Watching Hitchcock and Scully, the two laziest detectives on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, was undeniably hilarious. And I sometimes wonder what it would be like if we got a full-blown spin-off that dove into their glory days.
But here’s the thing: as much as I love the thought, I can’t shake the feeling that maybe some characters work best in small doses. However, I’d like to weigh in on both the possibilities, and perhaps then we might know if it’s a good idea or not.
Why a Hitchcock and Scully spinoff from Brooklyn Nine-Nine could be comedy gold
If there was one thing that Brooklyn Nine-Nine nailed like no other sitcom, it was balancing absurd humor with a lot of unexpected heart, and the duo of Hitchcock and Scully embodied it better than anybody. The flashback episode in season 2 revealed that before being overweight, half-balding, and lethargic, both were elite detectives in the ‘80s.
Wyatt Nash played young Hitchcock, while Alan Ritchson was featured as Scully. The episode teased a drug bust gone sideways, with a hidden fortune and noble sacrifice. Their chemistry was perfect for a buddy-cop comedy, and it was hard to believe that they were the same two characters we saw lazing around in the show.
Perhaps they could do a spinoff that parodies ‘80s cop shows, like Miami Vice meeting Brooklyn Nine-Nine. With amazing action and ridiculous one-liners, it seems like a formula that’s begging to be explored.
Why a Brooklyn Nine-Nine spinoff featuring Alan Ritchson might not work
The idea seems tempting, but I also believe that the charm lies in the mystery because the episode only worked as it had a self-contained story that led to us seeing them devolve into their present-day selves. So maybe a full-blown series about them would be like overexplaining the joke.
Also, Alan Ritchson is no longer just a side guy from some sitcom. He’s cemented himself as Hollywood’s action titan, and that changes everything because after seeing him as an unstoppable force in Reacher, it would be hard to buy him as a comedic sidekick again. However, I am in no way saying that he couldn’t pull it off.
Ritchson has some serious comedy chops, but with his show being a global hit, a full-time slapstick role would seem a bit weird, or it would seem like the same as Reacher but with a lot of gags and jokes.
The Hitchcock and Scully spinoff sounds amazing on paper, but sometimes the best stories are the ones left short and sweet. So the throwback scene in Brooklyn Nine-Nine was just enough to make us laugh, cheer, and wonder without overstaying its welcome.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
