Representation

 “Captain, hey! Welcome to the…” - Brooklyn 99 

My gentle reader, today’s blog has taken quite a turn… I am not bringing the usual intro, instead, I am heading towards something more “cool, cool, cool, no doubt…” - Brooklyn 99.

The cool show Brooklyn 99, is different from other police shows. The show's main location is the NYPD’s 99th precinct in Brooklyn, New York. Detective Peralta is the main character of such a show followed by his colleagues Amy Santiago, Rosa Diaz, Captain Raymond Holt, Charles Boyle, Terry Jeffords, Scully, Hitchcock, and Gina. All these characters together develop together and are the structure of the precinct. 

It's time to put our badges on and dive deeper into what some of the unique characters have to offer that make this squad not only a team but a diverse family. 

Starting with Captain Raymond Holt, played by Andre Braugher, is the leader of this whole squad. He is a black gay police captain which brings forth a more cohesive representation of both minority groups. The ownership of this show has broken the usual misrepresentation of both minority groups, which tend to be seen as not able to obtain high-level positions due to their race or described as loud/feminine due to being part of the LGBTQ+ community. However, this show has stepped out of this usual media representation and brought Captain Holt as a leader that no matter the discrimination he has encountered during his time in the NYPD it hasn't stopped him from pushing through the challenges. Additionally, he has his identity clear and his sexual orientation doesn't determine his abilities or the way he acts. In fact, he has served as the opposite of what is normally portrayed, his discipline, and monotone emotions, yet, opens up at times with his colleagues, suggesting the stereotypes are being broken. 

History of Holt | Brooklyn Nine-Nine 

On the other hand, there is Jake Peralta, played by Andy Samberg, and Amy Santiago, played by Melissa Fumero. Jake Peralta is the main protagonist of the show, a white male who works most of the comedic tone of the show. This is presented by his childlike attitude and goofy personality. Amy Santiago is one of the Latina characters in the show, yet, she is shown in a different way from the traditional media representation of a “loud” Latina. However, the part I want to show is how these two characters work together to break the usual representation of relationships in the media. Their relationship shows a different approach to the attitude that most “guys” show when working in the same field. As Amy wishes to be a sergeant and goes through the process to obtain such a position, Jake is supportive of her and helps her push through even though her desired position is higher than his; he doesn’t demonstrate any jealousy or feel threatened by her success. Together, they bring forth mutual respect, support, and equality which goes beyond the “traditional” toxic male representation. 

Overall, the show brings forth a modest representation of diverse groups (ethnicity, religion, sexuality) that feel natural as it develops through the seasons. In this show, there is no implementation of the governing factors and the majority is included.