Top 20 Brooklyn Nine-Nine Moments

What if the five guys from “The Usual Suspects” formed a boy band? This uproarious cold open gives us an idea. Although the witness didn’t get a good look at the guilty party, she did overhear him singing the perennial Backstreet Boys classic, “I Want It That Way.” Jake thus decides to have each member of the lineup take a verse. While the setup is ingenious, what really cracks us up is that all five men know the song lyric for lyric and go together in sync… sorry, wrong boy band. Naturally, Jake can’t help but get into the music as well. The scene is capped off by one of the show’s darkest punchlines, bringing Jake back to the harsh reality of being a cop.

Despite her punctual nature, Detective Amy Santiago finds herself running late to work one day. Each of Amy’s co-workers tries to guess why she’s tardy. Some of their theories are perfectly plausible, like her three alarms didn’t go off. Others are a bit more contrived, involving abduction, alternate dimensions, and mole man sex. Arriving exactly 70 seconds after nine o’clock, Amy is forced to explain herself. It turns out there was a long line at the bank, which Captain Holt accurately predicted. Holt couldn’t be more pleased with himself, cheering victoriously as if he’d just won the lottery. This cold open is a testament to the wonderful chemistry this ensemble shares, deriving great humor from even the most minor situations.

While Terry is in the middle of an investigation, Jake and Gina look after his very pregnant wife, Sharon. This entails keeping her away from Captain Holt, who isn’t exactly the best conversationalist. Hiding Sharon becomes increasingly difficult, however, when her water breaks. Jake’s response to this unexpected development is beyond priceless. From there, the episode turns into something of a juggling act, as Jake attempts to comfort Sharon, distance Holt, and deal with an angry hoard of perps on Thanksgiving. It’s a classic example of a little problem that keeps escalating out of control, leading to one big laugh after another.

They might be complete opposites in many ways, but Detective Jake Peralta and Captain Ray Holt are equally passionate when it comes to serving justice. After learning a notorious graffiti artist is Deputy Commissioner Podolski’s son, Jake is given two options: he can either arrest the bratty hooligan or let him off the hook. Jake ultimately chooses to uphold the law, even if it means putting his career at risk. Podolski vows to make life miserable for Jake and Holt. This isn’t the first time Holt has stood up to corruption, though. In a few straightforward, yet badass, words, Holt lets the commissioner know that it’ll take more than threats to prevent him from doing his job right. Damn, son!

Following everything that went down in 2020, we all wondered how “Nine-Nine” would address the George Floyd protests. The Season 8 premiere establishes upfront that nothing will ever be the same as Rosa quits to become a PI. The episode effectively explores the nuances of law enforcement, from cops who feel betrayed by the badge, to cops who continue to misuse their power, to cops who’d like to change the system but can’t, to cops who want to prove they’re “one of the good ones.” The show acknowledges that these issues can’t be resolved in half an hour and probably won’t be resolved anytime soon. The episode ends on a somewhat reassuring note, though, as Jake accepts Rosa’s decision and his role in the problem.

Framed for a bank robbery by the corrupt Lieutenant Hawkins, Jake and Rosa find themselves on the other side of the law. All the evidence points to a guilty verdict and Gina’s commentary doesn’t give Jake or Rosa much reassurance. Rosa decides to run, although Holt convinces her to see the trial through in one of their sweeter exchanges. Jake and Amy find a potential witness who can clear their names, resulting in an epic courtroom entrance. Unfortunately, the surprise witness is in Hawkins’ pocket. The outcome is anything but cool, cool, cool. At the time of filming, the cast and crew weren’t sure if they’d get picked up for Season 5. Fortunately, this shocking cliffhanger wasn’t the end for Jake, Rosa, or the Nine-Nine.

Whether she’s spouting classic one-liners or showing off her outrageous dance moves, Gina Linetti is always a riot. When Amy and Rosa are unable to connect with a group of troubled teens, Gina steps ups as an unlikely counselor. Taking center stage, she speaks to her audience through the language of dance. Gina aims to inspire the at-risk kids, but they mainly just find her behavior weird. Fortunately, she quickly wins them over upon sharing the perks of being a cop. Although Gina’s dance with Terry had plenty of pizzazz, this routine simply made us “floorgasm.

Since “Die Hard” is his favorite movie of all-time, it isn’t surprising that Jake often fantasizes about being an action hero. During a paintball simulation, Jake channels his alter ego of Rex Buckingham and prepares to win coolest kill. As Jake and Boyle show off their signature moves, the inept Scully suggests holding your gun upside-down, as opposed to holding it sideways. Although this seems like an unbelievably stupid idea, it actually gets Jake out of a tough spot. Cornered by the opposing team, Jake starts to lower his weapons. Then at the last second, he takes his enemies down by going upsy-downsies. His final move manages to be funny while also being kickass. Maybe Scully could give John McClane a few pointers.

Ray Holt habitually maintains a professional demeanor. However, Deputy Chief Madeline Wuntch knows how to press his buttons. Whenever these two are in the same room, Holt can’t help but unleash all of his animosity towards Wuntch. Of course even then, he still speaks in a hilariously monotone voice. When we first see these bitter rivals together, Holt compares his superior to Hades. And the captain has plenty of other insults lined up for his arch-nemesis. On another occasion, he attempts to take the moral high ground, but can’t resist dishing out his epic pun. Since Holt is usually seen as the precinct’s stern father figure, it’s always fun when he shows off his immature side, especially when Wuntch is involved.

On the surface, Detective Charles Boyle might seem like a bumbling doofus… and sometimes he admittedly is. Regardless, he tries his best and will always come through for his friends. While pursuing a dangerous criminal, Boyle demonstrates his courage and dedication by taking a bullet for Rosa. It’s definitely one of Boyle’s most heroic moments, although his gallantry is kind of overshadowed by the fact that he got shot in the buttock. Nevertheless, Boyle is still rewarded for his bravery with the Medal of Valor. Since this is Charles we’re talking about, though, it’s only fitting that a horse named Sgt. Peanut Butter steals the show.

How the hell did two individuals as incompetent as Hitchcock and Scully get onto the force? It’s a question that’s puzzled even the best detectives, but Season 6 finally provided some insight. The two may be bumbling doofuses now. Back in the 80s, though, Hitchcock and Scully were slicker than Sonny and Rico. They had the moves, the wit, and the studdly bods. While the flashback is a stark contrast to the Hitchcock and Scully we know today, a present-day story shows that they still have their ethics and will jeopardize their own wellbeing to protect an informant. Hitchcock and Scully aren’t dirty cops, although their hands are dirty with wing sauce. Remember kids, it only takes one bite.

Danny Trejo and Olga Merediz as Rosa’s parents is pitch-perfect casting, although they aren’t introduced under the happiest circumstances. Having recently come out as bisexual, Rosa remains reluctant to tell her mom and dad. She even resorts to enlisting Jake as her boyfriend, but Rosa can no longer conceal the truth after her parents imply that being gay is worse than committing adultery. Mr. and Mrs. Diaz are convinced that bisexuality doesn’t exist, but Rosa assures them that this is who she is. The ending is bittersweet with Rosa’s father making amends while her mother requires more time. We appreciate that the episode doesn’t instantly resolve Rosa’s family issues, as it feels more authentic. For the time being, her Nine-Nine family is there for her.

Charles Boyle has the tendency to rush into relationships, planning extravagant declarations of love after only a few days. As Jake puts it, he goes “Full Boyle.” To make sure Boyle doesn’t go overboard with his latest girlfriend, Jake decides to accompany them on their next date. Boyle naturally takes things too far when he decides to buy an engagement ring on the spot. Jake immediately snatches the ring out of Boyle’s hand, leading to a standoff with pepper spray. As Jake disposes of the jewelry, both simultaneous spray each other. In addition to being totally hysterical, this scene exemplifies Jake’s affection for Boyle and how far he’s willing to go to help his best friend.

In the show’s first Halloween episode, Jake catches Holt off guard by stealing his Medal of Valor, and winning their bet. The two make a similar bet the following Halloween, as Jake tries to swipe Holt’s wristwatch. This time around, though, Holt thinks several steps ahead. In the end, Holt reveals that he’s been plotting his revenge for the past year. Enlisting help from the rest of the precinct, Holt not only tricked Jake, but sent him on a wild-goose chase as well. It’s a hilarious turn of events that nobody saw coming, delivering a pitch perfect punch line. Holt truly earns the title of, “amazing police captain/genius.”

With each Halloween Heist, we always wonder how “Nine-Nine’ is going to top itself. The writers kept upping the ante with twist endings and more characters getting in on the action. By the fifth heist, the audience thought they finally had the formula down. While the hijinks that ensue are chaotic and silly, we’d come to expect that. However, we weren’t expecting a heist to culminate in one of the show’s most romantic moments. With the belt within reach, it appears either Amy or Jake is going to score their second win. Technically, nobody wins this heist, although it’s still a night for Jake and Amy to celebrate. Instead of a victory belt, Amy walks away with a ring while Jake gets a resounding yes.

From the beginning, “Nine-Nine” didn’t shy away from real-world issues, but this Season Four episode propelled the show to another level. The episode starts pretty much like any other until Terry goes looking for his daughter’s blanket, Moo Moo. Minding his own business, Terry is suddenly stopped by an officer. Assuming that Terry is up to no good based on his skin color, the cop is prepared to arrest him and perhaps worse. The encounter ends better than it could’ve, but the fact that Terry was in this position at all demonstrates one of the biggest problems in law enforcement. Although Terry wasn’t unfamiliar with profiling, not being able to walk through his neighborhood at night proved equally eye-opening, heartbreaking, and infuriating.

Throughout the first half of season one, Jake and Amy have an ongoing bet involving who can make the most felony arrests. If Amy wins, she gets Jake’s car. If Jake wins, Amy has to go on a date with him. It’s a close race, but Jake pulls an upset at the last minute. He takes his victory to the extreme with music, dancing, and confetti. Jake even gets down on one knee and asks the defeated Amy to go on the worst date ever, presenting her with a one-dollar ring. He additionally reminds her that she has to say yes. Aside from arguably being the funniest moment on “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” this is also the beginning of a beautiful romance.

Shortly before the fifth season ended, Fox canceled “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” Many dedicated fans subsequently took to social media, expressing their outrage and sorrow. By the next day, NBC thankfully picked the series up for another season. In a way, a Season 4 episode strangely predicted the future. When the precinct risks being shut down, the Nine-Nine tries to make the most of what might be their last ride. For Gina, that means live streaming her precinct pranks. Ironically, it’s Gina’s shenanigans that help save the Nine-Nine, as her audience demands the precinct remain open after she shares Holt’s touching speech. So, in both real life and the show, fan support kept the Nine-Nine going. It’s funny how life imitates art and vice versa.

“Nine-Nine” is one of television’s finest ensemble pieces. As such, this bottle episode took a risk by keeping the cast mostly restricted to Jake, Holt, and a suspect named Phillip Davidson, played by Sterling K. Brown. “The Box” ended up being among the show’s most well-written and acted episodes, even earning Brown an Emmy nomination. Taking place in an interrogation room, Jake and Holt attempt to squeeze a confession out of Davidson. Although the audience shares their suspicions, Davidson is cool under pressure. It builds to a nail-biting finale where Davidson’s ego gets the best of him. When Jake hammers in the notion that he simply got lucky, Davidson is compelled to explain how he committed the perfect crime at the expense of his freedom.

Every generation has a TV couple that keeps the audience asking, “when are they going to get together?” In some cases, the spark is lost when the couple does finally hook up, but this wasn’t at all the case with Jake and Amy. From their first kiss to the birth of their first child, their romance has consistently delivered laughs, heart, and relationship goals. Nowhere is this better demonstrated than on their wedding day where, of course, everything goes wrong. Sometimes it’s the imperfections that make something special, however. With the precinct serving as the venue, Holt officiating, and a robot ring bearer, the wedding isn’t what Amy or Jake envisioned. As they say, “I do,” though, they wouldn’t trade this moment for anything else.