ABC Slates Winter Wednesday Pairing of 'The Rookie' and 'The Rookie: North'
ABC will launch the ninth season of The Rookie on Jan. 6 at 9 p.m. Wednesdays, followed by the new spinoff The Rookie: North at 10 p.m. The announcement came during New York Comic-Con, where a teaser showed the team trying to rescue Tim and Lucy after their Season 8 kidnapping. Jay Ellis leads the spinoff, and Andy Allo is set to guest star.
ABC has set a Wednesday block for two Rookie series starting Jan. 6. The original crime drama, led by Nathan Fillion, returns for season nine at 9 p.m., shifting to a new night and time. At 10 p.m., The Rookie: North debuts with Jay Ellis as its lead. Andy Allo will appear as a guest star.
The network shared the plan during New York Comic-Con, where attendees saw a teaser. It offered an early look at the coming seasons, including the team’s effort to save Tim and Lucy, who were taken in the season-eight finale cliffhanger.
The pairing may give ABC a stronger Wednesday audience flow, potentially benefiting fans of both procedurals and boosting visibility for the spinoff. Viewers who follow The Rookie could sample North, while Jay Ellis fans may tune in. If the block performs well, it could influence how networks schedule franchise expansions, though audience habits and streaming competition may limit its broader cultural impact.