10 Best Sitcom Casts Of The 21st Century (So Far)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine takes a similar approach to casting as Parks and Recreation, which makes sense considering that they share co-creator Mike Schur and legendary casting director Allison Jones. The two acclaimed sitcoms share casts which mixes established performers (such as Andy Samberg, Terry Crews and Andre Braugher) with new discoveries (such as Melissa Fumero and Stephanie Beatriz), from a variety of performing backgrounds. As with Parks and Recreation, that approach to casting pays off wonderfully here.

The established performers of the cast play on their established personas and past roles while offering something new and surprising. Andy Samberg initially seems to be playing an extension of his goofy SNL shtick but reveals a surprising depth and charm in Jake Peralta as the show progresses.

Terry Crews’ character may be a muscly gym fanatic like many of his other characters, but he is also a devoted father and responsible friend and co-worker. Finally, Andre Braugher puts a brilliantly comedic spin on the hardened detective archetype he perfected in the 90s, achieving the feat of remaining gloriously deadpan whilst delivering truly ridiculous pieces of dialogue.

That’s without delving into the revelatory performances of Melissa Fumero and Stephanie Beatriz, each of who could be argued to be the shows secret weapon. Above all, this cast is so appealing that you want to hang out with them at work and be a part of their squad.