There's More to 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' Than Samberg

It's no secret that we love Brooklyn Nine-Nine . We have sung its praises since its pilot, and we will continue to do so as long as it keeps the fresh cop jokes coming. We weren't too surprised, then, when Brooklyn Nine-Nine — which would be airing tonight if not for the winter hiatus (sniff) — nabbed two Golden Globe nominations: Best Comedy TV Series and Best Actor in a TV Comedy.

Andy Samberg was the recipient of the Best Actor nomination, which is not a huge shock either. He was one of the creators of the show, and his name is one of the most recognizable of the cast. But his nomination makes it seem like he is somehow the standout comedian on the force, when the ensemble dynamics truly make the show great. (A problem also shared by Arrested Development, which only saw Jason Bateman nominated for his Season 4 performance this year.) Also, nominating a white dude on a cast that features such a diverse group of people seems to misrepresent the great folks down at the nine-nine.

Perhaps, instead of nominating Samberg for best actor, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association could have nominated Terry Crews. Terry's balance of hilarious physical humor with his character's very real fears makes him a surprisingly complex character, and almost a leading man in his own right. Or maybe it could have thrown a nomination to Stephanie Beatriz for her confusing and mysterious portrayal of Rosa, the scary cop with a soft spot for bad pie and failed Thanksgivings. She and Melissa Fumero (who plays Amy Santiago) have brought to life complex female characters that not only pass the Bechdel test, but often steal the show from the more well-known men in the cast.

But nominating any one of these talented fake cops would not accurately represent the magic of their chemistry on screen. For what would Captain Holt (Andre Braugher) be without Jake to mock him? Or how would Gina (Chelsea Peretti) get away with making awful personal attacks without people-pleasing Charles (Joe Lo Truglio)? The magic in the comedy of Brooklyn Nine-Nine is that it features a large, diverse group of players who deliver great running gags and one-liners, without a standout star. So we might be frustrated that the Globes failed to recognize the entire cast for their work, but, hey, at least it recognized the freshman series. The SAGs, on the other hand...