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Brooklyn Nine-Nine character guide

Who is Doug Judy in Brooklyn Nine-Nine?

The smooth, charming, pop-culture-loving car thief known as the Pontiac Bandit, Jake Peralta's slippery arch-nemesis who keeps escaping him and slowly becomes one of his closest friends.

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Doug Judy's Sitcomdle clue card

The five clues the game shows when Doug Judy is the answer or a guess.

Show
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Debut
2014
Network
FOX
Role
Recurring
Gender
Male

Doug Judy has not been a daily answer yet. Play today's Sitcomdle or play the Brooklyn Nine-Nine Wordle.

Show
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Played by
Craig Robinson
First episode
“Pontiac Bandit”Season 1, Episode 12, aired January 7, 2014
Role
Side character
Network
FOX
Occupation
Car thief known as the Pontiac Bandit
Show run
2013 to 2021Moved from FOX to NBC for its last three seasons.
Also known as
The Pontiac Bandit, Pontiac Bandit, Douglas Judy

Doug Judy is the Pontiac Bandit, a laid-back master car thief who always seems to be one step ahead of Jake Peralta. Played by Craig Robinson, he shows up about once a season, steals the episode, and usually gets away.

On Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Doug Judy's story runs through Jake Peralta (Nemesis and Best Friend), Rosa Diaz (Crush), Raymond Holt (Uneasy Ally), Terry Jeffords (Case Partner), and Amy Santiago (Cruise Bodyguard).

Doug Judy from Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Sitcomdle character card

Who is Doug Judy?

Doug Judy is a thief and forger who steals Pontiacs and only Pontiacs. Jake has chased the mysterious Pontiac Bandit for years without knowing who he is. In season one, Rosa brings in Doug Judy as a witness who claims he can lead them to the Bandit, and only after he escapes do they realize he was the Bandit all along.

He is devoted to his mother, and family keeps dragging him back into trouble: a dangerous foster brother, George, and a younger sister, Trudy, both end up at the center of later adventures.

Personality and comedy

Doug Judy is the cool, unbothered mirror image of Jake. They share the same love of pop culture, the same playful energy, and the same instinct to turn a tense situation into a bit. Their banter, complete with singalongs and big hugs, is a big part of why his episodes are fan favorites.

He is clever, never loses his temper, and almost never gets caught. He also has a soft spot for Rosa and keeps serenading her with a made-up song about her, much to her annoyance. Even when he is breaking the law, it is hard not to root for him.

Key storylines

After his first escape, Doug Judy returns in season two to trade information on a drug ring and slips away again. In season three he hides from a hitman as the entertainer on Jake and Amy's vacation cruise. In season four, he helps Jake and Holt capture his escaped foster brother and earns immunity for his past crimes in exchange for becoming an informant.

Later, he stages a hostage situation to get Jake's help against a criminal threatening his mother, fakes his own death to escape a former associate and then discovers that the new copycat Pontiac Bandit is his sister Trudy, and gets engaged to a federal judge, asking Jake to be his best man. In the final season, he is arrested for crimes in New Jersey, and after one last battle of wits, Jake slips him a pen to get out of his handcuffs. He ends up in Amsterdam with his wife.

Behind the scenes and legacy

Craig Robinson, already beloved by sitcom fans as Darryl Philbin on The Office, plays Doug Judy as a guest in all eight seasons. Robinson is a real-life musician who performs with his band, The Nasty Delicious, and that side of him shows up in Doug Judy's piano gig on the cruise ship and his habit of breaking into song.

Doug Judy was never a main cast member, but his once-a-season appearances became an event for fans. The cat-and-mouse friendship between Jake and Doug, two men who clearly adore each other while standing on opposite sides of the law, is a big reason fans count the Pontiac Bandit episodes among the show's best.

Key Doug Judy episodes

  1. “Pontiac Bandit”Season 1, Episode 12Doug Judy helps Jake and Rosa hunt the Pontiac Bandit, then escapes and reveals he is the Bandit.
  2. “The Pontiac Bandit Returns”Season 2, Episode 10Captured at last, Doug Judy trades information on a drug ring and gets away again.
  3. “The Cruise”Season 3, Episode 13Jake and Amy find Doug Judy working as the entertainer on their cruise and end up protecting him from a hitman.
  4. “The Fugitive”Season 4, Episode 11Doug Judy helps Jake and Holt catch his escaped foster brother and wins immunity.
  5. “A Tale of Two Bandits”Season 6, Episode 5Doug Judy fakes his death and teams with Jake and Terry to unmask a copycat, his sister Trudy.
  6. “PB & J”Season 8, Episode 5Jake escorts an arrested Doug Judy to prison for one last adventure, and the Bandit escapes once more.

Season and episode numbers follow the original broadcast order.

Doug Judy: frequently asked questions

Who plays Doug Judy in Brooklyn Nine-Nine?

Craig Robinson plays Doug Judy, the Pontiac Bandit. Robinson is also known for playing Darryl Philbin on The Office.

How often is Doug Judy in Brooklyn Nine-Nine?

Roughly once a season. He is a guest in every season, from "Pontiac Bandit" in season one to "PB & J" in season eight.

Does Jake ever catch Doug Judy?

Several times, but Doug Judy almost always escapes. In the final season's "PB & J," Jake secretly helps him slip away, and he ends up in Amsterdam with his wife.

Who does Doug Judy marry?

Doug Judy marries Katherine Joyner, a federal judge. In season seven's "The Takeback," he asks Jake to be his best man.

Who is Trudy Judy?

Trudy is Doug's younger sister, played by Nicole Byer. In season six's "A Tale of Two Bandits," she turns out to be the copycat behind a new wave of Pontiac Bandit thefts.

Test yourself: Doug Judy quiz

5 questions about Doug Judy. Think of your answer, then open the reveal to check it.

  1. Question 1

    Which recurring character turns out to be the Pontiac Bandit, the car thief Jake has chased for years?

    1. Adrian Pimento
    2. Jimmy Figgis
    3. Doug Judy
    4. Seamus Murphy
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. Doug Judy

    In "Pontiac Bandit," Doug Judy poses as a witness helping Jake and Rosa, then escapes and reveals he was the Bandit all along.

    See question 4 in the full quiz

  2. Question 2

    Who plays Doug Judy in Brooklyn Nine-Nine?

    1. Judy Reyes
    2. Danny Pudi
    3. William Jackson Harper
    4. Craig Robinson
    Show the answer

    Answer: D. Craig Robinson

    Craig Robinson plays Doug Judy.

  3. Question 3

    In what year did Doug Judy first appear on Brooklyn Nine-Nine?

    1. 2014
    2. 2011
    3. 2018
    4. 2010
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. 2014

    Doug Judy debuted in 2014, in "Pontiac Bandit" (Season 1, Episode 12). That year is the Debut clue in the game.

  4. Question 4

    Which episode was Doug Judy's first?

    1. "Birth, Death, Love and Rice"
    2. "The Stake Out"
    3. "Pontiac Bandit"
    4. "The Mama Who Came to Dinner"
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. "Pontiac Bandit"

    Doug Judy first appeared in "Pontiac Bandit," Season 1, Episode 12.

  5. Question 5

    Which best describes Doug Judy?

    1. NYPD captain, 99th Precinct
    2. Car thief known as the Pontiac Bandit
    3. Kid, then college student and aspiring artist
    4. Sales associate and in-store announcer, Cloud 9
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. Car thief known as the Pontiac Bandit

    Doug Judy: Car thief known as the Pontiac Bandit.

Take the full Brooklyn Nine-Nine quiz (30 questions)

Sources and corrections

Reference pages used for this guide, including character, cast, and episode details.

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