Brooklyn 99's 10 Funniest Scenes Of All Time, Ranked (2024)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s sharp writing and immensely talented cast has spawned some iconic scenes of comedy. The show takes place in Brooklyn’s fictional 99th precinct, following the misadventures of its detective squad as they attempt to navigate New York’s imperfect police department. While the show has received praise for its acknowledgment of serious political issues and sensitive attention to drama, the series shines as a comedic gem, with Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s talented central cast and sharp editing making it one of the standout sitcoms of the 2010s.

The series’ first season plays as a fairly cautious but undeniably modern take on both the cop show and the sitcom, striking an immediate chord with its quick pace, easy atmosphere and the sharp writing of Parks and Recreation writers Dan Goor and Michael Schur. However, the show quickly finds its confidence, locating the distinct charms of its main cast and developing an increased appetite for humor that pushes outrageous and absurd boundaries. Some of Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s funniest scenes come from rich character pairings and an increasingly self-assured sense of humor.

10 Pimento’s Ground Rules

Adrian Pimento is one of the funniest characters in Brooklyn Nine-Nine; the series only deploys him sparingly, but every time he shows up, it’s a joy. By the season 4 episode “The Bank Job”, the show seems to understand that it can get away with quite a bit when it comes to Pimento. Pimento’s rule that he doesn’t kill kids “unless the kid’s a d*ck” is a great example of the dark places Brooklyn Nine-Nine can go so long as it trusts Jason Mantzoukas’ unpredictably goofy delivery to sell the line.

9 My Hunch

The season 3 episode “Boyle’s Hunch” offers a gem of an interaction between Jake and Charles that perfectly encapsulates their friendship. It leans into the series’ penchant for nostalgic '90s and 2000s pop songs and the fantastic chemistry between Brooklyn Nine-Nine stars Andy Samberg and Joe Lo Truglio. Charles and Jake’s dynamic is at its most charming when Jake leans into Charles’ goofier tendencies, so it’s rewarding to see Jake’s initial reluctance immediately give way to an impromptu duet.

8 Wuntch Is Dead!

Captain Holt’s hatred of Madeline Wuntch is one of the highlights of the show, giving rise to some of Holt’s best Brooklyn Nine-Nine insults and showing the character’s cattier side. One scene that captures the hilarious extremes of their relationship comes in the season 7 episode “Ding Dong”, in which Holt learns of Wuntch’s death. Brooklyn Nine-Nine doesn’t shy away from serious moments, and Wuntch’s death would seem a prime opportunity to have Holt do some earnest reflection on his relationship with Wuntch, which makes it all the funnier when he doubles down on his hatred, laughing for joy and even handing out bagels.

7 Latvian Beatdown

By season 4, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is confident enough in its characters that it can mine considerable comedy out of showing them diverging from their type. The episode “Captain Latvia”, in which Boyle springs into surprisingly competent action out of love for his son is a prime example of the series developing a dextrous grasp of its characters. When Boyle beats up a Latvian mobster while shouting sweet words of affirmation in Latvian, it’s a great moment of comedic contrast that’s grounded firmly in the character’s identity as a father.

6 This B Needs A C In Her A

Brooklyn Nine-Nine earns a big laugh with an unexpectedly filthy line in the season 6 episode “Honeymoon”. When Amy explains that the innuendo-rich line “this B needs a C in her A” doesn’t stand for anything filthy, Jake’s expletive-laden explanation of what he thought she meant is as shocking for the viewer as it is for Amy. The cast explains (via The Wrap) that their old network, Fox, had always cut similarly risqué lines in the past. However, the laxer censorship standards at their new network, NBC, allowed Brooklyn Nine-Nine its first bleep ever.

5 Holt's "Hot Damn"

Andre Braugher’s Captain Holt is one of the best parts of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The occasional moments in which Holt’s stoic, measured demeanor gives way to excited yelling are a trademark of the character, sold by Braugher’s powerful voice and wild-eyed passion. One of the earliest and best examples of this phenomenon comes in the cold open for the season 2 episode “Jake and Sophia”, in which Holt correctly guessing why Santiago was late prompts an unexpected “HOT DAMN!” What’s better, this Brooklyn Nine-Nine moment was improvised by Braugher, who apparently had the crew in fits of laughter moments after cutting.

4 Boyle's Dianne Wiest Joke

Another great Brooklyn Nine-Nine moment that thrives off the chemistry between Andy Samberg's Jake and Joe Lo Truglio’s Charles comes in the cold open for the season 4 episode “The Overmining”. Charles’ claim that he came down with a “Dianne Wiest infection” is followed by one of the show’s longest and funniest pauses, sold by the warring glares between the two characters. Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a fast-paced show, so when it chooses to slow down for this cold open, the break from form is unexpected and makes Charles’ gleeful followup, “LIKE YEAST”, hit even harder.

3 What Are You Gonna Do, Annoy Him Into Talking?

One of Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s earliest scenes of comic brilliance comes in the season 1 episode “Interrogation”, in which Jake prematurely arrests a suspect and tries everything to get him to talk, including screaming at him while hammering at the guitar. It’s a scene that highlights two of Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s greatest strengths: its phenomenal editing and Andy Samberg’s comic skills. The gag doesn’t work if Samberg doesn’t sell it, nor does it work unless it cuts in and out at exactly the right moment.

2 Captain Holt Shouting "BONE!"

The season 4 episode “Skyfire Cycle” once again demonstrates that no one yells like Andre Braugher’s Holt. When Rosa suggests he and his husband need to “bone”, it prompts a tirade that provides one of Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s best Holt quotes. The lengthy rant is edited perfectly, with Holt’s more measured diatribes intercut with disgusted outbursts of “BONE!” While the scene is sharply written, it once again points to Brooklyn Nine-Nine as a series that puts an uncommon level of trust in its comedic cast to execute a joke.

1 The “I Want It That Way” Cold Opening

The cold open for the season 5 episode “DFW” is probably the most iconic scene in the series. The gag of Jake turning a police lineup into an impromptu Backstreet Boys tribute is perfectly set up and expresses the character’s boyish excitability better than perhaps any other scene in the entire show. On the Brooklyn Nine-Nine YouTube page, the clip is the most viewed video on the channel. It even seems to have outpaced popularity of the show itself, racking up 10 times more viewers than the series had at its peak.

Source: The Wrap