Save “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” campaign heats up as fans reject cancellation

Update: Saturday, 10:04 a.m.:

Here’s more proof in the power of social media: Less than two days after it was canceled by Fox, Brooklyn Nine-Nine has been picked up by NBC, the Peacock network announced. The move makes sense seeing how the show stars an SNL alum and is produced by Universal Television. Both are under the Comcast-NBCUniversal umbrella. Robert Greenblatt, chairman of NBC Entertainment, said in a statement that he regretted selling the show to Fox in the first place. Either way, fans rejoice!

Original story:

Because no TV show is ever really canceled in 2018, fans of the cop comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine are mobilizing en masse in the wake of (May 22, 2018)’s news that Fox broadcasting has axed the show after five seasons.

In what has become a familiar rallying cry for TV fandom, viewers are appealing to streaming services like Netflix and Hulu to swoop in and give the series a new home. A number of call-to-action hashtags have emerged on Twitter, including #RenewB99, #SaveB99, #SaveThe99, and #SaveBrooklyn99 (Guys, maybe pick one?), and even some high-profile fans, like Lin-Manuel Miranda, have tweeted their support for the comedy.

An online petition to reverse the cancellation had almost 14,000 supporters as of Friday morning.

Will any of this work? According to a report in the Hollywood Reporter, Universal Television has fielded a few calls from the streaming services, although nothing is solidified. A spokesperson for the studio declined to comment.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine stars Andy Samberg and Andre Braugher as members of a fictional NYPD precinct. If the show makes a comeback on streaming—or even if Fox bows to pressure to bring it back—it wouldn’t be the first time. Timeless, Arrested Development, and Community are just a few examples of shows that were given a second chance with the help of vocal fans.

And, of course, now that almost every 1990s sitcom is back on the air, we know there is no statute of limitations on renewals—so keep tweeting.