ABC makes a decision on The Rookie season 7 (Renewal status update!)

The Rookie's fate has been decided! Is there another year coming of the police procedural on ABC?

Based on a true story, The Rookie focuses on John Nolan (Nathan Fillion), a divorcee who impulsively decides to become the oldest rookie in the LAPD. Despite the challenges, Nolan has succeeded well at the job.

The show has been a hit with viewers as it expands beyond just Nolan to focus on the rest of the cops, from patrolmen to detectives handling the variety of crimes in L.A. Episodes can bounce between high drama and broad comedy with the cast handling the trials (sometimes literally), romances, and other problems.

Some can crack that Nolan doesn’t quite fit being a rookie anymore with a few years on the beat. However, the show has come a bit full circle, with him now a training officer for his own rookie Celina Jaurez (Lisseth Chavez). The supporting cast of Mekia Cox, Alyssa Diaz, Richard T. Jones, Melissa O’Neil, Eric Winter, Jenna Dewan, Shawn Ashmore and Tru Valentino also aided in the show’s fun run. 

The series did have the short-lived spin-off The Rookie: Feds which was canceled in November of 2023. The show was delayed starting season 6 due to the Hollywood strikes but now its fate has been settled for season 7.

Is The Rookie season 7 happening?

ABC confirmed the show is getting a season 7. It’s no surprise, given that the show remains a big winner for the network. As per The Hollywood Reporter, the season 6 premiere garnered 11.92 million viewers over five weeks of cross-platform viewing, which is the best single-episode performance for the series since its debut in 2018. Also, "streaming and other delayed viewing added more than 5 million viewers to the premiere’s seven-day linear total, and the episode’s adults 18-49 rating grew by more than four times (0.67 to 2.9)."

This continues a run of renewals by ABC that included 911, Grey’s Anatomy and Will Trent and comedy Abbott Elementary. The Rookie has been doing well with the Tuesday lineup of Will Trent and the final season of The Good Doctor. 

The show had its landmark 100th episode this season and is building up to a big finale, likely involving the recent breakup of Chen and Bradford, as well as Nolan and wife Bailey (Jenna Dewan) starting a family. At least fans can be assured The Rookie will return for another year, which promises more of the wild and fun cop drama that’s made it such a hit.

The Rookie season 6 airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on ABC.