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Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 8 is the first season of the NBC show to air after the Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality that erupted after the death of George Floyd.
Detective Rosa Diaz (played by Stephanie Beatriz) is just one of the characters who is affected by the BLM movement in the season premiere, airing on August 12 on NBC.
In the opening minutes of the show, Diaz announces she has quit the force in order to become a private detective, with later scenes seeing her explaining her uneasiness at being part of the police after the protests.
As Diaz remains a fan favorite character on the show (which ends this season), many viewers watching the Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 8 premiere may worry that her quitting the 99 may be the end of her run on the show.
Is Stephanie Beatriz Leaving 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine'?
Fans can rest assured. Diaz is going nowhere. Beatriz appears across the five episodes given to critics in the lead-up to the NBC show airing its final season. In the season premiere, she reveals she has left the police to become a private detective, helping those who have been the victims of police brutality.
This comes after Beatriz has publicly expressed uneasiness with playing a cop amid the anti-police protests. In June 2020, she made an $11,000 contribution to the National Bail Fund Network, tweeting, "I'm an actor who plays a detective on tv. If you currently play a cop? If you make tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in residuals from playing a cop? I'll let you do the math."
I’m an actor who plays a detective on tv. If you currently play a cop? If you make tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in residuals from playing a cop?
I’ll let you do the math. (Thanks @GriffLightning for leading the way). pic.twitter.com/Xxf3dU0urF
The following day, she tweeted a statement that the Brooklyn Nine-Nine team were making a $100,000 donation to the network, writing: "The cast and showrunner of Brooklyn 99 condemn the murder of George Floyd and support the many people who are protesting police brutality nationwide."
This Diaz storyline is part of a wider effort to explore police brutality in the show, amid criticism that the series was pro-police "copaganda."
A previous season included an episode in which Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews) experienced racial profiling, but in interviews lead actor Andy Samberg has pledged to up these efforts in Season 8.
He told Variety: "Our characters need to examine their roles in the world. They're going to be forced to look in the mirror and see who they're complicit with."
The SNL alum added: "The challenge is going to be being honest about what is going on in the world and not shying away from the fact that there are serious problems, and also not punishing viewers who like our show and care about our characters."
Crews told Seth Meyers that the cast and crew had "had some somber talks and some really eye-opening conversation about how to handle this new season."
Brooklyn Nine-Nine Season 8 airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT on NBC.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine premiered nearly 10 years ago and a lot has changed since viewers first met the eclectic squad.
Aside from the comedy moving from Fox to its current home at NBC, the characters themselves have also gone through evolutions of their own since the show’s debut. But no matter what milestones the Nine-Nine has reached, whether personal or professional, one thing has remained consistent: the support they have for each other.
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As the final season unfolds, we’re taking a look back at how much the Nine-Nine has changed since 2013. Below, see who has transformed the most.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Seasons 8, Thursdays, 8/7c, NBC
When we first met the detective, he was a bit of a man-child with a taste for dangerous cases and an obsession with Die Hard.
Now, Jake’s still a dutiful law enforcer as well as a faithful husband to Amy Santiago and doting dad to their newborn son, Mac.
Captain Raymond Holt was a hard-to-read, classical music-loving leader when he first arrived at the Nine-Nine.
Now that his walls have been chipped away at by his loving squad, Holt’s peculiarities shine through. But the squad still has some trouble reading him from time to time.
Amy Santiago’s teacher’s pet attitude was dialed-up to the highest setting, making her an easy target for being the butt of the joke.
Now, Amy’s a mother, wife, and more chilled out than ever, but she can get riled up when necessary. Oh, and her bond with Holt still remains a (somewhat) priority.
Goofy and awkward at times, Charles Boyle began the series as a major foodie with a massive crush on Rosa Diaz.
Now, he’s a married father of two who has toned down his more cartoonish side but still gets swept up in feels over bestie Jake’s relationship with Amy.
A longtime friend of Jake’s and a tough exterior made Rosa a bit of a mystery in her early days on the show.
She’s still the toughest one of the Nine-Nine bunch, but she’s opened up a bit more including coming out as bisexual to the team and her family. She recently left the squad to pursue private detective work.
His initial aura of authority was quickly broken down when viewers learned the Lieutenant was actually a big softie under the surface as a father and husband with a love for yogurt.
While he can still be intense at times, Terry’s also mellowed out a bit settling into his role, but he still uses the third person to describe how he’s feeling in pivotal moments.
A meer background character, to begin with, Scully was always an example of what the younger generation of Nine-Nine officers could become should they opt for desk duty.
Now, he’s a more inclusive member of the Nine-Nine team who still gets down with all of the snacks.
Like his partner Scully, Hitchcock was a background character when the show began, earning a few seconds of screentime here and there.
Years later, fans have learned about his laundry list of ex-wives and penchant for sleeping in a creepy van. He might’ve retired and moved to Brazil, but his constant video calls with his old partner Scully have kept him present in their lives.