Brooklyn Nine-Nine shows how TV comedies can tackle #MeToo stories

Variety

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is proof that a comedy doesn't have to transform its identity to incorporate such a sensitive topic as sexual misconduct. "For the most part, TV’s takes on #MeToo have been limited to dramas that have leaned into the weighty gravitas of this reckoning," says Caroline Framke. "Shows like The Good Fight and The Romanoffs weighed the rights of the accusers and accused, to varying degrees of success. Comedies that dip their toes into the murky waters — including GLOW and the Murphy Brown revival — tend to drop the punchlines in order to focus on the severity of the incidents, letting the stark contrast to their usual rhythms speak volumes." That's why Thursday's "He Said, She Said" episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, directed by cast member Stephanie Beatriz, was "such a startling exception to the rule," says Framke. "Written out as such, 'He Said, She Said' doesn’t sound very funny at all — and to writer Lang Fisher’s credit, the episode never tries to dance around the severity of the situation in order to downplay it. Instead, it weaves punchlines throughout by targeting the gross culture surrounding it." Framke adds: "When all’s said and done, 'He Said, She Said' is a pretty impressive new entry into the 'TV Tackles #MeToo' canon. It doesn’t sacrifice Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s typical structure or joke flow even as it emphasizes the very serious inspiration behind its story. It mocks the people in power, not those who get targeted by them. It grounds everything in its characters, keeping them as sharp and empathetic and smart as the show has made them over the years. If TV is going to keep diving into #MeToo, 'He Said, She Said' is a solid road map to use going forward." ALSO: Stephanie Beatriz consulted with Kyra Sedgwick and Gloria Calderon Kellett to prep for her directing debut.