‘The Rookie’ Season 9 Premiere Date, Guest Stars & Trailer Revealed
The world of The Rookie is expanding for the 2026-2027 season, but fans are in the middle of a bit of a wait to see both the original and the newest spinoff, The Rookie: North, starring Jay Ellis. The good news is that at the show’s New York Comic Con panel on Sunday, October 11, the premiere date, guest stars, and trailer were revealed for The Rookie Season 9.
The Rookie‘s Season 8 finale ended on a major cliffhanger, giving fan-favorite couple Chenford (Melissa O’Neil‘s Lucy Chen and Eric Winter‘s Tim Bradford) the moment the season had been building to and then putting both in serious danger. And now with the new video, we get a look at the “hell,” as showrunner Alexi Hawley and O’Neil told TV Insider ahead of the panel they’d be going through, in store.
Read on for everything we know so far about The Rookie Season 9.
When does The Rookie Season 9 premiere?
The Rookie will remain a midseason show, as it has been for the past three seasons, but it is moving nights. Season 9 will premiere on Wednesday, January 6, 2027, at 9/8c. The Rookie: North will debut immediately after.
What is The Rookie about?
The official logline reads: “John Nolan, once the oldest rookie in the LAPD, now uses his life experience, determination, and sense of humor to keep up with rookies 20+ years his junior. John and the team must navigate the intense, unpredictable nature of their jobs and personal challenges, while uplifting the next generation of first responders.”
Disney/Mike Taing
Who’s in the cast of The Rookie?
The Rookie stars Nathan Fillion as John Nolan, Mekia Cox as Nyla Harper, Alyssa Diaz as Angela Lopez, Richard T. Jones as Wade Grey, Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen, Eric Winter as Tim Bradford, Jenna Dewan as Bailey Nune, Shawn Ashmore as Wesley Evers, Lisseth Chavez as Celina Juarez, and Deric Augustine as Miles Penn.
At New York Comic Con, Hawley announced Troian Bellisario, Dulé Hill, and Molly Kunz as guest stars.
Bellisario recurs as Stephanie Monroe, a thirty-something, single-mother looking to reinvent her life by becoming a police officer. Hill guests as Lt. Hughes, a distracted, thirty-year veteran of the job trying to navigate his new job as Watch Commander while his personal life is in growing turmoil. Kunz guests as Quinn, a small town girl determined to become an EMT in Los Angeles. Smart, athletic and eager to impress, Quinn navigates it all with a subversive sense of humor.
How did The Rookie Season 8 end?
International crime boss Heath Everett (Jeffrey Vincent Parise) was back in custody, after a brief escape. However, just after Lucy said yes to Tim’s proposal on the beach, a man and woman injected both in their necks, and as they lost consciousness, the woman said, “Heath Everett says payback is a bitch.” The newly-engaged couple held hands as bags were put over their hands.
What will happen in The Rookie Season 9?
Heading into Season 9, when it comes to Chenford, “I think we should be worried [about them] for sure. I mean, as a show, we definitely push the envelope with some of our characters and stuff like that. And there are real stakes on the show,” Hawley told TV Insider after the finale. “That said, I also don’t want to send the internet scrambling and freaking out too much, but I do think that, yes, that the stakes are real, that ultimately where we would find them in Season 9, which is still a little — we need to figure it out, the writers’ room hasn’t started yet and stuff like that. But I think you’re right, there is a reason they were taken and not killed.”
He continued, “I think it’ll pick up fairly — I don’t think it’s immediate. I think at this point, you know me a little bit, I just like to go, so I don’t want to be trying to figure some s**t out. I kind of want to be actionable from the beginning. I think we might know or think we know where they are. We might be going to get them. Something like that will be going on from there. So it’ll be days, maybe a week or two, depending on how long we need for other storytelling purposes, because that’s always the challenge when we do these episodes that are split. Prague was split between LA and Prague. And so if you’re trying to tell stories in two different places or whatever, they need to have equal weight. And so yeah, there’s some stuff to figure out for sure, but it’ll be fairly quick turnaround.”
The finale also revealed that Wesley (Shawn Ashmore) joined Everett’s legal team to secretly investigate Malcolm (Sean Patrick Thomas), who’s also serial killer Glasser’s (Seth Gabel) lawyer.
“That is a journey for Season 9,” said Hawley. “This is a guy who’s sort of the worst version of a defense lawyer and now as Wesley’s all the way back into being a defense lawyer, it’s going to be interesting because who Wesley is after being in the DA’s office and after really becoming team police is different than it used to be when he was defending people like Elijah [Brandon Jay McLaren] and stuff like that. And so that’ll be interesting going forward to see where that line is set now.”
Is there a Rookie Season 9 trailer?
Yes, and you can watch it above to see what Tim and Lucy will be going through and the others’ determination (and willingness to risk everything) to find them.
Conversation43 Comments
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L
PLEASE, ABC RENEW THE ROOKIE FOR ANOTHER 6 SEASONS IT IS THE BEST AND ONLY SHOW I WATCH IT GIVES ME SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO EVERY WEEK
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B
i agree
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J
Rookie is, without a doubt, the most “pleasent” Police action show on the TV screen. The cast is super serious, yet they also have a wonderful sense of humor. Thanks actors and directors, LOVE YOUR SHOW…
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M
If ABC ever decided to cancel the Rookie, that would be the DUMBEST decision in the history of ABC, and GOD!!!! forbid if they did that, I would hope FOX or another company would see the seriousness of the show and its viewers and pick it up to continue it. The rookie is by far the best common sense show on TV these days.
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J
Yesss we need up to season 12, a whole dozen.
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A
girl we need more then season 12
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D
Renew Rookie it is one of the best shows on TV
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J
Thank goodness. This has been a fantastic season! Looking forward to next season
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T
Aye can't wait
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G
Yes bring it back as it is the best police show I watched.
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L
Yessssssssss
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O
i agree for another 20 seasons because it gives me hope of living and looking to be a Police Officer in LAPD
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O
\Sorry not 20 i ment 6
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B
Usually love it, but not a fan of the April 13 documentary style that they have done once or twice in the past. Very boring!!!
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C
We definitely need more so much more. I watch any and all Police shows and Hospital shows.
The Rookie is my favorite Police show and The Pitt is my favorite Hospital show the best. Keep the Rookie.
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M
Plz do a crossover with High Potential
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J
excellent! love this show!
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G
It is the best
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M
What if it was like Grey’s Anatomy…
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O
What ever the bald dude name who’s there boss since season one is
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O
I wonder if Seth will call out the department tell the truth about himself and bald actions of the fire cause he was no help he requested that someone work with Seth he stayed in his office Seth ask for help peole laughed he bald chief didn’t help him either he just gave a scoff look he partly responsible as well he not a good leader fbi let’s see how long that last
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O
Who the new recruits I think Lopez husband relationship will change with the department may cause riff between Wesley and Lopez cause she genuinely chose her job over him he’s like a dog wait permission to live his life also she didn’t even want him to take the job and sabotage it at a pretend dinner it’s not the first time something like this happened I think they will go to counseling or divorce oh is she jealous and petty like Nina I think Seth will join A few episodes
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O
Can we get a new commander Tom does cut it neither did the ball dude in season. One who frankly doesn’t really do anything bayley done more anshe doesn’t even work there and she a more interesting character guys a snooze fest
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O
I wonder will Seth help find them or at least report it be ironic if he was a suspect he didn’t like Tim. And snob Lucy not far behind
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O
Shrieff county the best police show I don’t even like cop shows but I like this one it’s creative funny keeps on your toes waiting for next season like Christmas I like that it joins fire country sometimes I think morena a excellent actress mom friend she’s genius on the show most law enforcement is blah ok not bad good I can’t even name one great crime show thst tops Shrieff county I’m not being bias just honest the rookie like a c at times b minus when bayley Seth on it I feel it’s missing things
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O
I hope they make a rookie fire cause no spin-off so far has lasted one season but I believe fire could perfect drama rivalry betrayal love hate relationship and please have better representation of people of color gays women or be cool of a firefighter lost a leg but still on the job or has disability like Tim but is actually smart and not ashamed of it doesn’t use as an excuse to not learn and a female chief not a guy seriously it not 1950
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O
I’m not a fan of the rookie. At all the only reason i somewhat watch is because of bayley honestly the only two interesting cops is Juarez and Seth they’re the most human yes Seth is mess up in the head a bit but think something happened to him not that he’s a terrible person he should be fire not police he’s not a robot he speaks his mind especially about Tim who’s a dirty cop lucky since seaon one has never called his behavior out internally quite frankly he just e poster boy he can’t read can he also uses people to climb the ladder he be dyslexic some form of it but academics is his short Cummings
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M
I believe the stars are the bad...women on the show...Chen, Nyla, and Angela. They bring a lot of flavor to the show, They are the reason I watch.
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M
I agree. We can do without that, extremely boring and not realistic,
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G
ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE SHOW AND OF COURSE ..NATHON FILLIAN AND HIS FELLOW CO STARS! CANT WAIT!
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T
The show is great when it’s centered around their cases and not one couple. I still enjoy it but the writing and plot started falling off when they stated to put that couple back together in season 7 with pointless hookups.
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G
My favorite show please continue 🙏
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L
The ROOKIE BEST TV SERIES!!!!! From Argentina! Booking forward to season 9!!!! Best actors!!!! All of them!!!!
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T
The rookie is the BEST show I have ever watched! When it ended on a cliff hanger I was devastated 💔 I started re-watching it! I'm so excited for a new season and more joy, sadness, feer and our newly engaged couple with their journey ahead!!!
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S
love the show
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L
I think this series is so great and has a story and a sense of humor. I think this series is so great and has a story and a sense of humor, this series is so great I've been watching it for the fifth time and every time I watch it I'm shocked and I'm curious what season 9 will be like and whoever wants it watch a series and a police drama, choose Rookie because I am very grateful to have found such a wonderful series😃❤️👍 Congratulations to Alexi Hawley, the actors and other directors!!!
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O
YAY!!! but we need 6 more seasons
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W
Love this show ❤️
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J
Just watch Season 8 episode 18 and Tim finally proposed to Lucy. But then their attack and I've got to wait till January 2027 see what happens. PLEASE I can't wait that long. I was late coming to watch this show but started watching reruns on Lifetime and I love it. Even though I've seen episodes over n over I never tire of it.
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R
ya. nice
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J
About what?
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J
Absolutely the best police action show on TV.
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P
YAY!!
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