Brooklyn Nine-Nine is known for its quirky, sometimes cringe-worthy, humor, but in season 8, the show will address the Black Lives Matter protests. The workplace comedy has tackled important issues before, so bringing the #BlackLivesMatter movement and racial inequality to the forefront won’t be anything new. The topic will still be a challenge for the show because it needs to be approachable; however, the show has directly attacked the issue of racial inequality before while still managing to be funny.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine regularly addresses serious issues with a light-hearted genuine feel that can make a complicated topic feel comfortable to talk about. Fans have seen women on the show frequently fight gender stereotypes on their jobs. And in one of the most real, tender yet funny episodes, Rosa (Stephanie Beatriz) came out as bisexual to her coworkers and family. Largely these hot-button episodes have been well-received by critics and fans alike, but the Black Lives Matter movement offers additional hurdles given the show's subject matter, which often glorifies the New York police force.
Terry Crews, who plays the lovable yet tough Terry Jeffords, confirmed in an interview with Seth Myers that the Brooklyn Nine-Nine team is already discussing how to adequately incorporate the topic into season 8. Adding complications to the episode's direction is Crews himself, who recently came under fire for comments he made on Twitter about the notion of black supremacy. There are a few ways the show can authentically address protests while staying true to Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine can take a couple of easy-to-incorporate steps that will help the episode have a positive impact. Above all, the producers and cast need to bring in anti-racist activists and people who have been abused by police officers along with progressive police officers to discuss proper messaging. From there, they could dedicate the first few minutes of the episode to discussing the importance of the Black Lives Matter protests and suggesting how viewers can get involved in the movement. It would help the episode's credibility to get a high-profile figure from the protests to appear in the episode itself. There's an opportunity for Captain Holt and Terry to discuss the additional stress that comes with being a black cop. One of them could even break ranks with the squad and the protestors.
The hit sitcom series has previously dealt with the issue of racial profiling by police. In Brooklyn Nine-Nine season 4, episode 16, "Moo Moo," Sergeant Jeffords is almost arrested by an officer simply for being in a nice neighborhood at night. After the officer its that his actions were racially-motivated, Jeffords reports him — costing Jeffords a position he applied for earlier in the episode. The episode's conclusion was clear: Jeffords was proud of himself for doing the right thing, and even though the immediate result was to his detriment, he knew he made the right move for long-term change.
In order for the episode to resonate with viewers, Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg). Overall, the episode will need to walk a fine line describing the pain of people who experience systemic racism everyday, all while the show comes from a police-centered point of view. No matter how Brooklyn Nine-Nine addresses the Black Lives Matter movement in season 8, sincerity mixed with the show's classic slapstick humor will be key for the episode to work.