If You Like 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine,' Watch This Hilarious Workplace Comedy (2024)

The Fox (and later NBC) hit comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine completely flipped the script on the typical police procedural. Though the show takes place in the 99th Precinct of the New York City Police Department, the series isn't really about police work. It's about intra-office dynamics and crazy workplace hijinx everyone can relate to. With a talented comedic cast including Andy Samberg, Terry Crews, Andre Braugher, Chelsea Peretti, Stephanie Beatriz, Melissa Fumero, and Joe Lo Truglio, the series offered some of the greatest comedic moments on network television. Tacoma FD offers all of this and more for fans of ensemble workplace comedies like Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

What is 'Tacoma FD' About?

Much like Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Tacoma FD is a workplace comedy about first responders. Instead of a serious show about firefighters likeChicago Fire or Station 19, co-creators and Broken Lizard alumni Kevin Heffernan and Steve Lemme focus on the funny side of fire station life. Set in Tacoma, WA, a city that averages 41 inches of rain per year, the firefighters of Station 24 find themselves with a lot of free time on their hands. Sure, they get called out on emergency calls. Still, aside from fried turkey fires on Thanksgiving and accidental dispensary fires, most of their emergencies are non-fire related and completely over-the-top hilarious.

Tacoma FD follows the work lives of the A-shift firefighters of Station 24. Led by paperwork-loving, snack-a-holic Chief Terry McConky (Kevin Heffernan) and lady-loving shift commander Captain Eddie Penisi (Steve Lemme), the firefighters of Station 24 are ready to take on anything their city can dish out. Unfortunately for them, with few fires to fight in the damp Pacific Northwest climate, the group spends a lot of time at the station, leading to outrageous schemes and genuinely laughable moments.

'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' and 'Tacoma FD's Characters Are Perfection

The best thing about Brooklyn Nine-Nine is the phenomenal cast of characters. Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) is a highly perceptive and intelligent detective whose goofball antics and love of pranks always seem to throw a wrench into his investigations. Surly badass Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz) is always ready with a sarcastic comment, but under her prickly exterior is a forever loyal friend with a heart of gold. Sargeant Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews) is the caring father-type leader of the bunch whose eternal optimism and charisma make him instantly likable. Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) is an ultra-perfectionist who follows the rules to a "T" and loves paperwork. Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio) is Jake's BFF who happily follows Jake's schemes no matter what. He is laughably oblivious and lovably inept. Gina Linetti (Chelsea Peretti) is the sarcastic assistant who thinks of herself as a social media influencer and loves to poke fun at her less "cool" colleagues. Captain Raymond Holt, played by the late Andre Braugher, leads the precinct. Captain Holt's severe demeanor and deadpan expressions make for a hilarious opposition to the rarely serious group of detectives.

Like Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Tacoma FD offers a hilarious bunch of characters who play off each other perfectly. The two main stars of Tacoma FD are, of course, Kevin Heffernan and Steve Lemme. However, the other cast members are in no way eclipsed by these two comedic geniuses. In fact, each character is so perfectly defined and ideally cast that it's virtually impossible to pick a favorite.

When Paramedic Granfield "Granny" Smith (Marcus Henderson) isn't saving lives, he's watching British period dramas similar to Downton Abbey and turning his incident reports into captivating novellas. Hunky engine driver Ike Crystal (Gabriel Hogan) moonlights as an exotic dancer, and despite his efforts to fit in with the wise-cracking crew, he can't make a pun to save his life. The Dungeons & Dragons-obsessed Andy Myawani (Eugene Cordero) has an unusual relationship with his family, making for some hilarious commentary and awkward moments. The lone female of the bunch is the chief's daughter, Lucy McConky (Hassie Harrison), whose youthful ignorance makes for some terrific generational disconnects.

'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' and 'Tacoma FD' Have Great Recurring Characters

Among the many hysterical storylines in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, one of the funniest by far involves recurring guest star Craig Robinson as Doug Judy. In Season 1, Jake and Rosa team up to uncover the identity of Jake's arch nemesis, the Pontiac Bandit, with the help of Doug Judy. As it turns out, Doug Judy is the Pontiac Bandit, and in an elaborate scheme in which Judy pretends to help Jake and Rosa meet the real Pontiac Bandit, he escapes, only to return in Season 2. Throughout the series, Doug Judy shows up numerous times. His obvious rapport with Jake and his cool-guy vibe makes him one of the best additions to the show.

On Tacoma FD, another Broken Lizard alumnus, Paul Soter, joins the team in numerous episodes as firefighter Wolf Boykins, who is deeply despised by the crew. Boykins frequently changes roles within the fire department due to his ineptness and highly unlikable personality. He is over-confident, insecure, jealous, inappropriate, and downright hilarious. In "Fire Choir," Boykins attempts to prepare the cappella choir, which Granny and Eddie Penisi join, for a big performance at the local nursing home. Despite his complete lack of talent, his perfectionist attitude makes for riotous moments. In the Season 3 finale, "Fire at the Station," Boykins, now Fire Inspector, attempts to demonstrate how the station fire started and instead blows up the entire building. Soter commits fully to the unlikable character, and the result is comedy gold.

'Tacoma FD' is Binge-Worthy

Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Tacoma FD have a lot in common. Both shows flipped the script on typical first responder dramas by instead turning those stories into uproarious comedies. At their heart, both shows are about workplace antics and the friendships that develop when people spend lots of time together.

Tacoma FD offers a plethora of belly laughs with its outrageous storylines and fast-paced humor. Like the Season 2 episode "Ike and Mike," where Ike Crystal's jerk twin brother visits Ike to convince him to help him and his wife with their infertility challenges. Or the Season 3 episode "Rise of the Machines," which takes robotic automation station enhancements to Terminator-level insanity. The series couldn't be more outlandish and sidesplittingly funny. All four seasons are available to stream on Netflix, making Tacoma FD a highly satisfying binge-watch.

Tacoma FD is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.

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