BREAKING:‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Drops a Sleek New Infinity Vision Teaser as the Countdown Heats Up

‘The Rookie’ Season 9 and Spinoff ‘North’ Set Debuts With New Teaser and Guest Stars

Avatar photoByJosip Kraljik Published on
0 Comments
ABC
Our Editorial Policy

Share:

Nathan Fillion’s ‘The Rookie’ has been a dependable hit for ABC since it first premiered in October 2018. Created by Alexi Hawley, the police procedural has now aired 144 episodes across 8 seasons, and ABC renewed it for a ninth season in April, a month before the Season 8 finale.

That finale left fans with a shocking cliffhanger in May, and viewers have been waiting for news ever since. Meanwhile, the franchise has been quietly expanding with a brand-new spinoff led by Jay Ellis.

Now, ABC has finally revealed when fans can return to the ‘Rookie’ universe. ‘The Rookie’ Season 9 will premiere on Wednesday, January 6, at 9 p.m. ET, moving the series to a new night and time slot.

RELATED:

Is ‘The Rookie’ Leaving Hulu? What Fans Should Actually Know About the Show’s Streaming Future

It will serve as the lead-in for the spinoff ‘The Rookie: North’, which premieres directly afterward at 10 p.m. ET. Together, the 2 shows will form a 2-hour ‘Rookie’ block on Wednesday nights.

The news was announced during a New York Comic Con panel, where ABC also released a teaser and revealed several guest stars. Both series will be available to stream on Hulu the next day.

‘The Rookie: North’ moves the franchise to the Pacific Northwest. Ellis stars as Alex Holland, who becomes the Pierce County Police Department’s oldest rookie officer after a violent home invasion pushes him to join the force.

The new teaser offers a sharper look at Holland and the darker tone of the spinoff. Ellis is joined by Janet Montgomery as training officer Charlotte Dru, Karen Fukuhara as Leah Mizuno, and Chris Sullivan as Sergeant Nix.

The cast also includes Froy Gutierrez as Odell Chance, Mya Lowe as Elora Howe and Malik Watson as Mark Lewis. Ellis is best known for ‘Insecure’ and ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, and more recently appeared in ‘Running Point’.

Hawley also revealed several guest stars. On ‘The Rookie: North’, Andy Allo will play Brooke, a smart and charismatic first-year ER resident who quickly bonds with Ellis’ rookie officer. Over on ‘The Rookie’, Troian Bellisario will recur as Stephanie Monroe, a single mother in her thirties who decides to start over with a career in law enforcement. Dulé Hill and Molly Kunz will also join the ninth season.

Hawley has also teased that crossovers are on the way. Fans may even see Tim and Lucy head north for a visit during the spinoff’s first season. This will mark the third time ‘The Rookie’ has returned in January. ABC has used a similar midseason strategy for ‘Will Trent’, which is also expected back early next year.

The decision to pair both shows on the same night appears designed to bring the established ‘Rookie’ audience directly into the new spinoff. That built-in fan base could give ‘North’ a strong start.

Fillion has plenty on his plate beyond the procedural. He has been expanding his role as Guy Gardner in James Gunn’s DC Universe, appearing in ‘Superman’, ‘Lanterns’ and ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2, with ‘Man of Tomorrow’ still to come.

The main cast of ‘The Rookie’ also includes Jenna Dewan, Eric Winter, Shawn Ashmore and Melissa O’Neil. Seasons 1 through 8 are currently streaming on Hulu and Disney+. With both shows launching on January 6, the new year is shaping up to be a big one for the franchise.

Fans will finally get answers to that Season 8 cliffhanger while meeting an entirely new team of officers. For ABC, the 2-hour block is a clear bet on the franchise’s staying power. If ‘North’ connects with audiences, the ‘Rookie’ universe could keep growing for years to come.

Are you excited for ‘The Rookie’ Season 9 and the new spinoff ‘The Rookie: North’?

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!

Don't miss:

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted