No sitcom is ever complete without its defining catchphrase, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine probably has the most memorable one among its comedy series contemporaries. The popular and unforgettable “Nine-Nine!” catchphrase of 99th precinct’s police officers is often heard as a chant by the show’s ensemble cast members. While most catchphrases tend to function on the comedic side like Terry’s “Terry loves yogurt” or Jake’s “Title of Your Sex Tape,” “Nine-Nine!” is different.
Harboring cast members from the likes of Andre Braugher, Andy Samberg, Terry Crews, and many more, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a cornucopia of talented actors and comedians who had a hand in most of the show’s running gags. This includes Brooklyn Nine-Nine's famous “Nine-Nine!” chant which was revealed to be Deadpool 2 actor Terry Crews’ doing, proving that his involvement in Brooklyn Nine-Nine was godsent. Considering that Brooklyn Nine-Nine creators, Dan Goor and Michael Schur, specifically manufactured Sergeant Terry Jeffords with Terry Crews in mind; him being the mastermind for the show’s defining catchphrase is a chef’s kiss.
How Terry Crews Created Brooklyn's "Nine-Nine!"
Like any other TV show, Brooklyn Nine-Nine experienced the same production pains of scheduling; either it’s way too early in the day or way too late. Hence, it’s not uncommon for actors to struggle to get into the zone, especially when they’re drained of energy or lack it in the beginning courtesy of the call time. Due to these factors, Terry Crews took it upon himself to liven things up.
Usually, when the cast and crew are preparing for their long set day during the production of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Terry Crews would exuberantly shout “Nine-Nine!” as a way to hype everyone up. Exuding positive vibes to reverberate on set, the writers eventually wrote the chant into the script which eventually transformed into a catchphrase that's the very essence of a morale boost representing unity and teamwork. Given that the "Nine-Nine!" catchphrase was never meant to be in the show to begin with, Terry Crews’ “Nine-Nine!” chant effectively makes Brooklyn Nine-Nine better.
Why Brooklyn 99's "Nine-Nine!" Proves Crews Was Perfect
Terry Jeffords is basically a parody of Terry Crews’ personality. Being in his element, Crews was able to improvise his own reactions and quirks as exaggerated versions of his Brooklyn Nine-Nine persona. Considering that Crews is known as a generally jovial TV personality, added to playing a role as close to home as it can get, Crews was able to come up with gold in the form of the motivational “Nine-Nine!”
This goes to show that creators Goor and Schur hit the jackpot when they got Crews on board Brooklyn Nine-Nine. As Terry Jeffords, Terry Crews brought to life the gentle giant Sergeant (turned Lieutenant by Brooklyn Nine-Nine's series end) and even set a great example that extremely muscular men are allowed to have a soft and vulnerable side. While Crews’ “Nine-Nine!” catchphrase effectively proved that his Brooklyn Nine-Nine casting was perfect but even without that, there’s no denying that Terry Jeffords is one of the best fictional sitcom characters out there.