‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ Cast on Holt’s Demotion, the New Captain & More

Brooklyn Nine-Nine - Season 7 Preview - Andre Braugher, Stephanie Beatriz, and Terry Crews
Preview
Virginia Sherwood/NBC

“It’s a different season” for Brooklyn Nine-Nine, star Terry Crews previews, and that’s to be expected, considering Captain Holt (Andre Braugher) is back on patrol. “The fact that he’s an officer now was just wild to everybody.”

Some are handling that demotion better than others. As Holt says in the Season 7 trailer, he’s lost the respect of everyone in his life, including his dog. “It’s a huge change,” Braugher told TV Insider at a recent NBC junket in New York. “I’m a little bit insecure, so I need more affirmation both from Cheddar as well as Kevin.”

Rosa (Stephanie Beatriz) is among those who don’t expect this to last very long. “Rosa is her usual stoic self and knows it’s going to work out fine,” Beatriz said. “She doesn’t know how, but in the same way she trusts justice will prevail, even though it doesn’t always, she knows that it’s just temporary.”

That’s partly why the dynamics between Holt and the rest of the squad won’t necessarily change that much even though he’s technically not their boss at the moment. “I used to be first among equals,” Braugher said. “It changes a little bit because he could become captain at any moment, so you can’t go too far out on a limb with Officer Holt.”

Brooklyn Nine-Nine Holt on Patrol

(Eddy Chen/NBC)

Still, he remains the father figure. “He’s still one of the only people we trust to go to and that remains even though it’s not necessarily where Captain Holt’s head is at,” Beatriz added.

There was also a change behind-the-scenes as a result to what’s happening on-screen when it came to the captain’s office. “On our set, [it’s] the coveted spot to take a break,” namely because of the couch, Beatriz revealed. “Behind the desk is Andre’s spot, except this year it wasn’t.” Instead, since Terry is now lieutenant, “I legally have the spot now,” Crews shared.

The squad does get a new captain, and you will see how Holt feels about who’s filling his role. “Captain Holt’s concerned about the new captain,” Braugher previewed. “He wants his position back and is willing to do almost anything to get it back, so complications ensue.”

There was almost another change at the precinct at the end of last season, with Terry nearly having to move to Staten Island. “The thing about the Brooklyn Nine-Nine world is there’s constant change,” Crews explained. “He has kids. He has a mortgage. It’s one of the things where you want the best for your family, and sometimes that involves moving.”

Meanwhile, the “linchpins” of Season 7 are “the relationships between Jake and Holt, and Jake and Amy, and Jake and Charles,” Beatriz revealed. That’s something she enjoys because she finds it “fun to be in a B or C story that is a little more comedy-focused.”

B99 701 Andy Samberg Terry Crews Joe Lo Truglio

(Eddy Chen/NBC)

That being said, Rosa has learned to open up a bit more in recent seasons, and we’ll see that continue with the people she trusts. “Sometimes that could be a little scary because it feels like, ‘oh God, I’ve opened the floodgates, now everything’s out,'” Beatriz admitted.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Season 7 Premiere, Thursday, February 6, 8/7c, NBC