The tragic news has hit that Brooklyn Nine-Nine will sadly come to an end. Ironically, I am in the middle of binging the show, as it is one of my personal favorite shows. I am disappointed to find out that the show is coming to an end, but it did have an iconic run. There are still ten more episodes to come, so we get a chance to join Peralta, Santiago, Diaz, Jeffords, and so many more. As the title implies, I want to use this chance to talk bout one of my favorite TV characters ever, Captain Raymond Holt. The character is brought to life by Andre Braugher, whose promotion to Captain kickstarted the entire show’s premise. His journey throughout the show has made him, in my opinion, one of the best characters in television history.
Holt’s entire arc is about him growing from what seems to be a robotic and emotionless man to a heartfelt captain. As the seasons go on, he adapts to the crazy antics around him and even starts to join in on them. We get the first glance at his more loose side when he joins in on a Halloween heist. It started to become a seasonal tradition where the antics keep escalating with each one. In a way, the moment we realize how far Holt has come is in the episode “Monster in the Closet”, where he builds a beautiful Balloon Arch. After getting rejected, Stephanie Beatriz‘s Rosa Diaz praises his work, and he shouts full of glee: “Vindication!” Even as he joined in on the insanity, he remained a stoic and leading figure for the team.
What started as a joke character trait became the anchor of the show’s comedy and development. His robotic demeanor played off of the various members in the precinct perfectly so that each member of 99 developed a unique relationship with him. His constant lecturing of Peralta is an ongoing theme of their father-son relationship. There are some heartwarming moments between him and Rosa, as they continuously bond over their avoidance of emotions. We get to watch his guidance of Amy Santiago and Terry Jeffords to push them towards their future’s to becoming captains one day. It’s these personal interactions that define the show and its comedy. The actors embody these characters so well that it feels like a family.
Of course, there is also the aspect of the character that redefined representation in television. His relationship with Marc Evan Jackson‘s Kevin Cozner is probably one of the most adorable couples put to screen. Every episode featuring their banter is a delight. We get a fully realized relationship with ups and downs throughout each season. They bond over their love for plain stones and their challenges being from different worlds. The episode “The Bimbo” was a particular highlight to showcase their relationship and Holt’s development. It also kind of highlights in general what makes this character stand out. We see him change so much throughout the show, and it’s his relationships with everyone else that make him stand out even more. He embodies what Brooklyn Nine-Nine is all about and I wanted to pay tribute to one of my favorite new shows before it enters its final season.
