Until a couple of months ago, the Andy Samberg-led showBrooklyn Nine-Nine, about a group of bumbling NYPD cops, was the toast of the town thanks to its clever writing and cast chemistry. But the recent Black Lives Matter protests over George Floyd’s death have cast a shadow on the way Hollywood depicts police. In an interview with People Magazine, Samberg revealed he and the rest of the cast of the show are trying to find a way to create the new season ofBrooklyn Nine-Ninewhile keeping in mind the current political climate.
“We’re taking a step back, and the writers are all rethinkinghow we’re going to move forward, as well as the cast. We’re all in touch and kind of discussing how you make a comedy show about police right now, and if we can find a way of doing that that we all feel morally okay about. I know that we’ll figure it out, but it’s definitely a challenge, so we’ll see how it goes.”
Andy Samberg, who shot to stardom thanks to his earlier work with comedy troupeThe Lonely Island, and a long stint on SNL, also acts as producer forBrooklyn Nine-Nine. Despite strong critical reviews, the show has already been canceled once before due to low ratings before findinga new home on NBC.
In the current climate, which has seen severalreality-based cop showscanceled and fictional shows about the police getting criticized for glorifying cops, the cast and producers ofBrooklyn Nine-Nineare wary of accidentally stepping on toes, so much so that Samberg’s fellow cast member Terry Crews had previously revealed that multiple planned episodes for the next season of the show were scrapped entirely.
“We’ve had a lot of somber talks about it and deep conversations and we hope through this we’re going to make something that will be truly groundbreaking this year. We have an opportunity and we plan to use it in the best way possible. Our showrunner Dan Goor, they had four episodes all ready to go and they justthrew them in the trash. We have to start over. This is an opportunity right now for us all to united and get together and understand what this is and that we have to battle this together.”
Online, the question over which directionBrooklyn Nine-Nineshould take for future seasons has divided audiences. Some are in favor of canceling the show altogether, while others recommend moving the entire premise of the series to a less charged setting, like a post-office. Finally, there are the fans who want to see the show continue with its current format, but find a way to comment on the recent real-life turmoil regarding the NYPD that the city has experienced.
For now, Samberg is gearing up for the release of his upcoming romantic comedyPalm Springs, which also stars J.K. Simmons, Peter Gallagher, Meredith Hagner, Camila Mendes, Tyler Hoechlin and June Squibb, and will be available to stream on Hulu starting July 10.People.com.
