There is always at least one show every season that sparks outrage when it’s canceled. Last season Timeless was axed at NBC and fans were very vocal about their disappointment and the network swiftly changed their minds and quickly announced a reversal on that decision and ultimately renewed it for a second season. Well, it looks like Brooklyn Nine-Nine is hoping for a similar fate because due to the very vocal outcry and anger over its cancellation by FOX yesterday, Hulu now has its eye on potentially picking up the fan favorite comedy.
The interesting thing is that it’s not only Hulu who is interested. Sources say that a couple of other platforms have already expressed interest in the series which ran five seasons on FOX. Hulu, Brooklyn Nine-Nine‘s SVOD home, is considered the most likely choice. It has its SVOD deal there and talks were already going on about bringing the show there if FOX canceled it. From what I’m seeing, FOX pulled the trigger on this cancellation pretty last minute which is why industry insiders and fans are surprised by its demise. The push for multi-camera comedies, in the wake of Roseanne’s success on ABC, is why FOX likely did away with the show, as well as The Mick and The Last Man On Earth.
A Hulu deal would mirror the streaming platform’s pickup of another single-camera comedy, The Mindy Project, after its cancellation by FOX. Both Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Mindy Project, which moved to Hulu after three seasons on FOX, are produced by Hulu corporate sibling Universal TV as well as 3 Arts Entertainment, so the companies have a deal template in place. Like The Mindy Project, Brooklyn Nine-Nine has a loyal, young audience that does most of their watching via streaming.
Another potential home is TBS, which picked up the network syndication rights to the show back in December. The basic cable network is overseen by Kevin Reilly, who had developed and picked up Brooklyn Nine-Nine while running FOX and is a big fan of the show.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which was Fox’s highest-rated live-action comedy series this season among adults 18-49, isn’t dead in the water just yet and the people behind the show are optimistic about its return. It should be noted that all these talks are very early but there is high interest and if it can be beneficial to all involved, I think we’ll be hearing about this show’s resurrection very soon.
