Are there any B99 characters that you would say subvert expectations?
I wouldsay that every main character – with the exception of Gina – subverts commonexpectations. This is pretty much the beauty of Brooklyn 99, it gives us allthese characters whom we expect to be superficial caricatures, and completely turns them on their heads, giving us rich,layered and well-developed characters who completely buck stereotypes.
It givesus Jake Peralta, whom we expect to be a sexist, callous cowboy, but who isactually one of the sweetest characters on the show who just needs to grow up abit. But there is no malice to Jake, no typical Alpha-Male bullshit or sexism,he is respectful of his female colleagues, has a huge heart and he tries his best every day to overcome his faults andprove himself to his captain.
It givesus Terry Jeffords, who physically looks like a stereotypical Big Angry BlackMan, but who loves yoghurt and treats his co-workers with gentleness andunderstanding, who is a “proud momma hen” with a caregivers’ personality, wholooks after his Work Children and builds princess castles for his girls and isjust one of the most beautiful and loving and caring characters ever.
It givesus Rosa Diaz, who is presented as cold and angry and closed off, but who lovesNancy Meyers films and is genuinely scared that she won’t be able to make arelationship work, who gets upset when her friend doesn’t invite her to hiswedding and who tells her other female detective that she knows what it’s liketo fight for a place at the boys’ table and reassures her that she has herback.
It givesus Amy Santiago, who embodies many of the stereotypical “nerd” qualities seenin more down-trodden characters, but who has an insanely ruthless and ambitiousstreak and will do anything to achieve her goals, while simultaneously beingone of the sweetest and most well-liked characters on the show, teased butnever looked down upon for her over-the-top work ethic or the fact that she’s amassive sycophant.
It givesus Captain Raymond Holt, by-the-book, detailed, determined and gay, whosesexuality is never the focal point of his character but rather just a part ofwho he is, who adheres to protocol and propriety, who paints still-lifeportraits of a rock but who alsoloves chasing bad guys, gets a thrill from arresting perps and loves to usepuns against Bad Guys.
It givesus Charles Boyle, who seems so ineffective and like he just worships themuch-cooler Jake from afar, but who is actually a very good and efficientdetective, who knows how to be badass when he needs to be, and who has one ofthe deepest and most equal friendships with Jake, where both parties adore oneanother and considers the other their best friend.
Brooklyn99 takes characters who on a lesser or not as-well written show would becaricatures, embodying stereotypes and living down to expectations, and turnsthem into three-dimensional, layered and complex people, each with their ownset of dreams, goals and desires, each with their own hidden layers and each socompelling that much of the show’s success hinges on their characterisations,and this is why B99 is such a well-received and well-liked show and why Ipersonally would list it amongst my favourite television shows, despite onlycoming into the fandom in recent months.