Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie Review

Law Enfarcement.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman March 21, 2022

Wait, wasn't Brooklyn Nine-Nine on FOX? Why is Universal releasing the Blu-ray? The show did indeed begin life airing on FOX on September 17, 2013 where it ran for five seasons. FOX's cancellation was permanent for the network but short-lived for the show. Universal picked up the show only a day later and ran the series for another three seasons, ultimately wrapping after eight total seasons on September 16, 2021. Of course, by looking at that end date, one can rightly assume that the Covid-19 pandemic had some impact on production, but not in quite the same manner as most others shows with delays and cancellations and such, Instead, the pandemic was simply worked into the show. Late series runs also carefully -- sincerely but with the series' trademark humor -- explored real life issues through a funny bone prism, including police brutality, the other driving force behind the year-that-was 2020. The series dabbles in other social issues, too, but is certainly best known for its blend of traditional cop show and film antics with a unique humorous overcurrent at work.

Official synopsis: From Primetime Emmy Award-winning writers/producers Dan Goor and Michael Schur (Parks and Recreation), starring Andy Samberg (Saturday Night Live) as Jake Peralta and Andre Braugher (Men of a Certain Age) as Raymond Holt, the Golden Globe-winning 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' is a single-camera ensemble comedy. 'Brookly Nine-Nine' follows the exploits of hilarious Det. Jake Peralta (Samberg) and his diverse, lovable colleagues; Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews), Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero), Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio), Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz) and veteran officers Scully (Joel McKinnon Miller) and Hitchcock (Dirk Blocker); as they police NYPD's 99th precinct.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine has been described as The Wire, but funny, and that's a fairly apt perspective on things. The show takes the classic police procedural bits and transitions them into some sort of hybrid that embodies styles from shows like the aforementioned Parks and Recreation and even The Office with its tight character roster and back-and-forth story and character beat sprawl taking place inside the precinct. The show manages to walk that fine line between action and humor with confidence and character, refusing to be reeled in by type and defined by trope. Of course, the show's individual parts are not all that unique, but what is unique is how successfully they mesh together. The setting allows for an exhilaratingly awkward blend of serious police business and sitcom humor that plays well and rarely grows tiresome through its eight-season run, particularly as the show stays on top of current issues and doesn't simply languish in repeating the same things over and over again.

Ultimately, the show's successes can be attributed to a threefold trifecta: first, of course, is the unique blend of humor and police action. Second is the writers' skill and meshing these otherwise (seemingly) opposed components into a show that works very well as a uniquely blended concoction; never do the two pieces feel like oil and water with a clear separation. Tt's all mixed together very well to the point that the end product is better than its individual pieces. Finally is the cast, which is terrific. Every cast member get the concept and falls into character with effortless craftmanship. While the acting is not award-worthy, the sense of natural fold into the material and the evident camaraderie on the camera certainly heightens the show perhaps more so than even the other components. Every performance is special, certainly helped by what are very well drawn character on the scripted page but the life that is evident and the cast's ability to master the art of mixing police drama with overt humor solidifies this as one of the more agreeable diversions from the past decade or so on network television.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Universal's 1080p Blu-ray release of Brooklyn Nine-Nine: The Complete Series looks sharp and satisfying. The picture reaches top tier status for a network TV show on Blu-ray. The image is healthy and vibrant, yielding exceptionally sharp and grounded details that hold to great clarity across the full spectrum. Faces are intricately defined with fine point pore and hair elements on full display, evident right form the series' opening shot. Clothing is likewise revealing to the finer point qualities and the odds and ends around the precinct predominantly but also so many of the world locations beyond its walls enjoy exceptional definition and detailing. The picture boasts a fine color spectrum as well. It is bold and brilliant, offering full and satisfying color spread and pop to, again, clothes and odds and ends around the show's numerous locations. There is never a want for greater saturation and realism. Contrast and temperature hold to a very neutral, realistic appearance. Skin tones are exceptionally well dialed in, whites are super crisp (Holt's captain's shirt, for example), and black levels are deep and pure. Noise is an issue but almost never to a severe, debilitating extent. There are no other source or encode flaws to note. This is a terrific, rock-solid image from Universal.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The show drops onto Blu-ray with a full and satisfying DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The presentation is appropriately stout, with fine foundational clarity bolstering an impressive sense of balanced spacing. The 5.1 channel configuration is put to good use, sometimes for more engaging, potent action and sometimes for slight but mood critical atmosphere. The track never wants for a feeling of more involved sound elements; it conveys the not complex, but certainly engaging, sound design parameters quite nicely. Musical clarity is excellent with wide spacing and firm, if not only supportive, surround engagement. The spoken word grounds the program, and it holds fast to a natural front-center position for the duration.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This eight-season Blu-ray release of Brooklyn Nine-Nine contains two featurettes and a number of deleted scenes scattered throughout the first six seasons. No extras are included for seasons seven and eight. Each season ships in a standard sized Amaray case, all of which are packed into a moderately sturdy slip box. Seasons with more than two discs contain the extra disc on a flap; there is no disc stacking (and no season ships on more than three discs). Every season insert includes detailed episode summaries.

Season One, Disc One:

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Scenes from The Tagger (3:55), M.E. Time (0:42), Halloween (0:46), 48 Hours (0:58), and Sal's Pizza (1:30).

Season One, Disc Two:

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Scenes from Christmas (1:27), Pontiac Bandit (1:20), The Bet (2:04), The Ebony Falcon (2:33), Operation: Broken Feather (1:40), The Party (1:33), and Full Boyle (2:39).

Season One, Disc Three:

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Scenes from The Apartment (0:33), Tactical Village (0:40), Fancy Brudgom (2:30), Unsolvable (0:46), and Charges and Specs (1:05).

Season Two, Disc One:

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Scenes from The Jimmy Jab Games (0:38), The Mole (0:25), and USPIS (0:20).

Season Two, Disc Two:

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Scene from Sabotage (0:16).

Season Three, Disc One:

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Scenes from New Captain (1:57), The Funeral (1:09), The Oolong Slayer (0:52), and Ava (0:35).

Season Three, Disc Two:

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Scene from House Mouses (0:27).

Season Three, Disc Three:

• Get Your Cop On (1080p, 5:24): The show's humor, real comedy in real police precincts, action and stunts, the minimal actor training, and more.
• The Squad (1080p, 5:51): A closer look at the cast and characters and the on- and off-screen camaraderie.

Season Four, Disc One:

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Scenes from Coral Palms, Part 1 (1:07), Coral Palms, Part 3 (0:17), and The Overmining (0:16).

Season Five, Disc One:

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Scenes from The Big House, Part 1 (0:12), Two Turkeys (0:14), and 99 (1:00).

Season Five, Disc Two:

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Scenes from Safe House (0:22) and The Box (0:27).

Season Six, Disc One:

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Scenes from Four Movements (0:42) and He Said, She Said (0:53).

Season Six, Disc Two:

• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Scenes from The Therapist (0:28).

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Brookly Nine-Nine is a welcome addition to the Blu-ray family. Here's hoping the show is a success on the 1080p format and may its release portend more recent full series network TV releases in the future. Universal has done right by the set. While it may not be overflowing with extras, fans will appreciate the two featurettes and many deleted scenes that offer fun character moments throughout the first six seasons. The picture and sound qualities are just as expected, too. Recommended.