‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ Creators: Andy Samberg’s Character Is ‘Comedy McNulty’

Brooklyn Nine-Nine looks like one of the more promising new shows of 2013, due in no small part to the collection of talent the show has assembled. It stars Andy Samberg and Andre Braugher, features people like Joe Lo Truglio and Chelsea Peretti, and was created by Michael Schur and Dan Goor from Parks & Recreation. All good things that make me want to watch the show very much. And speaking of things that make me want to watch the show very much, please note this excerpt from an interview Samberg, Schur, and Goor did with The Hollywood Reporter:

“When we were writing the pilot, the thing we always knew was that he was going to solve a crime in the cold open,” Schur said of Samberg’s character. “He’s a good detective.”

“I think it’s important for the show to work, because you have to take him seriously. Then when he’s being a jackass, you can forgive him more,” said Samberg. “He [seemed] to me like McNulty from The Wire — but instead of the drinking problem and philandering, he’d be doing gags in the office.”

“Comedy McNulty,” added Goor.

I know I should probably say something like “Whoawhoawhoa. Pump the breaks, fellas,” because this is the Internet and comparing anything or anyone to something from or involving The Wire is supposed to be met with skepticism at best and outright disdain at worst, but I can’t help it. I’m all-in on this show. Mike Schur has never steered me wrong, dating all the way back to Fire Joe Morgan, so if he and his cohorts want to write off two characters from Parks & Rec and compare the lead on their new series to a beloved character from one of the two or three best TV shows in history, then fine. Proceed at will.

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