‘The Rookie’ Hopes To Incorporate Characters From ‘The Rookie: Feds’, Says Star Nathan Fillion
Promising news from Nathan Fillion about whether we will ever see cast members again from The Rookie: Feds.
While participating in a panel discussion Saturday for The Rookie at Comic-Con, Fillion was told by a fan that she misses the short-lived spinoff that starred Niecy Nash-Betts, Frankie R. Faison, James Lesure, Britt Robertson and Kevin Zegers. Will she ever see them again?
“The short answer is yes,” Fillion said, to applause. Feds, which was a casualty of the dual strikes, was canceled in November. “We are trying to create a universe in which we can all exist.”
In fact, Fillion said building and fostering that universe is so important that he pointed out how The Rookie is no longer just about him. “The title and the idea that it was my show was always just a trick,” said Fillion. “It’s always been an ensemble cast. I’m so very pleased to be able to say this program can, at any one time, rest squarely on the shoulders of any one member of this cast.”
In April, The Rookie was renewed for a seventh season. It was a no-brainer for ABC: the Alexi Hawley-created crime drama kicked off its sixth season with its most-watched episode in nearly six years, with 11.92 million Total Viewers across platforms after 35 days of viewing. That is up 14% from its season five average, according to the network and Nielsen.
At Saturday’s Comic-Con, giddy fans cheered when the ensemble took the stage. Some even gifted the actors friendship bracelets while asking them a series of random questions, like whether they would sign a petition to bring back Firefly (Fillion said yes) and what they like and dislike about their characters.
Fillion, as usual, delivered the biggest laughs with the pros and cons of playing former Rookie John Nolan. “I like that he wears the same outfit,” said Fillion. “I don’t have a bunch of fittings and I hate that he runs so much.”
Fillion told the audience that the ensemble still goes through a brief training period with the Los Angeles Police Department before resuming production. “We feel a responsibility to safeguard the profession and not look like crappy cops,” he said.
