Brooklyn Nine-Nine Star Reveals Origin of 'Nine Nine!' Chant

Screen Rant

By Craig Elvy

Published Jun 5, 2018

Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Melissa Fumero has revealed how the famous "Nine Nine!" chant went from behind-the-scenes gag to the show's catchphrase.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Melissa Fumero has revealed the origin of the show's now famous "Nine Nine!" chant. Fans of the NYPD comedy have been on an emotional rollercoaster of late after it was revealed that Brooklyn Nine-Nine had been cancelled by its network, Fox. After a heavy online backlash to the decision, the series was swiftly picked up by NBC who had passed on it during initially development and subsequently regretted the decision. Shortly after Brooklyn Nine-Nine's future was secured, the show aired its season five finale which saw 'will-they-won't-they' couple Jake Peralta and Amy Santiago finally get hitched but the episode ended on an agonizing cliffhanger as Captain Holt found out whether he would become the new Commissioner.

As with any sitcom, Brooklyn Nine-Nine has a number of catchphrases and motifs that have been present throughout the show's five seasons. Jake's "Title of your Sex Tape" gags are still going strong and Terry does indeed love yogurt but the line that has perhaps become the show's calling card both on-screen and among fans is the "Nine Nine!" chant. Uttered by the team in unison whenever they have something to celebrate or are in dire need of motivation, the chant has come to represent Brooklyn Nine-Nine's themes of unity, optimism and teamwork.

The origins of the "Nine Nine!" chant have now been revealed and it wasn't just the result of a spitballing session in the writers' room. Melissa Fumero, who plays Amy Santiago on the show, has revealed on her Twitter account that the expression came from fellow actor Terry Crews who started using it behind the scenes to pump up the cast when they were struggling early in the morning or late at night. According to Santiago, the chant was subsequently weaved into the show itself.

Fumero's explanation perhaps shouldn't come as too much of a surprise; after all if any actor was going to be responsible for such a motivating and positive chant, it would undoubtedly have been Terry Crews. The Deadpool 2 actor has previously revealed how his Brooklyn Nine-Nine character - also called Terry - was written specifically for him and is essentially just an exaggerated version of the actor himself. As such, it certainly isn't a stretch to imagine Crews being the one to inject some life into a flagging cast on long nights of filming.

The "Nine Nine!" chant is somewhat unique among sitcom catchphrases in that it aims to be uplifting rather than comedic. It is perhaps for this reason that the chant has yet to outstay its welcome and continues to be an integral part of Brooklyn Nine-Nine.