Is The Rookie Spinoff Really the Next Big Hit? Here’s How It Compares to Netflix’s Certified Fresh Shows!

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ABC continues to expand The Rookie franchise as another spinoff is in development, and after a recent update, the upcoming show could either be a huge success or epically crash and burn. The original police procedural series, created by Alexi Hawley, premiered in 2018 and has been a hit for ABC ever since. Consequently, it makes sense why the network would want to make a franchise out of The Rookie (despite the failure of the show’s first spinoff — The Rookie: Feds).

As The Rookie closes out its seventh season and looks ahead to season 8, Hawley is also busy working on the popular show’s second offshoot. Per Deadline, the spinoff follows a “male cop who is stepping into a new phase of life in his second act.” So, it will essentially feature a very similar premise to The Rookie. Instead of Los Angeles, though, the series takes place up north in Washington. Outside of that, not much else is known about the spinoff, including whether ABC plans to greenlight it. The good news is that Hawley is seemingly optimistic about the show’s future.

The Rookie Spinoff Gets Compared To Noah Centineo’s The Recruit

The Recruit Ran For 2 Seasons On Netflix

While speaking with TVLine, Alexi Hawley (who is also the executive producer and showrunner of The Rookie) revealed a couple of updates on the spinoff. Based on his comments, fans could be either excited or worried, depending on how they interpret his words, since Hawley’s quote compares the upcoming show to his previous TV series, The Recruit. Hawley said:

“I feel really good about the script. Ultimately, we’re waiting to hear what the needs are [at ABC], but I feel very positive about it … My caveat, said with a genuine laugh, is that I also felt very positive about season 3 of [Netflix’s] The Recruit, and it ended up not happening. But look, it’s apples and oranges. We just got a season 8 on Rookie, the show works really well for them … Beyond that, it’s out of my hands.”

Of course, the hope is that The Recruit‘s premature end doesn’t befall the second spinoff of The Rookie. However, even though Netflix ended up canceling Hawley’s spy adventure series after two seasons, it was still a critical success. Plus, Netflix is known for being a bit trigger-happy when deciding its original shows’ fates.

The Recruit‘s average Rotten Tomatoes score is 77%, with season 1 producing a 68% score on the Tomatometer and season 2 impressively improving on that number with an 86% score. So, The Recruit only got better with time. And if Hawley felt great about that show’s future, perhaps his instincts about The Rookie spinoff’s script are spot on. Still, one can’t forget that the Netflix series only lasted two seasons.

Why The Recruit’s Tone Is A Great Fit For The Rookie Franchise

Alexi Hawley Created Both Shows

As mentioned above, Alexi Hawley is the mind behind The Recruit and The Rookie franchise (both of which have received critical and commercial success). Since he will serve as an executive producer on the second Rookie spinoff, it’s safe to say it’s in good hands. It should imbue the same tones as The Recruit and The Rookie — thrilling action shows that inject comedy into their stories. They also feature rookies thrown into their new careers. Based on the future offshoot’s basic premise, it will follow suit.

How ABC Can Ensure That The Next The Rookie Spinoff Won’t Suffer The Same Fate As Feds

ABC Canceled The Rookie: Feds After 1 Season

Despite Alexi Hawley’s optimism regarding the upcoming spinoff of The Rookie, it’s difficult not to feel discouraged after what happened to the franchise’s second series (and to The Recruit). ABC canceled The Rookie: Feds after only one season in May 2023. So, what’s stopping the network from nixing the next offshoot? Well, the circumstances should be different this time around, and ABC can put in a lot more work to guarantee the future show’s success.

ABC canceled The Rookie: Feds partly due to the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes, and that shouldn’t be an issue for the next spinoff if the network greenlights it. However, ABC must also make some changes in its approach to the offshoot. For starters, it will be in everyone’s best interests if the spinoff has proper crossovers with the original police procedural.

The Rookie: Feds‘s collaborations with The Rookie shouldn’t be classified as crossovers since they only featured cases that began in one show and ended in another. Outside of that concern, though, the second spinoff must also include recognizable talent. The Rookie: Feds had Niecy Nash, while The Rookie has Nathan Fillion. If ABC acknowledges and makes these changes for the upcoming The Rookie series, it should be set up for success.

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