I’m embarrassed for Andre Braugher after watching the first episode of Fox’s new sitcom, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.”
It’s troubling to see an actor of Braugher’s stature waste his time, and his talent, in such a dumb show. The good news is that Braugher (“Homicide: Life on the Street,” “Men of a Certain Age”) is, no doubt, being paid handsomely — and will always land on his feet.
I can’t say the same for “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” which offers absolutely nothing in the way of humor or originality in its Hollywood take on cops working Brooklyn’s 99th Precinct.
And please, don’t smear the memory of “Barney Miller” by comparing this show to ABC’s late-’70s sitcom, which was set in a Greenwich Village precinct house, boasted a first-class ensemble cast and won an Emmy as TV’s Best Comedy. The only elements these two shows share are genre and geography.
“Brooklyn Nine-Nine” received a lot of hype due to its presumptive star, “Saturday Night Live” alum Andy Samberg (he of “Lazy Sunday” et al.). It would be unfair to pin the show’s mediocrity entirely on Samberg, since he’s not given much to work with here.
He plays Det. Jake Peralta, the 99’s resident manchild/goofball, who happens to be a pretty good detective when he’s not razzing co-workers or cracking wise with anyone and everyone (like that annoying kid in 10th grade who thought he was funny — but wasn’t). “The only puzzle he hasn’t solved is how to grow up,” Peralta’s superior, Sgt. Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews), tells the new captain, Ray Holt (played by the aformentioned Braugher).
Holt is finally in charge after a trailblazing career as one of the NYPD’s first openly gay cops. In perfect cookie-cutter sitcom style, he immediately clashes with Peralta — the buttoned up captain scolding his sloppily dressed underling. If, as expected, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” follows the Sitcom 101 textbook, these two will, natch, grow to respect each other’s foibles. And it seems like Holt will be spending plenty of time with Peralta, since he might be the first captain in NYPD history to accompany his detectives to a crime scene and join them on stakeouts. WTF?
Adding to the “Nine-Nine” drudgery are several other sitcom “types,” including Melissa Fumero as Peralta’s competitive partner, Det. Amy Santiago; Joe Lo Truglio as the show’s workplace shlump, Det. Charles Boyle; and Stephanie Beatriz as Boyle’s unrequited love interest, the unsmiling Det. Rosa Diaz.
All in all, it’s just plain unarresting, which is too bad.