Of all the mysteries that Detective Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) and his squad mates solved over the years during the show’s run, Chelsea Peretti’s abrupt exit from “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” still stands out. Unfortunately, the actor herself didn’t clarify the situation much when directly asked about why she was making her departure back in season 6. As she told THR at the time:

“Well, it wasn’t just a solo process. [Laughs.] I wasn’t just like, ‘I’m leaving!’ and I swing my cape. I can’t get into the exact breakdown of how it all transpired, but it wasn’t just my solo decision. I’m friends with [co-creator] Dan [Goor], I’m friends with Andy [Samberg], I’ve talked with them about the situation over the years. I think it came together this was the time to do it. It’s not always easy to make changes in life, but I feel like everyone came to a point where everyone was like, ‘OK, this is the time.’ That’s the gist of it.”

Despite the evasive answer, it’s telling that Peretti initially described the decision to leave as one that involved multiple parties beyond just herself. Fans already received a brief taste of life without Gina Linetti when the actor went on maternity leave during the first half of season 5. However, taking the drastic step of stepping down as a series regular altogether in season 6 felt like something else entirely. As tight-lipped as the actor was about the exact circumstances, reading between the lines a bit helps clarify things.