Farewell, 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine'

Yesterday, May 10th, Fox confirmed the cancellation of some of its shows, including The Mick, The Last Man on Earth (after that cliffhanger, can you believe it?), and much to my dismay, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the Paris of sitcoms, you know?

After five seasons, a TT on Twitter, #renewb99, and celebrities endorsing the show (including Lin Manuel-Miranda, Guillermo del Toro, and Mark Hamill), the network decided to finish too soon (title of Amy's sex tape). Good news is, multiple networks, including Netflix or Hulu, have expressed interest in the sitcom, so here's hoping to that.

Regardless of what happens at the end, here are some of the best things the show offered me/us.

• Representation

The main team includes three women and six men, out of which four are POC, none of them falling into the token character. Actresses Melissa Fumero (who plays Amy Santiago) and Stephanie Beatriz (Rosa Diaz) openly spoke about how uncommon was to have two Latina actresses in the same show. The show also dealt with racial profiling in the famous "Moo Moo" episode, where Terry Crews (as Terry Jeffords) shines. Watch it yourself, then watch the whole thing. Worth it.

Besides racial diversity, the show also has LGBT+ representation. Andre Braugher brilliantly plays Raymond Holt, the deadpan captain of the squad, adoptive father to the most adorable puppy in the world...and also his corgi Cheddar, who is precious. Throughout the show, Holt mentions the struggles he's been enduring since joining the forces for being openly gay. And Rosa Diaz came out as bisexual this season (not confused, not a cheater, not deviant, B.I.S.E.X.U.A.L.). Stephanie Beatriz, openly bi, fought for that portrayal of Rosa, and they provided! I cried every time they said the word. Someday I'll write about it. The show even manages to portray the worst case scenario, not being accepted, and once again, presents the positive relationship among the members of the squad.

• Females are strong as hell!

Amy, Rosa and Gina Linetti (played by Chelsea Peretti) form the girl squad of the precinct. The three of them represent a different type of woman that we can all relate to. Amy is a perfectionist, focused, awkward. Rosa is stubborn, reserved (is Rosa even her real name?) and aggressive, and Gina is the human form of the 💯 emoji. They work perfectly fine with one another, and due to their differences, the writers are able to create comical situations that seem natural.

• Breaking with toxic masculinity

Do you know those shows which are demeaning for women, nb people, and men as well, that because their joke about The Flash or whatever didn't land, they decide to say something offensive about three different groups of people? Yeah, B99 is not it. Take Terry Jeffords, biggest teddy bear ever, who just doesn't want to miss the farmers market, loves his girls, his squad, and yogurt.

In any moment the men shame the women of the show—in fact, Charles Boyle (played by Joe Lo Truglio) pursuits Rosa during season 1, and when she denies his advances, he drops the topic and becomes one of her best friends. No slut-shaming nor rude comments. Boyle is also a character that shows interest in different hobbies that could typically be considered "feminine," yet in no moment he stops doing them, ashamed of what others may think. And his friendship with Jake? Amazing.

• The squad's relationships

The show is able to mix all of the characters each episode in order to create the different plots they will navigate, and in no way does it seem forced. Each character is able to work with one another, showing how well marked their personalities are. Gina and Holt spying on his competition? Check. Hitchcock (Dirk Blocker) and Scully (Joel McKinnon Miller) in Amy's bachelorette party? Yes please! Gina and Amy fixing a toilet? Toits! Jake, Terry and Rosa at a comic con? NOICE!

• Peraltiago

Not many couples have gotten my attention quite as much as this one. Probably Leslie Knope and Ben Wyatt from Parks and Recreation and Pam and Jim from The Office, but these two nerds? We've been rooting for them since day one.

Jake and Amy were your classic "will they won't they," and then, a season two kiss. Which is my favorite trope, by the way. And their captain has a heart attack after seeing them! I relate a lot to this show, I swear!

But hear me out. Like with Boyle, Jake never shames Amy for not dating him during the first two seasons. And after that, he doesn't change her. He loves her for who she is, and vice-versa. She doesn't change him, the controlling, no chill, a big, binder-loving nerd. Nor does he feel emasculated when she becomes a sergeant. They both evolve naturally and become the best versions of themselves. Come on! He knew he wanted to marry her when she found a mistake on a crossword! He planned the Halloween heist in jail! This is the best heterosexual couple on TV right now and Fox decides to cancel so I don't see them having babies? Ugh.

• Jake Peralta

I may be biased (but when am I not?), but bless Andy Samberg for his portrayal of Jake. His character arc is amazing. From a selfish and immature guy (never toxic, though?) to a selfless, kind person, who would do anything for the family he found on the squad.

He planned a heist to ask his girlfriend to marry him, he was willing to go to a shooting scene because her best friend was there and he wanted to help her, he punched a homophobe for Holt, planned game night when Rosa came out and her parents stopped talking to her. He has learned that his past doesn't affect his future. He is the reason I say "noice" instead of "nice"!

Listen. Whatever happens, happens. Obviously, I'm hoping they pick this show and continue their amazing job. But if it doesn't, I want to thank Mike Schur for another great show. Dan Goor for continuing making us laugh every week. This show changed my (our) lives in many ways. Thanks for the memes, introducing me to Die Hard (it's really good, I give Jake that), for the laughs, the tears. Always, Nine-Nine!