The Rookie is taking a longer time for the next season to hit viewers. That's great for the show and its fans, even though it doesn't initially seem it.
It's that time of year when the networks announce their new fall TV schedules. After a messy 2024, this year will be more routine, including for ABC. However, there will be a shift for The Rookie season 8!
The Rookie won't air in fall 2025
According to TVLine, both The Rookie and Will Trent will be holding off on new seasons until 2026. This follows the pattern of this past season when both shows premiered in January 2025. As it was with the last season, this means the shows will air consecutive weeks without many interruptions until their May finales.
It appears the shows will stick to their time slots while paired with season 2 of the hit crime show High Potential, which wrapped up its freshman run in early 2025 after premiering in fall 2024. Speaking to Deadline, Craig Erwich, Disney Television Groups President, praised the move.
"Rookie and Will Trent is a repeat of the extraordinarily successful schedule we had last season. Will Trent was one of the only broadcast shows that actually grew year over year. 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. And when you bring in High Potential to that Tuesday night, it just creates a powerhouse night. Television, in many ways, is still about nights. People ask, What am I going to watch tonight? And ABC has had so many signature nights of television. Over the last 20 some odd years, it's been Thursday night — now with Grey's and 9-1-1 — and Tuesday night has become really a must-see destination night of television for our viewers."
This is a big move for ABC and can be a great benefit for The Rookie fans!
Why waiting until 2026 is best for The Rookie
One of the most annoying things for fans of a network show is having to wait weeks for new episodes at certain times. ABC has a bad habit of leaving some shows with winter breaks that can drag on for months before new episodes air, such as TGIT breaking in November and returning in March.
Instead, The Rookie (except for a one-week break for the State of the Union address) has been able to run its entire season 7 without interruption. Like Will Trent, the show has been able to keep up the momentum in various storylines and, best of all, no agonizing waits for a cliffhanger finish to be followed up on.
That's added to the show's fresh energy, backed by its great cast and writing. It's wonderful to let a show have this unchecked momentum and ABC has to recognize that. Which is why, as much as fans would love to see The Rookie back in the fall, having an uninterrupted run is far better for the ratings.
It also gives the writers and producers time to craft some good storylines and get them in the can before any complications could affect production. A great example is that by filming in 2024, the show didn't have to worry about the January 2025 L.A. wildfires, which affected production of scores of series.
Thus, fans of The Rookie can be in for a long wait, but it will be worth it for a show that always hits the ground running and doesn't stop until an exciting finish!
Stay tuned for more updates on The Rookie here on Precinct TV.