Why 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' tackling #MeToo was so effective
Brooklyn Nine-Nine has always managed to skillfully tackle sensitive topics, and the NBC comedy's #MeToo episode "He Said, She Said" that aired Thursday night was no exception.
The episode, directed by cast member Stephanie Beatriz, unpacked some of the micro aggressions women experience daily, along with the push and pull of the #MeToo movement and why it won't be a quick or easy battle.
Not for the first time, TV comedy (Brookyln in particular) carefully tackled a delicate subject without overlooking the subtleties within. black-ish did this brilliantly with 2016 election recap "Lemons," and a recent Superstore episode ("Costume Competition") unpacked cultural appropriation without sacrificing one drop of comedy.
Amy (Melissa Fumero) and Jake (Andy Samberg) investigate a sexual assault allegation at a finance company. When the woman accusing her colleague (Great News' Briga Wheelan) wants to take $2.5 million to stay quiet, Amy convinces her to stand her ground while they pursue the case.
From the very outset, "He Said, She Said" shows just how pervasive inappropriate behavior toward women is every day. A quick montage shows Jake and Amy going about their week with her experiencing unwanted touching on the subway and unnecessary comments from strangers ("You have a nice mouth" is too oddly specific to not be relatable).
"This kind of stuff has happened to literally every woman I know. I just wanted to make it better for this one woman."
The case itself is not cut-and-dry, either. Sure, Seth (Jonathan Chase) seems like kind of a douchebag, but there's no actual evidence he forced himself upon Keri (Wheelan). There is no actual assault and not even a mention of rape, but these are prominent issues regarding consent, professionalism, and women's autonomy over their own bodies.
Keri's initial decision to accept the hush money shocks Amy – as does Rosa's (Beatriz) support of it. The path of justice – a path well-worn by the Nine-Nine – is right, but not easy. It is the stuff of heroes and movies, and sometimes, as Rosa points out, circumstances change when there is a real person involved. Keri might lose her job, and $2.5 million would take care of her nicely. When women don't come forward or agree to stay silent, they are often taking responsibility for their own livelihood – even if, as Amy insists, it extends the power and reach of silence.
It turns out that Amy is familiar with Keri's situation. She never told anyone or pressed charges against the former captain who tried to kiss her out of fear that it would cast aspersions upon her own performance and the legitimacy of her promotion within the force. It's not $2.5 million, but it's opting for something unpleasant to disappear rather than balloon and potential explode.
"This kind of stuff has happened to literally every woman I know," Amy tells Jake in one of Fumero's finest moments on the show. "I just wanted to make it better for this one woman."
Seth and his colleagues are textbook douchey bros, but Keri cares about the social scene at her office and how it affects her success. Instead of angry or sad, Wheelan plays the character admirably neutral; Above all, she is annoyed – as a woman who deals with enough on a daily basis, this is one thing too many. The episode also makes good use of Jake as he listens to and assists Amy, grappling with the reality of her day-to-day and also his own role regarding how men should participate.
In true Nine-Nine fashion, the ending is equally smart and unpredictable. Though the detectives catch Seth, Keri still leaves her job because of the culture shift and how it affected her personally. It doesn't feel like a full victory, but as Rosa reminds Amy (and us) that one step forward and two steps back still means one step forward.
Keri did a brave thing knowing it might not work out, and that itself is admirable. Amy pursued the right thing, as she always does, and considered the repercussions on a micro level. Every character in this episode knows what constitutes appropriate behavior, but they all learned something from the case at hand.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on NBC.
Proma Khosla is a Senior Entertainment Reporter writing about all things TV, from ranking Bridgerton crushes to composer interviews and leading Mashable's stateside coverage of Bollywood and South Asian representation. You might also catch her hosting video explainers or on Mashable's TikTok and Reels, or tweeting silly thoughts from @promawhatup.
