SPOILER ALERT: The story includes details about the series finale of NBC’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
After a combined run of eight seasons on two networks, Fox and NBC, which included a brief cancellation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine came to an end tonight with a finale that brought back a slew of familiar faces from the series’ past.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine didn’t quite get a proper sendoff in its home TV market, New York, where the finale aired outside of primetime, at 7 PM, to make room for the Giants game on the local NBC station.
After Season 8 of Brooklyn Nine-Nine took on a more serious tone as the show tackled the issue of police brutality, levity returned in the finale as Jake (Andy Samberg) surprises the squad with a final heist to commemorate Amy’s (Melissa Fumero) last day at the 99th precinct after her big promotion in the previous episode. This time, their objective is to receive a medal of valor, hidden in a golden tube, and be crowned “Amazing Human/Genius and the Grand Champion of the Nine-Nine.”
As usual, hijinks of the heist episodes ensue, including an assortment of misdirects and ulterior motives. While Jake planned the heist to end on the Brooklyn Bridge with fireworks, Amy had planned to surprise Jake with a party and Holt (Andre Braugher) wanted to give the squad his own “perfect goodbye.” With a wild trip down memory lane, the heist involved cameos from many of the series’ guest stars and the reappearance of Gina Linetti (Chelsea Peretti), who left the series in season 6.
Watch on Deadline
After a botched interview, which turned out to be part of the heist, Captain Holt promoted Terry (Terry Crews) to captain of the 99th precinct.
As they all convene in a storage facility, Captain Holt assumes he has received the correct tube and won, when Rosa (Stephanie Beatriz) and Gina open up a storage unit to reveal that they have tricked everyone once again. As they prepare to give their victory speech, they are double crossed by Bill (Winston Story), a Charles (Jo Lo Truglio) look-alike hired by Jake in the fourth heist, who locks them in. (Other Brooklyn Nine-Nine alums who made appearances in the finale include Fred Armisen as Mlepnos, Jason Mantzoukas as Adrian, Tim Meadows as Caleb, Kyle Bornheimer as Teddy as well as series co-creator Dan Goor as janitor Dan.)
As they try to figure out how to escape, Jake slips and reveals to the squad that it’s his last day on the force as well. He is retiring to spend more time with his child as Amy takes on more responsibilities as a Chief.
In one final heist-reveal, the squad returns to the precinct to find Hitchcock (Dirk Blocker) with the golden tube. He reveals that he wasn’t in Brazil this whole time, he was living in his van, which he dubbed the ‘beaver-trap,’ and it was part of his plan to win a heist. Although that was the extent of his plan, he lucked out when Bill returned and offered to sell him the tube for $40.
In a ceremony that disappointed everyone involved, Hitchcock was crowned “Amazing Human/Genius and the Grand Champion of the Nine-Nine” for winning the final heist.
Finally, the crew gets into the elevator to leave one last time….
Until a year later, at Halloween, when Terry is holding a meeting, and Jake makes a surprise entrance for another Halloween heist. Not content with Hitchcock winning the ‘final’ heist, Captain Holt, Amy, Rosa, and Gina make surprise entrances as well to continue the annual tradition of the Halloween heist.