It was the cancellation heard ’round the internet. Fox axed beloved comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine, much to the shock and downright anger of critics and fans. People couldn’t believe the brilliant comedy that tackled heartfelt issues and powerful diverse and inclusive stories could be canceled just like that. But thankfully NBC came to the rescue just a few days later and picked up Brooklyn Nine-Nine for another season on a new network, and all was right in the world.
But with the move from Fox to NBC, fans thought the comedy could undergo some changes. What if Brooklyn Nine-Nine wouldn’t be the same series we’ve all loved for the past five years? Luckily executive producer Dan Goor is here to alleviate all your concerns with the promise that despite all the behind-the-scenes upheaval the last few months, this is still going to be the same show you’ve always loved. All together now: Nine-Nine!
Speaking at the 2018 Summer Television Critics Association press tour, Goor told the room full of critics and journalists happily snacking on Brooklyn Nine-Nine donuts that he hasn’t been forced by his new bosses at NBC to change a single thing. “The mandate from NBC all along is, we know this show, please keep making this show,” he said. “I think it’s going to be better this year. There are no substantive changes in our approach to the show or anything else. We don’t feel like we’ve run our course.”
The showrunner remembered the moment he found out Brooklyn Nine-Nine was un-canceled and the worry began to set in that there was “more pressure than ever before” now that there had been so much conversation around the last-minute save.
“It will be funnier. More heartfelt. Better guest stars. More everything. Longer. Shorter,” he riffed with a false bravado before getting serious. “The people we worked with at Fox were always really excellent with our show. We had a lot of creative freedom there and our experiences so far with NBC have been fantastic. The lines of communication are great. There’s a really good feeling. So more of the same but better.”
Series star Andy Samberg promised they’re taking all of the fan passion that helped save their show and infusing it into the new season. “It’s a show we have loved making so much and we know the fanbase we have is very passionate about the show,” he said. But the intense fan fervor and conversations about the show’s un-cancellation also pushed the comedy into a new space in pop culture. “It gave the show a story,” he added. “It’s in the zeitgeist now. We’ll take it.”
One of Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s biggest strengths, aside from the heart and chemistry between all the characters, is how the comedy takes serious, real-world issues and manages to create truly hilarious storylines that are incredibly prescient. Season six won’t be losing that as the show moves to NBC.
“These more topical issues-oriented episode are really hard to do, but we’re really happy with how they turned out,” Goor said. “We definitely want to make it funny in an organic way but we want to give weight to the issue and really explore it in a fair way. We definitely intend to keep doing that and going down the road of Rosa’s interactions with her parents and her journey in coming out and there are other issues. We are really interested in trying to do a #MeToo storyline. It’s something we’re actively talking about in the writers room.”
Samberg added, “We want to make sure we’re doing it in the right way and do it justice.”
Series star Andre Braugher couldn’t help but praise Goor and the rest of the Brooklyn Nine-Nine writers with how they’ve handled delicate, sensitive issues in the past as proof that they can tackle something like taking the #MeToo movement and making people laugh while still being respectful. “These guys have a gift for translating serious subject matter in a comedic way,” he said. “The active shooter episode, the ‘Moo Moo’ episode, Rosa coming out, these all have a dramatic depth.” And they’re hella funny too.
How excited are you to see Brooklyn Nine-Nine back on our TV screens where it belongs? Celebrate with us in the comments section below!
Brooklyn Nine-Nine will return midseason on NBC.
Images: NBC
