One of the most popular sitcoms of the last decade, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is as absurd as it is charming — the outlandish adventures of a bunch of NYC cops have rarely failed to get a laugh over its seven-season-run. The show's writing, while spectacular, is enhanced enormously by the cast of zany characters and fantastic comedic actors.
Selecting the funniest member of Brooklyn's fictional 99th precinct, however, is not as simple as it sounds, considering that each of them is hilarious in their own way.
Charles Boyle
Charles derives the bulk of his humor from his patently self-effacing nature, usually partaking in events that inevitably make Boyle look like the butt of the joke.
While the jokes themselves are rib-tickling, the fact the Charles refuses to change his occasionally bizarre behavior is symptomatic of his lack of character development. He is an amazing person; however, audiences are less likely to appreciate someone who consistently is laughed at rather than someone who is laughed with.
Rosa Diaz
Rosa Diaz's style of comic delivery is perfectly deadpan; there is little that can ruffle her feathers. She's a fascinating character with a complicated, and sometimes conflicting, backstory, but only because she doesn't want anyone to know anything about her whatsoever.
Rosa is a beloved character, but her wit can be a bit too straitlaced in a show where the majority of characters are over the top unpredictable. She still remains entertaining throughout the series though.
Terry Jeffords
Terry Jeffords is far more serious than the rest of his crew, which isn't surprising, given that he almost always prioritizes his family and his career over frivolous hijinks.
Nevertheless, when push comes to shove the sergeant-turned-lieutenant busts out some truly priceless routines and comedy sketches worthy of SNL. Fans would love to see more of Funny Terry, but that's the thing — with him, less is more, so shoving in extra humor isn't necessarily going to improve his character.
Amy Santiago
Amy Santiago is flustered quite often: when her streamlined timetable backfires, when her team makes light of her fashion/word choices, or when her hallowed Captain Holt expresses disappointment for any reason.
Post her relationship with Jake, Amy has lightened up considerably, but her core continues to revolve around being the nerdiest nerd imaginable. She is certainly hilarious, for instance, her panic and alcohol scales reveal whole new facets to the character. Still, there are others who are a lot funnier.
Doug Judy
Doug Judy is two kinds of mastermind: criminal and comedy. As Jake's archnemesis and best friend, his role as the Pontiac Bandit (along with assorted felonies and misdemeanors) is nothing less than genius.
Further, Judy's backstories for Jake are perfectly tailored to cause the most embarrassment, somehow avoiding the pitfalls of political incorrectness despite verging on them dangerously closely. Doug Judy is a charismatic entertainer, from his romantic crooning to his pop culture references.
Adrian Pimento
Adrian Pimento's mind is all over the place due to his stint as Paul Sneed, a character created as part of his undercover infiltration of the mob. Although many of his experiences — the night terrors, losing his parents to lighthouse accidents — are genuinely saddening, Pimento's high-octane personality is sitcom gold.
He constantly breaks into people's (Charles') houses, explodes at people with zero provocation, and has once claimed that oval is his preferred geometric shape. Pimento is full of volatility, and audiences love everything he has to offer.
Hitchcock & Scully
Mere words will not suffice in describing the sheer ineptitude exhibited by Hitchcock and Scully, the 99's iconic pair of desk jockeys. Scully is the nicer one of the two because he offers some value to the team, in the form of language translation and opera "singing", among other talents.
On the contrary, the only things Hitchcock is known for are ludicrous self-tattoos, bizarre dreams of his stepsister, and having "a worm living in his ear". In any case, both these characters are flawless examples of comic relief, helping ease the situation when or if it gets dire.
Gina Linetti
Gina is the living embodiment of the Ralph Waldo Emerson quote: "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." Except, of course, Gina doesn't care so much about self-actualization as shameless self-promotion.
That said, she isn't entirely narcissistic, but her tendency for redefining reality forms the essence of her wildly comedic character. Also, there is nobody on Brooklyn Nine-Nine whose comebacks are half as devastating as Gina's.
Raymond Holt
Andre Braugher's poker-faced performance and impeccable line delivery as Captain Raymond Holt is magnificent, explaining why the actor has been nominated four times for Outstanding Supporting Actor at the Primetime Emmys.
His various idiosyncrasies combine with a flair for the melodramatic to produce an eminently likable (and distinctively funny) character. Holt might not be as enigmatic as Rosa, but there is always a hilarious surprise lurking around the corner when it comes to the 99's beloved captain.
Jake Peralta
Subjective preferences aside, few fans can actively argue against Jake Peralta being the funniest character on B99. The man is a walking paradox — his general childishness is juxtaposed against his diligent detective work, a combination that makes little logical sense in any world beyond one in a sitcom.
Jake frequently has the funniest lines in the show, not to mention some rather impressive slapstick moves that wouldn't look out of place in a Charlie Chaplin movie. The others do give him a run for his money, albeit not very often.