Brooklyn Nine-Nine is one of the few shows that managed to create characters that are funny, relatable, flawed, and also lovable. It's hard to pick a favorite out of the wonderful ensemble, but Jake truly shines as the star of the show. Although fans on Reddit have some controversial opinions about the show in general, most have only good things to say about Jake.
Jake is funny, kind, smart, and a little silly sometimes but still one of the best characters on the show. Apart from his character, fans on Reddit love plenty of other things about him, from his relationships and interactions with the other characters to the way his character is written.
He's A True Friend
Friendship is a central aspect of the show and the characters have such strong friendships that they've basically become family—better than most relatives on Brooklyn Nine-Nine. They all support and help each other through both personal and professional issues, but fans applaud Jake for being one of the best friends on the show.
User i_am_sherlocked_221 on Reddit said, "he's a person who won't judge you and has your back no matter what," on a post that showed some key scenes of Jake demonstrating how good a friend he is. He's helped his friends solve cases several times, taken interest in things that his friends love, and defended them when they were being unfairly judged.
His Imperfect Character
Like the other characters on the show, Jake has unique traits that define him. Most fans of Brooklyn Nine-Nine see Jake as the funny guy who constantly makes jokes and doesn't always take things seriously. However, while some fans enjoy that aspect of his character, others find him childish and annoying.
However, user p80prancingelk commented that "he is a great character because he is all that, but also somewhat annoying, childish and irresponsible, making him a great and likable but also flawed person." Perfect characters aren't always relatable but fans can find something to identify with and love when it comes to Jake because of the good and bad parts of his character.
His Character Development
Despite being a comedy, Brooklyn Nine-Nine dedicates quite some time to developing its characters and giving them real flaws that they learn and grow from. Most changes are subtle and understated, but they make a significant difference to the characters the fandom knows and loves.
For Jake, the biggest changes came about as his relationship with Amy changed. Reddit user catandthefiddler commented that they "love his character development throughout the show." He's more mature and responsible than he was in the first season and he owns up to his mistakes and works to fix them.
His Healthy Relationship With Amy
In spite of their best efforts, many sitcoms fall into the pattern of clichés when it comes to love stories of the characters. This leads to a formulaic story with the couple facing all kinds of obstacles before eventually getting together and then breaking up a couple of times and getting back together before finally making it permanent.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine successfully avoided these tropes when it came to Amy and Jake's relationship, which is something Reddit user CMPunkTHEMAN434 commented on, stating that "the way they got together and the way they are while together is so wholesome and told really well." None of the qualities of the characters are compromised when they get together and aside from the controversial and divisive baby debate, they have one of the best relationships portrayed on TV.
His Self-Awareness
Reddit user antichain posted that one thing they love about Jake was that he's "aware that he's a goof, which makes it all the more meaningful when he opts not to goof and take it seriously."
Jake is well aware that he's super playful most times and that he has flaws, like his issues with money. However, he works hard on improving them rather than brushing those things off. No matter how much he plays around, when the moment calls for it, he can be serious and caring because that aspect of his character is deep inside.
The Way He's Well-Written
There are so many things to love about Jake—even his flaws. Many TV shows try to give their characters flaws to make them relatable but end up making them unlikable, insufferable, or unbearable. However, for Jake, the show managed to balance everything right. As Reddit user Cyclopher6971 said, "those flaws are all things that get discussed in characters, but damn does this character actually get it right."
He doesn't have typical flaws that most male characters have like arrogance or being stand-offish. He has flaws the audience understands and can relate to like debt, insecurity, and loneliness. Not only that, he outgrows his flaws and has really good character development throughout the show as any well-written character should do.
He's Entertaining & Likable
Brooklyn Nine-Nine has plenty of funny characters and Jake is among the most entertaining of them all. Falconflyer75 on Reddit commented that "while he's flawed and immature, he's not a douchebag either." They went on to cite plenty of character traits that make Jake endearing, like his strong sense of justice and loyalty.
It's not often that shows create a well-balanced character who has both good traits and bad ones. Most of the time, they either fall on the side of being too perfect or unbearable. But with Jake, his flaws make him an even better person, likable, and fun to watch.
His Dynamic With Holt
In season 1, Jake and Holt had quite a few conflicts. Holt was determined to turn Jake into someone serious who did his work professionally, but Jake was determined to stick to his playful ways. Despite their rocky start, they developed a good relationship over the course of the show with Holt as a father figure of sorts.
On a post with a collage of some epic Jake and Holt moments, Reddit user jochelle27 said they, "really love the development of Jake and Holt's relationship." On Brooklyn Nine-Nine, they're one of the best duos and always provide a good laugh, even while they're working a case or butting heads.
The Way He Owns Up To His Mistakes
On more than one occasion, Jake has made mistakes at work that affected his colleagues. For example, in season 1's "48 Hours," his reckless arrest cost everyone else their weekend as they scrambled to find evidence to make the charges stick.
Although he made jokes about it, he genuinely felt bad, owned up to his mistake, and worked extra hard to fix it. In fact, this is one aspect of the character that Reddit user supersonic_princess loves and they said, "the most important thing that Jake does is eventually acknowledging his mistakes and being willing to do better next time."