As some of you may know, I am a Pawnee Goddess, frequent customer of the Low Cal Calzone and Tom’s Bistro, patient of Dr. Richard Nygard, avid Johnny Karate watcher, and supporter of Treat Yo Self. In other words, I am a Parks and Recreation fan.
A few weeks ago, I watched the first two seasons of an increasingly popular and deservingly so show called The Good Place, and now like everyone else, I must wait until the third season. Like books, I definitely enjoy watching TV shows when they’ve already ended because Netflix and Amazon Prime have spoiled me into becoming a binge-watching machine. In addition, February 25 marked the third anniversary of the end of Parks & Rec, my all-time favorite TV show. Since then, I’ve been craving a show that makes me feel almost as happy as Parks and Rec. Because of how much I love Parks and Rec and The Good Place, I decided to remain in Michael Schur territory and watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine. This is also a good time for me to admit to you guys that yes, I have tried watching The Office, and no, I can’t get into it, and yes, is literally the best show out of the two. Anyways,…
Like The Good Place, I’ve seen nothing but rave reviews of Brooklyn Nine-Nine on Twitter and Youtube, so I figured it was time that I tried it myself. The only problem? Brooklyn Nine-Nine is only available for streaming on Hulu, one of the few subscriptions I don’t have *hides because this also means that I still haven’t watched The Handmaid’s Tale*. Luckily, spring break came around and my local library has all four seasons of Brooklyn Nine-Nine that have come out so far on DVD (and they’re also ordering The Handmaid’s Tale!). Over spring break, I completed the first two seasons of Brooklyn Nine-Nine , and I’ve come to the conclusion that I absolutely love this show and it gives me so many Parks & Rec feels! For those who are unfamiliar with the show, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a police sitcom set in the fictional 99th Precinct of the NYPD in Brooklyn, following a team of detectives under a newly appointed captain.
While different in subject, Brooklyn Nine-Nine has reminded me so much of Parks & Rec because of its set and characters. For most of the season, I thought that Brooklyn Nine-Nine might’ve been filmed on the Parks set, but the show started while Parks & Rec was still on air. However, the precinct is a pretty similar style of the Parks and Recreation office—same floor tile, wallpaper, and desks, but I haven’t noticed any Parks Easter eggs (hopefully yet, anyway). A lot of people believe that The Good Place and Parks & Rec take place in the same universe, and I can definitely see Brooklyn Nine-Nine fitting in there as well. And here’s my character breakdown of who would be friends with who between Parks and Brooklyn (honestly guys, this was my inspiration to do write this post):
- I am convinced that Rosa and April are cousins
- Amy and Leslie would be best friends for their go-getter attitudes and love for pants suits (but of course no one could replace the cunning, pliable, chestnut-haired sunfish that is Ann Perkins)
- Andy, or should I say, Bert Maclkin, would replace Santiago as Jake’s partner
- Boyle definitely plays Cones of Dunshire and would partner up with Tom to open a Tom’s Bistro in Brooklyn
- Ron would appreciate Holt’s no need for conversation (and would probably find him hilarious like everyone else except for the squad).
- Chris and Terry= workout buddies
- Gina would be the newest member of the Treat Yo Self team
- Jerry/Gerry/Larry is the combination of Scully and Hitchcock
I love the entire cast of characters on B99, but I think my favorites so far are Jake, Rosa, and Gina. I honestly laugh at all the right moments when it comes to Jake, and I am most definitely rooting for him and Amy to get together– my favorite scenes include when Jake talks to her through the teddy bear and having to hideout in Holt’s bathroom with Terry at his birthday party. I think my favorite episode of the first season is “The Party” because EVERYONE has at least one moment where I laughed out loud (my favorite episodes of Parks & Rec are also like this). I feel like there’s a lot to explore about Rosa, and like I said above, she reminds me so much of April Ludgate, but I will say that she’s better about expressing how much she cares for the squad. And yes, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a comedy, but Gina provides the best comic relief. “Tactical Village” is not only one of my favorite episodes for getting to see more of Amy and Jake’s relationship, but also for Gina and Holt’s obsession over Kwazy Cupcakes (which I may or may have not downloaded on my phone).
Overall, I’ve really enjoyed Brooklyn Nine-Nine for its cast of characters, humor, and over arching storylines. While each episode has a new investigation, the reset button doesn’t affect our character’s problems and relationships. I’m invested in how Jake and Amy’s relationship will play out, and it’s been fun to see Holt’s guard come down a bit (him being a robot is still questionable though). I’m hoping to somehow watch seasons 3 and 4 before my spring semester ends, but if not, I’ll definitely be watching them right at the start of my summer break and will be catching on season 5 ASAP.
Do you watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine? Share in the comments!
Fangirl Fury 