‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ scrapping some shows in wake of protests against police violence

Terry Crews, the “America’s Got Talent” host and actor in the show “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” said that writers for the sitcom have had to scrap certain episodes and rewrite them to be more sensitive to the current social and political climate. 

Co-creator Dan Goor had four episodes “all ready to go” before the May 25 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Crews told Access Hollywood.

“They had four episodes all ready to go and they just threw them in the trash,” Crews said. “We have to start over. Right now we don’t know which direction it’s going to go in.”

Floyd’s death sparked massive protests calling for an end to police brutality and police reform. Advocates and demonstrators have also called for defunding police departments.

In some parts of the U.S., the protests have led to more instances of police brutality against demonstrators and even members of the press. Those instances have often been caught on tape as law enforcement has sought to quell protesters and control crowds. 

The movement has also called for an assessment of law enforcement’s place in popular culture. Shows like “Live PD” and “Cops” have been canceled after complaints that they show an unrealistic and overly flattering depiction of police departments. 

Fictional shows like “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” have face scrutiny as well.

“We’ve had a lot of somber talks about it and deep conversations and we hope through this we’re going to make something that will be truly groundbreaking this year,” Crews said. “We have an opportunity and we plan to use it in the best way possible.”