6 ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ Finale Moments That Were a Love Letter to Fans
“Nine-Nine!” It’s officially the end of an era, as fan-favorite sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine came to an end with an epic finale on September 16. After eight hilarious and hijinks-filled seasons on FOX and NBC, fans will have to bid farewell to the 99th precinct of the NYPD.
In true finale fashion, the hour-long episode tied the bow on several characters’ stories, included callbacks to previous seasons, brought back some familiar faces, and ended the show on a positive note. Below, we’re taking a look at moments from the Brooklyn Nine-Nine finale that were a love letter to fans.
One Last Heist
There was no way the series could end before including one last Hallowe’en Heist! This time, it was rigged by Jake (Andy Samberg) as a way to surprise his friends with his retirement from the NYPD. In true Nine-Nine fashion, the heist was full of fun partnerships, tons of backstabbing, surprise twists, and heartfelt moments. Although the day didn’t go according to Jake’s plans, it still ended up being one of the best heists of the series, even if Hitchcock (Dirk Blocker) was the winner.
Familiar Faces
Series finales love to bring back familiar faces, and that’s exactly what fans got. Gina (Chelsea Peretti) made a triumphant return to help the crew with the heist and to rub in how rich she has become since leaving the precinct. Pimento (Jason Mantzoukas) also returned to assist Rosa (Stephanie Beatriz) with her heist plan, only to go off on another highly dangerous adventure. Along with frequent heist helper and Charles’ (Joe Lo Truglio) doppelgänger Bill (Winston Story) and Captain Holt’s (Andre Braugher) loveable dog Cheddar, we even saw the return of Tim Meadows as Jake’s cannibal prison friend Caleb, who once again tried to eat him. Perhaps the funniest cameo was when the squad visited the grave of Holt’s nemesis, Madeline Wuntch (Kyra Sedgwick).
Callbacks to Memorable Moments
Throughout the heist, there were many callbacks to memorable moments and locations throughout the series. Following the first few clues, the crew visited the break room vending machine, which was once again broken, and the interrogation room, calling back to Jake’s iconic “I Want it That Way” interrogation. In a hilarious flashback, viewers learned that Jake attempted to recreate that moment several times to poor success.
As a part of Holt’s heist plan, the crew ended up back at the Storage Solutions warehouse where they worked their first case together in the pilot, and though they didn’t visit Shaw’s bar, it was supposed to be the end location of Amy’s (Melissa Fumero) plan. One of the most heartfelt moments from the episode was one viewers had never seen before, as we saw the moment when Jake and Charles officially became best friends.
The Return of Running Gags
Terry’s (Terry Crews) strength has always been a running joke throughout the series, and the finale didn’t hold back from putting it on full display. Before he tore up a fake office during his Captain interview, Jake kept comparing Terry’s personality and physicality to that of the Kool-Aid Man, much to Terry’s displeasure. To Jake’s delight, Terry had a full Kool-Aid Man moment, busting through the wall of the storage unit they were trapped in by Bill.
Another running joke returned one last time, as Holt attempted one of Jake’s “Title of Your Sex Tape” jokes, marking the final one of the series. During their conversation, Holt brought up how Jake has seen him as a father figure. Their dynamic came full-circle when he told Jake would be proud to have a son like him.
Final Goodbye to the Precinct
While several characters had plans to end the heist at different locations, there was no better place to end it than at the precinct. Accepting their defeat to Hitchcock, the gang simply popped some champagne and spent one last night together in the building. At the end of the night, Jake took his nameplate from his desk and got in the elevator with the rest, marking the perfect end to the group’s journey together.
The Continuation of the Halloween Heist
Though their exit from the precinct seemed like the perfect ending, the episode flashed forward one year to the next Hallowe’en, where Jake and the squad returned to continue the annual heist. Even though they all went their separate ways, Jake assured a surprised Terry that the heist would continue every year at the Nine-Nine, saying, “We’re in each other’s lives forever, whether you like it or not.” Though the series came to an end, it’s nice to know that the squad will always be there for each other and that the fun will never stop.
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