Another The Rookie spinoff is in development, but ABC must learn from The Rookie: Feds’ mistakes if it wants the upcoming show to triumph. The original police procedural series has been one of ABC’s best dramas since its premiere. As such, it makes sense why the network would want to expand its universe via spinoffs, but it also set Feds up for failure by ignoring the key to successful franchises.
ABC canceled The Rookie: Feds after only one season in 2023, partly due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. However, the spinoff never performed as well as The Rookie, meaning it had an expiration date even without the strikes. Feds had potential, though, and ABC only needed to capitalize on The Rookie’s success to ensure that the offshoot flourished as well.
The Rookie: Feds Never Had A Proper Crossover With The Rookie
The Characters Would Randomly Pop Up In The Original Show
Unlike other TV franchises like One Chicago or FBI, ABC never produced a crossover between The Rookie and The Rookie: Feds. Yes, the original show featured a two-part backdoor pilot introducing Niecy Nash-Betts’ Simone Clark and setting up her spinoff. Characters from each series would also randomly interact (and still do, even after Feds’ cancelation). But the two procedurals never engaged in a proper crossover.
Some might have different definitions of what a crossover is — ABC certainly did with The Rookie franchise. However, a tried and true crossover event features a story with high stakes that begins in one show and ends in another, and every episode should feature multiple cast members from both series. Unfortunately, that definition couldn’t be applied to what was happening in The Rookie: Feds season 1.
The Rookie: Feds would sometimes build on something that happened in The Rookie. For example, the spinoff’s fourth episode revolved around finding Rosalind Dyer’s killer. But since only Tim Bradford briefly appeared, fans weren’t incentivized to watch. The previous episode of The Rookie also didn’t leave viewers with many questions as it wrapped up its story pretty well. Then, Feds unnecessarily fleshed it out.
They didn’t contain exciting interactions between numerous characters from The Rookie and The Rookie: Feds, and the stories weren’t connected enough to guarantee that the audience would have to watch one episode to understand the other.
ABC would advertise these episodes as “crossovers,” but those were lies. They didn’t contain exciting interactions between numerous characters from The Rookie and The Rookie: Feds, and the stories weren’t connected enough to guarantee that the audience would have to watch one episode to understand the other. So, if the next spinoff is to succeed, it has to avoid this major oversight.
ABC’s Next Rookie Spinoff Must Take Advantage Of The Original Show’s Success Via A Crossover
There’s 1 Easy Way For The Upcoming Series To Thrive
The Rookie has a large and passionate fan base that has kept it on the air for eight seasons. So, why wouldn’t ABC take advantage of it to promote the spinoff? The network can easily trick viewers into watching the spinoff by airing a real crossover between The Rookie and its second offshoot series.
One episode of The Rookie season 8 can introduce an enthralling case with high stakes that ends with a cliffhanger to be resolved in the spinoff’s next episode. The first hour could also feature multiple cast members from the other show. Meanwhile, characters like John Nolan, Lucy Chen, Tim Bradford, Nyla Harper, and others should appear in the second hour to further entice fans to watch.
The formula for a successful crossover is quite simple. One Chicago has perfected it over the years, and that’s why the franchise currently has three TV series still on the air, all of which have reached double-digit seasons. Consequently, The Rookie should look to One Chicago and its crossovers for inspiration.
How The Rookie’s Seattle Spinoff Can Crossover With LA’s Team
The Different Locations Could Make A Crossover Difficult
According to Deadline, the upcoming Rookie spinoff will take place in Washington. Given that the original show is set in Los Angeles, a crossover between the two might be difficult. However, it’s not impossible. A case that the Mid-Wilshire crew is working on could cross state lines, leading them north to Washington, where they collaborate with the second offshoot’s characters.
It might not be a realistic scenario, but this is a TV drama, after all. Not everything has to be perfect and parallel real life. If it gets fans of The Rookie to watch the spinoff, the “how” doesn’t really matter.
