The smash-hit cop comedy is returning for one last series.
Police sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine made its TV debut back in 2013, with Andy Samberg crashing onto our screens as childish yet loveable detective Jake Peralta. Fans quickly fell for him, and the entire cast of hilarious and endearing characters.
With this year marking the show’s eighth birthday, it seems only fitting that it retires on its own terms at the end of season eight – a series we’ve been waiting the whole pandemic to watch.
While we don’t know a huge amount about the upcoming episodes as of yet, NBC recently published a poster for the new season, promising that it’ll be a wild last ride – before adding: “Title of your sex tape” in typical Jake Peralta fashion.
Hop in. Season 8 is going to be a wild ride. #Brooklyn99 pic.twitter.com/daH3yfE5Uj
— Brooklyn Nine-Nine (@nbcbrooklyn99) July 14, 2021
Meanwhile, Stephanie Beatriz, who plays Rosa Diaz on the sitcom, told Bustle last month that season eight would be “super toit”.
“Obviously you can’t make everyone happy, but we will hopefully make a lot of people happy,” she added.
Here’s everything you need to know about Brooklyn Nine-Nine season eight.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine season 8 release date UK
It’s been a long wait – but Brooklyn Nine-Nine is finally set to return in the US on Thursday 12th August 2021.
The news was announced in a teaser clip that recapped some of the highlights of previous seasons – turns out someone actually counted every time the word “cool” was said…
It was previously reported that season eight would not premiere until after the Tokyo Olympics, which airs on Brooklyn Nine-Nine broadcaster NBC in the US.
It’s unknown currently when viewers in the UK will be able to watch the new season, but season seven started airing on E4 on 26th March 2020, over a month after the US premiere on 6th February.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s upcoming season was initially slated to air in autumn 2020 according to NBC’s schedule, but was pushed back to this year, with Andre Braugher (Captain Raymond Holt) announcing on Twitter in August: “We’re back…in 2021 that is.”
We’re back… in 2021 that is. ???? #Brooklyn99 returns to @nbc in the new year! pic.twitter.com/wUzD89tDPw
— Andre Braugher (@AndreBraugher) August 27, 2020
Thankfully, filming on season eight began in December, with Joe LoTruglio (Charles Boyle) updating fans with an Instagram pic captioned: “We’re home. SEASON 8.”
The good news was short-lived however as production on the series was paused in January due to a surge in coronavirus infections and COVID-19 deaths in Los Angeles, Deadline reported at the end of last year.
In February, B99 star Andy Samberg told LadBible: “We started shooting, then we shut back down. So we’re waiting to come back again.
“It’s scheduled for the fairly near future for us to return. There are a few factors going on – the surge in the (COVID) numbers in Los Angeles is a big one,” he added. ”There is a continuity to the people and the stories and the set becomes its own organism and you don’t want to disrupt that. I think you can (lose a bit of rhythm), and we’ll find that out when we come back.”
Thankfully, the cast and crew returned to set at the beginning of April, with Melissa Fumero (Amy Santiago) announcing on Twitter: “Ba ba ba back in the Nine Nine!!!” while Lo Truglio posted a video of him transforming into Boyle ahead of filming, captioned: “Back to Boyle. Vacation’s over!”
Filming finally wrapped on 10th June 2021, leading to some rather emotional social media posts from the cast after eight years of shooting together.
Fumero shared a glimpse of her work pass and told fans: “Each day was full of laughter, of excitement, of nerves, of confidence, of elated exhaustion, and of beautiful friendship & collaboration.”
Even Hitchcock and Sully got an emotional farewell, with Hitchcock actor Dirk Blocker paying tribute to the show and long-time co-star Joel McKinnon Miller by saying: “I’ve never experienced the level of chemistry we shared, and I can’t imagine a better job.”
After years hoping for a gig this sweet we knew to cherish these days, and we did. I’ve never experienced the level of chemistry we shared, and I can’t imagine a better job. @JoelMcKMiller
— Dirk Blocker (@DirkBlocker) July 7, 2021
#99!
Season8: August 12. pic.twitter.com/3gTZqhOimJ
It was a rough start for Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s eighth and final season, with the coronavirus pandemic causing huge delays and last year’s global protests against police brutality having reportedly caused the writing team to reconsider their approach to upcoming episodes.
Terry Crews told Access in June last year that the first four episodes of the new series had already been scrapped and there were plans to start over.
Crews said, “Right now, we don’t know which direction we’re going to go in, but we do know that we’ve had a lot of somber talks, we’ve had a lot of very, very deep conversations, and through this we hope to bring something that could really, really truly be groundbreaking this year.
“We have an opportunity here and we plan to use it in the best, best way possible.”
Brooklyn Nine-Nine season 8 trailer
While it’s hard to believe that B99 is coming to an end with its eighth season, it began to feel real when NBC released the first proper trailer for the comedy’s last outing in May.
Part trailer and part featurette, the minute-long clip teases fun moments to come – including a hilariously on-brand drum roll from Captain Holt – as well as interviews with the cast about their time on the show.
Save the date for Season 8, Nine-Niners. The final season of #Brooklyn99 arrives Thursday, August 12 on @NBC. pic.twitter.com/RLYKyEbxxP
— Brooklyn Nine-Nine (@nbcbrooklyn99) May 20, 2021
Will Brooklyn Nine-Nine end with season 8?
Unfortunately, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is set to end with its upcoming eighth season.
Co-creator Dan Goor released a statement in February explaining the decision, as well as thanking the show’s loyal viewers. “I feel lucky that we have had the best fans in the world. Fans who literally saved us from cancellation. Fans who fill us with joy,” he said. “Ending the show was a difficult decision, but ultimately, we felt it was the best way to honour the characters, the story and our viewers. I know some people will be disappointed it’s ending so soon, but honestly, I’m grateful it lasted this long.”
Speaking to LadBible, star Joe Lo Truglio added “All the stories have been told. It’s not unexpected, NBC couldn’t have been more supportive but it’s our decision.”
Though the eighth (and final) season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine will land a little later than anticipated, the last episodes are described by Lo Truglio as “a victory lap”.
Fumero described filming the final season as “bittersweet” but added that fans can expect a satisfying conclusion.
“I’m really proud of this season,” she told ComicBook.com. “I think it’s going to be a really satisfying end I hope for the viewers and just trying to think of it as like the victory lap, celebrating the show, celebrating the people I work with.”
Is Brooklyn Nine-Nine on Netflix?
If you fancy starting Brooklyn Nine-Nine from the very beginning, then you’re in luck – seasons one to seven are currently available to stream on Netflix.
The most recent seventh season, which originally aired in February last year, arrived on Netflix for UK viewers in March.
The best day of the year is when we can *actually* give you an answer when you ask where the next season of B99 is. Today is that day.
— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) January 26, 2021
Brooklyn Nine-Nine S7 comes to Netflix UK/IE on 26 March.
What is Brooklyn Nine-Nine about?
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Brooklyn Nine-Nine follows the NYPD’s 99th police precinct as they solve crime and catch criminals, all while getting into all sorts of shenanigans in the process.
The series centres around Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg), an unconventional and immature detective who at first clashes with his boss Captain Holt, before they develop a mutual respect and fondness for one another.
What will happen in Brooklyn Nine-Nine season 8?
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The Brooklyn Nine-Nine writing team hasn’t given much away in terms of plot, however the show’s creator Dan Goor did reveal in April that they were working out how to include the coronavirus pandemic into this season’s storyline.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, he said that the writers do not want the show to be ignorant of its impact on frontline workers.
“I don’t think anybody wants us to, nor do we want to, have our characters toiling away in the depths of the pandemic,” he said. “But the question is how they have been affected by the virus and the pandemic as New York City residents and as first responders in New York City.”
“How do we keep the show funny? How do we do that while still making them of this world and of their world? It’s challenging,” he continued.
The recent killing of George Floyd could also impact B99’s season eight, with actor Terry Crews (Terry Jeffords) revealing that the cast and crew are assessing how to go forward with the series in light of the Black Lives Matter protests.
“We actually all got on a Zoom call just the other day, because of what’s happening in this country and we were witnessing so many abuses of power,” he said on Late Night with Seth Meyers in June.
“We had some somber talks and some really eye opening conversation about how to handle this new season.”
Former star Chelsea Peretti, who played Gina Linetti from series one until season five, also said that the writers are working to “reshape” the upcoming season in light of the Black Lives Matters movement and calls to defund the police.
“I’m very curious and interested to see what they do,” she told IndieWire. “I get what people are saying. I get their concerns, and you know, my thought was like, ‘They should just defund the police!’ And have everyone going to do community-oriented work.”
She continued: “That’s probably not what they’re going to do. But I’m looking forward to seeing what they do because I know they have to respond to this, the unfortunate reality that policing has been and is.”
More recently, Crews told ET that the upcoming series would be “intense” but also “lovely”.
“It’s gonna be fun. We’ve been in tears, because we finished it. It’s [been] eight seasons of joy,” he added.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine season 8 cast
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Andy Samberg will of course return as Jake Peralta, with Andre Braugher playing his boss Captain Holt, Joe Lo Truglio starring as his best friend and colleague Boyle and Melissa Fumero portraying his wife and colleague Amy Santiago.
We also expect to see Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz), neurotic desk sergeant Terry (Terry Crews) and inveterate losers Hitchcock and Scully (Dirk Blocker and Joel McKinnon Miller) this series.
Guest stars have not yet been announced for season eight, but Craig Robinson has made numerous appearances throughout the show as Pontiac Bandit Doug Judy so it’s likely we’ll see him again.
Sadly, Chelsea Peretti most likely won’t return full-time to play fan-favourite Gina Linetti as she left the cast during season six – but she has returned for the odd guest appearance so hopefully we haven’t seen the last of Gina.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is available to stream on All4 in the UK. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out my TV Guide.