The Rookie, starring Nathan Fillion and developed by Alexi Hawley, remains one of ABC's longest-running drama series. Notably, the show's success has recently gained a new boost thanks to younger audiences, particularly due to the viral popularity of the series on TikTok. As a result, The Rookie became the most-watched network series among teenagers in 2025, while the streaming numbers also reached record highs.
With nine seasons, The Rookie joins a special group: it is now the third longest-running drama series on ABC, following Grey's Anatomy and NYPD Blue. It also matches other classics like Dynasty and the 1960s series The F.B.I., which also had nine seasons.
The eighth season performed exceptionally well, with the best streaming start ever for the series and a spot in the top 5 of the biggest ABC premieres of all time. Despite a shift in the broadcast slot to Monday night, the viewership remained stable thanks to strong streaming performances.
According to Hawley, the success partly lies in the variety of the episodes: sometimes grand and action-oriented, then humorous, romantic, or thrilling, offering the audience something new each time.
The creators and cast are far from tired of the series. There is a clear ambition to continue the success—with a wink, they even talk about "following the Grey's Anatomy path," meaning to go on for as long as possible.
For the future, there are also expansion plans: The Rookie might help with the launch of a spin-off, The Rookie: North, which is currently in development.
