The Rookie is far from over.
The police drama starring Nathan Fillion recently concluded its eighth season, but years into its run, the series has found a surprising new audience in teens. According to the Los Angeles Times, The Rookie was the most-streamed broadcast show for viewers under 18, for the 2024-2025 broadcast TV season.
“A lot of it has to do with the comfort food of the show,” creator and showrunner Alexi Hawley told the outlet. “Bad things happen on our show a lot, but I think the mix of humor and action and heavy stuff resonates with people.”
“The world is hard right now. ‘It’s very stressful,” he continued. “There’s something that’s just comforting about putting us on and the number of episodes we have. Our show is an escape for people.”
The ABC series has eight seasons worth of episodes, and more are on the way. Here’s everything to know about season 9 of The Rookie.
Warning: Spoilers ahead for season 8 of The Rookie!
Will there be a season 9 of The Rookie?
Yes, in April 2026, ABC announced that The Rookie had been renewed for season 9, per Variety.
According to Deadline, The Rookie‘s renewal makes it the third-longest running drama in ABC history, behind Grey’s Anatomy and NYPD Blue.
Notably, The Rookie is currently tied in third place with Dynasty and The F.B.I., two other shows that ran for nine seasons on the alphabet network.
When will The Rookie season 9 come out?
A premiere date for The Rookie season 9 has not been announced, but recent installments have debuted midseason.
Season 6 aired in February 2024, while seasons 7 and 8 were released in January 2025 and January 2026, respectively.
In November 2025, a spinoff, The Rookie: North starring Jay Ellis, was announced, but there have been no updates about whether ABC plans to move ahead with the new show.
Who will be in The Rookie season 9 cast?
The cast members returning for The Rookie season 9 have not been confirmed, but the series has featured a similar roster over the years.
It has included Fillion, Alyssa Diaz, Mekia Cox, Shawn Ashmore, Richard T. Jones, Eric Winter, Jenna Dewan and Melissa O’Neil, among others.
One actor who won’t be back is Bridget Regan, whose character, Monica, was killed off in the April 27 episode.
“When her number was finally up, I wasn’t surprised. I thought, fair enough. She’s had an amazing run, four years on this show. I’m only filled with gratitude,” Regan told TV Insider. “I was thrilled that she lasted as long as she did. If you play with fire, as long as she has, eventually you’re going to get burned.”
“I felt like it was inevitable,” she added. “Either at some point, she was going to go to jail, or she was going to die.”
What has The Rookie showrunner said about season 9?
The Rookie is entering season 9, but for Hawley, the creator and showrunner, there’s no end in sight.
“I think everybody is having a good time, it’s a cast that truly loves each other and enjoys coming to work, they get to do fun stuff every day. And at this point, heading into Season 9, I don’t feel like we’re anywhere near out of ideas,” he told Deadline.
“Part of that is we’re not a procedural where I have to come up with a body drop every week,” Hawley continued. “We really can reinvent ourselves a lot, and that helps with not feeling like you’re running out of story. Every time you bring in a new rookie or a new character, that also changes things. So, yeah, I would do this until they turn the lights out.”
Where can I watch The Rookie?
The Rookie airs Mondays on ABC, and streams the next day on Hulu.
The first eight seasons are also available on the streaming platform.