Why Brooklyn Nine-Nine Ended After Season 8 [Update] - Screen Rant

There are few reasons why Brooklyn Nine-Nine is ending after season 8. Only a couple of years since Fox's original cancelation of the cop-centric sitcom, NBC is also pulling the plug from the project. But unlike the first time, this announcement came before its final outing aired, giving the showmakers ample time to craft a satisfying send-off to the 99th Precinct.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine was kicked off with the arrival of Captain Holt at the titular police station. There was some initial tension between him and some of his subordinates following years of being under a more relaxed leadership. Over time, everyone warmed up to each other. Particularly, Jake Peralta started to mature under his new mentor, while Captain Holt learned to let loose a bit and be comfortable with his new squad. Together with the rest of the detectives, they solved various cases around their vicinity while they also dealt with their personal lives.

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It's an understatement to say that the fan support that Brooklyn Nine-Nine received when it was first canceled was enormous — so much so that NBC picked it up. So why is the network dropping the series after just three seasons? There are a few reasons for this, and a couple of them are related. Firstly, despite the initial surge of viewership, ratings recently fell off for the sitcom. In season 6, the first outing that aired on NBC averaged 3.11 million viewers; in Brooklyn Nine-Nine season 7, it suffered a massive drop to just 2.69 million. This was the lowest rating the show had ever had, surpassing season 5, its last outing on Fox, where it tallied 2.71 million viewers. Additionally, Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality and the murder of minority groups by the police force drew international attention in June of 2020 and led many to questions surrounding how media portrays the police. Many networks have since moved away from cop-centric shows which are often dubbed "copaganda" for their propensity to show the police in a positive and relatable light. While Brooklyn Nine-Nine is one of the more progressive shows, having had storylines that criticize how the police handle police brutality and corruption, victims of sexual violence, and the profiling of non-white people, it was not exempt from this trend. Season 8 came with a promise that the show would tackle these sensitive issues as it concluded the series.

With many of the most compelling stories open to the show already having been told, Brooklyn Nine-Nine used its final season to provide a conclusion to each character's story that fit the times. Captain Holt and Amy Santiago spent the season working on a police reform proposal and were both promoted to begin the long task of trying to create positive change in the operations of the NYPD. Rosa Diaz started the series having quit the police force to become a private investigator because she could not stand continuing to be a part of the police establishment with the way that it was being operated. Jake Peralta eventually quit the force to focus on being a father. Combined with an antagonist for the series in the form of a police union organizer, Frank O'Sullivan (John C. McGinley), who was intent on ensuring that even the most corrupt and abusive officers were able to continue serving on the force, the show largely delivered on its promise to up its criticism of the police. However, even with many of the characters moving on from the police or working to make a positive change, the show continued to portray the police force as having some good cops who were positive and relatable in a way that could still draw criticism as copaganda.

As an emotional ending to Booklyn Nine-Nine, season 8 was a success with most characters getting an important and meaningful conclusion. Holt and Kevin were able to have a vow renewal and were seen in more intimate settings, Jake and Amy were able to work out how to continue to follow their dreams with their new family, and importantly Rosa was allowed to be happy just being her. The series also brought itself full circle with a finale that included guest appearances from Chelsea Peretti's Gina and a final Brooklyn Nine-Nine Halloween heist.

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