Watching the characters of the ever-brilliant Brooklyn Nine-Nine deal with issues that affect me personally hit me right in the feels. But it inspired me too.
Like any other l person, I’m not ashamed to say I have an (un)healthy obsession with ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’. With each episode, I get pulled deeper into its hilarious charm. And although I put the show on with the intention of winding down, I can’t help but become emotionally involved.
Despite the show’s front of being just another light-hearted comedy, ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ deals with some very real issues in just the right way. One episode is particularly relevant in today’s climate of toxic masculinity. This “He said, she said” argument is not just extremely relatable for me as a young woman, but it highlights the importance of the #metoo movement which deserves a refreshed recognition.
He said, she said.
At first, I was dubious about how the show would tackle the often mishandled issue of misogyny and its effects in the workplace. The sensitivity of the issue meant they would need to tread carefully with their typically crude humour. Yet they still needed to live up to their undefeated comical standards.
And they did exactly that.
“The episode introduces the audience to the idea of female resilience and partnership”
The episode shows Jake (Andy Samberg) and Amy’s (Melissa Fumero) investigation into a sexual assault case in a ‘Wolf of Wall Street’-like firm. Amy vehemently pursues the case and takes the lead — which instantly introduces the audience to the idea of female resilience and partnership.
As the investigation develops it is obvious that Keri is in fact the victim. Yet the case seems doomed from the beginning as the vestiges of patriarchy are deeply ingrained and obvious in Keri’s firm.
The process of questioning reveals how each employee has been brainwashed into giving the same robotic answer: “This is an extremely professional workplace and Seth is a really good guy.”
The corruption in the firm is clearly evident and the blatant misogyny is stomach-wrenching.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine tackling the real issues.
However, the show manages to keep its famous comical touch as the business’ professionalism is mocked by the male employees displaying a pathetic amount of competence for such a highly-skilled career.
Throughout the questioning scene, it becomes indubitable that this is, in fact, not a very “professional workplace” as every employee cares more about ‘Beefer’s’ birthday celebrations than a very real police investigation happening in the next room.
The fact that a man barges in when the only other woman in the company is being questioned, addresses her as ‘dude’ and then proceeds to ecstatically inform them that “Beefer just puked in the Koi pond” tells you everything you need to know about their ‘professionalism’.
Surprisingly, this is not even the most infuriating scene. When Jake and Amy sat down with the Deputy General Counsel of the firm I could barely bite my tongue.
In this scene, we are introduced to a typical dominant bigot in the exact form we expect to see one: a middle-class, white, old man who has a tight grip over his oblivious minions.
Not only did he offer Keri 2.5 million dollars to sign a non-disclosure agreement, but when Amy convinced her to pursue the case he stripped his apparently “benevolent gesture” away from her.
Heartbreaking reality
Then in a teeth-gritting U-turn, the Deputy General Counsel portrayed Keri as the violent villain when announcing he is terminating her as Seth has “actual evidence of an assault.”
“The firm’s attitude towards Keri’s case abysmal and it holds a mirror up to reality”
To any woman watching, this would be a very hard moment to not scream like a lunatic at the TV.
Not only is the firm’s attitude towards Keri’s case abysmal, but it holds a mirror up to reality. This scene affected me personally as is it extremely relatable not only to me but to over half of the women in any workplace is a heartbreaking fact.
A study carried out by the Everyday Sexism Project discovered that over half of women in the UK have experienced sexual harassment at work, and what’s worse is that a shocking 80% of women affected by sexual harassment did not report it.
This is why ‘He Said, She Said’ is one of the most morally important episodes ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ has ever aired.
The Everyday Sexism Project’s figures show an unfaltering pattern when it comes to sexual harassment in the workplace, and things need to change now.
The most important yet depressing line in the B99 episode is when Keri remarks “This is a he said she said situation, I know how that goes.”
Don’t we all, sister.
The fury that boils inside me over the sheer truth of that statement is overwhelming. However, the way that the show focuses on that statement and overcomes that stereotype is truly inspiring.
The way that Amy dedicates all of her time to “help make it better for this one woman” gives a sense of unity between women, even those that don’t know each other, and I, for one, am here for it.
But this issue also needed a ‘realist’ point of view, and this position was wisely allocated to Rosa (Stephanie Beatriz), the show’s fiery female character who is known for her fearlessness. She opposes Amy’s decision to pursue the case with no physical evidence as she argues that there is a very “real woman here whose career and life are going to be affected”.
Fighting the patriarchy
I find this a very suitable choice of allocation as the audience can hear from a previously-passionate “feminist” female character. She explains why women are wary to pursue a fight against patriarchy, especially in the environment where they earn a living.
Despite many doubts, Keri does win the case and Seth is charged. Yet the episode still ends with Keri leaving the job she loves as she is now being marginalised by her colleagues.
It is hard to fathom why her colleagues are now alienating her when it was proven that Seth was the aggressor. But that was the shows clever tactic: to show how misogyny is ingrained into company culture and how women are still mistreated even to this day.
This reflection demonstrates the desperate need for the #MeToo movement, and the very end of the episode shows exactly how it works.
She agrees that “two steps forward, one step back is still one step forward.”
Keri’s co-worker decided to come forward after seeing her bravery and success, and this is the exact purpose of the episode. It encourages determination and unity between women so we can begin the destruction of detrimental misogynistic mindsets in the workplace.
Even Rosa changes her perception in the end when she sees the domino effect that the case encouraged. She agrees that “two steps forward, one step back is still one step forward.”
This message is what the episode ends with, and it is truly an inspiring one.
The way that Brooklyn Nine-Nine portrayed this issue and displayed how it manages to change lives was spectacular, and the fact that there is not even a necessarily happy ending to the episode is even more effective as it shows their realistic approach to this issue.
The episode teaches us that the right way to deal with things is not always the easy way, but if you have the courage to stand up for yourself you may just become someone else’s hero and start a domino effect of your own — and I think that is a damn great message to any woman out there.
Jess Little
Featured Image courtesy of Jonas Leupe via Unsplash. Image license can be found here. No changes were made to the image.
It was definitely an episode I was concerned to watch but so happy with after! I’ve not seen the topic handled so realistically and sensitively on a sitcom before, showing both the for/against arguments for pursuing a report and prosecution. Excellent analysis!