Spoiler warning for anyone who hasn’t watched Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Season 2 finale.
Season finales almost always include some element of surprise, usually in the form of a cliffhanger, to keep audiences talking during the long hiatus between seasons. Brooklyn Nine-Nine actually gave its audiences two huge moments back to back (and a cliffhanger), the bigger of which being that Captain Ray Holt and his administrator Gina Linetti are leaving the Nine-Nine, effective immediately. But thankfully, their fictional departure is not indicative of a real-life exit from actors Andre Braugher and Chelsea Peretti. It’s all for the comedy.
When Brooklyn Nine-Nine returns to Fox for Season 3 next year, we will definitely still be following the lives of Holt and Gina. (We won’t blame you for thinking that Braugher’s surprisingly emotional goodbye to his crew would mean permanent changes behind-the-scenes.) Series co-creator Dan Goor spoke with THR about the episode, and here’s what he said when asked if the characters were leaving the show.
They are still regulars and we will be following them. The idea behind Gina going with Holt was to make it as clear as possible that Holt was not leaving the show, but they will be leaving the Nine-Nine at the beginning of the season. You’ll see a new captain of the Nine-Nine and you’ll see Gina and Holt in their new job.
That new job will be with the Department of Public Relations, a “promotion” that Holt was given by his hands-on nemesis and bureau chief Madeline Wuntch (played with feisty precision by Kyra Sedgwick). By tagging along with the former captain and his adoring subordinate, whose decision to join him was almost too quick to earn a Jerry Maguire comparison, Brooklyn Nine-Nine will give audiences a chance to meet a bunch of new characters, not the least of which is whatever captain will be replacing Holt. The episode ends on the elevator doors opening, but we don’t get to see who’s behind them, which makes sense as Goor says they haven’t even cast anyone for the role yet. Here’s what he shared about new faces coming to the show.
There’s a chance that it’s just a new captain and there’s a chance that there’s a new captain and a new Gina. It’ll be very cool to see how the new captain acts like a stone tossed into a lake and see what ripples come from that, and there’s a chance to meet some new people in Holt’s office as well.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a show that makes the most out of its cast and guest stars, so I can’t wait to see who joins the team in the offseason. (Anybody want to make any bets?) I’m a little less interested in seeing how Jake and Santiago’s lip-locking affects their relationship, but I bet the writers will handle it with un-Boyle-like prestige.
