Every Main Character In Brooklyn Nine-Nine Ranked Worst To Best

The eight-season run of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" was quite a ride. Premiering in 2013, the workplace comedy about the NYPD's 99th precinct capped its first season with surprise Golden Globe wins for best comedy and best television actor in a musical or comedy series for star Andy Samberg. The show continued to receive critical acclaim but never topped the television ratings, leading Fox to cancel the series just shy of its fifth season finale. Due in large part to the outcry from loyal fans, NBC swept in the next day and picked up the quirky comedy for an additional three seasons.

After an extended hiatus due to Covid-19, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" resumed production in a world shaken by anti-police protests following the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. In response to growing cries of "copaganda," Samberg told People the cast and crew were "taking a step back" and "discussing how you make a comedy show about police right now." The precinct opened its doors again for its eighth and final season in an admirable attempt to reckon with an upsetting legacy of police misconduct and use its platform to inspire change.

Despite this turmoil, the show is still beloved by fans, thanks in large part to its talented cast. The heart of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" lies in its collection of loveable goofballs and a diverse ensemble made up of industry veterans, sketch and standup comedians, relative newcomers, and a former professional athlete. The following is a collection of the nine main cast members ranked from worst to best.

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Though most of the detectives portrayed on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" are conscientious public servants, not everyone in the precinct is busy putting their best foot forward. Despite nearly three decades on the force, the foul-mouthed and lazy Detective Hitchcock (Dirk Blocker) spends most of his days eating, sleeping, and rolling around in his office chair with his best friend, Detective Scully (Joel McKinnon Miller). Nicknamed "the Freak," Hitchcock has six ex-wives, a habit of brazenly lying on dating profiles, and a sketchy van he calls "the Beaver Trap" that he sleeps in during divorces. Combine this with a bicep tattoo of his own face with a gun in his mouth, and he's one cop you'd want to avoid.

Much more pleasant in real life, Blocker has enjoyed developing Hitchock's repellent personality. With writers and producers concerned with establishing the show's leads, Blocker and Miller spent much of the first season looking for ways to embellish their brief appearances and add life to the precinct's background. Blocker told The Movie Culture, "I like to think that's part of why Joel and I were hired; knowing that we had enough experience that we could bring life to characters not yet fully developed." The writers began asking to write for Hitchock and Scully, and they slowly worked their way into the core cast. Though usually unpleasant, Hitchcock is responsible for some of the show's most shockingly funny moments, ranging from frequent visits to Wing Slutz to excitedly announcing the end of alimony payments thanks to the death of his ex-wife.

One of the first things we learn about Norm Scully is that he's a bad detective, but he makes good coffee. Alongside his best friend and fellow detective, Hitchock, Scully specializes in food and laziness. The two spend so much time together that they're occasionally mistaken for a couple. Scully has a slightly better track record with women, though it's often difficult to tell whether he's talking about his wife or his dog (both are named Kelly). Due to his constant eating, Scully is in poorer health than his partner, having had a multitude of heart attacks (which he calls "oopsies") and suffering from Type 3, 9, 12, and 13 diabetes.

A flashback in Season 6 reveals that the detectives were once healthy, attractive, and successful young officers on the rise, who were responsible for taking down a major drug lord in a high-stakes bust. Unfortunately, an adoring waitress tempts them with a basket of hot wings on the way to the gym, forever changing the course of their lives. One bite of the spicy treat is enough to hilariously derail two promising careers in law enforcement.

There's not much that separates the sloppy pair, but Scully edges out Hitchock solely due to his lovely singing voice. Trained in opera, Joel McKinnon Miller provides his own vocals for the many occasions in which Scully sings at the 99th precinct. Adding a classy touch to various ceremonies and heists, Miller's pleasing tenor voice is in jarring contrast to his otherwise crude persona.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz), the 99th precinct's most mysterious detective. She's so secretive that she rents her apartment through a shell corporation, receives her mail at a post office box, and has convinced her neighbors she's a chatty girl named Emily. She is fiercely protective of her privacy and autonomy. Nevertheless, Rosa slowly opens up to her colleagues over the course of eight seasons. Rare tidbits of personal information reveal that she studied at the American Ballet Academy, has a pilot's license, and is the creator of a jewelry line that her brunch friends keep encouraging her to promote on Instagram. She prides herself on her intensity and ability to strike fear into the hearts of her colleagues. She's an essential member of the Nine-Nine, but her cold demeanor occasionally seems off-putting to the audience.

Rosa keeps most people at arm's length, but she's an unwavering friend and never fails to support fellow members of the Nine-Nine. After a series of failed relationships, including a wild fling with undercover cop Adrian Pimento (Jason Mantzoukas), Rosa comes out as bisexual and begins dating a woman. Identifying as bisexual herself, Beatriz helped develop the two-episode arc in which Rosa struggles to reveal her sexuality to her parents. Describing the importance of this plotline, Beatriz told the Independent, "It was important to me that 'bisexual' was said because I grew up in a time where it wasn't heard often." Beatriz has since spoken about the importance of bi-representation when accepting a GLAAD Media Award for "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" in 2018.

It's hard to say which Terry (Terry Crews) loves more, yogurt or talking about himself in the third person. A former football player, Sgt. Terry Jeffords channeled a childhood addiction to food into a highly disciplined health regimen which led to his intimidating physique. Like his character, Crews is also a retired football player with six years in the NFL and an impressive collegiate career, playing for Western Michigan University. Creators Michael Schur and Dan Goor wrote the part with Crews in mind, and the former linebacker has displayed other surprising talents, including an affinity for art and the ability to play the flute.

Fiercely protective of his squad, Terry has used his immense strength to save the lives of his fellow officers on multiple occasions and routinely goes out of his way to support his friends. However, the enormous sergeant has not always been so brave. When we first meet Terry, he's struggling with a crippling fear of working in the field and worries that getting injured in the line of duty might mean he misses seeing his infant twins, Cagney and Lacey, grow up. It's not until an undercover mission midway through Season 1 that he finally overcomes his resistance to active duty. Crews marks this episode, titled "The Ebony Falcon," as his favorite, telling Newsweek it's "all about my character moving past my trauma and getting back into fieldwork. It was beautiful." Terry is not only a beloved father figure in the 99th precinct but an important example of strength and vulnerability.

Gina Linetti (Chelsea Peretti) is by far the most chaotic character on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine." The civilian administrator and personal assistant to Capt. Raymond Holt (Andre Braugher) spends most of her time browsing on her phone, praising herself, and mocking everyone else. She is a childhood friend of Detective Jake Peralta (Samberg), who got her the job at the precinct. She is extremely intelligent and loyal to those she cares about, though her attempts to help often seem misguided or self-serving.

Gina leads a dramatic life, but she doesn't do much during her work hours. Throughout her six seasons, she performs with two dance troupes (called Floor-Gasm and Dance-y Reagan), survives getting hit by a bus, has a casual relationship with detective Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio), and wins the fourth annual Halloween Heist, revising the coveted title as "Ultimate Human/Genius." Gina is shockingly narcissistic, but her delusions often lead to some of the show's funniest insults and more than a few hilariously self-serious dance numbers.

Peretti was a writer for Michael Schur's "Parks and Recreation" before being cast as the narcissistic administrative assistant. Though her icy deadpan is hilarious, Peretti is known to break character and can frequently be spotted laughing during the silly scenes, a habit that eventually worked its way into the character herself. Chelsea Peretti also loved to improvise with the cast, explaining in an interview with Young Hollywood, "You get the scripted version, and they let you play around with it a lot of times, and I love doing that. It was fun."

After seven seasons on "Saturday Night Live," actor and comedian Andy Samberg was not particularly interested in working on another weekly show when he was offered the role of Detective Jake Peralta in a new comedy. However, as a fan and guest-star of co-creator Michael Schur's "Parks and Recreation," he accepted the role before a script had been written. Describing the instinctual decision, he said, "I just took the leap. I don't know, in retrospect, I probably would have thought about it a lot more, but I'm so glad that I just said, 'Yes.'" The decision paid off, and Samberg won a 2014 Golden Globe for his performance as the immature detective, a character modeled after Hawkeye (Alan Alda) from "M.A.S.H.," which has become one of the defining roles of his career.

The fun-loving Peralta is a gifted detective, though Sgt. Jeffords notes in the pilot episode, "The only puzzle he hasn't solved is how to grow up." He is a charismatic leader and often organizes morale-boosting activities like the "Jimmy Jab Games" and "Boyle Bottle Bullpen Bowling." A deep need for fatherly approval leads him to instigate the annual Halloween Heists, which provide some of the show's best episodes. This goofiness and disdain for rules often cause him to clash with the serious Capt. Raymond Holt, creating one of the funniest odd-couple pairings in television history.

Anywhere Jake goes, Charles is sure to follow. He is the precinct's hardest-working and most optimistic detective, though his eagerness to support his friend often reads as intense and creepy. Detective Boyle loves designing intricate Halloween costumes but is the only detective in the 99th precinct (other than the lazy Scully) to never win a Halloween Heist. He has an uncomfortable habit of accidentally describing mundane things in sexually graphic ways and is a self-described foodie, though he can be quite unpleasant and demanding as a chef in his own right.

When we first meet Charles, he has unrequited feelings for Rosa Diaz. This crush doesn't last long but leads to an unshakeable friendship, and Charles is the first person in the precinct Rosa trusts with the truth about her sexual orientation. Charles eventually marries the equally quirky Genevieve (Mary Lynn Rajskub), and the two adopt a child named Nikolaj. Charles continues to win the hearts of the audience by becoming a doting father who takes the pronunciation of his son's name very seriously.

One of Charle's defining characteristics is his devotion to his best friend, Jake Peralta. Their relationship is one of the highlights of the show and never devolves into a tired stereotype of a cool guy followed around by a pathetic loser. Describing Charles' infectious positivity, Truglio told Junkee, "He's a pleasure to play because he is such a resilient guy and never stays down for very long." Kind and compassionate, Charles Boyle is the heart of the 99th precinct.

In sharp contrast to her eventual husband, Detective Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) is the most organized and ambitious detective on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine." Throughout eight seasons, we watch as she rises from detective to the first female sergeant in the precinct's history to chief of police reform. It's a fitting path for the obsessive rule follower. Although her colleagues mock her for her intensity (and her pantsuits), she always has their respect. They know they can turn to her in times of crisis. Her insistence on being treated equally leads her to become the third winner of the annual Halloween Heist when she is crowned "Ultimate Detective/Genius" and "Queen of the Nine-Nine."

Amy idolizes Capt. Holt and spends eight years convincing him to become her mentor, a feat she finally pulls off in the series finale. However, her relationship with Jake is one of the most appealing aspects of the show. Beginning as a friendly rivalry, they spend the first two seasons in intense competition before starting a romantic relationship in Season 3 and eventually tying the knot at the end of Season 5. Polar opposites in countless ways, they embrace each other's differences. Jake decides to marry the high-strung detective when she notices a typo in the daily crossword puzzle. Kind, quirky, and hilarious, Amy is an inspiring female leader who rises through the ranks without compromising her values.

Capt. Raymond Holt is the MVP of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine." Known for his dramatic work, including the '90s police drama "Homicide: Life on the Street," Julliard-trained Andre Braugher was cast in his first comedic role based on his nuanced performance in the dramedy "Men of a Certain Age." Holt has high expectations for his detectives, which puts him in direct conflict with Detective Peralta, who matures as a direct result of Capt. Holt's strict demands. The intense leader insists on formality, signing all of his texts, "Sincerely, Capt. Holt." A handshake between himself and his equally stoic husband, Kevin (Marc Evan Jackson), is a rare and scandalous example of workplace PDA.

Capt. Holt is an openly gay Black man who has faced overwhelming discrimination in his fight for positions of authority. However, Braugher has always made sure that Holt is not defined by either his race or sexual orientation. He is often intrigued by the simpler things in life, including his glee at tasting a "marshed mallow" for the first time and an addiction to the game Kwazy Cupcakes. Creator Dan Goor notes that "Andre brings incredible gravitas and intelligence to Captain Holt, which serves to ground the character and also makes it that much funnier when we write silly, goofy, ridiculous things for him to say and do." Braugher has received four Emmy nominations for his performance as the complex captain, and his scene-stealing presence defines the humor of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine."