On September 17, 2013, the first episode of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" aired on Fox. This was the beginning of its wild adventure consisting of internet discourse, famous fans, its 31-hour cancellation and subsequent revival by NBC, and its hidden impact on today's meme culture. Whether you're a new fan or you've been with them since the beginning, there are plenty of reasons "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" deserves to be seen by everyone.

(He really is, though)media3.giphy.com

I remember watching this show for the first time in 2015 and being immediately impressed with the lengths it dared to go in its first episode. From the beginning, the audience sees that this is a show that doesn't need to make fun of marginalized people to be funny. Instead, they make jokes for marginalized people, such as Captain Holt's classic one-liner, "You know what the toughest part about being a gay, black police officer is? … The discrimination." (to which he drew a crowd of laughter while the straight/white characters looked on in confusion).

Besides allowing a gay black man (in a position of power) to exist without his sexuality defining his entire character, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" also does a great job handling other topics such as institutional racism, gender roles/feminism, and corruption in the system. Although primarily a comedic show, the directors, writers, and producers take special care to tell these stories respectfully and correctly. They work with people who have actually experienced these situations (like Terry Crews in the racial profiling episode, or Stephanie Beatriz in the coming out episode) to show an authentic and serious narrative.

It makes more sense in context.media2.giphy.com

There are also a plethora of iconic memes and jokes that have arisen from this show. Scenes ranging from lines like "new phone who dis" and "cool motive, still murder," to the shrieking while playing guitar gif, to the infamous Backstreet Boys Cold Open have spread all over the interwebs. "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" has infiltrated our society without us even knowing.

Of course, nothing in media can be perfect, and "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" is not without its faults. Some are concerned with its portrayal of the two fat characters, saying that they've pretty much made "being fat" their whole personalities while having all the others laugh at them. Others criticize its very core, saying that a show which is centered around cops, who in the real world work disproportionately against people of color, cannot truly be "woke." These are valid arguments, especially in a time where people are becoming more accepting of others' differences and expect others to accept them in return.

I personally still enjoy the show. There is no piece of media that cannot be criticized when art and life are so deeply intertwined; and just because there are issues with something, doesn't necessarily mean we can't consume it. Overall, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" teaches us that we can grow despite the harsh reality around us, there are people who care for us, and sometimes we really just need a good laugh.

Cheers if you love respecting all people!media2.giphy.com