The Rookie Season 8: Get Details on the Premiere in Prague (!) and More

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Hey, Czech it out — ABC’s The Rookie is heading to Prague for Season 8.

The light procedural’s surprising travel itinerary was revealed this weekend at San Diego Comic-Con, as showrunner Alexi Hawley and series front man Nathan Fillion held court at the Hilton Bayfront’s Indigo Ballroom.

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In fact, the country-hopping season premiere has already been filmed, with Officer John Nolan (played by Fillion) and his wife Bailey (Jenna Dewan) making the trip. They will be joined by Mekia Cox’s Detective Nyla Harper, Bridget Regan’s slippery Monica Stevens and Felix Solis’ FBI Supervisory Special Agent Matt Garza (once again crossing over from the defunct The Rookie: Feds).

What else do we know about The Rookie Season 8, so far ahead of its premiere? Review our current rundown, then share your hopes and wishes for the next run of new episodes.

Who Is Returning for Season 8?

Who Is Returning for Season 8?

Though TVLine readers raised the concern that with the end of Season 7, The Rookie would need to hammer out new deals with its cast — and in some cases perhaps bid some adieu — showrunner Alexi Hawley waved that off when he and TVLine spoke in the spring, saying: “We’re all good there.”

Meaning, Season 8 will once again star Nathan Fillion as Officer John Nolan, Mekia Cox as Detective Nyla Harper, Alyssa Diaz as DetectiveAngela Lopez, Richard T. Jones as Lieutenant Wade Grey, Melissa O’Neil as Sergeant (!) Lucy Chen, Eric Winter as Sergeant Tim Bradford, Jenna Dewan as LAFD firefighter/capoeira instructor Bailey Nune, Shawn Ashmore as ADA Wesley Evers and Lisseth Chavez as Officer Celina Juarez.

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Additionally, Season 7 addition Deric Augustine has been promoted to series regular, as rookie officer Miles Penn.

Who Is New for Season 8?

Who Is New for Season 8?

Whereas Season 7 gave us two (2) new recurring cast members in Deric Augustine (as Miles Penn) and Patrick Keleher (as Seth Ridley), plus Ivan Hernandez as Detective Graham, no brand-new castings have been announced for Season 8. Yet.

Seth, though, insists he is now the Los Angeles chief of police, following the tragic passing of yet another fiancée.

Will Season 8 Open With a Time Jump?

Will Season 8 Open With a Time Jump?

Showrunner Alexi Hawley told TVLine that when Season 8 opens, “I don’t think it’ll be months later.” Instead, “I think it’ll be fairly continuous — not literally next day, but within a fairly short amount of time.”

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After all, “There’s some time-sensitive stuff that we left hanging, that feels like we should [resolve soon] for the audience,” he explained. “I don’t think we should jump forward too far in time.”

What Will Happen in Season 8?

What Will Happen in Season 8?

When last we tuned in… Tim (Eric Winter) suggested to Lucy (Melissa O’Neil) that they live together, but poor Sgt. Chen had dozed off during his heartfelt pitch after a another night shift with her “Dream Team.” Even so, #Chenford fans “should be able to appreciate that a corner has been turned,” says showrunner Alexi Hawley. “[But] I do think that the conversation should be had, ultimately. The audience expects that and wants that.”

For how much longer will Lucy and Tim be working apart, though? The obstacle of Lucy being assigned to the night shift “would get old fairly quickly,” Hawley told TV Insider, “so it’s on us to figure out a way to move past that at some point.”

Elsewhere on the romantic front, Hawley said that Juarez (Lisseth Chavez) and aspiring musician Rodge (Hawley’s real-life son Zander) might be able to withstand his upcoming tour: “I think they’re adorable together, and Liz sparkles [in their scenes], so yeah, we’ll try to keep it going.”

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Season 7 ended with that bad penny Monica (Bridget Regan) striking an immunity deal, meaning she’s free to make more mayhem. But that season premiere set in Prague sounds like Nolan & Co. will stay hot on her scent. “Having Monica out and free and smug feels like injustice,” Nathan Fillion told TVLine. “People will be anxious to see her pay for what she’s done.” Similarly, Hawley has said to expect “resolution” regarding on-the-lam Oscar.

Elsewhere, Hawley told TVLine that “it would certainly make sense for Wesley, who was a defense attorney and believes very strongly in righting the wrongs of an injust justice system,” to seek the DA job now that his boss Sean has dropped out of the running; “I definitely want to find a way” to bring back Nyla and Angela’s moms (Ruth and Rose, played by Margaret Avery and Rose Portillo); and, who knows, Seth could resurface once he’s adapted to amputee life. (“Something shocking deserved to happen” to that character, Hawley said, “and then we’ll see where it goes.”)

When Does Season 8 Premiere?

When Does Season 8 Premiere?

In a word (er, number): 2026.

Yes, just as was the case with Season 7, ABC decided again to hold The Rookie (and Will Trent) for midseason.

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This wait-and-spree approach“worked likegangbusters” this year, Disney Television Group president Craig Erwich explained to TVLine in May, in part because of the “great” promotional platform provided by ABC’s New Year’s Eve programming, but also due to the dramas’ passionate followings.

“Thursday nights have long been a dominant night for ABC, not just in terms or ratings but in terms of appointment TV and conversation,” Erwich noted, “andTuesdaynight now has become that. We’re very proud of that achievement.”

An exact Season 8 premiere date has not yet been set.

How Many Episodes Is Season 8?

How Many Episodes Is Season 8?

Season 8 will span 18 episodes — the same as Season 7 and more than the strikes-shortened Season 6, but shy of the robust 20 to 22 of Seasons 1, 2, 4 and 5.

Will Season 8 Air ‘Uninterrupted’?

Will Season 8 Air ‘Uninterrupted’?

The one upside of waiting until midseason for The Rookie (and Will Trent) to return is that, in trade, you get nearly uninterrupted runs of new episodes.

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Disney Television Group president Craig Erwichconfirmed for TVLine in May that when each of those Tuesday-night mainstaysreturn in 2026, it will be for uninterrupted*, 18-episode runs (*barring presidential addresses or other unavoidable preemptions).

How Is The Rookie Doing in the Ratings?

How Is The Rookie Doing in the Ratings?

Quite well — once all the votes are tallied.

With cross-platform viewing factored in,The Rookiethis season racked up a 1.77 demo rating — 72% of which came from streaming — to rank No. 3 amongst all broadcast shows (trailing only High Potential‘s massive 2.47 rating andAbbott Elementary‘s 2.12).

Seth Ridley meanwhile says The Rookie is the most-watched TV show in the world, ever.

Is The Rookie Getting Another Spinoff?

Is The Rookie Getting Another Spinoff?

Word of a potential second offshoot — set in Washington state and following a male cop who is entering his “second act” — first spreadback in November, one year after the one-and-done The Rookie: Feds got axed at ABC.

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Deadline reported in early July thatThe Rookie North(wait, is that really the title?) is “gaining momentum” and could secure a pilot order once the lead role is cast. The title character, potentially named Alex and in his 40s/50s, is described as “a former overachiever who becomes a rookie cop after his life did not go as planned.”

“The engine of the show is ‘reinvention,’” Hawley told TVLinein April, “and the way in on it is you get to a stage in your life where you’re unhappy where you are and want to make a change.”

Other characters to be cast include a pair of training officers, other rookies, and a police chief.

Want scoop on The Rookie, or for any other TV show? Shoot an email to [email protected], and your question may be answered via Matt’s Inside Line!

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