Top 10 Times Rosa was the Best Character on Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Rosa isn't particularly warm to most people, but she'll stand by her principles no matter who's involved. This becomes glaringly clear when Diaz tries to use a family dinner to get out of a weekend shift. Rosa's track record catches up with her as Amy calls out how often she hates on her parents in front of her coworkers. It's Diaz's blunt reply however that shows how committed she is to standing by her word, even when it involves people she doesn't like. Couple that with some shade towards anarchists and this exchange gets audiences laughing at sides of Rosa we didn't know we needed.

After Amy bumps into Teddy during a police training session, Rosa tries to decipher who he is. Once she remembers Teddy is actually Amy's ex, Diaz hilariously distilled him down to what abouts to allegedly awful qualities. However it's the seemingly positive things she describes about him that comically reveals just how macho Rosa truly is. Though Amy tries to fire back at such a bizarre complaint, Diaz just doubles down by explaining she's more interested in physique than thoughtfulness. It's this utterly instinctual definition of 'Real stuff' that helps establish just how unique Rosa is from her colleagues.

For an office competition, Rosa uses a disguise to fool as many coworkers as possible. However Diaz's zero-tolerance-policy for misogyny immediately backfired on her, when her ditzy character was called a demeaning nickname. While her outrage was understandable, it was her inability to fight her instincts that had us laughing at the gaff. Her reaction wasn't a total surprise however, given how aggressively she's reacted to touching in the precinct. In fact, Rosa made it clear early in the series that she'd stand behind her female coworkers, even if she was upset with them. So though it was funny to see Diaz fall apart, it was a perfect representation of how strongly she defends women in the police force.

Rosa is such a tough cookie to crack that she tries to beat a cold by outright refusing its existence. A hardy swig of medication however makes her intensely loopy and unusually hyper compared to her otherwise low-key demeanor. It's hard not to giggle at how atypical she's acting, especially when she tries to empower Hitchcock over his name. Diaz only shocks us more when she answers the phone completely deadpan too. Further showing audiences that she's out of her drugged state, Rosa absurdly breaks a window just to get back to work. Considering she also plays off a smile as a result of her cold, Diaz's illness only reminds audiences of all the things she isn't.

As Rosa and Detective Pimento started flirting with each other, they used a simple bit of paperwork to be suggestive. The tension between them was already hilariously unbearable in this scene, but we were in stitches at her seductive ink talk. This was also a rare moment to see Rosa flex both her masculine and feminine sides simultaneously, as she ogled Pimento before nearly stabbing him with a pen. Though their sexual air-drying was laughably awkward, it was funnier watching them try to out-muscle each other through stapling and hole punching. And the fact that she was so oblivious to everyone around her cleverly reinforced how intense Rosa can be.

Rosa Diaz is passionate about her police work, so she freaks out when young Officer Deetmore nearly messes up her case. While Rosa's behavior borders on bullying, it is hysterical to see her pay back childish mistakes so literally. The fact that she greets Deetmore in such a friendly way only accents how angry the rest of her rant was too. Despite the vicious comments, Diaz's explosion mostly shows us she cares. Plus her lackluster apologies and long list of consolers gives a fun peak at the depths of her rage. The arc is one of Rosa's most interesting thanks to its mix of savage anger and personal growth all in one episode.

Chaos is where Rosa thrives, so she gladly encourages Amy to act out during a Thanksgiving bar stop. While the ensuing mayhem gets them thrown out, Diaz is all smiles when they get to the station. Her cheerful outlook on the night reflects Rosa's contrarian nature, and shows she cares more about a good story than being comfortable. The fact that she includes a new detail about a rodent swarm also emphasizes her unusual outlook. As an accurate but unexpected summary of their Thanksgiving train wreck, Rosa's comments send the episode off with outlandish humor as well.

Though Rosa clearly doesn't date like her coworkers do, Jake seeks her help to woo Amy. Regardless of the relatable issues Jake describes in his romantic dilemma, Diaz doesn't seem to understand in the slightest. However this is less indicative of a lack of sympathy, and more telling of Rosa's approach to finding partners. Her blunt stand-in for a pickup line is not only comically forward but also a sign of how bold she is in general. By cutting through so many conventions of dating and leaving Jake in the dust, this moment is Rosa at her comedic best.

Rosa has a lot of trouble showing love to people, but breaking up with Marcus is stressful enough that she turns to Captain Holt. With her plan to end things over a text hilariously deemed too cold, Diaz is encouraged to be a little more thoughtful. Her initial restraint also calls back to her disdain for open emotions, so it's classic Rosa to find Marcus so extra. While her acknowledgment to a tearful response is par for the course, it's brilliant that her and Holt see that as enough. As an exploration of Diaz's guarded personality and her less glamorous approach to romance, this scene shows us that Rosa can be sloppy too.

Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

Rosa's Drinking Game

“Your Life Is Garbage”

“Friendship Is Crap”

Her ‘Formal’ Leather Jacket

The Printer Jam

It took plenty of steps for Rosa to officially announce her bisexuality to everyone in her life, and not all of them went smoothly. Her reveal to the Nine-Nine was bizarrely business-like, and in true Rosa fashion she kept things brief. This said, it still resulted in some hysterically awkward pep talks from her coworkers. Her outing to her parents was much messier however, but Rosa's assertive behavior helped make clear she wouldn't compromise her life with them. Both conversations showed off Diaz's ability to open herself up as a bisexual individual, while still maintaining her badass persona.