Andy Samberg might be the last truly funny comedian to be on Saturday Night Live. After he left, the show took a turn towards wokeism, cutting potential funnymen like Shane Gillis before they had a chance to make us laugh. And whether you are amongst the woke crowd or not, it’s hard to claim that woke is funny. Not even a little bit.

Samberg went on to other projects including the hysterical sitcom, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which is our recommendation for this installment of Weekend Buff. Brookyln Nine-Nine is a detective comedy set in the fictional NYPD’s 99^th Precinct. It harkens back to Barney Miller, where most of the comedy takes place in the squadroom, but it’s much more slapstick and outlandish to fit Samberg’s comedic style.

Samberg plays the incorrigibly immature but talented Detective Jake Peralta. Samberg drives the show, but he is surrounded by an ensemble that can be found in any precinct detective squad around the city.

Stephanie Beatriz plays Detective Rosa Diaz, the secretive and intimidating investigator that frightens most of her fellow cops. Stay out of her way, she is capable of anything – at least that is how she comes off. Melissa Fumero plays Detective Amy Santiago, a nerdy hard worker, always looking for an attaboy from the boss. The funny Terry Crews plays Sergeant Terry Jeffords, who is the squad boss. Physically intimidating, but a softie and family guy. Joe Lo Truglio plays Charles Boyle the buffy but bumbling partner to Samberg. Chelsea Peretti is Gina Linetti, a Police Administrative Aide who is just batshit crazy.

Supporting actors are Dirk Blocker as Detective Michael Hitchcock and Joel McKinnon Miller as Detective Norm Scully. The two are detectives well past their prime, and their prime was no great shakes (think Joe Biden). (You might remember Dirk Blocker from the classic WW2 show Baa Baa Black Sheep.) One is always sick and the other is always dealing with a cavalcade of ex-wives.

If you ever worked in a precinct detective squad, this cast of characters is probably already starting to sound familiar. Like Barney Miller, the writers hit the nail on the head with character development. I can throw a dozen names of guys I worked with who fit could act as an understudy for these actors, whether they knew it or not.

The 9-9 Squad is operating swimmingly and incompetently until a new boss takes command of the Precinct. Captain Raymond Holt is played by Andre Braugher. He is the first openly gay police captain in the NYPD. In a witty ironic twist, he plays the straight man to the squad’s cast of clowns.

Captain Holt is determined to shape up the 9-9 and get the best out of the detectives. The detectives are horrified at having their routine upended.

The detectives are presented with a constant flow of cases. Many add to the comedic atmosphere such as the cat burglar that steals cats, the food vendor wars (I’ve dealt with that a few times, and it’s just as funny in real life), and an art theft with a pretentious list of suspects. They also bring comedy to some serious cases such as homicides and active shooters.

But it is the internal hijinks and practical jokes that make for the best comedy, just like in a real detective squad. For example, every year the detectives compete in a Halloween theft competition, to see who can make off with a prized possession without being caught.

Unfortunately, Brooklyn Nine-Nine fell to the wokeism that has befallen Saturday Night Live. The show began to focus on more serious issues after the death of George Floyd. Once again, no one finds that funny, and the show folded after the 2021 season.

But the first five or six seasons are hysterical and worth a watch.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine ran 8 seasons, and each episode is a quick 23 minutes. You can watch all Brooklyn Nine-Nine episodes on Peacock, and Netflix has some episodes. Otherwise, you can rent them on Amazon or Apple TV. Enjoy this slapstick detective comedy that hits close to home if you ever spent time with The Greatest Detectives in the World. And NYPD detectives truly live up to that moniker.

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