In 'Grosse Pointe Garden Society,' star Melissa Fumero is a messy socialite with secrets

The soapy new drama takes Fumero, who played the former perfectionist police officer Amy Santiago in the hit comedy "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," into new territory.

Melissa Fumero rose to fame for her portrayal of the perfectionist, Type A police officer Amy Santiago on the long-running sitcom “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” But in the soapy new NBC drama “Grosse Pointe Garden Society,” Fumero has been given a rare opportunity to let loose as a messy socialite hiding her own dark secrets.

Created by “Good Girls” executive producers Jenna Bans and Bill Krebs, the new series stars Fumero as Birdie Bradley, an entitled bestselling author who, after crashing her car while under the influence, is forced to complete court-mandated community service at a garden club in the tony enclave of Grosse Pointe, Michigan.

Six months after her arrival ruffles feathers among the clan of garden-loving suburbanites, Birdie and three other members — realtor Catherine (Aja Naomi King), aspiring car restoration business owner Brett (Ben Rappaport) and high school teacher Alice (AnnaSophia Robb) — find themselves conspiring to get away with murder on the night of the club’s winter gala. The first season plays out across two timelines: the months leading up to the murder, and then the night when the mysterious death takes place (and its immediate aftermath).

“I was a little bit scared to read for Birdie just because she felt like such a big character that could easily be a caricature,” Fumero told NBC News. “But then I just went for it, and now she might be one of my most favorite characters I’ve ever played.”

It’s evident how much fun Fumero has had chewing the scenery. While Birdie can come across as a little abrasive and out of touch, Fumero believes Birdie is a street-smart survivor who has realized she can use “her looks, her sass and her energy” to attract the attention of wealthy men and build her brand.