The Rookie Fans React To The Possibility Of A New Spin-Off, The Rookie North

Even though The Rookie isn't one of the most-talked-about TV shows, it has a remarkably dedicated and passionate fan following. For that reason, there are people who want to know about how painful filming the show was for one star and why a popular character disappeared for a while. Simultaneously, The Rookie's viewers are interested in what it is like behind-the-scenes of the show and whether its cast are friends.

Most of all, there are a lot of people who want to know what is planned for The Rookie's future. With that in mind, it makes perfect sense that The Rookie fans have had fascinating reactions to a potential new spin-off called The Rookie North.

What Is Known About The Potential New The Rookie Spin-Off, The Rookie North?

Since The Rookie premiered in the year 2018, the show has been a hit, and it has attracted a loyal fan following. As a result, it only makes sense that the powers that be at ABC wants to expand the show's success by turning it into a franchise.

As it turns out, ABC has been making plans to hopefully extend The Rookie's success with a new series. It has recently been reported that a new The Rookie spin-off is in the works at ABC. With that in mind, The Rookie's fans want to know everything that has been revealed about the show's potential upcoming spin-off.

In July 2025, Deadline published an article about the 2025 TV pilot season that revealed details of some planned new series.

Most Likable The Rookie Characters, According to Collider
The Rookie Character	Actor	Rank
Bailey Nune	Jenna Dewan	#10
Wesley Evers	Shawn Ashmore	#9
Aaron Thorsen	Tru Valentino	#8
Nyla Harper	Mekia Cox	#7
Wade Grey	Richard T. Jones	#6
Jackson West	Titus Makin Jr.	#5
Lucy Chen	Melissa O'Neil	#4
John Nolan	Nathan Fillion	#3
Angela Lopez	Alyssa Diaz	#2
Tim Bradford	Eric Winter	#1

That article reported that The Rookie's potential new spin-off, The Rookie North, was "gaining momentum for a pilot order." Furthermore, the article reported that a pilot order would likely come after the spin-off's lead was cast and that a handful of recognizable actors had been contacted about the role.

That same Deadline article reported that the initial plan was for The Rookie North to follow the same basic plot as The Rookie has. The show, which reportedly will take place in Washington, will feature a main character who sounds a lot like The Rookie's John Nolan.

Before work on The Rookie North began, The Rookie had already spawned another spin-off called The Rookie: Feds. Unfortunately for those involved, The Rookie: Feds only aired for one season between September 27th, 2022 and May 2nd, 2023.

Deadline's report states that the show's main character is tentatively named Alex. Furthermore, Deadline's report state the main character is a former overachiever who decides to become a rookie cop after the life he built goes awry. Similar to the show that spawned it, The Rookie North reportedly will focus on rookie cops, training officers, and a police chief.

Nathan Fillion from The Rookie — Nathan Fillion looking suspicious

In May 2025, a different Deadline article revealed how far the plans for The Rookie North had already gone by then. When Deadline interviewed The Rookie's creator and showrunner Alexi Hawley about that show's seventh season ending, they asked about the spin-off.

Alexi Hawley's IMDb page shows that he worked on several shows other than The Rookie. Alexi has worked as a producer on Body of Proof, State of Affairs, The Following, Castle, The Rookie: Feds, and The Recruit.

While speaking to the outlet, Alexi revealed that he'd put a great deal of effort into writing the script for The Rookie North's pilot. Alexi also expressed that he was hopeful that fans would get to see The Rookie North come to fruition.

“I’ve been going back and there’s a script, I’ve been doing some drafts and getting some notes. You know me, I’m a hopeful person, so I remain hopeful. I mean, it would be a great thing. So let’s see.”

The Rookie Fans Have Been Reacting To The News About The Rookie North

In June 2025, a fan posted on the r/TheRookie subreddit about the news that there were plans for a second The Rookie spin-off. The responses to that post reveal the varied ways that fans have reacted to the fact that work has begun on The Rookie North.

Before the first episode of The Rookie's first spin-off, The Rookie: Feds aired, the show had a backdoor pilot. During two episodes of The Rookie, Niecy Nash-Betts made her first appearances as Simone Clark, the main character she portrayed during The Rookie: Feds. The most-upvoted response to the Reddit post was from someone who expected an awkward introduction of The Rookie North's main character during an episode of The Rookie.

"Expect the awkward and unneccessary introduction of the spin off's main character in the next season."

However, the first Deadline article this article referred to revealed that that fan's expectations likely won't come to pass. According to the outlet, the plan was for The Rookie North to have a standalone pilot instead of introducing the new spin-off's characters during an episode of The Rookie.

The Rookie's Niecy Nash-Betts and Nathan Fillion looking concerned as they look at each other

The second most-upvoted response to the subreddit post was from someone who hoped that The Rookie North would have a different feel from the show that spawned it.

"I’m still hoping this new show takes a more rural highway patrol style with it. Don’t think making it about Seattle or something would be enough to differentiate from the original series. Plus then they can have the city bou(or girl) main protagonist moving out to a smaller town to give them that fish out of water experience and to introduce everyone."

The next response to the subreddit post was from someone who wanted to make sure that The Rookie North doesn't follow in the footsteps of The Rookie: Feds.

During The Rookie: Feds' only season, the show had its storylines crossover with The Rookie in several ways.

As a result, there were some storylines introduced during The Rookie that fans needed to watch The Rookie: Feds to see play out.

The Rookie cast Nathan Fillion, Afton Williamson, Alyssa Diaz , Mercedes Mason, Richard T. Jones, Titus Makin Jr., Alyssa Diaz, and showrunner Alexi Hawley posed on the red carpet

The third most-upvoted response to the subreddit post was from a fan who hoped that The Rookie and The Rookie North wouldn't crossover in the same way.

"I hope they don't jumble up the cases like they did with the Rookie and Feds. I still don't know how the Abril or Rosalind Dyers arcs really ended because they collabed with the Feds and put their characters endings in that show. A show now nearly impossible to find (unless you want to buy the full season)."

Considering that The Rookie North isn't getting a backdoor pilot, it seems likely that the show won't be as closely tied to The Rookie. While considering the responses to the subreddit post, it seems like The Rookie North will fix several of the complaints fans had about The Rookie: Feds.