10 funniest Brooklyn Nine-Nine cold opens that still hold up

Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the Primetime Emmy nominee was popular for its lovable characters and belly-aching workplace jokes, but it was also a masterclass in crafting memorable cold openings. These cold opens were a fun gateway into the show, with comedy sketches that blended absurdity with character-driven brilliance.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine induces hearty laughs and a pool of nostalgia with these cold opens, starting from chaotic scenes of utter confusion to pop culture sing-alongs, even almost 4 years after its final episode.

Here are ten of the funniest cold opens that continue to hold up—and why they’re worth rewatching.

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10 funniest Brooklyn Nine-Nine cold opens that still hold up

1. 'I Want It That Way' line-up (Season 5, Episode 17 – “DFW”)

This titular phrase is now hailed as a cultural moment. Jake puts in position a suspect line-up and comically, casually asks each man to sing Backstreet Boys’ initial lines one after one, eventually leading to the famous line,

“I Want It That Way.”

What makes this cold open hilarious is not just the oddly-placed karaoke but how it harmonizes perfectly.

Jake, gets carried away in the melody and comes back to reality when the murder victim’s sister blurts out,

“Number five. Number five killed my brother.”

The comedic timing here is unmistakable, using the situational attribute to tease out a laugh. This scene remains one of the most-viewed Brooklyn Nine-Nine clips for obvious reasons, and it remains ever relevant in the pop-cultural scene.

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2. The full bullpen slide (Season 4, Episode 8 – “Skyfire Cycle”)

It is Jake again at the center of this one. Jake goes over enthusiastic and greets the bullpen by sliding across the floor… and the comic effect unfolds when all the detectives join in, one by one. Even a very reluctant Rosa eventually joined with a stony face.

The twist? Captain Holt walks in, as stone-faced as ever, and uttering the three words,

“Your move, Peralta.”

What makes this cold open appealing is its visual features and the gleaming characters played by a talented cast. Holt’s joining in the slide was the biggest twist, but audiences loved the unexpected sprinkle of sweet surprise.

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3. Amy runs late to work (Season 2, Episode 6 – “Jake and Sophia”)

If there is one character in Brooklyn Nine-Nine known for her punctuality, it has to be Amy. But on one occasion, she shows up late to work, and Holt is suspicious. When Amy gives Holt the reason why she was late, Holt starts firing a round of questions at her.

After a few questions, Holt randomly utters:

“Hot damn!”

This moment was both fun and wholesome. The viewers realise that Holt was only secretly testing her and loving every second of it. This cold open picks a random incident and, by stretching it just enough, transforms it into a hilarious interrogation packed with deadpan delivery.

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4. Dianne Wiest infection (Season 4, Episode 9 – “The Overmining”)

This cold open revolves around Boyle, who claims that he had a bad infection after Jake walks in and greets him. Boyle starts complaining about feeling sick. Right after he throws a hilarious pun:

“I think I have a Dianne Wiest infection.”

The pun is followed by an oddly long, awkward staring between Boyle and Jake.

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5. Hitchcock drinks a fish (Season 3, Episode 7 – “The Mattress”)

Scully is beaming about the glass jar that he got for free when he bought a store-bought lemonade. Scully is unaware that his jar is identical to that in which Hitchcock keeps his goldfish.

Jake sensed what was about to come and excitedly gathered the squad in the Break Room like he was about to direct a funny documentary. As expected, they all watch in horror and strange disbelief as Hitchcock accidentally drinks the lemonade—along with his own goldfish.

As the camera catches everyone with their horrified expressions across the bullpen, Charles is about to vomit. The cold opening is chaotic, dramatic, and downright bizarre.

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6. The marshmallow taste test (Season 4, Episode 7 – “Mr. Santiago”)

This cold open comes from the squad of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The squad wondered how Holt would react to tasting a marshmallow for the first time ever in his life.

Everyone comes up with their own scenarios: Will he love it? Hate it? Will he complain about the texture? When Holt arrives, he rather calmly chews one and then breaks into an uncanny impression of Boyle’s laugh.

The squad is dumbfounded by this jarring, hilarious moment. This is a perfect example of Holt turning his stoic persona into a fully comic script.

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7. Wife or dog? (Season 6, Episode 5 – "A Tale of Two Bandits")

Jake asks if the name “Kelly” belongs to Scully’s wife or his dog. Things turn funny when the squad realizes that none of them knows. To answer the question at hand, they play a game of "Wife or Dog, but Scully’s answers barely help the situation.

The brilliance? The audience also gets involved in this odd game, and the real answer is only found in episodes later in Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

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8. Holt’s yogurt betrayal (Season 2, Episode 18 – "Captain Peralta")

Holt, the stone-faced captain, values his yogurt very much. When it gets missing, he interrogates the squad like they’ve committed some high-profile act of treason. The simple situation is taken to comic brilliance as Holt treats the snacking chaos as a high-level crime scene.

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9. The Kwazy Cupcakes Trap (Season 1, Episode 22 – "Charges and Specs")

Terry sneaks time on an addictive mobile game called Kwazy Cupcakes. The squad notices and taunts him on this. Captain Holt lectures him strictly about the importance of professionalism.

This memorable cold open ends with a dramatic twist by revealing that Holt has become totally addicted to the game himself. Eventually, the entire squad starts to enjoy the game.

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10. Holt’s Thanksgiving burn (Season 2, Episode 7 – "Lockdown")

Captain Holt delivers his Thanksgiving plan with a verbal takedown, all the while maintaining his signature calm. He throws a few truth bombs:

“Your turkey’s dry, your family’s insane, and you’re all terrible people.”

These lines were uttered with a masterclass deadpan expression, marking another quintessential Holt-some moments in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. What makes this cold open brilliant is the dry humor and the signature calmness from the Captain.

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Some honorable mentions:

1. Holt's mid-street dance-off in Season 3, Episode 11.
2. Hitchcock and Scully's past life in Season 6, Episode 2.

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Also Read: “It’s a gift that keeps giving”: Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s star Andy Samberg reflects on the show’s enduring appeal