A man who decided to overcome his mid-life crisis by becoming a rookie for the LAPD.
When will the titular series be back for its sixth season? Keep reading to find out!
In a sea of stellar and constantly progressive crime-investigative series, The Rookie has earned its cake as one of the most-watched series on the ABC network. With its stellar casting and ground-breaking plots that keep getting more and more twisted with each progressive season, The Rookie Season 5 successfully bagged this honor. Ardent Rookie viewers have been on the edge of their seats trying to get over the major cliffhanger the finale of Season 5 left us with. The only option is to wait for the next Season to find out the doomed fate of our beloved rookie, John Nolan since the series is based on his point of view. A mind-boggling, adrenaline-pumping series, the show deals with the lives of LAPD officers of LAPD, who put their lives at stake every day to save the lives of the residents of the city.
John Nolan, a man in his 40s, decided he wanted to become the oldest rookie in the LAPD. While most of his fellow officers and superiors saw him as a man using the job to fulfill something as a midlife crisis, John Nolan proved that he was serious about the opportunity and, over five seasons, proved he was a great police officer who was able to overcome great adds in some harrowing cases. John’s keen eye and sixth sense in handling cases have always proved beneficial to the LAPD in solving their cases, but the Season 5 ending sends mixed signals in this context.
In the event of the four-month-long strike situation, things have grown eery as viewers are left with indignant anticipation regarding the arrival of a brand new Season of The Rookie on ABC. So the primary question in focus is: Has The Rookie Season 6 been canceled by ABC? In case you are one of the viewers questioning the future of the show, stay tuned because we have important news!
The Rookie Season 6: Has It Been Canceled?
For all ardent Rookie stans out there, we have some mind-blowing news! After five incredibly successful seasons, the ABC network has picked up The Rookie for Season 6 in April 2023! Fans have been gleefully frolicking over the prospect of watching LAPD’s beloved Rookie on their screens again for its sixth Season. Check out the announcement post taken from the official Twitter account:
It's official: #TheRookie will return for Season 6!!! 🎉💙 pic.twitter.com/ssrJz3yo1G
— The Rookie (@therookie) April 17, 2023
So, The Rookie will be back for another season and has not been canceled. So, what are the logistics and predictions surrounding the arrival date of the new Season? You have to keep reading because we uncover the possibilities of its arrival in the next section.
The Rookie Season 6 Status: What Is The Production Status?
After an enthusiastic revival of the series with the ABC network ordering a sixth season of The Rookie, fans have been grappling with excitement and the prospect of a 2023 arrival. But will that be possible, given the current status of the production that The Rookie is in? Let’s rewind the tapes and figure out where the new season is currently stationed before we predict the dates of its arrival.
April 2023 was the month when a brand new sixth season of the series was revived by the official network. Production was set to begin in the summer, and an anticipated fall release was set free to be considered as a rumor. However, what we must understand is that the regular pattern of release for The Rookie’s earlier seasons was usually in the fall months. So, predicting a fall 2023 release did not seem too outstretched. However, the situation got out of hand when the WGA broke out on strike in May, not giving The Rookie writers enough time to brainstorm ideas and dip their pens in ink. Unlike other networks, ABC suspected that the strike may carry on till June or July, so they decided to remain silent until things cooled off.
Contrary to everyone’s expectations, a double strike situation was ignited when the SAG AFTRA decided to join hands with the WGA to fight for better wages and protection from Artificial Intelligence that could replace the jobs of these writers and actors. Again, the major networks, including ABC, suspected that the strike would reach an impasse by the end of summer, so they promised fall releases in the form of their 2023-2024 official fall schedules. The Rookie was supposed to be on the map for a fall release.
However, after we entered the fourth month of the double strike, things seemed to be bleaker and more uncertain than ever, with no production or writing in place. If you have been keeping up, then you’ll know that the recent meeting at the Sherman Oaks office of the Carol Lombardini-led organization also ended with mixed results. Hence, there is no doubt that this will cause a major halt in script writing and production, which usually begins around late August if the network wants to air the new season in the fall. Right now, it’s safe to say that the show might not be available to stream anytime soon or later this year, making the fandom wait for longer than they anticipated!
Hence, the current production status of the series can be summed up as: no scripts are ready, and filming has not commenced.
The Rookie Season 6 Arrival: Expected Release Date
Given the current unsettling premises surrounding the release of the new Season of The Rookie on the ABC network, it is difficult to make an accurate prediction on the release date. However, judging by the past release patterns and good guesswork, a calculated arrival date can be determined.
Given that the strike ends within the next two months and does not carry into the new year, all competitive networks such as NBC, CBS, FOX, and FX have decided to postpone their fall 2023 releases to a mid-2024 seasonal release. This gives them enough time to finish the scripts, finish production as well, and post-production for a much-needed 2024 release. So this is crystal clear. The Rookie Season 6 will not arrive on the ABC network in 2023. On top of the strikes, Fillion had signed on to star in James Gunn’s DCU movie Superman: Legacy. However, when asked about his time in the DCU impacting The Rookie on social media, Hawley simply answered with a “Nope” concerning a Fillion-caused delay in filming. Check out the post below:
Could Nathan Fillion’s #SupermanLegacy Movie Role as Green Lantern Further Delay #TheRookie Season 6? https://t.co/RRA259n9tp
— TVLine.com (@TVLine) July 11, 2023
Instead of the recent delays in the releases of all new fall Seasons, the competitor networks have decided to show reruns of the shows on their channels. If the earlier seasons of The Rookie have met, the same fate is yet to be found out. Keep a lookout on this place for the specific updates you need. Coming back to the predicted date of its arrival, we can expect the new Season of The Rookie to reach us by mid-2024, which means a release in the first quarter of 2024 that includes the months of January, February, March, and April. When it is exactly set to arrive will depend on when the strike situation comes to an end. So stay tuned to Web News Observer and keep up with the updates!
The Rookie Season 6 Cast: Who Will Reprise Their Roles For The New Season?
The main cast members from the fifth season are still expected to return, as follows:
- Nathan Fillion as John Nolan
- Shawn Ashmore as Wesley Evers
- Mekia Cox as Nyla Harper
- Jenna Dewan as Bailey Nune
- Alyssa Diaz as Angela Lopez
- Richard T. Jones as Wade Grey
- Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen
- Eric Winter as Tim Bradford
- Tru Valentino as Aaron Thorsen
The series is created by Alexi Hawley for ABC, and the series is produced by ABC Signature and Entertainment One (eOne), which is the lead studio and international distributor of The Rookie, a co-production with ABC Signature. Moreover, ABC Signature is a part of Disney Television Studios.
The Rookie Season 6 Plot: What Can We Expect In The New Season? *Spoilers*
While the details for the upcoming Season’s plot have been kept under wraps, we are certain that the series will continue to follow John Nolan, the oldest rookie in the LAPD, who has used his life experience, determination, and sense of humor to keep up with rookies 20 years his junior.
Nearing the end of his training, Nolan now faces his biggest challenge as a police officer when he must come to terms with the choices he has made in pursuit of the truth. The series is also based on real-life LAPD officer William Norcross, who moved to Los Angeles in 2015 and joined the department in his mid-40s. The series is also expected to continue from the fifth season’s final episode, “Under Siege,” which was directed by Bill Roe and written by Alexi Hawley. The episodes showcased Thorsen and Juarez being ambushed by masked assailants after investigating a suspected disturbance and being seriously wounded.
Later, the viewers get to see that when Juarez is hospitalized and recounts a riddle to Nolan said to her by one of the assailants. Mid-Wilshire is put on high alert, and even further when Nolan and Bailey are attacked, and Harper’s child is shortly abducted. Lopez works with Wesley and Luna Grey to decide on the riddle.
The police look into past run-ins, identifying one with a prior record, and find him dead in his booby-trapped house By the end of the season, they further narrow his possible prison encounters, with Bradford and Chen visiting Luke Moran. An army of masked men with police shields pursue them, but they’re swiftly taken out with reinforcements on-scene. With Moran caught and surrounded, he makes one last stand before being killed. As further reinforcements roll in, a mystery man in a passing vehicle praises how well Moran served as a distraction.
John is faced with a mind-numbing moral dilemma where he knows in his gut that the criminal caught for the LAPD officer firings is being set up and is not the one who committed the crime. This is where the credits roll in. Season 6 will pick up from here to see if John can decipher the intent and the actual person behind the heinous crime. But the main question is, will he succeed? And will the other LAPD officers believe his gut over evidence? We will just have to wait for Season 6 to find out. To gain a better perspective on what Season 6 might handle, take a look at the episode run-down of Season 5 to refresh your memory on the storyline:
S5.E1 ∙ Double Down
Wed, Jul 5, 2023
Officer John Nolan is once again face-to-face with serial killer Rosalind Dyer. Officers Bradford and Chen work undercover with Detective Lopez and the Las Vegas Police Department to arrest leaders of a major criminal enterprise.
S5.E2 ∙ Labor Day
Wed, Jul 12, 2023
Officer John Nolan is moving closer to his new role as a training officer. Meanwhile, Lucy’s successful undercover assignment earns her an invitation for specialized training in Sacramento.
S5.E3 ∙ Dye Hard
Wed, Jul 19, 2023
Officer John Nolan is assigned his first rookie, Officer Celina Juarez, whose unconventional approach to police work poses a unique challenge for him.
S5.E4 ∙ The Choice
Wed, Jul 26, 2023
Rosalind returns with a vengeance and Bailey’s life is left hanging in the balance. With a ticking clock, the LAPD and the FBI joined forces.
S5.E5 ∙ The Fugitive
Wed, Aug 2, 2023
John and Celina are on the hunt for a fugitive after a car incident goes awry. Lucy helps Tim in his time of need.
S5.E6 ∙ The Reckoning
Wed, Aug 2, 2023
Nolan and Celina investigate a cash deposit linked to an old DEA case; Wesley grows increasingly concerned about his deposition and is shocked when he realizes Elijah’s attorney is a familiar face.
S5.E7 ∙ Crossfire
Wed, Aug 9, 2023
Nolan and Celina witness a shooting and realize the victim is already dead; Bailey has been feeling off-center since the proposal, leaving Nolan to wonder what he can do to make her feel more comfortable.
S5.E8 ∙ The Collar
Wed, Aug 9, 2023
Officers John Nolan and Celina Juarez are in a race against time to stop the source of an explosive rampage.
S5.E9 ∙ Take Back
Wed, Aug 16, 2023
Nolan and the team investigate the death of a suspect in police custody; Grey and his wife go to New York to visit their daughter, only to realize she never made it home from the night before.
S5.E10 ∙ The List
Wed, Aug 16, 2023
Detective Nyla Harper and James find themselves in the middle of a bank robbery, which leads the entire team on a citywide manhunt. Meanwhile, Tim and Lucy finally go on their first date, but it does have a few complications.
S5.E11 ∙ The Naked and the Dead
Wed, Aug 23, 2023
The team ends up in a gang war while Lucy investigates a domestic abuse case.
S5.E12 ∙ Death Notice
Wed, Aug 23, 2023
Nolan and Celina must stand guard at a hospital after a dangerous prisoner needs surgery; Aaron, Lopez, and Harper look into a string of robberies.
S5.E13 ∙ Daddy Cop
Wed, Sep 27, 2023
Amid a heatwave and a citywide blackout, Nolan and Aaron follow increasingly large leads after they discover criminals hiding at the station.
S5.E14 ∙ Death Sentence
Wed, Aug 30, 2023
Officer John Nolan and Bailey search for a mystery gunman after a shooting hits a little too close to home; Aaron struggles to live within his means; Wesley suspects that a judge is taking bribes.
S5.E15 ∙ The Con
Wed, Sep 6, 2023
With help from the FBI, Lopez puts everything on the line to help Elijah Stone take down a gang leader in exchange for her safety; Nolan and Bailey must deal with the secrets and shady dealings his late mother left behind.
S5.E16 ∙ Exposed
Wed, Sep 6, 2023
The team must stop a militia from detonating a highly combustible truck in their possession. Meanwhile, Nolan, Thorson, Juarez, and Harper search for three men who may have been exposed to Ebola and detain them for quarantine.
S5.E17 ∙ The Enemy Within
Wed, Sep 13, 2023
Now that Elijah and Abril have become allies, the team must rely on Monica, Elijah’s lawyer, to uncover their plans. Meanwhile, Officers Nolan and Juarez reopen her sister’s case and discover a discrepancy that leads them on a new trail.
S5.E18 ∙ Double Trouble
Wed, Sep 13, 2023
When Dim goes missing, Officer Chen and Sergeant Bradford, along with the CIA, set out to find him and enlist the help of Juicy.
S5.E19 ∙ A Hole in the World
Wed, Sep 20, 2023
The team investigates a pattern of kidnappings which leads them to a discovery that hits close to home with one of their own.
S5.E20 ∙ S.T.R.
Wed, Sep 20, 2023
Officer Tim Bradford’s ex-wife returns and asks the team to help her save someone from her undercover past. Isabel’s return also creates additional pressure on Lucy and Tim’s relationship as they assist in the search.
S5.E21 ∙ Going Under
Wed, Sep 27, 2023
Officer Chen goes undercover to infiltrate an illegal firearm operation, and Detective Harper and Officer Nolan work together to solve a mystery involving severed limbs found around the city.
S5.E22 ∙ Under Siege
Wed, Sep 27, 2023
After one of their own is shot, the team suffers a series of close calls and realizes their division may be a target for a group of masked assailants.
As the production and fillings open up for the new season after the strikes have settled, we can expect new intel on plotlines to pop up along the way. So stay tuned to this space and look for regular updates.
Look back on an incredible season of #TheRookie with us 💙 pic.twitter.com/B8RzvtXuZf
— The Rookie (@therookie) July 24, 2023
The Rookie Season 6: Episode Count And Streaming Options
In every instance, we can expect a full-blown 22-episode Season 6. However, the situation seems different here. Until the strike reaches a negotiation point, the production keeps getting delayed. The more delay, the lesser the window of time to complete production, and hence a shorter season. It’s been confirmed that the next season of The Rookie will arrive late and with only about half the episodes than normal. It’s a somewhat similar situation to The Rookie season 3, which arrived in January 2021 and had 14 episodes thanks to the Pandemic. This will have to happen again because filming on The Rookie season 6 hasn’t started.
All the episodes of Season 1 are available to stream on Hulu based on the viewer’s location. Moreover, you can also watch The Rookie on:
- Disney Plus
- Hotstar (for Indian audiences)
- or FuboTV
You can also stream The Rookie by renting or purchasing it on:
- Amazon Instant Video
- Lifetime
- iTunes
- Google Play
- Vudu
The Rookie Season 6 Trailer: Is It Out Yet?
Given that there is no official confirmed release date for Season 6 of The Rookie, we do not currently possess the trailer for the same. As we etch closer to its premiere dates, the trailer, first looks, and teaser will be released by the network. We will be sure to update you as and when that happens. Meanwhile, check out the trailer for Season 5 of The Rookies, which reads,
“Starting over isn’t easy, especially for small-town guy John Nolan who, after a life-altering incident, is pursuing his dream of being an LAPD officer. As the force’s oldest rookie, he’s met with skepticism from some higher-ups who see him as just a walking midlife crisis. If he can’t keep up with the young cops and the criminals, he’ll be risking lives, including his own. But if he can use his life experience, determination, and sense of humor to give him an edge, he may just become a success in this new chapter of his life.”
Stay tuned to Web News Observer for more updates, and turn on your post notifications.