When will the highly anticipated sixth season return? Continue reading to find out more about The Rookie Season 6.
It’s time to brace yourself, as Officer John Nolan will take his time to return and navigate the unpredictable streets of Los Angeles with his trademark wit and unwavering determination. Yes, you read it right! We know that the readers are wondering when they will once again be immersed in the intense world of the Los Angeles Police Department, which is filled with intense, gripping storylines that will keep you hooked until the end!
The fans have begun the official countdown, and they expect nothing less in order to navigate the challenging twists and turns that will leave them on the edge of their seats. So, if you are one of those who want to get clarity about the series’ current status, release date, plot, cast, and other crucial details since the renewal was announced earlier this year, then look no further! We at Web News Observer have compiled all of the latest information right here for you.
Continue reading to find all of your answers about ABC’s The Rookie Season 6.
The Rookie Season 6 Release Date: When will it premiere on ABC?
Firstly, we regret to inform the readers that the highly anticipated sixth season of “The Rookie,” will not be available to stream anytime soon, and certainly not in August 2023. Fans of the gripping police drama series will have to exercise their patience a little longer as the production team faces unforeseen challenges that have caused delays in filming and post-production. However, rest assured that the dedicated cast and crew are working tirelessly to bring an even more thrilling and captivating season that will undoubtedly exceed all expectations!
If you recall, the sixth season was ordered earlier this year, in April 2023, which isn’t surprising as the series gained a massive reception from around the world. For context, Alexi Hawley’s drama has been in the Top 5 of ABC’s most-viewed scripted series and is a great utility player. Moreover, it ranks No. 1 in the new Tuesday 8 p.m. time period this season among Adults 18-49 (tie), which made the renewal of the series pretty evident to happen despite the delay as ABC has been taking time to evaluate a number of the current series against the limited slots available on the network.
Us until Season 6 of #TheRookie 😳😳😳 Thank you for watching. pic.twitter.com/sKN53KAB5i
— The Rookie (@therookie) May 3, 2023
In addition to this, the broadcast’s budgets are tightening due to the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike along with the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, which hasn’t reached a resolution yet, causing the writing and production to be put on a temporary halt. Even though the series was renewed, it seems highly doubtful whether the creators will be able to release the new season for ABC’s 2023-24 fall broadcasting season.
The network also recently announced that its fall 2023 schedule would now include almost entirely nonscripted shows and reruns of prior seasons and that their scripted shows, which sadly include The Rookie Season 6, would now be rescheduled to premiere next year for the 2024 mid-season premiere. Until there is any confirmation, our best prediction is that the series might make its comeback sometime in the first quarter of 2024, which is January, February, and March.
Only if the production commences by the end of this year, and it is speculated to premiere at the same time slot (10 p.m. ET) on the ABC network, which will later be available to stream on Hulu. We’ll just have to wait and see what the future holds! In conclusion, any updates relating to this subject are just pure conjecture, as the comments should be considered with a grain of salt! So, we recommend readers follow the official ABC social handles to catch up with all the latest updates whenever they are published.
Also, check out the official renewal announcement as shared on the official Twitter handle of the show, quoting, “It’s official: #TheRookie will return for Season 6!!”
It's official: #TheRookie will return for Season 6!!! 🎉💙 pic.twitter.com/ssrJz3yo1G
— The Rookie (@therookie) April 17, 2023
The Rookie Season 6 Plot: What to expect from the new season?
Not much has been revealed about the future plotlines in order to avoid earlier, But 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 in deciding 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 role in, a mystery man in a passing vehicle praises how well Moran served as a distraction.
Take a look at the official teaser trailer for the fifth season’s final episode below:
The Rookie Season 6 Cast: Who will reprise their roles?
Though not much has been confirmed about the potential main cast members but for your consideration, we speculate that the main cast members from the fifth season are still expected to return in the sixth season, which is 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, and Tru Valentino as Aaron Thorsen.
On the other hand, we would also like to highlight that these cast members are still subject to change, as it is still uncertain who will join or leave the show for the upcoming season due to cost-cutting caused by the impact of the ongoing double strikes, which have happened for the first time in 63 years, causing the production houses to come in a complete halt in Hollywood.
Hence, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens next and in what direction the creators will take moving forward! In addition to this, the beloved 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 Episodes: Where to watch?
The next season was initially expected to consist of at least 22 episodes with an average runtime of 42–45 minutes, just to be consistent with the previous seasons. Of course, this is subject to change if the network wants to make a smaller or bigger season, which will be confirmed later. We would also like to stress the fact that the ongoing WGA strike, along with the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, might drastically cause a drop in the official episode count, which can be changed to 15 to 18 episodes rather than the standard episode count for many original ABC shows.
For now, we’ll just have to wait and see what decision the show creators will take for the sixth season!
Moreover, despite being an ABC Network original series, all episodes of the first season are also 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, and Vudu, with a range of membership options based on viewers’ locations and preferences. Lastly, The Rookie has been licensed in more than 180 countries and territories.
Look back on an incredible season of #TheRookie with us 💙 pic.twitter.com/B8RzvtXuZf
— The Rookie (@therookie) July 24, 2023
The Rookie Season 6 Frequently Asked Questions
When was The Rookie renewed for Season 6?
The series got an early renewal for a sixth season in April 2023, which was approved before the fifth season ended on May 2, 2023.
Will The Rookie Season 6 be released in 2023 or not?
As stated above, the chances of the new season premiering in 2023 are very minimal due to the ongoing 2023 WGA strike and the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.
The completion of scripts in order to begin production has been ultimately delayed, leading us to predict that the next release window will be ideal for 2024! Moreover, ABC announced that its fall 2023 schedule would include almost entirely nonscripted shows and that their scripted shows, such as The Rookie, would be rescheduled to premiere mid-season for next year!
Hence, The Rookie Season 6 will not be released this year.
Is there any spin-off series?
Yes! The Rookie: Feds is another series in this universe which is an American police procedural crime drama television series and spin-off of The Rookie. Created by Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter for ABC, the series follows Simone Clark, the oldest rookie in the FBI Academy.
Is there any official promo for The Rookie Season 6 available?
We would like to highlight that the network hasn’t released any new promotional stuff for the sixth season as filming hasn’t begun yet, and the release date hasn’t been disclosed, leaving a lot of time for marketing to begin. We’ll have to wait for it for some time! Until then, fans can check out the fifth season trailer to recap all the events that transpired which followed:
“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.”
Catch up on all the episodes, and let us know what you think of The Rookie being renewed for Season 6 in the comments.