Every Main Character In Brooklyn Nine-Nine Ranked Worst To Best

Though most of the detectives portrayed on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" are conscientious public servants, not everyone in the precinct is busy putting their best foot forward. Despite nearly three decades on the force, the foul-mouthed and lazy Detective Hitchcock (Dirk Blocker) spends most of his days eating, sleeping, and rolling around in his office chair with his best friend, Detective Scully (Joel McKinnon Miller). Nicknamed "the Freak," Hitchcock has six ex-wives, a habit of brazenly lying on dating profiles, and a sketchy van he calls "the Beaver Trap" that he sleeps in during divorces. Combine this with a bicep tattoo of his own face with a gun in his mouth, and he's one cop you'd want to avoid.

Much more pleasant in real life, Blocker has enjoyed developing Hitchock's repellent personality. With writers and producers concerned with establishing the show's leads, Blocker and Miller spent much of the first season looking for ways to embellish their brief appearances and add life to the precinct's background. Blocker told The Movie Culture, "I like to think that's part of why Joel and I were hired; knowing that we had enough experience that we could bring life to characters not yet fully developed." The writers began asking to write for Hitchock and Scully, and they slowly worked their way into the core cast. Though usually unpleasant, Hitchcock is responsible for some of the show's most shockingly funny moments, ranging from frequent visits to Wing Slutz to excitedly announcing the end of alimony payments thanks to the death of his ex-wife.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz), the 99th precinct's most mysterious detective. She's so secretive that she rents her apartment through a shell corporation, receives her mail at a post office box, and has convinced her neighbors she's a chatty girl named Emily. She is fiercely protective of her privacy and autonomy. Nevertheless, Rosa slowly opens up to her colleagues over the course of eight seasons. Rare tidbits of personal information reveal that she studied at the American Ballet Academy, has a pilot's license, and is the creator of a jewelry line that her brunch friends keep encouraging her to promote on Instagram. She prides herself on her intensity and ability to strike fear into the hearts of her colleagues. She's an essential member of the Nine-Nine, but her cold demeanor occasionally seems off-putting to the audience.

Rosa keeps most people at arm's length, but she's an unwavering friend and never fails to support fellow members of the Nine-Nine. After a series of failed relationships, including a wild fling with undercover cop Adrian Pimento (Jason Mantzoukas), Rosa comes out as bisexual and begins dating a woman. Identifying as bisexual herself, Beatriz helped develop the two-episode arc in which Rosa struggles to reveal her sexuality to her parents. Describing the importance of this plotline, Beatriz told the Independent, "It was important to me that 'bisexual' was said because I grew up in a time where it wasn't heard often." Beatriz has since spoken about the importance of bi-representation when accepting a GLAAD Media Award for "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" in 2018.

Gina Linetti (Chelsea Peretti) is by far the most chaotic character on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine." The civilian administrator and personal assistant to Capt. Raymond Holt (Andre Braugher) spends most of her time browsing on her phone, praising herself, and mocking everyone else. She is a childhood friend of Detective Jake Peralta (Samberg), who got her the job at the precinct. She is extremely intelligent and loyal to those she cares about, though her attempts to help often seem misguided or self-serving.

Gina leads a dramatic life, but she doesn't do much during her work hours. Throughout her six seasons, she performs with two dance troupes (called Floor-Gasm and Dance-y Reagan), survives getting hit by a bus, has a casual relationship with detective Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio), and wins the fourth annual Halloween Heist, revising the coveted title as "Ultimate Human/Genius." Gina is shockingly narcissistic, but her delusions often lead to some of the show's funniest insults and more than a few hilariously self-serious dance numbers.

Peretti was a writer for Michael Schur's "Parks and Recreation" before being cast as the narcissistic administrative assistant. Though her icy deadpan is hilarious, Peretti is known to break character and can frequently be spotted laughing during the silly scenes, a habit that eventually worked its way into the character herself. Chelsea Peretti also loved to improvise with the cast, explaining in an interview with Young Hollywood, "You get the scripted version, and they let you play around with it a lot of times, and I love doing that. It was fun."

Anywhere Jake goes, Charles is sure to follow. He is the precinct's hardest-working and most optimistic detective, though his eagerness to support his friend often reads as intense and creepy. Detective Boyle loves designing intricate Halloween costumes but is the only detective in the 99th precinct (other than the lazy Scully) to never win a Halloween Heist. He has an uncomfortable habit of accidentally describing mundane things in sexually graphic ways and is a self-described foodie, though he can be quite unpleasant and demanding as a chef in his own right.

When we first meet Charles, he has unrequited feelings for Rosa Diaz. This crush doesn't last long but leads to an unshakeable friendship, and Charles is the first person in the precinct Rosa trusts with the truth about her sexual orientation. Charles eventually marries the equally quirky Genevieve (Mary Lynn Rajskub), and the two adopt a child named Nikolaj. Charles continues to win the hearts of the audience by becoming a doting father who takes the pronunciation of his son's name very seriously.

One of Charle's defining characteristics is his devotion to his best friend, Jake Peralta. Their relationship is one of the highlights of the show and never devolves into a tired stereotype of a cool guy followed around by a pathetic loser. Describing Charles' infectious positivity, Truglio told Junkee, "He's a pleasure to play because he is such a resilient guy and never stays down for very long." Kind and compassionate, Charles Boyle is the heart of the 99th precinct.

Capt. Raymond Holt is the MVP of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine." Known for his dramatic work, including the '90s police drama "Homicide: Life on the Street," Julliard-trained Andre Braugher was cast in his first comedic role based on his nuanced performance in the dramedy "Men of a Certain Age." Holt has high expectations for his detectives, which puts him in direct conflict with Detective Peralta, who matures as a direct result of Capt. Holt's strict demands. The intense leader insists on formality, signing all of his texts, "Sincerely, Capt. Holt." A handshake between himself and his equally stoic husband, Kevin (Marc Evan Jackson), is a rare and scandalous example of workplace PDA.

Capt. Holt is an openly gay Black man who has faced overwhelming discrimination in his fight for positions of authority. However, Braugher has always made sure that Holt is not defined by either his race or sexual orientation. He is often intrigued by the simpler things in life, including his glee at tasting a "marshed mallow" for the first time and an addiction to the game Kwazy Cupcakes. Creator Dan Goor notes that "Andre brings incredible gravitas and intelligence to Captain Holt, which serves to ground the character and also makes it that much funnier when we write silly, goofy, ridiculous things for him to say and do." Braugher has received four Emmy nominations for his performance as the complex captain, and his scene-stealing presence defines the humor of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine."