’s love for stationary, Holt’s passion for music, puzzles, arts, dogs, Terry’s love for yogurt, Rosa’s LOVE for ‘hating people’, Charles culinary obsessions, Hitchcock and Scully’s love for laziness. These are all bad-ass NYPD cops. But SO human! #win
• Gina Linetti (at least in the first 3 seasons) is real royalty (she even says this in one of the episodes and I agree). The only civilian (an admin assistant at the precinct) in the lot above. She has an individual presence and every gem of a dialog that comes out of her mouth is a GIF or a meme. Even her expressions.

https://giphy.com/gifs/b99edit-chelsea-peretti-gina-linetti-AjAi5OHUeDHEY

• This show made me laugh out loud on so many occasions like a weirdo (some scenes are stuck in my head. Specially Wunch frisking Holt and Holt’s expressions). The jokes are so funny and silly (at times). It’s made me feel good so many times as I was trying to wade through a pretty crazy September.
• Jake and Charles’s friendship is so real. It starts off a bit one-sided with Charles always fanboying around Jake. But becomes so human and empathetic as seasons progress.
• Oh, Amy Santiago! You remind me of me at a certain age. I love your competitiveness, obsession over books and studying and being best at everything you do.https://giphy.com/gifs/b99edit-jake-x-amy-peraltiagoedit-EXGR47i5p0Km4
• They handle social issues from time to time. But in their own slapstick, quirky, fun way. It’s difficult to walk that line between being preachy and a killjoy and being able to get the point across. But these people succeed. Every. Single. Time.
• I also liked how the romantic relationship politics is handled in the show. They have cleverly avoided the usual tropes when two protagonists fall in love/relationship. Instead, the people in romantic relationships in this show are jealous, competitive, out there to prove themselves and protect their love and are not ashamed of it. Thanks for keeping it real yo!

I have watched it twice already (don’t worry I usually watch this stuff while cooking and eating dinner). It’s like family now 😀 I mean, come on! What are you even doing if you have not watched it? GO!

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