As one of the most popular dramas on network television today, The Rookie is highly anticipated among fans for the 2026/27 broadcast season.
Initially, the show followed John Nolan, who, after a life-changing incident, decided to pursue his dream of becoming an NYPD officer. Now, after eight seasons, John has graduated to training his own officers. These rookies learn the ropes of policing while navigating some of California's dangerous criminals. As they are put to the test, they must decide what kind of police officer they will be.
One of these rookies is Texas native Miles Penn (Deric Augustine), a former football player who pivoted to law enforcement after suffering a devastating injury. Miles is charming and dedicated, but he is also a bit of a cowboy. He tends to do things his own way, regardless of the consequences, which often gets him in trouble with his training officer.
In season 9, we'd like to see Penn shed some of his cowboy ways and lean into the officer we know he has the potential to be.
The Rookie needs to prioritize Penn's character development
Of all the characters currently on The Rookie, Penn tends to get the least amount of spotlight. Most of the show's storylines focus on Nolan or Chenford, and while this is understandable given their popularity, it still comes at the cost of other characters.
In season 9, we need to see more of Penn's growth, and this starts with the writers of The Rookie actually making an effort to prioritize his character development.
Penn has a lot of potential. We saw this in season 8, when he helped Seth Ridley. The storyline showed how compassionate and empathetic the character can be. Everyone else had given up on Ridley, and for good reason given his history. However, Penn viewed the former rookie's situation as a chance for redemption and helped him get his life back on track.
It was also nice to see Penn flex his skills as a police officer in "Three Billboards" when his former college teammate got into trouble with some robbers. He handled the situation with focus, determination, and resourcefulness, important qualities for those in law enforcement.
Penn has what it takes to graduate from rookie to full patrol officer; the issue is that he keeps getting written in circles. As soon as he takes one step forward, he takes two steps back. In season 9, The Rookie has to be more consistent in giving the character meaty storylines and demonstrating how much he's grown since season 7.
That is the only way Penn will get some direction.
Season 9 of The Rookie premieres on ABC in January 2027.
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