He may no longer be a rookie, but Fillion’s Nolan has more story to tell.
Like its protagonist, The Rookie is no longer a rookie.
The ABC police drama premiered in 2018, following Nathan Fillion’s John Nolan as the fortysomething got his wrinkled toes wet as the Los Angeles Police Department’s oldest rookie.
Now, after seven seasons, Nolan is a training officer overseeing a new wave of rookies. He’s also built up his fair share of enemies. Season 7 saw Nolan again square off against returning baddie Oscar (Matthew Glave), who slipped through Nolan’s fingers in the finale, escaping in a helicopter.
Of course, Nolan’s story is just one of many on the ensemble drama. Season 7, which wrapped this month, pinged between a number of different stories. Lucy (Melissa O’Neil) and Tim (Eric Winter), the former lovers known as “Chenford,” came close to a reconciliation as the season wound down. Wesley (Shawn Ashmore), meanwhile, learned that his fugitive ex-fiancée, Monica (Bridget Regan), was walking free after stealing classified NSA documents to gain immunity.
That’s a lot of cliffhangers. So, will there be an eighth season of The Rookie? What will it be about? And when does it come out? We answer these questions and more. Read on for everything we know about The Rookie season 8.
Will there be a season 8 of The Rookie?
Yes, there will be a season 8 of The Rookie. The series was renewed in early April after scoring more than 11 million total viewers across linear and streaming, making it one of ABC’s most-watched programs during this broadcast season.
What will season 8 of The Rookie be about?
The season 7 finale of The Rookie set up several storylines that are likely to be be explored in season 8.
The most pressing for fans is the reunion of Lucy and Tim. The former couple danced around each other throughout season 7, but the season lacked a clear resolution. In the finale, Tim confessed his love for her and asked her to move in, but she dozed off before she could answer. “To be continued,” he said in a bit of meta playfulness.
“I do feel like ultimately, the season 7 journey of their repairing their relationship is almost at an end, and so I don’t want to just introduce obstacles to introduce obstacles,” creator and showrunner Alexi Hawley said in an interview with Deadline Hollywood. “We’re heading for a good place in season 8.”
There’s also Oscar’s escape, which Hawley told Deadline is absolutely setting up a return for the recurring villain. “We’ll definitely see him again,” he said. “We can only get so many bites of the apple of him getting away, so I think we’ll see some resolution in some shape or form next year.”
The same goes for Monica, who wriggled her way out of trouble by blackmailing the U.S. government, and Hawley is telling audiences to expect the unexpected. “I think what we’ll find in season 8 is that there’s other stories to tell with her,” he said. “There is other facets to that immunity deal, which could play out in season 8, and then also, what does the next chapter look like for her and us?”
Who’s in The Rookie season 8 cast?
There are no official cast announcements just yet for The Rookie season 8, but Fillion confirmed his return via Instagram, as did Mekia Cox, who plays Nyla Harper. “Guess who’s comin back for season 8!!!!!” she wrote in April.
Other major cast members likely to return include Winter, O’Neill, and Ashmore, as well as Alyssa Diaz, Jenna Dewan, Lisseth Chavez, and Richard T. Jones. And then there’s Glave’s Oscar and Regan’s Monica, both of whom Hawley has confirmed will return.
Speaking with Deadline, Hawley remained unsure of whether he would introduce any new rookies in season 8, noting that season 7 newbie Miles (Deric Augustine) is “still a rookie.”
Someone else who may return next season? Saturday Night Live alum Pete Davidson, who played Nolan’s half-brother, Pete, in seasons 2 and 4. “Pete Davidson is someone we’re desperate to get back, and he loves doing the show,” Hawley told Deadline. “His reps have reached out to us about him doing the show, it’s just about trying to land when he’s actually available, because he’s super busy… hopefully in season 8 we can get Pete back.”
When is season 8 of The Rookie coming out?
An official return date has yet to be announced, but ABC has revealed that The Rookie will part of the network’s midseason slate, meaning season 8 will likely premiere in January 2026.
That would mirror the show’s season 7 release schedule, which, per its ratings, was a success for the network. Speaking to the show’s triumph in this midseason slot, Disney Television Group president Craig Erwich said, “I think one of the reasons for that was, when we start in January, we’re able to run all of the episodes straight through, and it creates this kind of momentum.”
How can I watch The Rookie?
The Rookie airs on ABC and streams on Hulu.
