Brooklyn Nine-Nine confirms that it will be doing a #MeToo episode in its sixth season. After it was cancelled by Fox last spring, the show was quickly revived by NBC with a new 18-episode season set to premiere on January 10th.
The fifth season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine ended on a high, but with a significant cliffhanger. Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) and Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) finally got married, and Captain Holt (Andre Braugher) got the phone result of his campaign to become the new police commissioner. The first teaser lent some clues about what audiences can expect to see this season, touching on whether or not Holt ends up getting the job during what appears to be Amy and Jake’s post-wedding celebration. Holt’s success or failure to become commissioner will reveal the outcome of the character’s long-term goal to become the first openly gay, black detective to achieve the rank. However, he won’t be the only character struggling to break social barriers in the coming season.
The upcoming season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine will feature a #MeToo storyline, that specifically centers around Santiago, according to TV Line. Though specifics of what this storyline will entail have not been revealed, the episode will also mark the directorial debut of costar Stephanie Beatriz, who plays Rosa Diaz. Fumero confirmed that Beatriz’s involvement was integral to making the episode work, saying:
Last summer, series creator Dan Goor stated the episode’s concept was under consideration, while Samberg (also a series producer) indicated that it would only move ahead on the condition that the show’s creative team could do the story justice. As for Beatriz’s role as director, she promises a side of Fumero that fans haven’t seen before, saying, “I think she’s [an] underrated actress. I don’t think people understand the scope of her talent, and I am really thrilled I got to be witness to it on set that week. Melissa’s a star.”
“I think it would have been nerve-wracking if it had been someone else, or someone I didn’t know. It was really wonderful to have my friend directing, where we already have a shorthand… It was so amazing to just have that trust, to feel protected and safe.”
Despite its comedic ethos, Brooklyn Nine-Nine has never shied from giving its characters heavy, politically-charged material. Season 4 saw an off-duty Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews) racially profiled by an unapologetic white police officer and in Season 5, Diaz tackles biphobia while coming out to her family. As for Amy, dealing with gender discrimination and sexual harassment will no doubt intersect with her goal to become the youngest captain in the NYPD’s history, which has, incidentally, been hinted at in prior episodes. For example, in season 5, she’s hesitant to go wedding dress shopping for fear of being looked down on by her male superiors, and season 4 involves a clash between Jake and Amy’s father Victor over her “best interests,” though she reminds them that neither has the right to make any decisions for her. The character is one of the series’ most beloved and watching her face an all-too-relatable issue will be monumental in the show’s mission to encourage important conversations.
Season 6 of Brooklyn Nine-Nine will premiere on January 10 at 9 p.m. EST on NBC.
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Source: TV Line
