When The Rookie: North was first announced, fans were eager to see how the spinoff would expand the world of The Rookie beyond Los Angeles. With new characters, a fresh setting, and the promise of a different tone, expectations were high that the show would carve out its own identity. But as more details have emerged about the upcoming series — particularly the backstory of its lead character — viewers have started noticing something familiar. In fact, The Rookie: North’s protagonist seems to share almost the exact same origin story as John Nolan, Nathan Fillion’s character from the original series.
According to early reports, the new series follows Evan Porter, a man in his 40s who leaves behind a steady but unfulfilling career to join law enforcement later in life. After a personal crisis and a desire for redemption, he enrolls in the police academy and finds himself the oldest rookie on the force. Sound familiar? It should — because that’s nearly identical to how John Nolan’s story began back in Season 1 of The Rookie.
Nolan, a divorced construction worker who became the LAPD’s oldest recruit, brought a unique perspective to police work — one grounded in life experience, empathy, and a relentless belief in second chances. His journey was about proving that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself or make a difference. The Rookie: North, at least from what’s been teased so far, seems to be telling that same story — just in a different zip code.
This overlap has left many fans wondering whether the spinoff risks feeling repetitive. While The Rookie’s success largely stemmed from Nolan’s underdog charm and the heartwarming balance between humor and danger, repeating that same formula could make North feel like a retread rather than a reinvention. Viewers who tuned in for something new might not be satisfied if the show simply replays the beats of its predecessor with a different name and city backdrop.
However, some insiders argue that the similarities might be intentional. The Rookie: North could be exploring what happens when another person — older, wiser, and flawed — tries to navigate the same system Nolan faced, but under different pressures. Instead of Los Angeles’s bustling streets, North reportedly takes place in a smaller, colder city where the challenges are less about high-profile cases and more about community, corruption, and survival. In that sense, Evan Porter’s story could act as a thematic reflection rather than a carbon copy — a way to show how the same dream of service plays out under different circumstances.
Still, the writers face a delicate balancing act. The Rookie brand has built its reputation on humanizing law enforcement while keeping the tone hopeful and emotionally rich. If The Rookie: North leans too heavily on Nolan’s blueprint, it might struggle to stand out. To succeed, it will need to give Porter his own voice — his own moral conflicts, mistakes, and motivations that distinguish him from the original “oldest rookie.”
There’s also an opportunity here for crossover potential. If done right, North could expand on themes that The Rookie only touched — such as mentorship, reform, or the generational shift within policing. Perhaps John Nolan himself could appear in a cameo or crossover episode, serving as a mentor to Porter, uniting their similar backstories in a meaningful way rather than letting it feel coincidental.
In the end, fans aren’t rejecting the idea of The Rookie: North — they’re simply asking for evolution. The series can honor its roots without repeating them. After all, what made John Nolan’s story so compelling wasn’t just that he was an older recruit — it was that he refused to give up on his purpose. If The Rookie: North can capture that same spirit while showing us something fresh, then the franchise’s newest recruit might just earn his badge — and his place in The Rookie universe.
