ABC Makes Decision on ‘The Rookie’ Season 9

The Rookie is not going anywhere.

TVLine reports that the ABC procedural has been renewed for Season 9.

News comes amidst the show’s eighth season, which premiered in January and wraps on Monday, May 4. The Nathan Fillion-led drama initially aired on Tuesdays at the beginning of the season, before shifting to Mondays in February to make room for freshman drama R.J. Decker. The move didn’t seem to hurt The Rookie, though. It’s currently the third-longest-running series on ABC, behind Grey’s Anatomy and 9-1-1, both of which have been renewed.

The Rookie, which premiered in October 2018, follows Fillion’s John Nolan, “once the oldest rookie in the LAPD, who now uses his life experience, determination, and sense of humor to keep up with rookies 20-plus years his junior. John and the team must navigate the intense, unpredictable nature of their jobs and personal challenges while uplifting the next generation of first responders.”

In addition to Fillion, The Rookie stars Mekia Cox, Alyssa Diaz, Richard T. Jones, Melissa O’Neil, Eric Winter, Jenna Dewan, Shawn Ashmore, Lisseth Chavez, and Deric Augustine. Executive producers include creator Alexi Hawley, Fillion, Mark Gordon, Michelle Chapman, Bill Norcross, Brynn Malone, Moira Kirland, Bill Roe and Jon Steinberg are executive producers on the series. The Rookie is produced by Lionsgate Television in partnership with 20th Television.

The Rookie might be joined by a new spinoff on the 2026-2027 schedule. ABC ordered the pilot for The Rookie: North last year, and filming recently completed on it. The network is reportedly deciding on its future either later this month or early next month. Starring Jay Ellis, it follows a format similar to its predecessor, but set in rural Washington, rather than Los Angeles. Chris Sullivan, Karen Fukuhara, Froy Gutierrez, Mya Lowe, Janet Montgomery, and Malik Watson also star.

Ellis stars as Alex Holland, Ellis stars as Alex Holland, who “believed his mid-life wasn’t worthy of a crisis,” per the official logline. “But after a violent home invasion ignites a dormant purpose, Alex battles a lifetime of failed commitments by joining the Pierce County Police Department as its oldest rookie. Policing from the urban coast to the rural forest where backup isn’t just five minutes away, Alex must prove to his skeptical training officer, his fellow rookies, and himself that he’s finally found something worthy of the fight.”

As of now, it’s unknown when fans can expect Season 9 of The Rookie to premiere, but ABC should be releasing its fall 2026 schedule in the coming weeks. New episodes of The Rookie air on Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC, streaming the next day on Hulu.