The Rookie wrapped up airing season 7 episodes in May 2025, and the show already has some major news to share about its future.
The hit ABC drama premiered back in October 2018, and fans haven't stopped tuning in each week since. Following the lives of the police force working at the LAPD Mid-Wilshire station in Los Angeles, the show touches on all the elements of being a working first responder. In between new cases being investigated every week, viewers also can't help but get immersed in the personal lives of the fictional officers.
So, is there a chance we'll get to see more from The Rookie? Well, ABC decided to do us a solid and deliver key information about the show's future.
Will there be a season 8 of The Rookie?
There certainly will! ABC announced in April 2025 that The Rookie would return for season 8. If that wasn't enough, Nathan Fillion (who portrays John Nolan) later shared his thoughts about the show's future.
"I’ve been around long enough to know how truly challenging and rare it is to have a long running show," he penned in an emotional caption on Instagram. "Thank you all for sticking around for these 7 seasons — it’s because of you that we are announcing season 8!! Congratulations to @alexihawley and the wonderful team that puts this show together. I am so very proud to work alongside all of you. Let’s do this!"
Nathan wasn't the only one excited about returning for another season of The Rookie. Mekia Cox (who plays Nyla Harper) also expressed her feelings about the season 8 renewal on Instagram.
"Guess who’s comin back for a Season 8!!!!! 🙌🏾❤️🙌🏾❤️🙌🏾❤️🙌🏾❤️🙌🏾❤️🙌🏾❤️
@therookieabc," she added in the caption.
Naturally, seeing the cast give their thoughts on The Rookie season 8 renewal caused a frenzy online. "SO HAPPY!!!! And proud of all the hard work you guys put in to deliver this show for us!!! can’t wait for season 8!!!! 🤍," one person wrote in Mekia's comments. "My favorite family is coming back to us 🥳🥳," another declared. "BEST NEWS!!!! LETSSSS GOOO 🔥🔥," a different follower added.
When will The Rookie season 8 premiere on ABC?
According to a report from TV Line, fans can expect The Rookie season 8 to premiere midseason, in early 2026. The news of the delay comes after ABC's 2025 upfronts in early May 2025, along with confirmation on Instagram that the show is not part of the fall lineup.
Now, fans know that ever since The Rookie premiered on ABC, it's oscillated between airing in the fall and airing in the winter over the years. Given how season 7 premiered in early January 2025, it's likely the network will drop the all-new installment around the same time in 2026. What's more, the timeframe of when The Rookie season 8 will premiere may have to do with the number of episodes the season will have.
Needless to say, we'll be keeping an eye out and will update this story as soon as we know when The Rookie will come back for season 8.
Make sure you hit "save" at the top of this article to stay up-to-date on the latest news about The Rookie season 8.
Who is in the cast of The Rookie season 8?
Based on the current events of The Rookie, here's who fans may expect to return for season 8:
- Nathan Fillion as John Nolan
- Alyssa Diaz as Angela Lopez
- Richard T. Jones as Wade Grey
- Mekia Cox as Nyla Harper
- 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
- Deric Augustine as Miles Penn
While viewers first met Patrick Keleher as Seth Ridley in the first half of The Rookie season 7, he eventually left LAPD Mid-Wilshire after being caught in lies about his girlfriend's death and a cancer diagnosis. Given how his sendoff wasn't necessarily under the friendliest of circumstances, folks should keep an eye out on whether he'll make an appearance once again.
How can I watch and stream The Rookie season 8?
When the time comes for fans to watch The Rookie season 8, they can watch new episodes every Tuesday night at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.
Additionally, folks can watch The Rookie season 8 in real-time via live-streaming websites. We recommend trying out sites like Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, FuboTV or Sling — just be aware that you have accounts made before you start viewing the show as it airs live.
If you'd rather wait to watch The Rookie season 8 on your own time, new episodes will drop on Hulu the next day. For those who don't have an account yet, folks can opt into plans that begin at $9.99 per month (or $99.99 per year). Once they're all set, they can watch The Rookie on Hulu's website or on the Hulu app.
As the entertainment and news associate editor for Good Housekeeping, Adrianna (she/her) writes about everything TV, movies, music and pop culture. She graduated from Yeshiva University with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in business management. She covers shows like The Rookie, 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy, though when she’s not watching the latest show on Netflix, she’s taking martial arts or drinking way too much coffee.
