The Rookie has (finally) been renewed by ABC for season 7

What a relief. The Rookie has been a very steady ratings draw for ABC over the last decade, but the show was getting down to the wire in terms of renewal plans. The Hollywood strikes sort of threw off the normal rollout for TV in terms of network renewals, and the more time passed, the more fear there was over a potential Rookie cancelation.

We're here to confirm that The Rookie is not going anywhere. The police drama has been renewed to another season by ABC, and based on the numbers that Deadline cited in their announcement post, the decision may have been more of a no-brainer than we thought. The Rookie's season 6 premiere was its most watched episode since the first season, and subsequent episodes has drawn similarly impressive numbers.

The Rookie secured a single season renewal

RICHARD T. JONES, MEKIA COX, NATHAN FILLION

THE ROOKIE - ÒStrike BackÓ - In the aftermath of the assaults in the explosive season five finale, the team must now try to understand why they were targeted and if there is a bigger plan in place. Meanwhile, Nolan must survive his last shift before his wedding to Bailey. TUESDAY, FEB. 20 (9:00-10:00 p.m. EST), on ABC. (Disney/Raymond Liu) RICHARD T. JONES, MEKIA COX, NATHAN FILLION /

This is great news for The Rookie as a standalone show and a burgeoning franchise. There was an attempt to broaden out with The Rookie: Feds, but ratings, coupled with the complications from the aforementioned strike, led to the spinoff being canceled after one season. Nathan Fillion addressed the cancelation during a February 2024 interview with Assignment X.

Beyond expressing sadness at the loss of a sister series, Fillion noted that the same fate could have easily befallen the flagship series. He admitted to being fearful of cancelation during the strikes, but is now feeling better than ever about The Rookie and the connection it has with viewers:

"The Rookie is back. We are back, we hit the ground running, we didn't miss a step. We're excited to be back at work, and we're very excited to be entertaining people again."

The Rookie: Feds was recently canceled

THE ROOKIE: FEDS - ÒRed OneÓ - After an internal investigation unit agent is drugged and buried alive in a desert outside of Vegas, the Feds director enlists GarzaÕs unit to discreetly investigate. Meanwhile, SimoneÕs plans for her 49th birthday bash are sidelined. TUESDAY, MAY 2 (9:00-10:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC. (ABC/Christopher Willard) NIECY NASH-BETTS, JAMES LESURE /

Fillion is no stranger to have beloved shows cut down in the middle of their prime. He's still known to many science fiction fans as Mal Reynolds, the protagonist of the short-lived cult series Firefly (2000-02). The actor even referenced to Firefly when discussing The Rookie, and noted that he's in a much better place in terms of creative control (he is, after all, a star and producer on The Rookie).

It would be great to see some of the Rookie: Feds characters pop up in a cameo capacity, but either way, fans of The Rookie can rest assured that Fillion's John Nolan is going to continue to solve cases on the streets of Los Angeles.

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