This show is well worth the watch, especially the first time around. The comedy has a lot of high quality moments; I don't think there's a single episode that didn't have me laughing my head off at one stage or another. That being said, I can't help but feel that this show underestimates its viewer, as very often the jokes will be explained / punchlined BY the characters themselves. EG a character might quote something that is very obviously a reference to a movie, and then say the name of the movie once finished, just in case you didn't get it. This means that the viewers who understand the references aren't rewarded. In addition to this there are a lot of jokes (especially cold opens) where the punchline is literally just people screaming, yelling, or otherwise making a lot of noise instead of saying something humourous. Nonetheless, the high quality jokes shine and leave a lasting impression.
Another problem is the show's overly-the-top, cheesy, feel-good tone. Don't get me wrong, I love feel-good stuff; Parks & Rec is probably my favourite show of all time, and Brooklyn 99 actually has more serious moments in it than P&R. But unfortunately, the show carries a very in-your-face, down-your-throat attitude of 'This WILL end happily.' Within the 22 minutes of each episode, the characters are met with whatever conflict, which absolutely inevitably is solved by the end (unless it's a to-be-continued episode), and it frequently just does not meet with reality. A quick apology undoes harsh words, puzzling cases are solved by sheer coincidence (House M. D vibes), and everyone has grown and learnt something, which they often audibly share with each other.
It's still a very good show and delivers its humour well, but forced happy endings within very short character arcs lead me to feel 'overloaded' on sickly-sweetness, and made it harder for me to connect with the show on a deeper level (which is obviously wants, as it presents the characters as real human beings with real issues that often prop up in real life). That + the dumbed down humour can be a bit cringeworthy at times.
But I still think it's very much worth the watch.
Another problem is the show's overly-the-top, cheesy, feel-good tone. Don't get me wrong, I love feel-good stuff; Parks & Rec is probably my favourite show of all time, and Brooklyn 99 actually has more serious moments in it than P&R. But unfortunately, the show carries a very in-your-face, down-your-throat attitude of 'This WILL end happily.' Within the 22 minutes of each episode, the characters are met with whatever conflict, which absolutely inevitably is solved by the end (unless it's a to-be-continued episode), and it frequently just does not meet with reality. A quick apology undoes harsh words, puzzling cases are solved by sheer coincidence (House M. D vibes), and everyone has grown and learnt something, which they often audibly share with each other.
It's still a very good show and delivers its humour well, but forced happy endings within very short character arcs lead me to feel 'overloaded' on sickly-sweetness, and made it harder for me to connect with the show on a deeper level (which is obviously wants, as it presents the characters as real human beings with real issues that often prop up in real life). That + the dumbed down humour can be a bit cringeworthy at times.
But I still think it's very much worth the watch.