Television: Brooklyn Nine-Nine

I like this show.

The first time I watched it, I thought it was kind of funny. So I tuned in again. And thought it was still kinda funny. So I tuned in again, and the more I watched, the more I liked it. Until I finally had to admit to myself, This show is funny.

Thing is, I wasn't convinced I'd like Andy Samberg as the anchor to a television show. He had his moments on SNL, but I wasn't sure he wouldn't just be obnoxious in a 30-minute format. Turns out, he can be obnoxious, but he's still mostly funny, and the show is constructed in such a way as to hold Samberg in check by offering a really great supporting cast of characters that dilutes Samberg's over-the-top tomfoolery. I'd be hard pressed to name favorites: Andre Braugher makes a great straight man for Samberg's antics, and I've mentioned before how I enjoy Stephanie Beatriz as tough cop Rosa. Terry Crews, too, as a sergeant too nervous to come out from behind his desk job, is stellar.

There was one character I really disliked at first—Gina—but she's grown on me, and I find her tolerable in small doses.

I'm not much of a sit-com watcher. I liked The Office and 30 Rock, and I watch Community (when it's on—back January 2nd, woohoo!) but don't much care for any of the family-based stuff (I did watch Modern Family for a while but it got less and less funny and I finally gave it up). I guess my tastes run to settings outside the home life: offices, schools . . . I feel like all the family comedies play up the same jokes over and over, whereas other milieu offer more options for funny. In this case, Brooklyn Nine-Nine slots in nicely, and it's been a while since there's been a funny police show. (Barney Miller? That's the one that immediately comes to mind.) That means there is a lot of room for new and outrageous stuff, since there's nothing else quite like it on television.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine has brought in mediocre numbers as far as ratings go, but FOX has at least given it a full season as well as a post-Super Bowl showing. I'm hoping it finds its audience, else I'm looking at less laughter in my week.