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2 TV ENCORE By Kyla Brewer TV Media S hows about police officers have been a staple of the prime-time landscape for many years, and they seem to be back with a vengeance lately. While cop dramas are once again in vogue, one hit series takes a look at the lighter side of police work. Andy Samberg ("Saturday Night Live") returns as Det. Jake Peralta in the midseason pre- miere of "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," airing Tuesday, April 11, on Fox. Peralta and his colleagues at the NYPD's fictional 99th precinct solve crimes with a healthy dose of humor in the Golden Globe- winning sitcom, which has been on hiatus since Jan. 1, an episode that ended with a cliffhanger and left fans anxious for more. The fate of series regular Chelsea Peretti's ("Kroll Show") character Gina Linetti hangs in the balance since (spoiler alert!) she was hit by a bus in the most recent episode, and fans are con- cerned that the show may lose one of its beloved regulars. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter shortly after the episode aired, co-creator and showrunner Daniel Goor ("Parks and Recreation") weighed in on whether Gina will survive. "I think another valid question is: did the bus survive? Either way, audiences will see Chelsea again — she is a force of nature and one of the greatest comic minds out there." In a real-life plot twist, Peretti revealed earlier this year (though well after the bus episode aired) Avalle Mechanical 2 x 3" Pear Tree Gallery 3 x 2" Diversified General FCU 2 x 3" On the Cover that she's pregnant, and many fans speculate that her pending maternity leave is the driving force behind her character's bus- related trauma. Getting ready to step into first-time parenthood is no small thing, and Peretti and her husband, comedian and film- maker Jordan Peele ("Key & Peele"), have been receiving a lot of good will from "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" fans. We're all hoping that Gina will recuperate and return to the Nine-Nine in all her fabulous glory, but even if she doesn't, the rich tapestry of char- acters that make the comedy one of the highest-rated shows on broadcast television is reason enough to tune in. Samberg won a Golden Globe in 2014 for his role as Peralta, who is endearing, despite the fact that he doesn't always take his job seriously. His antics often frustrate other members of the team, especially his uber-serious boss, Capt. Ray Holt, played by fan favorite Andre Braugher. Before "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," Braugher was best known for his work in another cop show, the much more serious "Homicide: Life on the Street," which earned him an Emmy in 1998. So far, his role as Holt has netted him three consecutive Emmy nominations. Former NFLer-turned-actor Terry Crews ("Everybody Hates Chris") portrays Holt's second in command, Sgt. Terry Jeffords, the yogurt-loving father of three girls. Peralta's new girlfriend is none other than his by-the-book col- league Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero, "Gossip Girl"), who, until relatively recently, was annoyed by Peralta's on-duty shenanigans. Joe Lo Truglio ("The State") plays Det. Charles Boyle, Peralta's BFF, and mysterious, no- nonsense cop Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz, "Modern Family") serves as Peralta's part- ner. Joel McKinnon Miller ("Big Love") and Dirk Blocker ("Baa Baa Black Sheep") round out the cast as veteran detectives Scully and Hitchcock, respectively. Described as "Police Academy" (1984) meets "The Office," "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" has broad appeal for anyone looking to lighten up the work week. It also helps that the series has an impressive history of rounding up high-profile guest stars, and the remainder of sea- son 4 is no exception. Viewers can expect to see film actress Gina Gershon ("Showgirls," 1995) as the leader of an elite NYPD unit who inspires a competition between Peralta and Diaz. Other season 4 guest stars include NFL player Marshawn Lynch, Eric Roberts ("Runaway Train," 1985), Jim O'Heir ("Parks and Recreation"), Nathan Fillion ("Castle") and Greg Germann ("Ally McBeal"). Past "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" guests have included TV legend Rhea Perlman ("Cheers"), Zooey Deschanel ("New Girl"), Bill Hader ("Saturday Night Live"), Katey Sagal ("Sons of Anarchy"), Nick Cannon ("America's Got Talent") and even famed astro- physicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. The show has been popular since its very first season, garner- ing an 88 percent approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, which ranked the sec- ond season even higher than the first, with an impressive 100 per- cent. While last season clocked in at 90 percent, season 4 was back up to 100 percent as of press time. It's been so popular with TV viewers, the show has even expanded into other areas. "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" left its mark on the world of apps when, in 2015, production company Universal teamed up with RED Games to launch a puzzle game called Kwazy Cupcakes, inspired by a game featured in the series. Andre Braugher as seen in "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" Fans anxiously await return of 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' D&J Liquors 3 x 2" Direct Maytag 2 x 1.5"

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