The Rookie isn't canceled: Here's everything we know about season 7 so far

The Rookie will continue its cases and crimes in the upcoming season 7, scheduled to premiere midseason. Although it's going to be a long wait before we see Officer John Nolan (Nathan Fillion), his wife Bailey (Jenna Dewan), Sgt. Wade Grey (Richard T. Jones), Nyla Harper (Mekia Cox), and the rest of the LAPD squad, season 7 is expected to deliver even more intense assignments and arrests, with glimpses of the officers' personal lives.

Season 6 wildly ended on not one but two cliffhangers, but lucky for us fans, The Rookie didn't get canceled. We'll likely see a resolution in the next season. With so many shows getting canceled on cliffhangers, it's a relief that The Rookie didn't get that injustice.

Before we can dive into the details of season 7, let's recap what occured in the season 6 finale.

The Rookie season 6 finale recap

In the season 6 finale, "Escape Plan," Nolan and Bailey discuss adoption to expand their family. Before the couple can achieve the milestone, Nolan is assigned another risky assignment that leads him to South America with the FBI. The task is to capture the notorious criminal mastermind and defense attorney Monica Stevens (Bridget Regan) after she abducts Dr. Blair London (Danielle Campbell).

When the FBI gets involved with the international chase, you know the authorities aren't fooling around. What's more is the canceled The Rookie: Feds made a cameo, allowing a mini-crossover. For those missing The Rookie spinoff, the reunion was an excellent tie-in to both series.

Unfortunately, Monica escaped the law, and Nolan suffered a rather embarrassing injury in the process. However, he's okay for a moment until he's informed about the prison escape involving Bailey's ex-husband. Blair was apprehended and taken into police custody for her assigned sentence earlier in the episode.

Things are on the rocks for Chenford, but hopefully, they're heading towards reconciliation down the road. Why build up Lucy's (Melissa O'Neil) and Tim's (Eric Winter) romance if it vaporizes? It's doing a disservice to the shippers who invested their emotions and time into the relationship and characters, and fans deserve to know the fate of their favorite ships instead of just floating aimlessly.

The Rookie season 7 cast

As of this writing, no cast members have officially departed The Rookie ahead of season 7. I certainly hope no one leaves, but you never know, as anything can happen in production.

What we do know is that Jenna Dewan will be absent for the early episodes as she'll be on maternity leave. She's currently in her third trimester with her third child, and in season 6, she worked as Bailey by hiding her bump under her costumes or having the camera focused on her face. Her pregnancy didn't affect the storytelling, and as mentioned in the recap, Nolan and Bailey are seeking alternatives to expanding their family.

So, who's returning?

• Nathan Fillion as Officer John Nolan
• Jenna Dewan as Bailey Nune
• Melissa O'Neil as Lucy Chen
• Eric Winter as Tim Bradford
• Richard T. Jones as Sgt. Wade Grey
• Mekia Cox as Nyla Harper
• Tru Valentino as Aaron Thorson
• Alyssa Diaz as Angela Lopez
• Lisseth Chavez as Celina Suarez
• Shawn Ashmore as Wesley Evers

Season 7 premiere window and episode count

While ABC hasn't announced a premiere date, we do know that season 7 will launch in the midseason. Unlike season 6, which had a shortened episode count due to the 2023 WGA-SAG AFTRA strikes, the upcoming season will have a full episode order. According to TV Insider, executive producer Alexi Hawley states that there will be 18 episodes in the upcoming season, and they will run entirely through the season with no breaks.

Where to watch The Rookie season 7 (and past seasons)

ABC is the place to watch season 7 of the police drama. If you can't watch it live, Hulu would be your next stop, as episodes will stream the next day. Additionally, seasons 1-6 are currently on the platform if you're in the mood for a rewatch.