Even with his emotionally distant demeanour and insistence on rules and discipline, here’s why Captain Holt is a good leader and mentor to his precinct.
Brooklyn 99 has gained a lot of popularity and following because of its straight humour and blatantly straight punchlines, and Captain Raymond Holt is to be blamed for at least some of it.
Highlights —
- Captain Holt: The ever-supportive, straight-faced boss
- Going out of his way to help?
- A leader who puts his team before him
One of the most fascinating characters in the series, Captain Raymond Holt’s (Andre Braugher) dynamic plays out between each of the characters in the ensemble cast. As the commanding officer of the precinct, Holt is the leader, but as the most experienced officer, he is also the mentor. What’s more, over the seasons, Captain Holt becomes something of a friend to several of the characters, notably Rosa.
Here’s why we need someone like Captain Holt in our lives.
Captain Holt: The ever-supportive, straight-faced boss
As the leader of the group, it falls upon Captain Holt to encourage and support his team, and he rises to every occasion. In one episode, Jake’s father is visiting him, and Jake is extremely excited about it and even ready to forgive him for his past deeds. But he still ends up disappointing him. Instead of being there for Jake in moments of his achievements, his father reveals himself to be utterly incapable. In that same episode, Captain Ray tells Jake that he’s proud of him. It is a wonderful moment, especially as Jake does view him as something of a father figure.
In another episode, Captain Holt, as a gay man himself, supports Rosa when she comes out as bisexual, helping her embrace herself for who she truly is. His words are visibly encouraging for Rosa, who is finding it hard since her family is not ready yet to accept her for who she is.
Going out of his way to help?
When Amy is trying to quit smoking, everyone does offer to help her with her resolve. But Captain Holt, given the person he is with his usual detachment to other people and their personal lives, goes out of his way to extend a helping hand to Amy. Drawing upon his own experiences as a gambling addict, he gives her advice and helps her in her endeavour to come out of her own addition.
In another episode, when it is revealed that Pimento is fired from his job, Captain Holt immediately comes to his aid, offering him financial help so that he can apply for a private investigator licence.
A leader who puts his team before him
Captain Raymond Holt always puts his team before him. In no other episode does this become more obvious than the time when in order to get Jake and Rosa out of prison, he puts himself in serious danger. He strikes a deal with an Irish mob boss for details on how Jake and Rosa were framed, in exchange of a favour he would owe him in the future. So, he quietly puts himself on the line for his team members.
Captain Holt is not only a good leader and mentor but also a good friend to his team. Why wouldn’t we want someone like that in our lives too?
