Fall TV First Impression: Brooklyn Nine-Nine
The broadcast networks have almost 30 shows debuting this fall, including a futuristic tale from the Fringe team, new sitcoms from Michael J. Fox and Sean Hayes, and a trip down the rabbit hole to Wonderland. To help you prep for it all, TVLine is offering First Impressions of the not-for-review pilots.
Next up on our list….
THE SHOW | Fox’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Tuesdays at 8:30/7:30c; premieres Sept. 17)
THE COMPETITION | CBS’ NCIS, ABC’s Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (new), The CW’s The Originals (new) and NBC’s The Biggest Loser
THE CAST | Andre Braugher (Men of a Certain Age), Andy Samberg (Saturday Night Live), Chelsea Peretti (Kroll Show), Stephanie Beatriz (Modern Family), Terry Crews (Everybody Hates Chris), Melissa Fumero (One Life to Live) and Joe Lo Truglio (Burning Love)
RELATED | Fall Preview: TVLine’s Grid Showing What’s On When and Versus What!
THE SET-UP | From Parks and Recreation‘s Dan Goor and Michael Schur, this single-camera comedy follows the police detectives of the 99th precinct as they adjust to a new, ambitious captain (Braugher).
RELATED | TVLine’s Guide to All the New Fall Shows
THE FIRST IMPRESSION | With the jury still out on what The Crazy Ones will typically look like and both Trophy Wife and Back in the Game dinged by some casting issues, Brooklyn Nine-Nine — when comparing pilot-to-pilot, laughs-for-laughs — stands as the fall’s best new comedy. Is it doing anything revolutionary? Not really. But as a big Barney Miller fan, I think it successfully serves up the rare cop shop comedy, filled with LOLs and boasting a vivid, diverse ensemble devoid of any clunkers. Samberg is goofy without being cartoonish, Braugher delivers a perfect tone of warm authority, Crews brings a fresh spin on the big galoot and Peretti (far left, above) proves herself an adept scene stealer. The pilot has some fun with the hint of an unlikely workplace romance, and closes with an interesting wrinkle.
RELATED | More Fall TV First Impressions: CBS’ Mom, ABC’s Wonderland, NBC’s The Blacklist, The CW’s Reign, ABC’s Trophy Wife, Fox’s Sleepy Hollow, CBS’ Hostages, NBC’s Ironside, ABC’s Super Fun Night, The CW’s The Tomorrow People, Fox’s Almost Human, CBS’ The Crazy Ones
THE TVLINE BOTTOM LINE | Even the best new comedy will have its work cut out for it, going up against both TV’s most watched program and the super-buzzy S.H.I.E.L.D. — and with one of the fall’s most disappointing new sitcoms, Dads, as its lead-in. Prediction: When Dads craters, Raising Hope gets rescued from its new Friday time slot and returned to Tuesdays, offering B99 at least a funny companion show.
Watch a video preview for Brooklyn Nine-Nine, then vote in our poll below.
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