Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Laughter, Bromance, and Puppies - Unpacking Pontiac Bandit

Ever wondered how a sitcom can blend the chaos of a police precinct with laugh-out-loud humour? Join us as we dive headfirst into the iconic 99th precinct, dissecting the show's perfect mix of comedy and procedural drama. From Captain Raymond Holt's deadpan delivery to Jake Peralta's wild antics, we'll share why this show has earned its place in TV history. Get ready for an episode packed with laughs, trivia, and our take on why NBC's revival of this gem was nothing short of a TV miracle.

Amanda couldn't hold back her laughter while watching the episode featuring Doug Judy, a.k.a. the Pontiac Bandit, played by Craig Robinson. We break down Amanda's first impressions, diving into the bromance between Jake and Doug Judy, and the memorable 70s cop show vibes that make this episode a standout. We'll share some of our favourite moments, Boyle's comedic disasters, and why recognizing actors from other works adds a fun layer to watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine. If you've ever paused a show just to say, "Hey, isn't that the guy from Hot Tub Time Machine?" then you’ll definitely relate!

In our trivia showdown, test your Brooklyn Nine-Nine knowledge alongside us! From Doug Judy's infamous aliases to Captain Holt's quirky habits, we'll cover it all. Plus, we get real about how the show tackles social issues. . As we wrap up, we'll remind you of the importance of exploring new content and not just re-watching your comfort shows. Don't forget to connect with us through social media, and check out our Patreon for some exclusive goodies!

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:11

Hello and welcome to that TV Comedy Podcast. I'm Jacq J Serra and my co-host is Amanda Davis. For each episode, we will be taking a look at a television comedy series, breaking it down with a focus on a specific episode, giving it a bit of a deep dive, geeking out about it and generally discussing it. We will be taking it in terms of picking a series, so it may not be something we have seen this week. It's my choice and it Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Amanda tell us about Brooklyn 99.

Speaker 1 1:03

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is set in the fictional 99th precinct of the New York City police department in Brooklyn; brooklyn 99 follows a team of detectives headed by the serious and intellectual captain Raymond holt, who's assigned as their new commanding officer. Brooklyn Nine Nine the pilot episode, imdb describes the series succinctly as a comedy series following the exploits of Detective Jake Peralta and his diverse lovable colleagues as they police the NYPD's 99th Precinct. It ran for 153 episodes over eight seasons in the USA, starting in September 2013 and ending in September 2021. Originally airing on the Fox Network, it was cancelled after 5 seasons. Nbc then picked it up for the final 3.

Speaker 1 1:38

Wildly acclaimed by critics, the show won 2 Primetime Emmys and 2 Golden Globes and was nominated multiple times. Imdb gives the series. That's good. That's a pretty good rating, yeah yeah. So, jack, why Brooklyn Nine-Nine? Wow, it's funny, it's clever. It does mix strong ones a bit. It is a sitcom comedy series but there's a lot of thriller elements to it with the police procedure. It's got Andre Braugher for a start. That should be enough to draw anyone in. It's actually a really clever series, but you've never seen it, have you?

Speaker 1 2:23

I really think that anybody listening to this podcast will think she doesn't actually watch any comedy at all and that I'm a fraud. You are a fraud. Or alternatively, they might be thinking why does she keep picking series that her sister hasn't seen? Why does she pick a wildly popular series that are held up as great comedy series that just happen to be ones that her sister hasn't seen? Let's go back to the original point. Are you a fraud? No, I like lots of comedy programs. Why haven't you seen Brooklyn Nine-Nine? I just don't know. I just haven't. I've seen it now. I've seen one episode.

Speaker 2 3:10

Well, you've seen one episode of it now.

Speaker 1 3:12

Yeah, but I don't know why. Again, I say this every time it is on my radar, it is on my list to watch. My list is ever-growing, as any listener will probably have worked out by now. Anybody think I had a really busy job that I don't have much time to watch tv.

Speaker 1 3:29

The thing is it's easier to watch an american comedy, a comedy like this, a long-running series like brooklyn nine nine, because the episodes only run for about 20 to 22 minutes. A bbc sitcom does run for 30 minutes for the most part. Obviously there's ones that breaks the rules that always are. For example, only fools and horses started at 30 minutes but they ran up then 45 minute, one hour episodes. So it went from a sitcom to a comedy drama. Yeah, it would be called a comedy drama now, but it was, it's always been held up as a sitcom. So that's why I feel it's easier sometimes to watch american comedies, because it's something you can fit in. Yeah, I suppose so, and it's probably why that I've re-watched friends. Yeah, and it's always sunny in philadelphia. Because, again, they are short episodes fit in and I can do other things whilst they're on, not miss too much of the action.

Speaker 1 4:30

I've watched every episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine twice. Now this particular episode we're going to look at. I've seen it about five or six times, but you've got to stop watching stuff you've already seen and start bringing in some new stuff into your life. Amanda. Yes, time to make changes, yeah. So what I tend to do is I'm always re-watching a sitcom, and what I tend to do is re-watch it, and then I pick episodes that I like and then I'll break them down to why I like them. So I'll sit there and make notes. Now, I don't expect the average viewer does that.

Speaker 1 5:03

I generally tend not to do that. No, I don't expect the average viewer does that.

Speaker 2 5:06

I generally tend not to do that. No, I bet I'm not watching anything.

Speaker 1 5:09

But yeah, as a writer yeah, that's what I tend to do is pick ones and then I'll make notes about it and I'll think I'll break it down into a three-act structure and then find out where the action sits within that and I know it's boring you try to work out why it's good, why it works, what's the formula, and I guess that's boring to people. But that doesn't mean I'm not watching new stuff at the same time and I'm not watching tv all the time. You know that I've got a busy job as well my commitments to writing and learning and all that other stuff.

Speaker 1 5:40

It's not like I've got hours and hours free to watch tv, I think, because I talk about it a lot people think I just get up in the morning watch TV. Oh, that'd be nice though, wouldn't it? And there's a lot of people who talk about writing, but the only way to get anywhere with writing is to actually do it. Everybody, not everybody. So many people think that they can write a book. They can, and they can write a book they can, and they'll talk about it. Oh, I'm going to write a book.

Speaker 1 6:07

But they never actually sit down and put pen to paper.

Brooklyn 99

Speaker 1 6:10

It's just something good to talk about. Yeah, the amount of people who come up to me I've got this brilliant idea, but you can write it. I always say, no, it's your idea, you write it. So the episode we're looking at this week is Season 1, episode 12, pontiac Bandit. So, jack, tell us about the Pontiac Bandit. Jake convinces Rosa to make a deal with a criminal in order to catch a car thief, while Charles makes an awkward return to the precinct and Holt tries to get rid of two puppies Cute puppies, two puppies so cute. It was written by Lashmi Sundaram Apologies if that's not quite the correct pronunciation and Norm Hiscock. It has an IMDb rating of 8. Yeah, and I'm surprised that. I think it should be higher. So, amanda, your first episode of brooklyn 99. What did you think of the whole thing? Or you've?

Speaker 2 7:10

only seen the episode, so you can't really I thought it was really funny.

Speaker 1 7:15

I actually enjoyed it. Yeah, I laughed out loud very quickly on in the episode and I felt awful for laughing out loud. Why is that? Because boyle comes in and he's got the grabbers. He's trying to show that he's he's independent, yeah, he's self-sufficient, he doesn't need any help. And then he has the coffee and then he pours it over himself and then he's giving milk and he's just pouring this everywhere, yeah. So yeah, I I laughed at that and then I thought that was a bit stupid laughing about that. I know you're supposed to laugh at his leg warmers as well.

Speaker 1 7:50

It's nice little leg warmers that he's got. I love the titles as well. Proper 70s cop, yeah, very much top show. Yeah, yeah, I like that. And then tug of duty craig robinson, I loved it. I saw him on there and I was like, oh, it's him, it's him. And I did that awful thing that we all do, except it wasn't as awful this time. I hit pause how do I?

Speaker 1 8:16

know him. So then I found out, obviously because he was in the office done loads of things. But then I saw hot tub time machine. I was like like oh yeah, he was amazing in Hot Tub Time Machine. That's an awful film, but he's so funny in it.

Speaker 2 8:29

It's a funny film. Do you know what? I have seen it, but I have no memory of it. It's so bad.

Speaker 1 8:35

Yeah, he's very funny in it. Oh, he's brilliant.

Speaker 2 8:38

Craig Robinson.

Speaker 1 8:39

Yeah, but I actually paused it.

Speaker 2 8:42

Oh, I've done that before.

Speaker 1 8:44

No, but normally I just drift off and I'm on IMDB or whatever trying to find out and I was like this is awful, I'm pausing this. However, well done, you're pausing it, You're not just drifting off, You're actually going to go straight back to it. And I loved his name, Doug Judy. Doug Judy he has got a sister called Judy Judy, so you come back in it again. Oh man, let me tell you about Doug Judy. Oh, is he in it a lot.

Speaker 1 9:12

Doug Judy and Jake Peralta is the bromance of the whole series, but he's the Pontiac Bandit. He is the Pontiac Bandit. Oh, spoilers, Most people guess he's the Pontiac Bandit. He is a Pontiac Bandit. Oh, spoilers, Most people guess he's a Pontiac Bandit. Mind, he comes back one episode apart from one season, when it's two episodes every single season. There's about 10 episodes of him as a Pontiac Bandit and the relationship between Jake and Doug the cat and mouse game the cat and mouse game. But they generally like each other. There's a genuine friendship in there, but they're opposite sides. They shouldn't be friends. They shouldn't be friends, but they are. They really like and admire each other, but they don't quite trust each other and they shouldn't quite trust each other.

Speaker 1 10:00

It's Good G GOmens Omens Good mens omens. Yeah, and this is why. If you ask me why I picked this episode, it's because it is the first episode with the Pontiac Bandit, All the relationships in there, because probably very brief in the whole. How many episodes did you say there were 153. And there's only 10 episodes of 153 of this relationship. That it makes it special. If you single those episodes out, you've got another story, Cool. So I just need to search out those episodes. I would recommend you watch them all.

Undercover Mission With Doug Judy

Speaker 1 10:36

Because you miss out on so much. I like the Pontiac Bandit. Yeah, that's why I picked this episode, because one, I thought you would like it. I pick all these episodes because, selfishly because I think you would like him. How is that selfish? Because we're doing a podcast for other people, are we? Yeah, you know I'm recording this now, don't you? But you were saying it's selfish. No, no, sorry, I thought you were saying about selfish to you.

Speaker 2 11:03

No, it's not selfish to me and I was like why is that selfish?

Speaker 1 11:05

No, but if you're talking about both of us, yes, yes, of course, of course. Yeah, I do understand that. Well, maybe they're not listening, but it's been recorded so they can listen. Man, it's out there, it's out there. So what can you do? So, yes, this is why I picked this one, because it's the epic romance between Jake and Doug Judy. But of course, it's quite a big storyline with Holt as well, which is always nice and, don't get me wrong, holt's a big part of it, captain Holt, he's a big part of the series and he gets more and more to do as the season goes on, but he is brilliant, isn't?

Speaker 1 11:40

he so funny the episode Doug Judy's been brought into the interview room. I know this is after the whole boil coming back and the coffee down the cast and the milk and he runs over Holt's foot and Holt doesn't let go that hurt. And he took a bullet for his colleagues. Apparently, yeah, he did, but two millimetres to the left and a foot higher, he would never have walked again.

Speaker 2 12:11

I know.

Speaker 1 12:11

So in the previous Christmas episode, boyle is shot by Colin Haynes, who's out to kill Holt for revenge. So this is why Holt feels quite responsible for him. That's why he said he took a bullet for one of them. Yeah, yeah, okay. Doug Judy has already been arrested, technically arrested. He's in the interview room and he's into Rosa a bit Just a bit, yeah, yeah, room and he's into Rosa a bit, just a bit, yeah, yeah. But he wants to speak to Jake because he wants a deal, because he's got information about the Pontiac bandit who he's calling Bill Bill. Did you guess at this point he was the Pontiac bandit? I think you're supposed to know that he is.

Speaker 1 12:48

I think it is implicit in there that Jake's been taken in by him. Yeah, and Rose has not. Rose has definitely not been taken in by him. Jake thinks the Pondiot Bandit is his nemesis, which is quite bold, isn't it? Mm-hmm, nemesis? It's been eight years. So, yeah, the Pondiot Bandit, according to Doug Judy, is an Asian dude, maybe 5'8", spiky, black hair, rocks in both ears, always wears a black suit, speaks with a British accent, like his girl, dame Judy Dench. Yes, that's funny, because he's got class.

Speaker 1 13:27

Yeah, yeah, yeah truly, he's got class and he knows how to get in touch with him. We're left there, but this is the bit you like, I think. Dogs, the dogs, yeah, the first time Chad has introduced the series Holt says it's his husband's dog that kind of changes to the series it's his dog as well. So the two dogs are a result of his dogs. Yeah, his dog With another dog, yeah, and he has to get rid of.

Speaker 2 13:53

The two dogs are a result of his dogs yeah, his dog, another dog, yeah, and he has to get rid of the puppies yeah yeah, but santiago wants one, but she can't, can she?

Speaker 1 14:00

because she's seriously allergic. Yeah, epipen, potentially fatal allergy, but you know dogs are her life. The thing about santiago as well is that she is on a mission to impress Holt. Okay, her taking the dog is not because she's not stupid, but she takes the dogs from him hoping the allergies don't come through, because she wants to do everything to impress Holt. Right, jake tells Holt about a burner phone. That Judy has to catch the Pontiac Bandit. If all charges have dropped, 250 cars have been stolen, that they know of 230, wasn't it?

Speaker 2 14:44

I've written 250.

Speaker 1 14:46

Either way there's a lot of cars, a lot of cars stolen, but it could be in the millions, could be in the millions. Holt tells him he's not very good at math. That was so funny. He's not very good at math. Last day, that was so funny, you're not very good at math. And then they do the number of months how many months in eight years? And then she says it straight away and he goes 80, 40 and six years months. And then halt. Do you need a math tutor? Because the department can provide one for you. So funny, so funny. That was a laugh out loud, that scene. Yeah. But Holt gives the decision to Rosa. They got the thousand push-up deal, so Rosa lets him go ahead with it. She knows she shouldn't.

Speaker 1 15:28

She knows she knows she's very hard. On the outside she's not touchy-feely or anything. She's a tough cop. But she'd do anything for her colleagues. It's her downfall. No, I'm joking. So they go to Doug Judy's house Doug Judy's mum's house, yeah, and he introduces Rosa as his girlfriend. Rude, she should have had him there, and when I mean had him, I mean arrested him there. And then, and Jake is. Do you remember who Jake is? Manji Carl, that's it.

Speaker 1 16:03

His personal assistant? Yeah, his personal assistant, manji Carl. But Jake has not completely run over quite yet because he does follow Doug Judy, but they go back to Boyle then His choice of food is horrible. Oh, he said yeah, he suggested Soudanese. They were all hiding, weren't they?

Speaker 2 16:20

Yeah.

Speaker 1 16:22

Oh, and it was a hoof. It was a hoof yeah, oh, it was gross.

Speaker 1 16:25

It was part of the stew. Oh, it was gross, I did feel sick. Yeah, jake sends the Pontiac Bandit a message and they start to bond over the films that Judy has in his bedroom. But poor Rosa, she had a braid in her hair from I smell it. So Pontiac Bandit replies he's going to meet in 15 minutes and he tells Jake he looks like a cop. Yes, oh, and he comes out in the white suit. Mama's going to knock you out. They put me to the Flatbush and Vanderbilt. He doesn't look like a cop, but a boys to men album. And then he starts quoting Die Hard. He loves Die Hard. I think there must be a thing throughout all American comedies that every male character must be really into Die Hard. I think there must be a thing throughout all American comedies that every male character must be really into Die Hard Gina Hyden Hyden.

Speaker 1 17:18

She is In the evidence room. Yeah, but she does make a mistake, doesn't she? Yes, she lies Twins. She lies Twins From the evidence room. Yeah, let's go on to the meeting. I know there's a bit that goes in between there, but we go on to the meeting at Flatbush and Vanderbilt, 3.28pm, empty car park. Jake likes the suit. Yeah, he's getting well into it, even though apparently Doug Tudy's dad died in his suit.

Speaker 1 17:49

Yeah, he still likes it Again. Rosa questions. Jake, are you sure about this? Of course he is, because he's a gangster. Now isn't he? Car turns up A guy who is not Bill asks Doug Judy who the others are. Yeah, it was supposed to be a one-on-one meeting.

Speaker 1 18:06

Yeah the guy says he doesn't know him, he doesn't trust them, he leaves them alone. He will text the address and he leaves. But Holt's still trying to give away those puppies. So he gives one to Terry, but the twins are potty training. Yeah, terry cannot have a dog. But Holt says to Terry he's disappointed him and the puppies. But Terry tells him that's cold. Poor Terry. Yeah, that's a bit much. He's got a lot going on. He's got a lot going on Terry.

Speaker 1 18:35

Yeah, they're back in a car park. Jake sends Doug Judy in alone. Rosa doesn't want that. Something's not right. Doug says the dude is cautious. One minute later, we're not alone and the dude is done with him. Jake is going to put a wire on Doug Judy and have backup waiting. Rosa has to trust them. She doesn't. She's ending it. And then Jake breaks the pact of 1,000 push-ups. Now he's doing 2,000 push-ups. Yep, things are getting worse at the station. Poor Amy loses her grandmother's ring. Dumbo's back, she has to go to evidence. Regina at that point, yeah, so all eyes are on Doug Judy. He asks Rosa out and then they listen as Doug Judy talks generically about cars. So he's gone into the building and they can hear him through a wire, yeah, talking about cars, and there is definitely somebody with this accent there. Yeah, they can hear him yep. Back at the precinct the halt is still trying to get rid of these puppies. Boyle tells halt they're all hiding from him.

Speaker 2 19:47

So boyle knew sad and lonely.

Speaker 1 19:50

Yeah, yeah, because he read Gina's tweets and Gina ruined Downton Abbey for art as well by doing the same thing? Yeah, had he come back to work too soon, he was just lonely man, yeah, but there's a good solution to that. There is, but it's not coming quite yet, because we're not at the third act conclusion yet. Man, we're all there, though. We all know what's going to happen. We know what's gonna happen.

Speaker 1 20:19

We know what's coming, though yes, doug judy says you know what else about cars, how they look, how they sit. I think that's enough for rosa. She's like right, we're going in. They storm the building and who's there? It looks like bill, doesn't it? It's bill. It's bill. Doug judy's barber. Doug judy's barber. That doug jud Judy's already run. He's out the building With his mate from earlier. Jake goes outside and puts on an APB. Doug Judy is in a car on a mic. He's in the wind, but if Jake is close enough to hear him, he's close enough to be caught. But I thought of that already. Doug Judy, he's on a relay, yeah, yeah, he's not being caught. And he suddenly he's realized now, oh, doug judy is the ponchak bandit, he's. It took a while. Now he doesn't strike me as the brightest, this jake.

Speaker 1 21:05

Jake is a really good cop, which is how he's been led to get away with all this stuff. You know we've talked about the office. How does mich been led to get away with all this stuff? You know we've talked about the office. How does Michael Scott get away with stuff? How does David Brent get away with stuff? Because they're good salesmen. So he's actually good at his job. He doesn't let everybody go. No, not at all. And this is the first time in the series that Jake fails. Oh, casey, because I'm thinking this character is like a bit dull.

Speaker 1 21:33

No, no, not far from it. He just can't do maths. He's not very good at math, no, but he's a really good cop. He's just got crossed by Doug Tudy Damn Doug Tudy. But the fact he's failed means Jake's got to do the push ups. But we've got to go back to the office first. The little puppies Go into their new home. Boyle has, you can't walk them. No, don't worry about that.

Speaker 2 22:03

They're little puppies.

Speaker 1 22:05

And poor Santiago cries and not because she finds it hot when Boyle's got the puppies. She's seriously allergic. She needs to go to the hospital. Jake goes back to Rosa when they're back in the precinct. He went to see Doug Judy's mum and it was a dead end. Rosa tells him she's got a lot of work to do. She's not happy with him. Jake says he wants to say something. They've worked long enough together to know how much he hates apologies. He wants her to join the Doug Judy case and officially become partners on it.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine Trivia and Analysis

Speaker 1 22:41

And he says he'll do the push-ups, takes him all night, though. Takes him all night, and then in the morning he's only at 9.01. Yep, but Rosa reminds him it's 2000. Jake should have trusted her Lesson to Jake. And that is the Pontiac Bandit. And now we're on to Amanda's favourite part of the episode, not mine Hers the quiz Time. For the quiz, how were Boyle's lunch choices described that earned him a lifetime ban previously? Oh, I honestly can't remember Horrifying adventures in diarrhoea. So I started with a nice easy one, but we've been doing this I think officially, this is the seventh one in the canon, and you come out with stuff like this. And my first question is what name does doug judy give to the pontiac bandit? I still, yeah, I still have a nice easy one. Excuse me, me, you just go in with those.

Speaker 2 23:50

Can I just?

Speaker 1 23:50

redeem myself. That's my question two. Yeah, give me an easy one to start with. Go on. What's your question two? I've just told you what my question two is. What's your question three then? Okay, what has Doug Judy been brought in for Theft? What sort of theft I can't remember. He's been brought in for 12 counts of identity theft. Oh no, that was my question three. You didn't read the question. Yeah, 12 counts of identity theft. Rosa had him for it as well. Oh, what's wrong with me? Can I just say it's really hot today. While we're recording this, we can't have any windows open or anything like that. It's too noisy, so we're basically boiling, so this may not even make sense when it goes out, and I just apologise in advance for it. Don't hold it against us. So I'll ask you my question too what is the name of Captain Holt's husband's dog, cheddar?

Speaker 2 24:52

Yeah.

Speaker 1 24:52

You told me that. I didn't even remember that. You just told me that earlier. Yeah, but I'd forgotten. I wrote that question, hadn't I? Well, basically, I think now I'm on to question four. Go for it.

Speaker 1 25:02

Big question four what does Doug Judy's mum think he does for a living? I want to say something like a fashion designer or something stupid like that, isn't it? You think being a fashion designer is stupid? No, don't alienate our listeners now. There's nothing stupid about being a fashion designer. I know, I meant that Doug Judy is not a fashion designer. No, no. Well, yeah, you're sort of right. She thinks he owns an architecture firm with all white employees. Oh, yeah, another nice, easy one. What does Amy lose in Boyle's cast? Grandmother's ring? Yeah, what does Dougie, as his mum calls him, call Jake in front of his mother? Mind you, carl, yeah, his personal assistant. My last question is Where's the car park that Jake, rosa and Doug Judy first go to catch the Pontiac Bandit? And I've mentioned it already. Where's the car? It was the car park. The car park, yeah, I don't remember. It's flatbush and vanderbilt oh, that's the meeting.

Speaker 1 26:16

Yeah, okay, yeah, I heard that. How does rosa describe jake as looking when they leave to tootie's house? Oh, what was it? It wasn't that that one. The boys to men comic, the Easter album.

Speaker 2 26:30

Boys to men Easter album, Is that it?

Speaker 1 26:31

That's it. Yeah, oh, I won that one. No, yeah, I won that one no you did not. I'm just not very good at math.

Speaker 2 26:42

I can't even say math.

Speaker 1 26:44

It's maths, by the way. And now it's time for Geek Corner. Amanda, tell us a fact. Okay, detectives Norm Scully and Michael Hiscock were dubbed the lazy boys of the precinct, but did you know? The comedic duo are named after the writers and producers of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, norm Hiscock and Mike Scully. But they were also writers on Michael Schur's previous sitcoms, parks and Rec. Yeah, I've not seen that. You've not seen Parks and Rec.

Speaker 1 27:18

Oh, okay, I'll have to tell you all about that, won't I? And the amazing Ron Swanson? No, I think you'll find that Leslie Knope is the best character on Parks and Rec.

Speaker 2 27:28

And how would you know? You've never seen it.

Speaker 1 27:30

Because I just know, and I might have watched a couple. No, no, no, no. Yes, ron Swanson.

Speaker 2 27:38

No. Ron Swanson, leslie Knope, ron.

Speaker 1 27:40

Swanson, leslie Knope. Did you, leslie Knope, remember I'm editing this Ron Swanson to infinity? She just doesn't know. I'm editing this Ron Swanson to Infinity. She just doesn't know, as we found out.

Speaker 1 27:56

Her knowledge of comedy is quite sparse Seen all of Parks and Rec. Sandberg, who plays Jake Peralta, and Chelsea Peretti, who plays Gina, went to elementary school together In the show. Jake and Gina also grew up together, so they added that to the show. No, I thought it was the other one, santiago no, santiago, no. Oh, okay, gina is the gina, the, the laugher. Yeah, a lot of my geek corner stuff are quite serious and quite along the same thing.

Speaker 1 28:27

So in the season 4 episode, episode 16, moo Moo Terry Crew's character, sergeant Terry, was racially profiled in a suburban street by a fellow policeman while looking for his daughter's blanket. Crew said this has happened to him. During E4's one-off Goodbye Brooklyn Nine-Nine special, he said I have been a victim of racial profiling. There were incidents where I was mistaken for someone else and had guns drawn and it was a very, very serious event. After the murder of george floyd, the cast and showrunner condemned the murder and supported the people taking part in the protests. Absolutely, should terry crews come up with a nine, nine chance? That was used throughout the series as a way to pump up the characters and cast and crew. I don't think he did that on the episode you watch, but he doesn't know it yet he does do it quite a lot.

Speaker 1 29:20

You've hit upon this earlier. The show was cancelled by the fox network at the end of season five. It was picked up by the nbc network the day after cancellation. Now characters could swear, albeit it was bleeped out. The season 6, episode 8, he Said she Said. Amy tells how she was mentored by a captain when she finally made detective. He took her out to dinner and tried to kiss her because he deserved it. Amy tells Jake that every woman she knows has had this story.

Speaker 1 29:54

But the original script had a sunnier end but the cast pushed for it not to be wrapped up in a bow. Oh yeah, to reflect real life. The part of Gina was written for Chelsea Peretti after Mike Schur worked on her with Parks and Recs. Not seen that. Don't look at me like that. Of course you haven't, otherwise you'd know full well that Ron Swanson is the best character Less you know In terms of writing a season. The first six or so episodes are written during a ten week pre-production period and the rest are finished while the season is filming. The cast used to film what was scripted a few times and then they improvised the same scene. Whichever got the biggest laugh would be used. I think they did that a lot with Parks and Recs as well.

Speaker 1 30:39

And to end on a serious note, season 7 ended in April 2020, and Season 8 did not start until August 2021. This was partly due to COVID, but there were also rewrites due to the Black Lives Matter movement. Episode 1 of season 8 is the lowest rating on IMDb because it reflects on real-life events and some fans feel they shouldn't. So this is a problem with people go on imtv and they go. This is woke.

Speaker 1 31:14

This is, oh yeah, what happened to it? It's just a comedy series and, yeah, and it's comedy. It has to address real life. Comedy has to hold a mirror to society in a way that others don't, and I don't believe people see that. No, they probably wanted it done in more, like Friends did with 9-11, where they didn't reference it in speech, but they had things, didn't they? They had messages on the board in the apartment and everything, although it wasn't explicitly talked about, but it was definitely addressed. It was there, it was. But yeah, friends, you could argue it did that, but the other time it was set in a police precinct. Yeah, and if it's going to talk about things that are happening, I don't, obviously, because I haven't seen the whole series. Does it bring in other things? Does it reference other things?

Speaker 2 32:09

that are happening in the world.

Speaker 1 32:11

It doesn't reference things happening in the world or America, but it does touch upon the things affecting everyday Americans. So again, yeah, they can't ignore, then Black Lives Matter, they can't no.

TV Comedy Podcast Wrap-Up

Speaker 1 32:25

As a police series? No, no. But again, like I say, I would argue that the role of comedy is to reflect society in some way. Yeah, because it will help people deal with what's happened and anybody who's suggesting otherwise going on. It's not what fans wanted, whether they actually true fans. It's just comedy and tragedy. If we go back to shakespeare, comedy and tragedy are intertwined and that's why they're the opposites of each other and that's why they go together. And, as English actor Peter Ustinov said, comedy is simply a funny way of being serious. This one was a little more serious for a light-hearted episode to pick, but I do think you should watch it. I think you'd enjoy it. Hearted episode to pick, but I do think you should watch it. I think you'd enjoy it. Thank you for joining us. Remember, we got a lot of this stuff from the internet, and did you know the internet?

Speaker 1 33:20

can lie you can find us on insta at tv comedy pod. Our website is that tv comedy podcastcom and you can email us on thattvcomedypodcast at outlookcom. Bye, bye.

Speaker 2 33:39

That TV Comedy Podcast was presented by Amanda Davies and Jacquie J Sarah. It is a deliciously bright podcast produced by Jackie J Sarah. For extended episodes and exclusive content, become a subscriber at patreoncom. Forward slash that TV comedy podcast.