‘The Rookie’ Renewed Again: Nathan Fillion’s Reaction Is Everything We Needed Today

It seems like most shows have the opportunity to see three seasons before their network cancels them. ABC’s The Rookie has been lucky enough to survive the looming doomsday most shows fear, snagging a renewal for season 8 a few days ago. The star of the drama series, Nathan Fillion, celebrated with a touching reaction, showing gratitude to the fans for watching and to the cast and crew who keep things rolling. Fillion plays John Nolan, a middle-aged, newly divorced man from Pennsylvania who moves to Los Angeles to pursue a career as a police officer in the Los Angeles Police Department. The character is based on William Norcross, a real-life LAPD officer who joined the department in his mid-40s in 2015.

Fillion shared his appreciation via an Instagram post. The actor, who just turned 54 in March, got his start in the early ’90s and has experience in theater, film, and television, which is why he started his Instagram caption with, “I’ve been around long enough to know how truly challenging and rare it is to have a long-running show.” There’s a lot of truth to those words, as even the most popular actors in show business seem to have a hard time getting their shows renewed. Part of the reason why The Rookie is so successful is because of its amazing cast and audience, who consistently tune in to watch their favorite rookie navigate his new journey.

He continued, “Thank you all for sticking around these 7 seasons — it’s because of you that we are announcing season 8!! Congratulations to @alexhawley and the wonderful team that puts this show together. I am so very proud to work alongside all of you. Let’s do this! #therookie.” It’s messages like these that keep fans interested in watching a show. When a star isn’t afraid to say “thank you” to those who tune in, it builds a connection between the two. Not only is Fillion’s character easy to love, but the actor is, too. From co-founding the non-profit organization Kids Need to Read to his association with Charity: Water, it’s safe to say supporters wouldn’t be mad if they saw Fillion as John Nolan for several more seasons.

‘The Rookie’ Masters the Art of Guest-Starring Appearances

Ask anyone who yearns for the style of dramas from the ’70s to ’90s what made those shows so special, and guest stars will be brought up somehow. During that time, almost every episode of dramas, and even sitcoms, had a guest star. ABC’s The Rookie has mastered the art of those appearances throughout its seven seasons, and the upcoming season will be no different. Some of the biggest names in Hollywood and in the music industry either appeared as themselves or as one-off characters, which contributed to its popularity.

From Mario Lopez to will.i.am, Mark Cuban, Eric Weddle, Robert Woods, Ryan Seacrest and more, you never know who is going to pop up in an episode. The series even had appearances by Katie Perry, Pete Davidson (as Pete Nolan, John’s half-brother), Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, and Kelly Clarkson. Guest stars evoke a sense of nostalgia, and spice up episode plots, and The Rookie is likely to continue delivering these in its new season.