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Brooklyn Nine-Nine character guide

Who is Jake Peralta in Brooklyn Nine-Nine?

The brilliant but wildly immature star detective of Brooklyn's 99th Precinct, a Die Hard-quoting prankster who slowly grows up under the eye of his stone-faced new captain.

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Show
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Debut
2013
Network
FOX
Role
Lead
Gender
Male

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

Show
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Played by
Andy Samberg
First episode
“Pilot”Season 1, Episode 1, aired September 17, 2013
Role
Lead
Network
FOX
Occupation
NYPD detective, 99th Precinct
Show run
2013 to 2021Moved from FOX to NBC for its last three seasons.
Also known as
Jacob Peralta, Peralta, Detective Peralta

Jake Peralta closes more cases than anyone at the 99th Precinct and takes almost nothing else seriously. Played by Andy Samberg, he is the goofy, big-hearted center of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and his journey from overgrown kid to husband and father runs through all eight seasons.

On Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Jake Peralta's story runs through Amy Santiago (Wife), Raymond Holt (Captain and Father Figure), Charles Boyle (Best Friend), Rosa Diaz (Academy Classmate), Gina Linetti (Childhood Friend), and Doug Judy (Nemesis).

Jake Peralta from Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Sitcomdle character card

Who is Jake Peralta?

Jake is a detective at the NYPD's 99th Precinct in Brooklyn and, by his sergeant's account, its best. He is quick, perceptive, and fearless in the field, but he treats the squad room like a playground, with pranks, bets, and nonstop movie references. When the serious, by-the-book Captain Raymond Holt takes command in the pilot, their clash becomes the heart of the show.

Jake's goofiness covers a painful past. His father, an airline pilot, walked out when Jake was a child, which is why he cannot stand Thanksgiving and why he craves approval from the authority figures in his life. Over time, Holt becomes the father figure he never had.

Personality and comedy

Jake is a kid in a detective's body. He worships Die Hard, quotes it constantly, plans elaborate schemes for the precinct's annual Halloween heist, and cannot resist a juvenile joke. His running gag of turning a colleague's innocent sentence into the title of an imaginary sex tape is one of the show's signatures, along with his anxious "cool cool cool" when things go wrong.

The show never makes him stupid. Jake is a genuinely gifted cop, and his best moments come when his childish instincts and real skill line up. As the series goes on, he learns to listen, to apologize, and to put other people first without losing his sense of fun.

Key storylines

Jake spends the early seasons needling his partner Amy Santiago while hiding his feelings for her. He confesses before going undercover with the mob at the end of season one, they kiss at the end of season two, and they start dating in season three. He proposes during the season five Halloween heist, and they marry in the season five finale. Their son, Mac, is born in the season seven finale.

Along the way, Jake goes into witness protection in Florida with Holt, is framed by a corrupt lieutenant and sent to prison with Rosa, and keeps chasing his friendly nemesis Doug Judy, the Pontiac Bandit. In the series finale, Jake quits the NYPD to become a stay-at-home dad, determined to give his son the childhood he never had.

Behind the scenes and legacy

Andy Samberg, best known at the time for his years on Saturday Night Live, plays Jake in the show created by Dan Goor and Michael Schur. The first season won the Golden Globe for Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy, and Samberg won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy on the same night.

Jake and Captain Holt are the only two characters who appear in every episode of the series. Critics singled out the pairing of Samberg and Andre Braugher from the start, and Jake and Amy's slow-burn romance, from rivals to married parents, became the emotional spine of the series.

Key Jake Peralta episodes

  1. “Pilot”Season 1, Episode 1Jake meets his strict new commanding officer, Captain Holt, and refuses to take orders like wearing a tie seriously.
  2. “Halloween”Season 1, Episode 6Jake bets Holt he can steal his Medal of Valor by midnight, starting the precinct's Halloween heist tradition.
  3. “Johnny and Dora”Season 2, Episode 23An undercover assignment brings Jake and Amy together, and they share their first kiss.
  4. “Crime and Punishment”Season 4, Episode 22Framed by Lieutenant Hawkins, Jake and Rosa are found guilty at trial.
  5. “HalloVeen”Season 5, Episode 4Amy finds the heist's prize belt, only to discover Jake has changed its inscription into a marriage proposal.
  6. “The Last Day”Season 8, Episode 9Jake stages one final heist and reveals he is leaving the NYPD to raise his son.

Season and episode numbers follow the original broadcast order.

Jake Peralta's catchphrases

  • “Cool cool cool cool cool.”
  • “Noice.”
  • “Title of your sex tape.”

More lines fans still quote: famous sitcom catchphrases and who said them.

Famous sitcom couple

Jake Peralta: frequently asked questions

Who plays Jake Peralta in Brooklyn Nine-Nine?

Andy Samberg plays Jake Peralta. He won a Golden Globe for the role in 2014 and appears in every episode of the series.

Who does Jake Peralta marry?

Jake marries Amy Santiago. He proposes in "HalloVeen" during season five's Halloween heist, and they marry in the season five finale, "Jake & Amy."

Do Jake and Amy have a baby?

Yes. Their son, McClane "Mac," named after John McClane from Die Hard, is born in "Lights Out," the season seven finale.

What happens to Jake at the end of Brooklyn Nine-Nine?

In the series finale, "The Last Day," Jake leaves the NYPD to become a stay-at-home father so that Amy can lead the police reform program.

Why does Jake Peralta go to prison?

At the end of season four, Jake and Rosa are framed for bank robberies by Lieutenant Melanie Hawkins and found guilty. They are freed early in season five after Holt secretly trades a future favor to mob boss Seamus Murphy for the evidence that clears them.

Test yourself: Jake Peralta quiz

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

  1. Question 1

    Which NYPD precinct do Jake, Amy, Rosa, and the rest of the squad work out of?

    1. The 98th
    2. The 101st
    3. The 99th
    4. The 89th
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. The 99th

    The squad works out of the 99th Precinct in Brooklyn, which gives the show its name. Neighboring precincts pop up now and then, like the 98th in the season three episode "The 9-8."

    See question 1 in the full quiz

  2. Question 2

    Which action movie does Jake quote and reference more than any other?

    1. Die Hard
    2. Lethal Weapon
    3. Speed
    4. Point Break
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Die Hard

    Jake worships Die Hard, and in "Yippie Kayak" he finally gets to live out his own version when he is trapped in a store during a robbery.

    See question 2 in the full quiz

  3. Question 3

    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

  4. Question 4

    In the very first Halloween episode, what does Jake bet Holt he can steal before midnight?

    1. Holt's Medal of Valor
    2. Holt's badge
    3. Holt's watch
    4. Holt's office chair
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Holt's Medal of Valor

    In "Halloween," Jake gets the rest of the detectives in on his plan and grabs the medal before midnight, kicking off the precinct's annual Halloween heist.

    See question 6 in the full quiz

  5. Question 5

    What does Jake call a coworker's innocent sentence when he wants to turn it into a dirty joke?

    1. Name of your band
    2. Tagline of your movie
    3. Caption of your selfie
    4. Title of your sex tape
    Show the answer

    Answer: D. Title of your sex tape

    Jake springs the gag most often on Amy, spinning her most harmless remarks into imaginary video titles. It plays a lot like the squad's own version of a classic office punchline.

    See question 7 in the full quiz

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

Sources and corrections

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