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The Rookie showrunner teases more "standalone" stories in season 7

Alexi Hawley confirms that structural changes are in store.

By Danilo Castro

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) TRU VALENTINO, ALYSSA DIAZ, RICHARD T. JONES, LISSETH CHAVEZ, 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) TRU VALENTINO, ALYSSA DIAZ, RICHARD T. JONES, LISSETH CHAVEZ, NATHAN FILLION /
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The Rookie is still going strong. There was a period, especially during the Hollywood strikes in 2023, where the show's future was not guaranteed. The spinoff, The Rookie: Feds, was canceled after only one season. Fortunately, the flagship show was able to endure and secure a renewal.

The Rookie is set to return during the mid-season of the 2024-25, with Disney Television Group president Craig Erwich suggesting that January 2025 is the most likely date. There will be more episodes in season 7 than season 6, given that there'll be more production time, but that's not the biggest change that the upcoming season will undergo.

The Rookie will return to its traditional episode format

RICHARD T. JONES, NATHAN FILLION, JENNA DEWAN
THE ROOKIE - ÒThe HammerÓ The team comes together to celebrate John and BaileyÕs wedding; meanwhile, Celina discovers a discrepancy in her case, leading to a new discovery. Elsewhere, Lucy and TimÕs relationship is put to the test. TUESDAY, FEB. 27 (9:00-10:00 p.m. EST), on ABC. (Disney/Raymond Liu) RICHARD T. JONES, NATHAN FILLION, JENNA DEWAN /

According to Rookie showrunner Alexi Hawley, the show will move away from the serialized, multi-part storylines that that dominated the shortened season 6. In it's place will be a return to the standalone stories that the show is best known for.

TV Line reporter Matt Webb Mitovich confirmed this during a recent chat with Hawley. "I do think we'll go back to being more of a standalone show with serialized elements," the showrunner confirmed. He went on to list the various benefits of returning to this format:

"It’s going to be a longer season and I think people really do like that. Also, there are the many different ways we tell stories."

Alexi Hawley thinks it'll be "fun" to explore different stories

Alexi Hawley
2024 Disney Upfront / Dia Dipasupil/GettyImages

Hawley, who has spearheaded The Rookie since its inception, also spoke to the different genres and emotional places that the show can go when its freed up to pursue less-connected stories. "Whether it’s the big event-type episodes, the more rom-com episodes, or with a big guest star," he noted. "It’ll be fun to go back to that."

It's hard to knock a showrunner for giving the fans what they want. Hawley was also forthright about the status of one of the show's most beloved characters, Mrs. Bailey Nolan (Jenna Dewan). Dewan is pregnant in real life, but Hawley assured TV Line that she will be making appearances later on in season 7. "We probably won’t see [Bailey] for the first few episodes because of that," he teased.

Are you excited for another full season of The Rookie?

Next. JLS. Jesse Lee Soffer is joining FBI: International. dark

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